Have you seen the plaques by each door of our church? If you haven’t seen them, look for them the next time you are in church. These plaques identify the four virtues or characteristics of a Catholic/ Christian person, family, organization, or parish: Community, Gospel Values, Worship, and Service. We as members of Holy Name of Jesus Parish can be identified as Christians when we are living out these four words in our lives and or the life of the parish. All of us are called to be missionary disciples. We are called to daily deepen our relationship with God and then share that relationship by who we are, what we do and what we share with others. What would it feel like to be a part of a parish that was filled with missionary disciples? Where almost every parishioner had a fire inside them to share their way of life, their love of Jesus. Where people were hungry to be nourished by word and sacrament? Sound too good to be true?

The first step to a renewed parish is to have a strong vision of what an actively engaged congregation of missionary disciples might look like. Those four words will guide our remembering and re-envisioning Holy Name of Jesus Parish.

Take this week and pray about how you see yourself and our parish living out those words.