Dear Friends,
Last month, my bulletin column discussed our parishes beginning to engage the Amazing Parish movement. As I believe I mentioned last month, Amazing Parish strives to empower pastors to be better leaders and shepherds of parishes through the creation of a Parish Leadership Team (PLT, for short). One of the reasons for a Parish Leadership Team (PLT) is lighten the load of administrative details from the pastor so that he may have more time and energy to engage in priestly ministry: administering the sacraments, teaching, catechizing, evangelization, visiting the sick and homebound, and more.
A Parish Leadership is not like an advisory or oversight body, such as the pastoral and finance councils. Instead, it is an operating body, with each member of the PLT actively involved in the implementation of decisions. The PLT will meet weekly, as members will be involved in the day-to-day happenings and operations of the parish. Other responsibilities will include assisting the pastor in leading the vision and priorities of the parish; helping the rest of the staff, volunteers, councils, committees, and all parishioners integrate and embrace the vision and priorities of the parish; creating clarity of the mission of the parish; and aligning the entire parish, staff, and ministries to that mission. Members of the PLT will have to look beyond their own area of expertise or responsibility in order to help protect the good of the entire parish.
As I mentioned before, this will not be a group of a privileged few. Rather, members of the PLT will be given tremendous responsibility in assisting me. The work of the PLT will kick off with the Amazing Parish conference in October. I ask that you please pray for me and for the future members—not yet selected—of the Parish Leadership Team.
I want to thank everyone for your cooperation during this strange time, whether it be with wearing masks or your patience in waiting for plans for the school and religious education. I also want to thank you for your generosity and ask for your continued generosity. Without you, we cannot continue our mission in forming disciples and saints and bring the light of Christ into the community. On a similar note, there will be a meeting on August 26 at 7pm at St. Mary's for RCIA, specifically for those interested in joining the Church. If you know someone who may be interested in joining the Church, have a discussion with that person and invite them to this meeting, which is simply a “come and see” meeting.
In the next few weeks, I will attempt to discuss the Our Father in this bulletin column. We are all saints under construction, so let's all grow together in holiness through prayer, worship, and service. Have a great week!
In Christ,
Fr. Matt