As I See It

by Fr. Vin

Priorities for the Future – II

Last week I wrote about what we’ve been doing on the Pastoral Council and on the ministry staff with what you told us helps you to grow closer to Christ.  Through the Gallup ME25 survey and the listening sessions that followed, we heard from you what deepens your spiritual life.  From that the staff and Council drew six themes, and then we drafted statements about those themes that will help in planning for the future.  Last week I printed the draft text about the place of the Eucharist.  Here’s another theme (the themes themselves are not in priority order).

A priority of OLOG is to serve God and others.

By means of knowing and using our gifts; and by determining those areas of need in our community where those gifts are best utilized.

In order that parishioners may grow in knowledge and love of God through the exercise of their gifts; and that we may give witness to the Gospel by reducing the suffering of others.

Again, we hope to hear your suggestions to improve this draft.  You can (preferably) e-mail your suggested revisions to priorities@ourladyofgrace.net; or you can use the form at the bottom of this page (for this theme or for last week’s).  The Council and staff will review everyone’s suggestions and come up with a final form for these statements of priorities that we can report to you by June.

Our hope is to put our limited resources (of parishioners’ energies, time, attention, and contributions) to work in the best possible way.  There are lots of things we might like to do – but we can only do a limited amount.  It’s important that what we choose to do be the most helpful things.  So I invite everyone to take these weeks to consider: What would God have us do to spread the Gospel and to come closer to His Son?  If we haven’t said things clearly in these six themes, offer your insights.  More next week.  Until then, peace.

[Here’s last week’s theme; comments also welcome on this:]

A priority of Our Lady of Grace  is to help parishioners understand and integrate what we do at the Eucharist.

By means of fostering full, conscious, and active participation of all parishioners in the Sunday Eucharist and in other sacraments.  By investing in good music, liturgical environment, ministerial formation, and preaching; and by educating parishioners in how to pray liturgically.

In order that parishioners may better understand and embody the full meaning/message of the Eucharist and so become more like Christ in our daily lives.