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Author: Suraj

Pastoral Reflection The readings for Sunday call for peace, respect, and the exercise of virtue in family life. While modern family life is a great deal more complex than family life in ancient times, the need for virtue and respect is as relevant as ever! The idea of the family today is very broad and includes the extended family, the family of the parish community to which we belong, our “work” family, and many others. Yet, the family of our own household is the place where the greatest lessons of life and love are learned. Let us take this Sunday and New Year’s Day (Mary, Mother of God) to first give thanks for our own families, in all their joys and sorrows, their virtues and vices. Then, let us ask God’s blessings upon our families that we may grow in love and devotion to one another, reaching out where needed and reconciling where bonds have been bruised. Finally, let us pray that the bonds of love may unite the whole human family in love and peace throughout the entire world! (Mary, Mother of God, is also the day of prayer for world peace.) Call to action: Use your GC Smart Tools to send a quick email or text to your families this week inviting them to attend mass this weekend as a family. Also, remind them to pray together as families, and to offer prayers of blessing together before meals. Remind parents that they may offer simple blessings to their own children every day. In some cultures, it is common for mom and dad to make the sign of the cross with their hands or thumbs on the forehead of the children each night before bed, or in the morning before school. Also, at masses this weekend, offer a special blessing for families at the end of the homily. You can find some lovely blessings in the official Book of Blessings. Studies are clear that in families where faith is expressed at home, more family members will remain connected to the Church. Pastoral Action Points You might also consider handing out a simple gift, like a bookmark, that has a blessing prayer for families printed on it. Families can then use this as a prayer in the “domestic church” of the home. Consider a simple family activity after mass, like having families come to the hall. There you can have sheets of paper where families can draw their family tree. The family tree can then be blessed and taken home as a reminder of belonging. Help non-traditional families, like one parent households, to feel included. Remind them that they are a part of the greater family of the Church and the Kingdom of God! Keep your eyes open! GiveCentral has some exciting and innovative announcements coming in January 2024! Your experience of GiveCentral is about to get easier and faster! Stay up-to-date with news & information - follow us on social! Toll-free: 833.716.2612 | Email us at: support@givecentral.org

August 11, 2024 • Pastoral Notes • Views: 2

Strengthening Family Bonds: A Call to Peace and Virtue in the New Year

Pastoral Reflection The readings for Sunday call for peace, respect, and the exercise of virtue in family life. While modern family life is...

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From the virtues of a wife in the ancient world to investment strategies in the gospel parable, it looks like the readings are all over the map for this weekend. But they aren’t. There is a consistent theme, and it's about how we should be living until the Day of the Lord. St. Paul reminds the Thessalonians that they are children of the light and of the day, and so should live with the joys, hopes, and conduct appropriate to being in the light. The first reading describes the virtues of a wife (from an ancient perspective), and the gospel parable describes what we should be doing with what the Lord has given us. I imagine that the writer in Proverbs is a man who appreciates his wife and is writing this reflection as he beholds her from across the room, watching what she does. The gospel parable is from the first part of the twenty-fifth chapter of St. Matthew’s Gospel. Next weekend we will read the last part, where the sheep and the goats are divided and judged. In light of that, we can see the urgency of this parable and all the readings of this weekend. We are called, at the end of the day, to appreciation, to recognition of the light we’ve been called to, and to use generously and well the talents we’ve been given. Call to action: If you’ve been doing a stewardship drive this month, the readings for this weekend provide a wonderful opportunity to pull it all together! The call to live spiritually in the light (prayer and sacrifice), the call to give of ourselves virtuously (the image of the good wife), and the call to use and give our talents well and generously (parable of the talents). As we approach Thanksgiving later this week, do we have a spirit of gratitude? A spirit that celebrates joy, feels appreciation for all that we have, and is willing to give generously? It’s time to call your parishioners to Christian joy and generosity. Use your GiveCentral GC Smart Tools, especially your pew cards with your Smart Text number and/or QR Code, allowing them to give joyfully and quickly. Pastoral Action Points GiveCentral has customizable templates for your pew cards! You can find them here. Do you need help using our GC SmartTools? Please email edgar@givecentral.org so you can join an onboarding/re-boarding training where you will learn all about the GC platform and GC SmartTools. Stay up-to-date with news & information - follow us on social! Toll-free: 833.716.2612 | Email us at: support@givecentral.org

August 11, 2024 • Pastoral Notes • Views: 1

Living in the Light: A Call to Joy, Gratitude, and Generous Stewardship

From the virtues of a wife in the ancient world to investment strategies in the gospel parable, it looks like the readings are all over the...

