A letter from Archbishop Schnurr introducing Beacons of Light:  https://catholicaoc.org/news/from-the-archbishop/letter-to-the-faithful-concerning-beacons-of-light?vgo_ee=0zr62P1pR%2Bv2w43adDUeEb35hO7C%2FF3J%2FgQB9Uu3XAY%3D

For the Latest from the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, https://catholicaoc.org/beacons-of-light

Many weeks ago, we included a fact sheet from the Archdiocese of Cincinnati that laid out a multi-year planning process that will bring parishes together in new ways that will result in stronger communities to live and proclaim the Good News.  Through this process, groupings of parishes will be identified.  It looks like that the Archdiocese will be reorganized into 65-75 groupings in order to accommodate the anticipated number of priests in a few years.  Each parish has submitted data:  number of baptisms, marriages, deaths, first Communions, confirmations, financial information, building capacities and conditions, Mass attendance, ministries in place staff, etc..  Partners Edge has been hired to objectively analyze the data along with overall population census, distance, etc.  It is ultimately about forming disciples and how we can be communities of faith by coming together in new ways.

What is the Beacons of Light planning process? 

Beacons of Light is a multiyear process of pastoral planning for the Archdiocese of Cincinnati. Rooted in prayer, groupings of parishes will come together as one faith community. These new Families of Parishes will be stronger together, focused more on mission than on maintenance. In the Families of Parishes we will grow closer to God, follow Jesus through the power of the Holy Spirit, and radiate Christ in our lives.

There are many reasons for this planning process:

• Our parishes need to be vibrant communities of faith in order that we might fully grow as disciples of Jesus Christ.
• Declining religious practice in the U.S. points to the need for strong parishes that lead people to living and growing their faith in Jesus.
• We need to better understand the impact of demographic changes in many areas within our archdiocese.
• We will have fewer priests who can serve as pastors in the future.

The goal of Beacons of Light is for the new Families of Parishes to truly become faith communities that live and work together in mission and ministry — not simply associate parishes with a common pastor.

What are the guiding principles for Beacons of Light planning process?

Archbishop Dennis Schnurr has named six principles that will guide the pastoral planning process.  These are foundational to the success of the process.  They are Eucharist, Church, Leadership, Stewardship, Evangelization and Love in Action.  Within each principle, there are parameters that each grouping of parishes must consider when developing a pastoral plan.  In Radiate Christ, Archbishop Schnurr reminds us that it is through our relationship with Jesus Christ, that we become “a more joyful witness of the goodness of a life lived in relationship with Jesus Christ.”  Witnessing to our faith speaks louder than words.   It is in our witness that we radiate Christ in the circumstances of our lives.    We are reminded that Jesus Christ is the savior of all people and the mission of each of us is to participate in Christ’s redemption of the world.     The goal of Beacons of Light is for the new Families of Parishes to truly become faith communities that live and work together in mission and ministry — not simply association of parishes with a common pastor.  Over the course of the next weeks, we will look at each principle, its vision and parameters.

The first principle of the pastoral planning process is Eucharist.  The Mass is the source and summit of the whole Christian life. Accordingly, the Eucharist is the essential moment for building up and strengthening the parish community, along with the sacraments and other celebrations of the paschal mystery — the passion, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Vision Points:

• The Sunday Eucharist is the essential gathering of the parish community each week and is the “paradigm for other Eucharistic celebrations”; therefore life-giving, beautiful, and transformative celebration of Sunday Mass is critical.
• Sacramental celebrations and other parish and school liturgies are true encounters with Jesus Christ present in Word and under sacramental signs.
• Every Family of Parishes offers liturgical and sacramental formation “with zeal and patience”, deepening an appreciation of the sacred mysteries
• Attention to ars celebrandi is important: fidelity to texts and rubrics as well as a prayerful understanding of liturgical texts, feasts, and seasons kindles full, conscious, and active participation among the faithful.
• Priests, deacons, and lay liturgical ministers are well-trained and formed for leadership of communities at prayer and are “imbued with the spirit of the liturgy.”
• Churches, chapels, and other sacred buildings should be “truly worthy and beautiful, signs and symbols of heavenly realities”, the house of the Church and the house of God, “suitable for carrying out the sacred action and for ensuring the active participation of the faithful.” (GIRM, 288)
• Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament is readily available within the Family of Parishes, with proper catechesis for all
• The cultural traditions of the members of the Family of Parishes are honored and celebrated, particularly on special feasts

The second principle for the pastoral planning process is Church.  Each of us is called to actively participate as a member of a parish, the Universal Church and our local Church, led by our archbishop. Parishes continually deepen the bonds of communion with other parishes.

