Dear Parish Family,
During the homilies of last Sunday and this Sunday, we will have given the big picture of our Church’s approach to the new evangelization here at St. John Parish and the whole Diocese of Lansing, and the crucial role that each of us play in that “game plan,” if you will. The purpose and plan of the three historic Diocesan Assemblies we focused on: 1) parish renewal in 2014 (green circle), building up our household of faith, 2) reaching out to the “lost sheep” in 2016 (dark blue circle) by welcoming non-practicing Catholics back to the faith, and 3) “growing and going” from now to the Assembly of 2018 (outer circle), which involved growing in our faith and mobilizing us Catholics to be effective witnesses out in “the Court of the Gentiles.”
To be that effective witness as the saints were, we need to “Grow” in our faith, which means investing in those four essential components (in the yellow circle) that make us intentional disciples: 1) prayer, 2) study, 3) community, and 4) mission. To guide you in your personal plan of spiritual growth and personal outreach, you received the “Grow + Go” pamphlet that Bishop Boyea and I as your pastor encourage you to 1) review and pray about, 2) complete, 3) place somewhere where you’ll see it at least weekly, and 4) continually ask for God’s grace to fulfill your role as his disciple. When you come to Sunday Mass, offer to God your efforts in “growing and going” for his Kingdom.
If you missed last Sunday’s homily, please go to our website and click on “Homilies,” where you’ll find the homily for the Solemnity of Christ the King.
Yours in Christ,
Fr. Chas