Not everyone yet has the experience of being a part of a renewed parish - a parish of the new evangelisation - which is responding to the call of Christ at the heart of the Church. Indeed, it is hard to foresee what a new evangelisation parish would be like until we encounter one. We sometimes speak of disfunctional families - we could easily speak also of disfunctional parishes (I was once Parish Priest of one), or of dying parishes, parishes which are sad because they are linked to a particular culture or convention or conformism rather than to the person and teaching of Jesus Christ (I have had my experience of these too). 
What an immense joy then to have been given a web link to a parish which is renewed. It isn't every day that you encounter a parish whose vision is totally different, because it is renewed. Are you ready for this:
The transformation from Church member by convention to Christian Disciple by conviction.
To reform and renew the world by helping every person surrender his or her life, without reservation, to the Lordship of Jesus Christ.
A willingness to allow His Gospel to be the measure of our whole lives and a readiness to abandon anything that is contrary to the Revelation of God.
Becoming evangelical Catholics is a life long adventure of letting go of cafeteria, casual or cultural Catholicism by accepting the liberating truth of the Word of God and living by grace through faith in the Son of God.
The nature and life of this parish is due in no small part to its Parish Priest, Fr Jay Newman. The Parish is that of St Mary's, Charlston, South Carolina, USA - a model for our age, and the age that is beginning.
No comments:
Post a Comment