The Congress Is Over – Now What?
In the last year we have journeyed as a parish to revive our relationship with Jesus as we have grown to know and love Him more through the Eucharist. Deepening our participation at Mass, increasing our time in Adoration, and learning more about who Jesus is through prayer, studies and programs, have filled this year at St. Brendan.
Bishop Andrew Cozzens, Chairman of the National Eucharistic Revival, tells us that the Revival began with an invitation to parishes in preparation for the mission phase, the most important phase of all. The vision is that “through a renewed encounter with Jesus in the Eucharist, the People of God in our country would be formed, healed, converted, united, and sent out to a world that is hurting and hungry.” Today begins our next year of Eucharistic Revival: The Year of Mission.
In the coming year there are four new pillars on which to focus: Eucharistic encounter, identity, life, and mission. Our goal is to provide holy opportunities for encounter, form minds and hearts for a Eucharistic identity, offer guidance and spiritual nourishment for living a Eucharistic life, and readying people for mission within our parish and beyond our walls.
What does this look like practically for us? While our discernment is fluid with the nudging and holy interruptions by the Holy Spirit, we have three areas in our vision. The first is prayer, obviously bringing more before Jesus in the Mass and Adoration, but also really increasing our culture of intercessory prayer. We have introduced pieces with our Anchored prayer teams and prayer list/wall, but we want to be more intentional we can be in prayer: praying for parish events, people, and causes, teaching people how to pray for their families and with their families and friends, and making prayer the starting point for every day, challenge and decision.
The second vision is spiritual companionship. One important initiative from the Revival is “Walk with One”. Who is someone in your life who is on the fringes, lukewarm, away from the Church or has never been? Can you walk spiritually with one person this year to gently lead them home? We will also offer time to heal, to ask questions, to be spiritually counseled in our walks, equipping our parishioners to companion by being open to the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Inviting Catholics Home has been doing this in the background for many years and we need to bring this beautiful ministry forward.
Finally, going out on mission is, in gratitude for Christ’s love, taking His love out into the world. We may get comfortable in our church on the corner and in our own worlds, but Jesus is asking us to love Him and love neighbor. We are working on partnerships to better serve those in need here in our own parish and in our community – hands on opportunities to be the light to others, to know our gifts and to use them for the good of the Kingdom.
We look forward to walking on mission with you in the next year. If you have any ideas to contribute to our mission, please contact Jen Rice at jrice@104.247.72.45/~stbrendans. God bless!
THE YEAR OF MISSION: July 2024-June 2025
This year is all about the mission! We are invited to go out and share the love of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist to transform the world. Our worlds can be our families, workplaces, schools and community – and even be in our own parish where we may meet those seeking more. As with the last year of parish revival, there are 4 pillars on which the movement is focused. As we move into the year, we will add practical ideas for personal and mission invitations for each pillar.
Encouraging missionary disciples to encounter Christ frequently through the Eucharist
Encouraging missionary disciples to embrace their true identities as beloved children of the Father through their relationship with Christ in the Eucharist.
Encouraging missionary disciples to be strengthened and renewed in their Christian identity through the Eucharist, realizing that, as we love Christ more, our lives are configured to His.
Encouraging those who have encountered Jesus, who have entered into relationship with him, and whose identity has been configured to Christ to go out on mission to the world, evangelizing and bringing his love to all, especially those most in need of his mercy.