Some parishioners have asked for clarification on the meaning of some of the activities listed in the key areas in the life of our parish which were on the front page of last week’s newsletter.
One of those areas incorporated Evangelization, Education, Formation, Outreach.
Evangelization is the fundamental mission of the Church. Go make disciples, bring the Good News of Jesus Christ to every situation, so that people know the love of God and salvation in Jesus Christ.
Education. This is the work that happens in our schools, how we promote and nurture the Catholic Faith and a deeper spirituality.
Formation is a form of evangelization that is more specifically about the deepening of a person’s faith from the initial moment of conversion, through greater understanding of the Bible, the Catechism, the liturgy, the sacraments etc. It’s a lifelong process as there is always something new to learn.
Outreach is looking beyond yourself to people and situations around you and sharing the love of Christ as you serve your neighbour and make connections with members and groups in the community.
In another key area were Liturgy and Spirituality.
Liturgy is the structured worship that takes place in Mass and other services in the church. Spirituality – and I’m talking about Christian Spirituality here, is our relationship with God the Father, whom we come to through Jesus Christ, united in the Holy Spirit. It is the deepest values and meanings by which we seek to live our lives.
My fellow clergy may well be able to improve upon my attempts at provide accurate definitions and indeed I’m sure they will clarify any of the other activities listed not covered here.
Please email me or speak to one of the clergy team if you need more clarification.
Fr Steve