Thank you to all of you who have wished blessings for me and luck in our new parish endeavor, the Family Mission. Our Family Mission will bring together facets of Youth Ministry Programs and Family Ministry Programs into a new, cohesive environment. This “new wineskin” (Matthew 9:17) will ensure engagement, support, services, and communication throughout a parish members’ family life. Instead of a set of distinct events in the Catholic life (Confirmation, Wedding, Baptism, etc.), we want the community to love and experience their faith every day, and to take action in service to the Church.

Our vision for the Family Mission is to put the Vision of Saint John the Evangelist into practice. The Vision of Saint John the Evangelist is:

To Know, To Love, and To Serve God in his church and our community

For the Family Mission, we will take this vision and turn it into action:

To Know = Educational Programs that enrich our understanding of our faith;

To Love = Social Programs that allow us to engage the parish and each other;

To Serve = Ministerial Programs that allow us to serve our community and the world.

But how do we accomplish this? First, we need to identify and prioritize what our parish family needs to make our vision a reality. Then we need to work together to positively step forward in this journey. There will be more information on Listening Sessions and ways to communicate your thoughts and ideas coming very soon.

Thank you again for all your support and encouragement. If you have any questions or thoughts, please do not hesitate to contact me at: [email protected]

No one saves oneself. The community is essential.

— Pope Francis (@Pontifex) January 31, 2014