Global2033: A Decade of Evangelization
“The Holy Spirit is initiating something exciting worldwide. We have a chance over the next 10 years to make disciples in our parishes like never before! The potential is huge as many movements and ministries join forces together. The Catholic parish system is the ‘sleeping giant’ in the universal Church and it’s time for us to wake up and invite others to know Christ, 2000 years after the events that changed history forever.”
Catalyst for Change: A Focus on Evangelization
A group from St. Agnes Parish in Thunder Bay is currently helping run an Alpha… in another Parish. What started as a small group attending DR 2016 in Halifax has grown into a full blown parish renewal that is now spilling over into neighbouring parishes in their city. “We are being the catalyst to bring that into the city… the real dream would be to see our whole diocese on fire.”
Welcoming People Home: A Focus on Hospitality
Father Mark explains, “I am completely convinced that what people desire more than anything is to belong, and to feel welcomed and to be accepted, and to be embraced as they are… And I think the message of Jesus, the great revolutionary message of Jesus, in many ways, is that you do belong, and that you are accepted – that you are welcome.”
Not Alone on the Journey: A Story from New Zealand
A year ago Father Sherwin’s blood pressure was unstable. Within 5 weeks he had lost a significant amount of weight. Then an ECG showed that he had had a minor heart attack. Next, his childhood asthma came back, and he struggled with diverticulitis. A diagnostic journey began as he was sent from one specialist to the next, through test after test.
All of this happened within a year of Father Sherwin becoming the new Pastor of St. Mark Catholic Mission Parish in Pakuranga, New Zealand. “This is where Divine Renovation came in,” he says.
Parish Renewal and the Synodal Church: An Interview with Sister Nathalie Becquart
Sister Nathalie Becquart, XMCJ, undersecretary of the General Secretariat of the Synod expounds, “it’s completely missionary focused we can say.” A synodal Church is in communion, participating together for the mission of the Church.
Beyond Borders: A Story about a Priest in Portugal
Father Jose has been the Pastor of the joint parishes of Santa Eulália de Fafe e Santa Comba de Fornelos since 2017. Historically it had an “immense vitality between the 80’s and 90’s,” he relates, but in recent decades has seen far fewer parishioners in the pews and now stretches to cover larger neighbourhoods. Father Jose knows he is not alone in feeling this holy discontent, “this disquiet” about what is happening in parishes.
Father Jose connected to DR through a brother priest, who directed him to Leadership Coach, Father Tiago Veloso.
“I came to Father Tiago through other priests, here in our diocese of Braga, particularly Father Sérgio Torres through our conversations and sharing about parish ministry.” Father Jose started in coaching with DR in 2021 with cohort of Portuguese priests. “Now,” he states, “I try to put all this into practice.”
Preaching on Purpose: A Focus on Homilies
O’Reilly says, “This book was born out of our conversations with priests we coach. The same question kept coming up – my homily is one of the most important ways of reaching my people with the gospel…but how do I preach in a way that really helps us make disciples?”
Happy Father’s Day!
Genealogies litter the Bible mapping the path of our forefathers from sin to salvation. God’s love is quite literally multiplied out through the generations.
Our lineages matter.
10 Things You Always Wanted to Know About Father James: An Interview
To celebrate Father James Mallon’s 25th Ordination Anniversary our resident DR Storyteller took to Zoom to discover 10 things you may not know about the man so dedicated to moving parishes from maintenance to mission.
Growing the Garden: A Focus on Coaching
“Being a pastor is like being a gardener” relates Fr James Mallon. He continues, “a gardener glories in the beautiful flowers that grow in his garden. We are called to grow the garden…” But when the job is large and when the tool shed is empty and the workers few, what began in passion can move to burnout.