 Vision Points:

• The Archdiocese is organized in Families of Parishes which are gathered into deaneries.
• In communion with the pope, the bishop exercises leadership in the local Church.
• Deaneries enhance regional subsidiarity; explore cooperative ministries between Families of Parishes.
• As they become one Family, the culture and history of the parishes are acknowledged and honored, working together to create a new and vibrant culture for the Family of Parishes.
• A strong communications process is cultivated in and between the Family of Parishes.
• People come to understand the nature of the parish as the people within a given territory. With this, they will grow in understanding themselves as members of Christ’s Body, the Church, more fully appreciating her mission and teaching. We are what we believe.

The third principle of the pastoral planning process is Leadership.  Pastors, in collaboration with parochial vicars, deacons and lay ministers, according to their proper roles and charisms, share responsibility for pastoral leadership. The spiritual, physical and mental health and ongoing support of ordained and lay leaders is vital for Families of Parishes.

Vision Points:

• The Family of Parishes is led by a single pastor who is appointed by the archbishop.
• The Family moves toward becoming one parish led by one pastor.
• Deacons are part of the diocesan clergy and are appointed by the archbishop.
• All members of the Family of Parishes support and foster the health and well-being of all leaders; in doing so, we ensure the well-being of the Church.
• There is clarity of roles and processes in decision-making within the Family of Parishes.
• Laity are valued and respected for the viewpoints they bring to the Family and are used effectively for the growth of the Family of Parishes.
• Pastors actively cultivate skill in leadership and draw others into leadership with them.
• Clergy and laity are offered and participate in on-going opportunities for leadership development and support.

Stewardship: Families of Parishes are communities of grateful disciples. Recognizing God’s gifts, they use their talents, skills and resources to build up the Church and live as Christ’s body in the world.

 Vision Points:

• The parish is a community that warmly welcomes newcomers and offers hospitality to everyone.
• Stewardship is fostered as a spiritual way of life.
• The Family of Parishes actively engages people as contributing members of the community; parishioners are encouraged to take leadership roles as appropriate and are offered formation to equip them as leaders.
• The parish forms people to hear and respond to God’s call in their lives – from the individual moments of each day to their overall purpose of living out their vocation.
• Parishioners are formed as disciples who grow in gratitude and become willing to share their time, talents, faith, and resources within the parish and beyond it.
• The parish actively engages people of all ages and stages of life and faith to contribute in ministry, service, and giving.
• The Family of Parishes engages a broad and representative group in the parish to participate in the ongoing process of ministry development and the shaping of parish life.

Evangelization: As centers of missionary outreach, Families of Parishes find new ways to foster discipleship among all the baptized. Schools, parishes, and indeed the domestic Church itself are centers of this essential work.

Vision Points:

• The parish has a simple and clear discipleship process that evangelizes, establishes disciples, and equips the laity for personal apostolate and vocation.
• The pastor with his leaders prioritizes prayer, formation, and discernment in order to allow the Holy Spirit to inspire missionary activity.
• The Family of Parishes invests time and resources in the evangelization of young people and their families.
• Catholic schools are an essential ministry of the parish by being an “effective vehicle of total Christian formation” for young people and their families.
• Catholic schools are models of Catholic teaching, doctrine, and mission.
• Parishes and schools form people to respond to the call to holiness; in answering this call, the people have a passion for vocational discernment.

The Sixth guiding principle is Love in Action.  Families of Parishes will be communities of charity and justice, serving those most in need and working to change systems that oppress and marginalize.

Vision Points:

• The Families of Parishes seek ways to recognize the human dignity of each person, especially the unborn; the stranger; persons who are elderly, sick, poor, imprisoned, and marginalized; persons with disabilities; and persons of all races and cultures.
• The Families of Parishes actively facilitate the affirmation, inclusion, and meaningful participation of all Catholics in the community of faith.
• Families of Parishes understand that ministries of charity and justice flow necessarily from our sacramental life, for as Pope Benedict XVIsaid, “For the Church, charity is not a kind of welfare activity which could equally well be left to others, but is a part of her nature, an indispensable expression of her very being.” (Deus Caritas Est, 25a)
• Families of Parishes educate and form parishioners – utilizingthe rich history of Catholic Social Teaching and Scripture – on what it means to BE a community of salt and light in today’s world, a people who model mercy, grace, and forgiveness.