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Wisdom is a divine gift, in fact, one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit. The person who is wise seeks wisdom, while the fool runs from thing to thing. However, in order to obtain wisdom, we need to be focused and prepared. In today’s gospel parable the wise virgins are ready for the wedding feast because they have prepared, they have thought about what is needed, and they have actively sought what they need – in this case, oil for their lamps. The foolish virgins are foolish because they have not prepared and have not actively sought what they need. Every human being comes to a point in life when he or she realizes that life is short and that we want a life of meaning. Sometimes people come to our churches because they are seekers, and they are actively looking for wisdom and meaning, for connection and hope. The good news is that there is still time, though not an infinite amount of it! For those whose souls are like “dry weary lands without water,” and who are seeking the One who is the Truth, who is Wisdom, let them find in our parish communities a welcoming place, a place where He who is Wisdom can be found. Call to action: The readings in the final Sundays of Ordinary Time focus on the last things and the conclusion of history. It reaches a crescendo on the Solemnity of Christ the King – the last Sunday of the liturgical year. Christ the King celebrates looking forward to the time when all things shall be under the headship of Christ. November also marks the beginning of the Holiday Season as people prepare for Thanksgiving and Christmas celebrations. It is also the time when the greatest amount of charitable giving is done for churches and nonprofits. Perhaps your parish is running its annual stewardship campaign, or you are asking your people to consider their Christmas gift to the parish. If you are, use your GiveCentral texting and QR Code capabilities to make things easier for them! Remember, the wise are prepared! Pastoral Action Points Do you have a new staff member that needs to be trained on the GiveCentral platform? If so, contact Teresa to set up training at teresa@givecentral.org Prepare now to welcome new church members and those “once or twice a year” visitors during Advent and Christmas. Do you have a welcoming ministry organized? Also, we have Advent and Christmas pew card templates, email templates, and direct mail templates here available for your use. Contact teresa@givecentral.org for more details! Stay up-to-date with news & information - follow us on social! Toll-free: 833.716.2612 | Email us at: support@givecentral.org

August 11, 2024 • Pastoral Notes • Views: 2

Seeking Wisdom: Preparing Our Hearts for Christ’s Coming

Wisdom is a divine gift, in fact, one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit. The person who is wise seeks wisdom, while the fool runs from thing...

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Today St. Paul reminds us to humbly regard others as more important than ourselves. By this he does not mean that we should regard ourselves in a lowly fashion, but to place the importance of others ahead of our own. Instead of having an attitude of judgment toward others, we should develop an attitude of mercy, just as the Lord has mercy toward us. It is critically important to develop this attitude of mercy and of placing the needs of others ahead of our own in a welcoming community. Welcoming cannot be only a program for gaining new members, or something temporary. It must become a deep characteristic of the culture of a community -- if the community is to be sustained over time. In such a Christian community, the needs of others are placed at the head of the line, while not neglecting the needs of the rest. What are the spiritual wounds of those who don’t feel welcome? As the Lord is kind and merciful toward us, so let us be toward others. Call to action: Many churches still report that they are at about 80% of where they were before the Covid emergency. That means there remains much to do in reaching out to the de-churched, as well as the unchurched. Your GC Smart Tools can help you to identify many of those no longer participating. In some cases, they may have moved away, or there may be some other legitimate reason they are no longer in your parish. In this case, GC Smart Tools can help you update your lists. If you are not sure how to do this, call us GiveCentral! We will be happy to walk with you in this process of using the tools you already have, wisely and well! Pastoral Action Points If you are like many of us in the world of pastoral ministry, you are an “analogue person living in a digital world.” In other words, all these GC SmarfTools might feel overwhelming. Reach out to us! We are happy to answer your questions and walk with you while you learn. If you need help email teresa@givecentral.org Our GC Webinars can give you lots of information. Please join us! You can find the next scheduled webinar on your admin dashboard. Plus, you’ll meet other people with similar questions and needs. Let’s become a helping community toward one another. Templates! We’ve got templates! And they are free for you. If you are sending a church-wide email you are welcome to use GiveCentral templates and adapt them to your local needs. Just look in your Communications Portal! Stay up-to-date with news & information - follow us on social! Toll-free: 833.716.2612 | Email us at: support@givecentral.org

August 11, 2024 • Pastoral Notes • Views: 6

Putting Others First: The Call to a Christ-Centered Community

Today St. Paul reminds us to humbly regard others as more important than ourselves. By this he does not mean that we should regard...

