I’ve been doing a lot of thinking lately about what the Church will look like in the not too distant future, as my gaze is often focused on all of you who fill these pews Sunday after Sunday. I know (from what I hear) that this parish once had more English Masses every weekend. However, for the last several years, one site has two and one has only one, and we still have quite a bit of empty space.
I continue in my reflection to wonder, what this space will look like, over the passing of years, when those of you over the age of 60 have left this earth, we pray, for the glory of heaven? And I weep.
I weep because I love our Church and her faith that has formed, nurtured, and guided us throughout our lives. Without the Church, we would never have been introduced to the person of Jesus Christ and all he has done for us and continues to do for us each and every day.
Without the Church, we would never have known the story that we hear every Sunday from the pages of the New Testament. Without the Church, we would never have been re-born in the life-giving waters of Baptism, received the gift of the Holy Spirit in Confirmation, been nourished with Christ’s Body and Blood, the medicine of immortality at Holy Mass, never encountered the Divine Mercy and the forgiveness of our many sins in the Sacrament of Penance, and that I would not even be here with you today, if I had not been called and ordained to share in the power of the one eternal priesthood of Jesus Christ.
Now, in my experience the first reaction of “professional Church people” to this looming crisis is stuff like: we need better homilies, better music, better hospitality; we need to make the Mass more contemporary and interesting; we need better youth programs; we need more highly trained lay leaders, and of course to do all of this, folks, we need more of your money!