Stories of parish renewal
from around the world.
Taking the Plunge: A letter from the UK
I have been a priest for 30 years.
I arrived as Parish Priest to St John the Baptist, Uddingston, a lovely, large parish in the suburbs of Glasgow, in January of 2022. In October of 2023 our Diocese of Motherwell got together its clergy with the help of a very talented lay management specialist, Adrian, to examine where the diocese was, is and is going. It was a story of great faith and blessings but also steady measurable decline. It was pointed out that we as a diocese were not actually running out of priests or even money, but we were running out of people.
I have been a priest for 30 years. I arrived as Parish Priest to St John the Baptist, Uddingston, a lovely, large parish in the suburbs of Glasgow, in January of 2022. In October of 2023 our Diocese of Motherwell got together its clergy with the help of a very talented lay management specialist, Adrian, to examine where the diocese was, is and is going. It was a story of great faith and blessings but also steady measurable decline. It was pointed out that we as a diocese were not actually running out of priests or even money, but we were running out of people.
For the last 11 years Father Patrik has been serving in Taiwan where Catholics make up just 1% of the population. He says, “From the missionary perspective, there is a lot to do.” In his journey towards the priesthood, he studied philosophy in Rome where he met two sisters from mainland China – sparking a desire in him for the Chinese people. Father Patrik eventually joined the Divine Word Missionaries and seized an opportunity to take part in an overseas training program in Taiwan. Afterwards his superiors allowed him to stay and finish his studies there. “I felt like a fish in the water...it is a joy to be here.”
Five feet of fresh snow cover the Northern Canadian town of Sault Ste. Marie, blanketing St. Veronica’s Church in a Christmas Card-worthy outline. But for Joanne, Christmas here has been less than picturesque, filled with the painful reminder of her mother’s death. In 2015, two days after Christmas, Joanne’s 65-year-old mother, Susan, died suddenly, leaving Joanne without close family nearby as she raised her young daughter, Sophie as a single mom. Joanne’s mother was a devout Catholic and had made sure her children were baptized and received their sacraments but following mom’s death Joanne found it difficult to feel anything but anger at God. She recalls being filled with despair and grief, telling God “I needed her,” “it's not fair,” and “you can just leave me alone.” Then two years ago, again at Christmastime, something new was in store for Joanne.
Die Tage vor und an Weihnachten - für viele Menschen eine sehr schöne Zeit. Wir bereiten uns vor, auf die Geburt Jesu. Für viele Menschen ist Weihnachten...
