Bishop Thomas John Paprocki has shared about how many folks he has met on his pastoral visits have become concerned and often ask him, “Are you going to close our parish?” His second pastoral letter recently given to us, Ars crescendi in Dei gratia, has focused on growth in the diocese. We have set out to help all our parishes truly become “Total Stewardship Parishes,” parishes filled with many “intentional disciples.” How do you see your parish today? Is there a vibrant faith that truly is alive in Christ?
This past week I was blessed to be able to be one of five speakers at a parish mission at the parish church of St. Joseph in Benld. This wonderful parish is celebrating their 100th anniversary. Sister Mary Haddad, a Sister of Mercy, Father Patrick Gibbons, Father Steve Pohlman, Deacon Sean Caveny, and I (all vocations from this area as Benld and Gillespie have consolidated schools) were invited to speak on our vocation and calling, in the life of the church today.
Small parishes often do have these fears, especially with the last 20-30 years with a priest shortage. Some of the folks from the parish in Benld shared these fears. I assured them that the ministry of Stewardship and Discipleship in our diocese today is all about squelching this fear and creating a new “hope” for a change in vision. Already from five years ago we have sought out, prayed for, and produced 23 seminarians from only having 11 before.
Inviting the five of us back to speak reminds them of the fruitful blessings of prayers for vocations that helped us hear a call out of our daily lived parish life to ministry in the church. Their retired pastor emeritus, Msgr. Lawrence Auda, is a parish vocation and was part of this mission, too. What a statement of “being viable parishes” is made when you see the great number of vocations that have come from St. Joseph’s in Benld (and Ss. Simon and Jude in Gillespie).
Sister Mary offered a wonderful reflection and challenge to the large crowd who came to the mission the first night. As she first shared about her call to a vocation in the church, she soon focused her mission talk on the call of all the baptized to rise and actively take their place in the life of the church. She encouraged the gathered crowd to become the active laity which together creates a truly viable and vibrant church that seeks to further Christ’s mission as we build the kingdom of God in our parishes, in the diocese, and in the universal church.
The parish family of St. Joseph’s Church in Benld is a small but mighty congregation. I can tell you the names of many wonderful, dedicated and truly Catholic servants who have given time, talent, and treasure in their desire to grow in faith and to help build their parish into a strong Catholic community. I tried to assure them to live in hope and replace their fear as they celebrate their 100th anniversary with hope that their journey as a vibrant, viable parish will continue for many years to come.
Msgr. Auda and their long-time former pastor Father Ralph Guido have guided their parish in their priestly roles as shepherds for over 60 years. Both beautifully gave their gift of priesthood to this cause, but also were supported by the dedication of an inspired, faith-filled parish family, who have loved their faith, loved their community, and loved each other to live as Christ lived with his Holy Family, their patron St. Joseph and the Blessed Mother.
Their new pastor, Father Michael Haag joins them in continuing this rich history into a new bold future of creating this next 100 years of rich, deep faith and Catholic life.
I can remember in the ’70s attending Mass in Benld as I began my years in seminary. I remember Catherine Seppi, Kate Kalvin and Cerillo Tartar every day at daily Mass praying for me, Mary, Patrick, Steve, Sean, and for all vocations. They were a part of the leaders of this parish then. Today, the Saracco family, the Tebbe family, the Dobrino family, the Balzraine family, the Link family — Seketa, Turcol, Verticchio, Caveny, and the list goes on — still today there are heart and soul families who love St. Joseph Parish and truly treasure this gift of having a Catholic church in their community.
Their parish is not alone. All Saints in White Hall, St. Thomas in Camp Point, St. Mary in Sainte Marie, St. Nicholas in Pocahontas, St. Augustine in Ashland, St. Michael in Hume, Sacred Heart in Livingston and many others are small but wonderful faith-filled parish families that live and share the mission of Jesus Christ in our Catholic tradition all over our wonderful diocese.
Today is a new day for our diocese. I am privileged in this new ministry to now go all over the diocese and meet these wonderful families and parishes who love the Catholic Church. They understand we are “One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic” and the church and faith founded by Christ and the Apostles. They know it is our heritage and yet our “call” today to further the kingdom, and continue to carry on the mission of Christ. If we help to create a new fire for growth as Bishop Paprocki invites us to (and even more so, the Holy Spirit) we will replace any fear with hope that on the horizon is a bright and shining future for our parish churches and the wonderful “intentional disciples” that will fill their pews, and yes I mean “fill.”
“Discipleship as a Way of Life” will become our mission in each and every one of our 128 parishes if all of us hear the call, love our church and respond generously to this invitation of Bishop Paprocki and of our Lord and Blessed Mother. Our wonderful Holy Father, Pope Francis invites us to joyfully seek, to never settle for less.
In the parish church of Gillespie the Holy Spirit and the flames of faith and gifts of that Holy Spirit painted in the sanctuary used to have the words “Be My Disciple.” I miss seeing this when I return home to my church. This was Sister Mary’s talk in a nut shell. Today is the time. This is not “all about money” though it takes the stewardship of treasure to support the life and growth of great ministry and Catholic life in any parish. Let’s not start with a “we need more money appeal” in an effort to grow. Instead, let us go forward together with a shared vision of “We need more discipleship.”
Let us follow St. Joseph’s great lead and example, who heard his call in his dreams, and had the deep faith and courage to choose a life of “action” as Christ’s foster father. He went against all that the society pressures of his day which could have truly led him to “divorce her quietly,” but he knew God had other plans. We must not fear closure of parishes any longer, if we but believe, and seek to understand “God has a better plan of hope and success.”
We can change the course, and we can begin this quest for growth and resurgence to creating once again vibrant and viable parish families like St. Joseph’s in Benld. To Father Haag, Father Marianna Sathuluri, Msgr. Auda and to all the members of this wonderful parish family, Happy 100th! Celebrate, and enjoy this great moment in your history, and seek with hope to now begin it all over again … ad multos annos.