MAY 10, 2024
mississippicatholic.com
Pastoral Reimagining: Bishop discerns future of growth and collaboration BY JOANNA PUDDISTER KING
growth; what areas of ministry are diminishing; what are the challengJACKSON – The year-long pastoes with this decline; and what areas ral reimagining process undertaken need greater collaboration with the by the Diocese of Jackson continues Chancery offices. with a period of discernment by After deanery meetings, BishBishop Joseph Kopacz before conop Kopacz traveled to each deanery cluding with a pastoral letter. for a special Mass of Thanksgiving, Spreading across five major celebrating “Eucharist and converphases, that included establishing sation,” with those who worked on pastoral reimagining committees, the Pastoral Reimagining process in parish assessments, reviewing data their respective parishes. Though on diocesan demographics by the each gathering had varied responsCenter for Applied Research in the es, they all were asked the quesApostolate (CARA) and pastors, tions: Where do we go from here? deacons and LEMs meeting; phase How do we animate and foster the three just concluded with Bishop growing edges? How do we address Kopacz visiting each deanery to celthe challenges? ebrate a Mass of Thanksgiving and Across each deanery many highmeet with key people who worked lighted the growing Hispanic popon the pastoral reimagining process ulation and raised questions as to for each parish. how to serve the population faithfulIn the month of March, priests, ly and effectively, a sentiment Bishdeacons and LEMs of each deanery op Kopacz highlighted in meeting of the diocese were asked to discuss with priests during phase two of the the responses from the reimagining process from the parishes. Some KOSCIUSKO – Bishop Joseph Kopacz speaks to a packed parish hall at St. reimagining process. “I’m grateful to a number of our of the questions discussed were Therese parish on the Pastoral Reimagining process being undertaken by the diwhat areas they saw growth; what ocese. He now enters a period of discernment before releasing a pastoral letter. – Continued on page 6 – challenges are associated with that
(Photo by Tereza Ma)
Pope calls pastors to be ‘missionaries of synodality’ BY CINDY WOODEN AND CAROL GLATZ
an email or phone the parish office. “A priest who really knows his parish, loves his parishioners, has his finger VATICAN CITY (CNS) – Pope Francis signed a letter on synodality in the presence of parish priests and urged them to be “missionaries of synodality,” on the pulse of the parish” not only through the pastoral council and finance council but “also through other, informal settings,” he said. Such a pastor “knows said several of the priests present. Father Donald J. Planty Jr., pastor of St. Charles Church in Arlington, Virgin- his people, consults with them, listens to them, takes their advice, and ultimately ia, and one of the U.S. pastors at the meeting, said, “He told us, ‘I want you to take that factors into his pastoral decisions and planning and actions.” Father Clint Ressler, pastor of St. Mary of the Miraculous Medal Catholic this letter, and I want you to put it into action. I want you to share it and speak to Church in Texas City, Texas, said spiritual discernment adds a key factor beyour bishops about it and speak to your brother pastors about it.’” The pope signed the letter May 2 as he met with more than 200 parish priests cause synodality “is not listening to the voice of the people, but the voice of God in the Vatican Synod Hall. The meeting came at the end of an April 29-May 2 in the voice of the people.” “It isn’t just about your voices and your opinions,” he said. “We have to all be gathering designed as an opportunity for the priests to share their experiences and offer input for the drafting of the working document for the Synod of Bish- willing to then go deeper beneath those voices to try to hear what the Spirit is saying among us.” ops on synodality’s second assembly in October. Father Planty, who served for a time in the – Continued on page 6 – Vatican diplomatic corps and in the Vatican Secretariat of State, said it was clear that what parINSIDE THIS WEEK ticipants from around the world had in common was “love for our identity as priests and our mission as priests.” Clearly, he said, some priests have difficulty getting parishioners to open up and share their hopes, dreams and skills – a crucial part of building a “synodal church” where people listen to one another and share responsibility for the life of the parish and its missionary outreach. That is not a problem in the United States, Father Planty said. “Especially in a country of an Sister Thea Bowman 9 Pastor pens book 16 New look at Padre Pio 7 Anglo-Saxon democratic tradition,” people are Mary Woodward gives upFather Sebastian Myladiyil Ten new images released to used to sharing their opinions, including with their priests. They comment after Mass or send date on cause for Sr. Thea wrote a new book on prayer the public of Padre Pio