The celebrations of Holy Week and Easter were powerful, moving, and Spirit-blessed again this year. Among the many joys of those days is the gathering of the Diocese in Saint Mary Cathedral on the morning of Holy Thursday for the Chrism Mass. Looking out over a packed church, filled with priests, deacons, religious, and laypersons of all ages, I found myself thanking God for the privilege of serving this wonderful diocese. And I was mindful that, just a year ago, I issued my pastoral letter on the New Evangelization, Go and Announce the Gospel of the Lord.
In that letter, I wrote of the Household of Faith, the Lost Sheep, and those in the Court of the Gentiles. For all these persons, but initially focusing particularly on our own Catholic faithful, I asked for a Year of Prayer. All across our Diocese, the response has been generous, and we are already seeing the fruits of the Spirit in our parish communities.
Shortly before Holy Week, we had a midweek gathering of the men and women who are the chairs of our parish pastoral councils. The evening was spent sharing experiences, perspectives, and hopes for the months to come. It was exciting to see how the Spirit’s work, effective in our many parishes, is taking such diverse forms.
These preliminary steps are being bolstered by other important initiatives. We have hired a director of New Evangelization, Craig Pohl. Our budget process and our internal staff deliberations are now structured to keep evangelization always before our eyes. We have had some good conversations about the real-world mechanics of spreading the good news in a digital age, and about the real-world obstacles, including limited parish resources and a belligerently toxic popular culture. In the months to come, we will continue to explore means — both familiar and developing — for introducing a confused and downcast world to the Son of God.
But always we must continue to understand the primary importance of first getting our own house in order. I am pleased to hear, from priests all over the Diocese, that Catholics are returning in numbers to Confession. In some parishes, we face the happy challenge of long lines on multiple days. Confession and prayer. Prayer and Confession. On our knees is how we can prepare to for the work of discipleship.
The Spirit is at work all around us. He found Pope Francis in Buenos Aires, and called him to do a great work. He found you and me, and called us to do another part of his work. With courage, humility, and hope, let us continue to pray for the Spirit’s outpouring of grace, here in the Diocese of Lansing.