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Recall that the Church already existed when the gospels, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, were written down. Thus, the parable of the workers in the vineyard gains an even fuller meaning, for new members were joining the Church constantly, and older members may have assumed that they were more privileged than newer ones. In truth, there has always been tension in the Church between older members and newer members. Even in today’s parishes sometimes older members, though happy to see more people, are not always happy to share space or influence with the newer ones. Just as the New Testament Church had to examine itself about its spirit of welcome toward its new members, so must we today. Being with the Lord is a privilege, but it does not make us more privileged because we have been with Him longer. Our souls, hearts and our arms must be open to those who are new to Christ and His Church. Call to action: Part of developing the spirit of welcome in a parish community is by asking the long-standing organizations and ministries to encourage new members, to receive their ideas, and make them feel valued. This can be hard, because it requires groups to move beyond old thinking and the spirit of “we’ve always done it this way.” It requires a deep examination of conscience and an openness to the “new means and methods” called for by the New Evangelization. Unless we take the risk of deepening our spirit of welcome, there will be no new laborers for the vineyard. Pastoral Action Points Fall is a wonderful time to invite parishioners to join the various ministries, services, and organizations in your parish. Some parishes have ministry fairs or parish town hall meetings where the organizations and ministries can be highlighted. Use your GC Smart Tools to communicate an awareness of your groups and ministries by creating emails or direct mailings about them. Is your parish engaged in GC’s 20 for 20 campaign? If it is, stay in touch with Give Central throughout the campaign and look for our weekly webinars offering support and instruction. Have you started thinking about Advent? It’s a great time to encourage your parishioners to invite others to join them at mass. Take some time to plan a special welcoming experience for those “sometime” Catholics to get them re-engaged. Stay up-to-date with news & information - follow us on social! Toll-free: 833.716.2612 | Email us at: support@givecentral.org

August 11, 2024 • Pastoral Notes • Views: 2

Breaking Down Barriers: Fostering Unity Between New and Old Parish Members

Recall that the Church already existed when the gospels, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, were written down. Thus, the parable of...

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Anger, in its proper use, is meant to protect us or someone who is dear to us. But so often anger builds a home in the heart and begins to poison it by turning into rumination, the desire for vengeance, and making one a bitter person. Prophets and sages of old learned to let vengeance belong to God, and not to us, because “the Lord is kind and merciful, slow to anger, and full of compassion.” Anger, which was intended to enforce justice, instead becomes a source of injustice, self-righteousness, and embitterment. The antidote to anger gone afoul is mercy. Mercy is a loving gift, not something that can be earned or bought. This is illustrated so clearly in today’s gospel proclamation. The master has mercy on his servant, but the same servant compounds his own injustice by having no mercy for another servant. All of us wish to receive mercy, but we must ask ourselves honestly if we are willing to give it. If we have trouble giving mercy to another person, let us ask the Lord to help us become merciful by the grace of His own mercy and example in forgiving us! Call to action: The Sacrament of Reconciliation through the Rite of Penance is intended to celebrate a change of heart that has already begun. First, we recognize the need for forgiveness within our hearts, then we ask for God’s mercy with sincere intentions. Let us invite our people to the seat of mercy by encouraging them to come for confession and reconciliation. Let them know that confession is a moment of celebrating mercy and for allowing a change of heart to take place. Question: are your parish’s times for reconciliation truly convenient for your people? Can you adjust the time, or add additional times for reconciliation? Pastoral Action Points A parish is a local family of faith. We rejoice in each one’s victories and grieve each other’s sorrows. Use your GC Smart Tools so that parishioners can send in their prayer requests. If you want to know how, just contact Teresa Meyer at teresa@givecentral.org GC’s 20 for 20 campaign is in kick-off mode! If you want to know more about it look here: https://www.givecentral.org/20-for-20-campaign Have you formed your welcoming ministry yet? It is critical to your parish’s growth. It’s not too late to start one now! Stay up-to-date with news & information - follow us on social! Toll-free: 833.716.2612 | Email us at: support@givecentral.org

August 11, 2024 • Pastoral Notes • Views: 0

The Power of Mercy: Overcoming Anger and Embracing Forgiveness

Anger, in its proper use, is meant to protect us or someone who is dear to us. But so often anger builds a home in the heart and begins to...