 

 

Archbishop Dennis Schnurr wrote a pastoral letter in 2020 in anticipation of the 200^th anniversary of the establishment of the diocese of Cincinnati.    He opens the letter with “Radiate Christ.  These two words summarize God the Father’s hope for humanity on this earth.  The words contain both a reality and a mission:  the reality of the person of Jesus Christ as the Savior of all people and the mission of each Christian to participate in the Son’s redemption of the world.”    He goes on to say, that the bicentennial gives us the opportunity to reflect on this reality and this mission as they are in our local Church.  He speaks of this time as a “grace-filled period of reflection and examination to bring about a greater vitality and stronger, even more life-giving Christianity.”   As parishes in the archdiocese, we will take time over the next months to reflect on what that means for us and how can best use this period of reflection and examination.

We are on a path of ongoing conversion – turning away from sin and turning toward God.  We are disciples on a journey to encounter, know and follow the Lord.  We have a desire for God.  As the Catechism tells us, this desire is written in the human heart and only in God will we find truth and happiness.  We are offered this fulfillment in Jesus Christ.  As John tells us in his gospel, Christ came to offer us abundant life.    It is through our relationship with Jesus Christ, that we become “a more joyful witness of the goodness of a life lived in relationship with Jesus Christ.”  Witnessing to our faith speaks louder than words.   The world today needs hope.  It is not the world God wants for us.  Let us radiate Christ in the circumstances of our lives.    Radiating Christ is summed up in two words: reality and mission.  The REALITY of the person of Jesus Christ as the savior of all people.  The MISSION of each Christian to participate in the Son’s redemption of the world.

The diocese of Cincinnati was established in 1821 and consisted of all of Ohio, Michigan, Indiana and part of Wisconsin.  Dominican Father Edward Fenwick was named its first bishop, followed by John Baptiste Purcell in 1833. Our French ancestors arrived in this area in the 1820s through the 1850s.   The earliest ones coming from the Alsace and Lorraine areas of France, through Le Havre, France into the harbors of New York.  They travelled into Ohio near Canton Ohio and from there many moved onto Darke County.  St. Valbert was established in 1839 and became the Mother Church from which other parishes were formed.  They opened their hearts and minds to the Word of God and responded to the needs of their day and allowed Christ to transform their lives.  Their stories are filled with hardship, the struggle of day to day living and death of children, spouses and parents.  They relied on the God’s strength to face an uncertain future.  Without people of faith, there would be no Church.  Radiating Christ is summed up in two words: reality and mission.  The REALITY of the person of Jesus Christ as the savior of all people.  The MISSION of each Christian to participate in the Son’s redemption of the world.

Last week we looked to the past.  This week we look to us.  What are the needs of today?  How do we respond in and through the church?  Archbishop Schnurr says God gives us the Church in order to support other Christians.  We cannot do it alone.  “Our individual faith is strengthened when it is shared, and we find the courage to make the sacrifices of fidelity when others guide and inspire us.”    We experience the church through our families, our friends, neighbors, co-workers, teams and classmates.  “These are the people has placed in our lives, and we in theirs, to build each other up.  These are the people upon whom our joyful and faithful witness can have the most effect.”    The Archbishop goes on to say that we have been blessed with a well-established system of resources to serve the needs of people.  We are in a time of rapid change that requires us to be adaptable to modern needs.  Each of us shares in the mission of Jesus and His Church.   Radiating Christ is summed up in two words: reality and mission.  The REALITY of the person of Jesus Christ as the savior of all people.  The MISSION of each Christian to participate in the Son’s redemption of the world.

Archbishop Schnurr ends the pastoral letter with:  “Our local Church will only be the instrument God intends it to be if each of us seeks the face of the Lord, is converted to Him, and allows Jesus to work through us – in short, if we each radiate Christ!”  We invites us to consider some points to consider.  These questions are a great way for us to examine our lives and to discern how and when we radiate Christ.

1. Am I open to the encounter? Do I believe that Christ wants a relationship with me?
2. Do I give space and time in my life for this encounter to take place?
3. Are there periods of silence in my day so that I can draw closer to God?
4. Do I believe that God has a unique plan for my life and that He wants to help me accomplish that?
5. Is my life nourished and sustained by the sacraments?
6. Is the celebration and reception of the Eucharist the center of my spiritual life?
7. Do I foster my relationship with Christ through prayer?
8. Does my relationship with Christ direct my decisions and actions?
9. In moments of difficulty, do I remember that God is suffering with me and wants to support me?
10. Am I eager to experience the goodness that Christ has in store for me?
11. Is there something I am afraid of losing if I grow closer to Christ?
12. Will I allow Christ to transform me? Will I radiate Christ so that others can know His goodness and love?

Radiating Christ is summed up in two words: reality and mission.  The REALITY of the person of Jesus Christ as the savior of all people.  The MISSION of each Christian to participate in the Son’s redemption of the world.

Follow this link to read the letter.  https://catholicaoc.org/radiate-christ