Andrew Kreye
Editor’s note: This is first in a series of ‘Notes from the Vineyard’ articles on the implementation of Bishop James P. Powers’ Maintenance to Mission Pastoral Plan.
Since its establishment last February, the Office of Parish Transformation has been working directly with parish leadership across our diocese to aid in renewing our understanding of our role in the universal church’s mission of proclaiming the good news of Jesus Christ and taking steps toward fulfilling that mission in our parish communities.
This mission is fulfilled in two ways: By forming disciples of Jesus through invitation to a deeper relationship with him in his church, and by the efforts of those same disciples to evangelize others. While the Parish Transformation Team’s work often looks like meetings and filling forms, it is fundamentally the same as the work of evangelization. It is about relationship and the invitation to communion. The team has witnessed growth in both during their subsequent parish visits, sometimes in poignant – and even pungent – ways.
Five lefse and two fish
“I didn’t really volunteer; I just said ‘yes.’” That was how Eric Stuart described the beginning of his involvement at St. William in Foxboro. It was his willingness to respond to a need – to fill a gap – that led Stuart from giving a talk at a TEC (formerly Teens Encountering Christ, now Together Encountering Christ) Retreat to reading at Mass, then to his time as a council member and trustee in the parish, and most recently to spearhead a new event for St. William: The Lutefisk and Meatball Dinner. Stuart was clearly not the only one who had felt the absence of the iconic Nordic meal in the area, because the event drew nearly 100 attendees to the rural parish – including some non-Catholics.
“Lutherans love their lutefisk,” he explained, having been raised Lutheran himself. He recalled joking with his pastor, Fr. Andrew Ricci, during the dinner, “It’s an opportunity for ecumenism!”
However, man does not live by lefse alone. One event, even one as successful as the lutefisk dinner, is not enough to sustain a community. In addition to other established events, like Christmas wreath-making and pasty and pie bakes, St. William has also recently begun hosting a family bingo night.
It involved some creativity to get off the ground, since they lacked the resources to emulate their model – Our Lady of the Lake’s bingo night in Ashland. They found they could cover the cost of the event by selling concessions. They did what they could with what they had. They brought their “five loaves and two fish,” and the Lord has blessed and multiplied it into an occasion for families to come with their children and find fellowship.
Hallow not hollow
Not far from Foxboro, other Superior Catholics have found support in developing the other essential part of the Christian life: Prayer. The Cathedral of Christ the King is in its second year of partnering with Hallow, a Catholic prayer app. They began the partnership with Hallow “to help parishioners develop a deep and personal connection with Jesus,” stated June Bjork.
Bjork works at the Cathedral as the contact point between Hallow and the parish. Since beginning that work, she has witnessed a flourishing in the prayer life of her community such that she is now working with Hallow to replicate it in other parishes across the country. She believes the goal of supporting “a personal, daily practice of prayer” has already been – and continues to be – achieved. Although she can back her claim with app usage data from the parish, Bjork finds the stronger proof is in the personal testimonies she has heard.
One such testimony involves a Society of St. Vincent de Paul volunteer who shared the app with someone seeking assistance from the society. That willingness to share provided the opportunity for God to transform this person’s life in prayer. This person was later able to repay the society for all the assistance they had provided.
The partnership with Hallow was initially met with much skepticism by parishioners, but many of the same have since become its most avid users.
“We didn’t just buy into a product. We’re here to help [create] genuine growth in the community through prayer,” she said.
Bjork’s conviction of the necessity of prayer for vibrant parish life is clear when speaking with her, and it is a joy to witness that vibrancy emerge. Christine Newkirk, director of the Office of Parish Transformation, said, “We are pleased to hear about and experience firsthand the growth that is taking place across the diocese. We look forward to sharing and celebrating more of these ‘Notes from the Vineyard’ in the future!”
Until then, know of our prayers for you and your communities.
A former seminarian, Andrew Kreye is currently an administrative assistant with the Diocese of Superior.
