Pope Francis has encouraged us to truly appreciate the communal dimension of our Catholic faith. He has urged parishes to foster this sense of community, and to create a welcoming environment for those who come to Church, and to offer opportunities to create and strengthen relationships. Therefore, we should strive to welcome those who enter our Church doors to attend Mass and our other various liturgies. In addition, we should also welcome them to participate in our many parish activities and programs.
An important parish activity, and welcoming opportunity, is our Parish Family Picnic. It will take place this Sunday afternoon, September 29th, from 1 pm to 4 pm on the Holy Redeemer School soccer field, weather permitting. We invite you to join us as we come together as a community of faith. There will be plenty of free food and drinks and great entertainment for our children. Many of our parishioners and guests have enjoyed the Picnic in past years, as they embraced this atmosphere of community and fellowship.
Pope Francis often speaks about the need for strong parish communities as he addresses various groups of the Catholic faithful. As reported in the media outlet, “Vatican News”, he noted that parishes are “close-knit communities, without bureaucracy, people-centered, a place where the gift of the Sacraments can be found.” He further noted that parishes should be community-oriented, serving as centers of welcoming and listening. He stated, “They have to become one again schools of service and generosity, with their doors always open to those who are excluded. And to those included to all”.
The “Prayer for Community” provided by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops focuses on the importance of community:
Embracing Father, You grace each of us with equal measure in your love.
Let us learn to love our neighbors more deeply
so that we can create peaceful and just communities.
Inspire us to use our creative energies to build the structures we need
to overcome the obstacles of intolerance and indifference.
May Jesus provide us the example needed and send the Spirit to warm our hearts for the journey.
Amen.
As we reflect on this prayer, we should note that our bishops have echoed the sentiments of Pope Francis and have reminded us that hospitality and welcoming are important ways we can build community as we accompany our people on their journey of faith. Our Picnic is just one way we can join in this community effort. Please avail yourselves of this welcoming opportunity to embrace our parish family, and join with your fellow parishioners this Sunday for food, fun, and fellowship.