Tuesday, February 11, 2020

A Word from Your Pastor February 9



Recently, our Parish Office has been working on the annual submission of the form called the “Status Animarum.”    It is the compilation of data concerning the reality of parish life, including details of parish membership and numbers of Sacramental celebrations, as well as other matters that lend themselves to counting.  The name of the document means the “state of the souls” who are in our parish.

Reviewing the record books and nowadays the online listings of such matters serves to bring to mind all the events of the past year.  Baptisms, Confirmations, First Communions, Weddings and Funerals are among the items about which we give an account.  Masses, opportunities for Confession, Anointing of the Sick and our ways of reaching out to others are all considered.  In short, the annual Status Animarum is a snapshot of the whole previous year’s activities.  We are reflecting on our practical approach to the spiritual life we share.

The information is pulled together by the Diocese to evaluate our collective efforts to live out our Catholic Faith.  Perhaps it would be a good idea for you to do a similar accounting for your family and for your own response to the Catholic Faith.  What is the “state of your soul”?

What Sacraments have you celebrated?  How do you arrange your days and weeks and months in relationship to the Faith?  Does your account of yourself and your family show clearly that your relationship with God is your priority?  Would someone who read your “statistics” be able to tell that you are a Catholic, not just in good standing, but also truly involved with the meaning of Faith?

Lent is coming.  It will start with Ash Wednesday on February 26th.  Take some time now to begin your assessment and to establish a plan for renewal.  All of us are called to conversion.  We must turn more toward God, acknowledging His Love and reaching out to others to share our Faith in Him.


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