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Twice in the past couple of weeks I have had the opportunity to work with one of my favourite groups, the parents of children who are preparing for First Communion, and those who lead these preparation programmes in parishes.
The first group was in the Christchurch North parish where more than 100 families are involved this year, and last Saturday morning I was with the fifteen or so leaders who co-ordinate the parish programmes.
It is generally accepted that more than ninety percent of the families who request sacraments are not regularly at Sunday Mass. I began each session with this comment inviting those present to indicate whether or not this statistic represented the reality. In each group most present nodded in agreement, with one person commenting that they thought my estimation was generous and that even fewer than ten percent were regularly connected with the Church.
It was Tom who introduced me at the parish gathering suggesting that they had asked me to reflect with the group because my approach was “non-conventual.” I took that as a compliment – knowing that I often ask in these groups ‘have people left the Church or has the Church left the people?
Of course the answer is that both movements make up the reality.
Increasingly I find my focus, energy and home among many of the ninety-plus percent.
For this reason a couple of months ago I was very happy to receive a letter from Bishop Michael Gielen appointing me as Diocesan Missioner.
It’s a new role, full of potential for the mission which is the heart of my life as a priest: encountering Christ in every place, in every person, and in every moment.
The bishop continued: “In a particular way this role highlights the great commission to proclaim the Good News to all the world. This role will assist people to encounter Christ more deeply, encouraging others to a deeper participation in the sacrament and live more fully the missionary dimension of the Church. I recommend John to you and any community within our diocese you think will benefit.”
This Food For Faith mission is at the heart of my priestly ministry. It is intended for those who are seeking greater maturity of Christian faith – and most of these people don’t find a home within the institutional church.
So as we begin this Advent mission, know that I am motivated with a passion for presenting faith in a way that is robust and real for all who seek greater maturity of Christian faith, especially those whose distance from the Church may have led them to wrongly think that they are also distant from God.
Note in the image above, N,S,W & O? O for Orient – lit. the East.
And this Advent journey is not so much about wondering if we are oriented to Christ, but a growth in knowledge that wherever and however we are, God is oriented towards us.
Thankyou for these warming words Fr John. I so look forward to your reflections and your assurance that God is here with me every day no matter what. In these busy days leading up to Christmas, I love these moments of quiet with these reflections. Our five adult children have distanced themselves from their faith which is a heartache but I keep reminding myself God knows what he is about.
Lucky Christchurch – an excellent new Diocrssn role, with an excellent first appointee!
Lucky Christchurch – an excellent new Diocesan role, with an excellent first appointee!
Blessings John and thank you for your inspiring reflections.
Congratulations John on your on-going mission..
No doubt you will find Jesus already oriented there!
What’s not to like? it’s encouraging that a Bishop recognises gifts in a bloke and ‘releases’ him to work in a role where those gifts may be exercised to the full. A great Christmas present John – congratulations – you are modelling a different but vital kind of priesthood. We encounter many of the 90% in hospitals and prisons and they are always surprised that we still care about them, when we say we have saved a place for you.
I am (was) one of the 99 percent. Especially when you work in hospitality you have not much choice than to work for your money or find another job. Later in life, I really contemplated if I should have found another job but that leaves me to conclude that I would never have emigrated to NZ and would have found Jesus Christ in this country, I say: Thanks be to God.
Congratulations to Bishop Michael Gielen on his discernment in appointing you, John, to this exciting new position as Director of Mission. As you have discerned yourself, John, there are a number of Catholics seeking a greater maturity of faith , liturgy and commitment than is currently being offered in regular parishes, especially those geographically cobbled together. Lucky Christchurch. I hope that the rest of the country can be included too. Chris
my best wishes fr john a demanding and quite often difficult task
i wasa a prison and workplace chaplain for a lot of years
i lost count of i am not religiousmyself not my thing
so many comfortable in their ignorance
however god does the converting we are the messengers
deo gratias
Thanks for sharing John. As an educator in Catholic education, one challenge we face is when priests question why parents want their children to participate in the sacramental program, when they were initially not regular mass attendees and often do not attend mass regularly after the fact. This is a fair question as it appears as if the program is simply a rubber stamp to get into a Catholic school. However, I would counter that with another question. What percentage of our students who received the sacrament of Baptism as a baby, or before starting school, regularly attend mass with their families. I think you would find that it is also in the 10% category. So what is the answer? I feel that being in a Catholic school, with the focus on an encounter with Christ, provides us with an opportunity to accompany our students on their spiritual journey, in spite of their mass attendance at mass. Our job is to plant the seed.
Congratulations John on your new role. We are very blessed to have you in our Diocese and providing Food for Faith which I value enormously.
What a wonderful gift you are given to us from God. Thank you John for your ministry.
Jesus met poeple where they were at. It is good for our Church community to recognise that is what we have to do too. And to make all welcome if they do come to join us.
John this is a great opportunity and recognition of your nearly 40 years priesthood. Every blessing on this new adventure.
Once one of the lost and now as a a member of a parish oriented toward mission I welcome and rejoice in your appointment John. The number is about to be rewritten, whether that number is 10% or less is irrelevant in my eyes compared to the job at hand of converting those that already attend Mass faithfully into outward looking disciples in this new age. Looking forward to catching up along the way!
Congratulations, John, on this challenging appointment. Please keep us apprised of your new role and what works and what does not. Like all other churches, we find few, if any, children or adults are seen again at Mass. All we can do is plant the seed for the Holy Spirit to work with.
Unfortunately, the church has shot herself repeatedly in the foot in recent times, and people have been truly scandalised. If we took away our immigrant parishioners, the church would be in a bad way. I am at a loss as to what to do other than pray and try to lead by example. Like Marie, none of my children now follow the faith. Matthew 28:20 I always find encouraging.
Fr John I will pray for you every day that our Lord will guide you and have the right words for those you encounter.
Congratulations John that you begin your new ministry in mission looking outward to the 90% who have left the narrow confines of the institutional church. While I still attend with the 10% remaining, I long for a church that is more welcoming and inclusive, that embraces the feminine side of God, that respects women as equals in leadership and ministry, that does not marginalise LGBTQI (our beautiful son is gay and there is no place for him in a church that insists he is “disordered”) and still barely addresses its colonial history… we have much to do but we could begin by listening to the Spirit! Come Emanuel!
Thank you Jesus and Bishop Michael. Fr John is the wonderful priest for this role. May yourself and God enjoy journeying
together to share His Love,Compassion, Understanding and Mercy with those in need. Well done and congratulations.