Catholicism and Community Building

Tonight I am writing about Catholicism and Community building.

Catholicism holds the fullness of Truth. Catholicism is the home of the Eucharist - the "Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity" of Jesus. We are led by the Pope, the Vicar of Christ on earth. Catholicism is THE RELIGION to be and any rational person who takes steps towards the Catholic Church, in time, will find all this to be true.

But still, our wonderful Catholic Church, founded by Jesus Christ Himself, is not only divine, but is human as well. It is humanity that creates all the problems. We are weak and sinful and lazy. The problem "is us".

I love the Catholic Church with my whole being. I am so glad that this is the faith I profess. I have no problems with the teachings of the church. (Well, except for the one that says animals dont' go to Heaven. I believe that they do go to Heaven.)

The current struggle I have with our Church revolves around the lack of TRUE community in parishes. Personally, I find Catholic parishes to be quite cold and unwelcoming. I know of many other Catholics who feel the same way.

The question I am pondering lately is HOW CAN WE CHANGE THAT? These are my thoughts on the value of building community and the "how to" of building communtiy:

1. Bishops, Pastors, Deacons, and Lay Ministry Leaders have to take the lead in this. They have to encourage community. They have to live community. They have to teach people HOW to live with a community spirit. They have to be inclusive. They have to be pro-active and help their parishioners become a Christian community.

2. Each parish should have a "community-forming" committee whose sole purpose is to think of different ways that a sense of community can be developed in the parish.

3. There needs to be a realization that some people may be hesitant or shy when it comes to reaching out or getting involved( for many different reasons ) and those are the people that need a little extra TLC and encouragement. They are often the hidden treasures of a parish who have been jaded by previous negative church experiences and are in need of healing or just simply an invitation to use their gifts. There should not be anyone in the parish who is left out of the community building effort.

4. There needs to be a realization that with a focus on community building everything else at the parish will improve. There will be more service to the parish and to the wider community. There will be more financial donations because people will have a real sense of family and will want to help by donating money in addition to their time and talents. Attendance and attention at Mass will be increased because people will feel comfortable with others at Mass and will truly feel like they belong.

5. With a greater sense of community comes more outreach ( service, as mentioned above) and this gives automatic help to pastors who are often stretched for time due to the current lower count of priests. It would be easier for pastors to get the parish's needs met because there would automatically be more volunteers when a need arises, leaving the priest to focus on his main priestly responsibilities while parishioners take care of the ancillary needs.

6. There needs to be a realization that with a focus on community there will also be more joy because people will be more connected to their parish family, more will get done at the parish for the parish famiy and wider community, and people will feel more like they are truly part of the Body of Christ.

7. This sense of parish community will strengthen families because it will be modeled in the parish, brought home to each family, and will help create families who naturally evangelize others just by being who they are called to be. It will make the Catholic church even more enticing for those outside of the faith.

8. Those who belong to a parish alone will be welcomed into the greater parish family.

So, these are my thoughts for this evening.