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.”
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.
Happy Mother’s Day!
There is something about this day that seems like it is bathed in a glow of sunlight and the scent of flowers. Motherhood is one of the most beautiful callings. Those that nurture and raise the young: biologically, adoptively, or spiritually reflect part of the nature of God. At the last women’s ministries night we hosted…
