Setting Sail with Genesis Compass: A letter from New Zealand
When our SLT gave our ‘yes’ to begin Genesis Compass, we had been working together for about 18 months and were at the stage of launching our parish vision. Admittedly, it was a challenge for us to schedule the first four weekly meetings, but we were able to make it work, and after our first session of Genesis Compass, we were all looking forward to meeting again the following week. The timing of Genesis Compass was very providential. Our regular meetings prior to Genesis Compass were focused on forming and articulating our vision. At the time of starting Genesis Compass, our meetings were focused on discussing the strategy of how we were going to launch and cast that vision.
Parish Renewal gets Personal: A Story from Canada
Nathan Cabalfin, together with his wife Glenna, has eight children ranging from 15 years to 8 months old. Working as an engineer in Greater Vancouver, he lives a very full life – or as he describes it, “one without much downtime.”
Yet in 2022, when Father Mark McGuckin arrived as the new Pastor of St. Francis de Sales Parish (learn more about Father Mark) and approached Nathan to join the Leadership and Renewal Team, Nathan jumped in and gave his yes. “I want to set an example, a model, for my children of what it’s like to be in faithful community.”
How Hospitality is the Gateway: A letter from Australia
My husband Ray and I arrived in Orange, (about 250 kms west of Sydney) in 2018. We were looking forward to retiring outside of the fast pace of Sydney city life. We hoped Orange, with a population of about 48,000, would offer country hospitality and friendliness.
At first our hopes were fulfilled, even at the local gym everyone was friendly, welcoming, and had time for a cuppa [cup of coffee/tea] after class. However, when we first attended St. Mary’s Catholic Church it was not welcoming at all. Everyone seemed in a rush to get in and then get out of Mass. This was a shock.
So, we went to the Uniting Church in Orange to see if this was just the culture of the churches in town. It could not have been more different. At the Uniting Church, we were welcomed at the door, introduced to people, offered a cup of tea/coffee after service and even a dinner invitation from the minister. I was also asked personally if I would like to attend a weekly Bible study. The hospitality was wonderful and made us feel at home.
But, despite the wonderful hospitality at the Uniting Church, we missed attending Mass.
Afterglow: A Focus on the Catholic Parish Summit
As attendees make their way home across the UK, Europe, North America and some even as far away as New Zealand, many have reached out to share their stories of what the Holy Spirit began renewing in their hearts last week.
Found: A Focus on Fathers
The subject of Fatherhood – spiritual or biological – often dredges up a convoluted catch of emotions, netted from the depths of our memories. Joy, pain, love, fear, anger or even shame. Whether from healing or hurting, those in the role of “father” in our lives cut deeply into our hearts, forming who we believe ourselves to be as children.
Some of the greatest power of fatherhood lays in its ability to create identity. Like a last name, fatherhood can wrap each individual member of the family in a moniker, identifying those who belong.
But ultimately, earthly fatherhood is a reflection. It is in the Creator that parenthood is defined and in its perfect form. It is from him that our true identity is found.
“More than you can ask or imagine”: A Story from France
Paroisse Etudiante de Toulouse Assistant Priest, Father Antoine, takes what he learned interning with Divine Renovation to minister to a student population hungry for the gospel.
A Story of Divine Renovation’s Impact
When Fr. Mykhailo and his team at Holy Eucharist Ukrainian Catholic Cathedral (New Westminster, BC) decided to start their first Alpha, coordinators Alina and Iryna were nervous.
“It was very stressful.” Iryna shares. “We didn’t know what to expect. We only had 14 people registered the week before. We asked ourselves ‘If 10 come will we cancel? What if only 5 come?’ It was a stretch for our Leadership Team to trust in God.”
But they were in for a surprise their first Alpha night.
“We ended up having 70 people come on that first night! We had to add tables at the last minute. The team was so encouraged.”
Alina served as one of the table hosts and had an up-close view of personal transformation during Alpha. “The most amazing thing for me was that all my table members attended the Sunday Liturgy on the first Sunday after the first Alpha session. Also, I was really impressed when three women asked for their first confession. It was difficult for them to make this decision, but Alpha videos helped them realize that Jesus died for them.”
Alina shares another story: “One young woman came to the church because she saw the parish offering help to Ukrainians with documents.” It was a snowy day and the city was shut down. ” After Divine Liturgy, the priest wanted to close the door, but this girl just pushed it open. She didn’t realize that all appointments were canceled. The priest said, ‘Sorry, I can’t help you with documents, but… you can come on Saturday evening to Alpha and have a hot dinner.” She came. “She didn’t say anything at the table and hid in her hoodie, but evening after evening, the Holy Spirit worked on her, and she became more open.” By the end Alina relates, the woman asked ” if she could be the host of the table for the next Alpha session!”
The parish has now launched their second Alpha course and are filled with hope and expectation for all the Lord will do next.
Leaders of the Faith: A Focus on Mothers
Whether biological, adoptive, or spiritual mentors, the mothers of our faith guide our understanding of God. From Jochebed’s protective plans that saved baby Moses (Exodus 2), to the bravery of Mary’s “yes” to her divine motherhood (Luke 1), scripture shows examples of mothers with strength, intelligence, and boldness whose witness lead us deeper into our own faith.
This month we reach out and ask priests and parish leaders how mothers have lead them to the faith they have today.
“A Little Child Will Lead Them”: A Story from the USA
Melissa and Cody Hedquist love their parish. They almost gush as they repeatedly explain “the way they do it at St. Patrick’s is…” relating their amazement at the difference they have found there.
St. Patrick’s Parish in Yorkville, Illinois, has been committed to parish renewal since its Pastor, Father Matt, attended the DR’16 Conference in Halifax. He got into coaching with Divine Renovation, formed a Senior Leadership Team, started Alpha and the trajectory of the parish changed towards becoming missional. Another big shift happened three years ago when, as part of their focus on the primacy of evangelization, St. Patrick’s hired a Director of Children’s Ministry. The new hire, Samantha, brought in a focus on family formation to children’s faith education and the fruit has been multiplying ever since.
For the Hedquist family, this change was tangible and deeply personal.
The Rest of God: A Story from the USA
Angela is a parishioner at Mary Queen of the Apostles Parish, in Salem, Massachusetts, USA.
In her early childhood she had already started volunteering with her local parish, a life of service that continued into adulthood. For the last three decades she has offered her gifts in the choir, as a lector, as a leader of a prayer group, with the youth, and says “I was a leader for many things.”
From all signs, she was the ideal volunteer.
But secretly, she was burned out. Her spiritual life was one of duty and striving. “I thought I had to do so much: doesn’t matter that I was overwhelmed, doesn’t matter that I was losing my mental health, doesn’t matter that I was feeling burn out – this is what you needed to do…this is what God wants from you.”
But five years ago, everything changed.
