The four pillars of Stewardship/Discipleship are hospitality, prayer, formation and service. Our diocese has put together a 28-page document focusing on these four pillars as well as a strategy to implement these pillars into the life of all 128 parishes of the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois.
Over 350 lay "disciples" joined a number of religious women and religious brothers, approximately 50 priests and 10 deacons of our diocese, and our shepherd, Bishop Thomas John Paprocki as they gathered at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception to formally "kick off" our diocesan effort and mission to make "discipleship as a way of life" for all Catholics of our diocese.
Our first year goal is to seek out five to six representatives from each parish and spend 2016 living out the four pillars as we gather for six sessions of formation to learn and embrace this call to make discipleship a way of life for all Catholics in our diocese. We were reminded that Sacred Scripture is the textbook to learn about God's daily call to live a discipleship life.
As Jesus called the original disciples to "come and follow me" so, too today, he is calling us. Not just to be Catholic. Not just to be members of a particular parish. Not just to be one who goes to any Sunday Mass each week. He is calling us to become every day, all day "intentional disciples" (as Sherry Weddell suggests in her book Forming Intentional Disciples).
Seven diocesan members of our diocese gave our first "lay witness" talks as they shared their joy, their hopes, and their willingness to accept this invitation to become a part of this journey and mission of our diocese. Jeremy and Jennifer Dyer of St. Peter Parish, Quincy; Jessica Davis of Christ the King, Springfield; Camille Emig Hill of Ss. Peter and Paul Parish, Collinsville; Marlene Mulford of Little Flower Parish, Springfield (who also is diocesan director of Communications); Sandy Deters of St. Michael Parish, Sigel; and Mike Christie, of Blessed Sacrament Parish, Springfield, who is the newly-appointed president of the Diocesan Pastoral Council.
Each of them shared a common truth that each knew for sure: God was calling them to a more intense life of living as one of his disciples. Jenny and Jeremy Dyer shared so beautifully how being called to be parents of six sons was truly a call to discipleship as they knew each child for them was "a soul entrusted to them" from God. They also shared how they saw true discipleship witnessed by their parish family. Jeremy shared how when he lost his job and they became financially strapped, it was the members of their parish family who reached out and showered upon the Dyer family so many gifts of love and support. The parish became the hands and feet of Christ.
Christie shared about the mission this new Diocesan Pastoral Council will embrace as they will make "stewardship and discipleship" a key focus of their ministry as they pastorally seek to lead our diocese to the "growth" Bishop Paprocki spoke of in his homily, and certainly in his recent Pastoral Letter.
In the upcoming year as this group with our clergy and parish leaders will spend five more sessions of formation on these pillars and our mission, we also will see pastors and parishes beginning to bring about opportunities for their parish to begin or continue the dialogue about making "discipleship as a way of life." Our hope and goal is for every parish to have an active, engaged "Stewardship Council," along with their Pastoral Council and Finance Council.
In February we are holding formation sessions on one of these four foundational pillars, hospitality: Feb. 2, Springfield Deanery at Cathedral; Feb. 4, Litchfield Deanery at Holy Family, Litchfield; Feb. 11, Decatur Deanery at St. Patrick, Decatur; Feb. 17, Effingham Deanery at St. Anthony, Effingham; Feb. 18, Alton Deanery at Father McGivney Catholic High School, Glen Carbon; Feb. 24, Quincy Deanery at Blessed Sacrament, Quincy; and Feb. 25, Jacksonville Deanery at All Saints, White Hall. All seven meetings will begin at 6:30 p.m. All parish representatives are encouraged to attend and also share about how hospitality is a foundation of your parish, or how it may need to be improved.
I feel so blessed by our "kickoff" gathering and join so many others who shared with me they now have great hope and enthusiasm as we felt the Holy Spirit was truly alive and working great things already as we believe there is more in store.
Come and join us. If this is exciting you spiritually, let your priest know, and also my door is always open to share — call me at (217) 371-9474. The Pillars of Stewardship document is on our office's website at www.dio.org, click on Stewardship and Discipleship under the Offices heading.
Together, with God's grace that our bishop prays about and refers to at the end of all of his homilies, we can do marvelous deeds. We continue the journey, running the race, fighting the good fight, "being" who God is calling us to be.