My dear brothers and sisters in Christ:

Last September, I published my second pastoral letter, called Ars Crescendi in Dei Gratia, Latin for “The Art of Growing in God’s Grace.” In it, I wrote, “The art of growing in God’s grace is the key to growth in the Church. Building a culture of growth in the Church starts with inviting people to experience the love of Jesus Christ.” (The full text of the pastoral letter is available online at http://www.dio.org/bishop/pastoral-letters/ars-crescendi-in-dei-gratia.html.)

As we begin Holy Week, our focus turns from the penitential practices of Lent to the celebration of the Paschal triduum, the three-day commemoration of the Last Supper, Crucifixion and Resurrection of Jesus Christ. The Holy Saturday Easter Vigil marks the culmination of the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults, when new members are added to the church through the Sacraments of Initiation (baptism, confirmation and Eucharist). Easter is a fitting time to celebrate new life coming into the church, as the Risen Lord commissioned his Disciples with these words: “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you” (Matthew 28:19-20).

So how are we doing with growth in the church? Here in the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois, almost 300 new members will be fully initiated into the Catholic Church this Easter. Worldwide, the Vatican released global statistics last week showing that the number of Catholics has grown faster in the last decade than the general population. Over the nine-year period from 2005 to 2014, the number of Catholics worldwide has increased by a half percent more than the general population, or a difference of 17.8 percent compared to 17.3 percent for the global population, according to the newly released Pontifical Yearbook for 2016 and the 2014 annual report compiled by the Central Office of Church Statistics. Between 2005 and 2014, the number of Catholics worldwide increased by nearly 160 million, reaching 1.27 billion in 2014, up from 1.12 billion in 2005. The largest increase was reported in Africa, where the number of those baptized Catholic grew by a remarkable 41 percent amid an overall population growth of 23.8 percent in the same period. In Asia, the church grew by half that amount, or 20 percent, while the overall population there grew by 9.6 percent. The Catholic population in the Americas recorded an increase of 11 percent. Although Europe saw the slowest growth of all, the number of Catholics grew there as well, increasing by 2 percent.

It is good to see the Catholic Church growing in our diocese and throughout the world, but there is still a great potential for bringing more people into a life-changing relationship with Jesus Christ. In my pastoral letter on building a culture of growth in the church, I said that we must do four things to build a vibrant community of saints:

1. Invite people to join us in prayer, especially Sunday Mass (hospitality);

2. Study the Bible and learn more about Jesus and our Catholic faith (formation);

3. Provide the sacraments as signs of hope and paths of grace to heaven (prayer); and

4. Serve those in need by practicing charity and justice (service).

The verbs in these four action items correspond to the four pillars of Stewardship and Discipleship that we have begun talking about in our diocese: hospitality, formation, prayer and service. I will be discussing these four pillars of Stewardship and Discipleship more extensively in parish visitations in the months and years ahead. In the meantime, we can all communicate more broadly the message of invitation from my radio spot that was broadcast for the past couple of months. In it, I said:

Catholics sometimes stop attending church for various reasons. Then something happens that calls us back: perhaps a need for a deeper meaning in life, a loss that makes us yearn for peace and comfort, or a greater desire to know Christ.

Regardless of why you left or got out of the habit of going to Mass, you can always return to the practice of the sacraments and the fullness of relationship with Jesus Christ and the church he founded. Pope Francis has declared an Extraordinary Year of Mercy in which he invites all believers to a true encounter with the mercy of God.

I’m Bishop Thomas John Paprocki of the Springfield Diocese inviting you back to church. The doors are open wide to welcome you. We love you, we need you and someone is missing when you are not with us. Make a resolution to attend Mass each weekend.

May God give us this grace. Amen.