Welcome to this week’s Realign Resources for Mission Weekly Update. Happy Feast of Saints Simon and Jude! As ever, this week we are exploring another of the principles, developed through prayer and study, which underpin the vision for realigning resources for mission across the Diocese of Lansing. Today:
"A healthy parish in the Diocese of Lansing is led by priests striving for health and holiness; that is, where priests are supporting one another,” Principle 1:1
Read a great article by Father John Whitlock, Director of Vocations for the Diocese of Lansing.
Watch a short video by Father Bob Bacik of Saint Gerard Parish in Lansing. Father Bacik is also a member of the Realign Resources for Mission process.
Pray for our beloved dead as we enter the Month of the Holy Souls knowing that, as a local Church, we continue to live in communion with souls in Heaven, the Church triumphant, and the souls in Purgatory, the Church suffering, who are waiting for our petitions throughout November. Requiescant in pace.
This week's Realign Resources for Mission Principle:
"A healthy parish in the Diocese of Lansing is led by priests striving for health and holiness; that is, where priests are supporting one another,” Principle 1:1
With
Father John Whitlock
Director of Vocations, Diocese of Lansing
October 28, 2021
Feast of Saints Simon and Jude
Dear Friend,
Psalm 133 begins: Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity! Upon this truth, the Realign Resources for Mission committee has proposed that one of pillars of mission would be: “A healthy parish is led by priests striving for health and holiness; that is, where priests are supporting one another”. This is not to say that our priests are not currently supporting one another. Rather, this pillar seeks to make such support easier and more intentional.
As the diocesan vocations director, a not-uncommon concern I hear young men discerning the priesthood voice is a fear of future isolation as a priest. While Jesus certainly calls some men to celibacy for the sake of the Kingdom (cf. Matthew 19:12), this does not mean that He also calls them to be lone rangers. Rather, His preferred method of sending men forth on mission seems to be in unity: two-by-two (cf. Mark 6:7). Right now, only about half of our diocesan priests live in some in some form of communal life.
Therefore, one of the RRM goals is to make such communal life easier for all of them. While some priests enjoy the solitude of living by themselves, all of our priests should be part of some form of fraternal life for both support and accountability. Being able to share this movement toward more intentional community for our priests is often a source of relief to both our seminarians and men in discernment.
Ordination and first mass of Saint John of Mata by Vincenzo Carducci
For the faithful of our parishes, this movement may require some getting used to. It may mean that Father no longer lives next door to the parish. Therefore, he might not be quite as readily available as he has been in the past. However, if you have been following these RRM communications, you know that one of the central messages that is being conveyed is that the status quo is simply no longer possible.
We do not have enough priests to provide the level of Sacramental services as we may be used to. While our diocese is actually in better shape in terms of priests and seminarians than many others, we have to face the fact that as of this writing, roughly 15 of our currently-active diocesan priests could enter senior status tomorrow if they so desired. Thankfully, we have many priests who are working well into what most consider the retirement years. All of this is to say that while the RRM process moves forward, it is incumbent on all of the faithful to pray earnestly to the Lord of the Harvest that He would continue to call laborers for His Kingdom (cf. Matthew 9:38).
As a closing personal anecdote, back in 2019, we had no ordinations to the priesthood in our Diocese. Parishes were asked to spend the day which typically would be ordination day to pray for an increase in vocations. One of our parishes took that call to heart, and began a weekly holy hour of exposition of the Blessed Sacrament to pray for vocations. A young man was led to pray at one of those holy hours, and heard a still, small voice inviting him to consider the priesthood. He is now one of our seminarians. Our diocese will have sufficient vocations to the priesthood if we really want them. The question is, are we asking the Lord to give us this grace?
Yours in Christ,
Father John Whitlock
Father John Whitlock
Watch: Watch this brief video from Father Bob Bacik on today's theme: "A healthy parish in the Diocese of Lansing is led by priests striving for health and holiness; that is, where priests are supporting one another". Father Bacik is the Pastor of Saint Gerard in Lansing and a member of the Realign Resources for Mission Committee.
This Week's Friday Prayer Intention:
As we enter the Month of the Holy Souls, let us pray for all our beloved dead. May their souls, and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.
Guidelines for Friday Prayer:
Prayer: At three o’clock each Friday afternoon pray the Sorrowful Mysteries of the Holy Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary. To help with prayer, Eucharistic Adoration from Saint Mary Cathedral in Lansing will be live-streamed on YouTube and Facebook. If you can’t manage to pray at 3pm? Just say the Holy Rosary whenever you can.
Fasting: The present norms for fasting suggest that we eat no more than one full meal, as well as two smaller meals that together are not equal to a full meal. It is also permissible to attempt a strict fast. A penitent’s age and health should always be taken into consideration before fasting.
Almsgiving: Giving alms is a “work of justice pleasing to God” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, no. 2462). Hence, each Friday we should donate money or goods to the poor or perform another act of charity. Let’s not reach sundown on a Friday without having poured out some of the content of our heart or our wallet or both during the day.