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The Church has a prophetic mission to tell the truth to the world. This mission is not an easy one because it means pointing out the faults and errors of both individuals and social systems. In the ancient world of Israel, prophets were often scorned by the community because they said things people didn’t want to hear. Today when the Church points out violations of human rights, or violations of individual conscience, she can receive scornful rejection. Yet, the point of the prophetic role is not to condemn others, but to call for a change of heart – a conversion or renewal of the heart and soul! Ultimately it is a call to love! Thus, as St. Paul tells us in today’s Second Reading, “the one who loves another has fulfilled the law.” St. Peter also tells us that “love covers a multitude of sins.” The Church’s goal in her prophetic mission is not to condemn, but to move individuals and the world to the love of God and neighbor. Call to action: Many people have stayed away from Church because they fear condemnation or rejection. They may be in an irregular marriage, or have been through a painful divorce, or are dealing with some other personal issue. Take this Sunday as an opportunity to invite people to meet with you pastorally. Very often there are both formal and informal pastoral solutions they don’t know about. There is a place for everyone in the Church whose heart is open to the love of God – even if conversion comes about slowly. Think about offering a parish workshop on annulments and marriage reconciliation. Use your GC Smart Tools to announce it by text, email, or direct mail. This weekend is also Grandparents’ Day weekend for those who deferred it from the feast of Sts. Ann and Joachim. Recognize and bless the grandparents who are present. Use your GC Smart Tools to send a quick email or text to remind your parishioners of this celebration. GC has templates for Grandparents’ Day you can find them under the communications portal. Pastoral Action Points Be sure to refresh your pew cards and have your QR codes available for your parishioners and visitors. Parishioners can update their information very quickly (in seconds, literally) using our GC Smart Tools. If you need assistance getting your pew cards ready please email teresa@givecentral.org Fall is the best time to invite parishioners to greater engagement with the parish community. Invite your seniors to be “telephone evangelists” by asking them to make a quick call to other parishioners. You can use your GC Smart Tools to make smaller phone lists that can be delegated to your senior volunteers. Provide a short phone script for them saying they are calling on behalf of the parish to thank them for being part of the community, and to see if they have a need with which the parish can help. Later, have a thank you party for your volunteers. Many of us in pastoral ministry are not “techies.” We don’t use many of the tools available to us because we don’t know how to use them. Join GiveCentral’s Bridget Daly for a great webinar on this topic on September 14 at 1PM Central Time. Claim your seat here! Stay up-to-date with news & information - follow us on social! Toll-free: 833.716.2612 | Email us at: support@givecentral.org

August 11, 2024 • Pastoral Notes • Views: 0

Speaking Truth in Love: The Church’s Role in Guiding Hearts

The Church has a prophetic mission to tell the truth to the world. This mission is not an easy one because it means pointing out the faults...

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Both our first reading from the Prophet Jeremiah, and the Responsorial Psalm text from Psalm 63 speak in visceral terms, terms felt at the gut level of the body. The Word of God burns within Jeremiah, and he can contain it no more. The Psalmist is longing and pining for God, like a dry weary land without water. The human conditions of both Jeremiah and the Psalmist speak to the modern person, as well. In our time there is a great spiritual longing and a search for God and life’s meaning. Searching people are often referred to as seekers, because they are looking. Jesus will make clear that the fulfillment the human person seeks will be found in the embrace of the cross. This is not an embrace of suffering for suffering’s sake, however. Rather, it is the embrace of the cause of divine love in a world so much in need of healing, forgiveness, and peace. Call to action: This is also Labor Day weekend, the traditional end of the summer season. Take some time to recognize the value of the labor your people do, whether it is the work of children doing their chores around the house or apartment, the labor of students dedicated to their studies, and the labor of adults who work manually or in an office. All are contributing to the good of their own families, as well as the good of the world. St. Thomas says the human person is a co-creator along with God in making our world! Laet us be, as the Second Vatican Council called us to be “artisans of a new humanity” in Christ. You can use your GC Smart Tools to send an email or text to your families recognizing their labors and honoring them. Pastoral Action Points With families returning to school this is a great time to reach out using your GC SmartTools and inviting your families to greater participation in your parish. There are families you haven’t seen since Covid – invite them back now! Do you have a fall festival or parish event coming up? At GiveCentral, we remove the donor friction by allowing you to create an event with these features: • Raffles, auction, paddle raise, and ticket sales • Able to recognize your donors and user-friendly for them • Bidding within seconds • Guest preregistration • Easy check out • Capable of adding dynamic photos and content • Advanced reporting post event To learn more or to get ready for your BIG event email teresa@givecentral.org. Keep up the work of your evangelization through developing the spirit of welcome in your parish! Have a welcoming committee or ask your Pastoral Council members to serve as special ministers of welcome. Use your GC Smart Text or QR codes to help visitors and new parishioners get connected. Stay up-to-date with news & information - follow us on social! Toll-free: 833.716.2612 | Email us at: support@givecentral.org

August 9, 2024 • Pastoral Notes • Views: 2

The Spiritual Hunger of Our Time: Finding Fulfillment in Christ’s Embrace

Both our first reading from the Prophet Jeremiah, and the Responsorial Psalm text from Psalm 63 speak in visceral terms, terms felt at the...

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Who Do You Say I Am? Understanding Jesus in Today’s World

August 9, 2024 • Pastoral Notes • Views: 0

Who Do You Say I Am? Understanding Jesus in Today’s World

Jesus asks this question of his apostles in today’s reading from St. Matthew’s Gospel. If the question was relevant in Jesus’ own...

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Breaking Barriers: God’s Invitation to All Peoples

August 9, 2024 • Pastoral Notes • Views: 1

Breaking Barriers: God’s Invitation to All Peoples

God’s intent, throughout the sacred story of the scriptures, was that the One True God should be known to all the nations of the earth!...

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