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Saturday, 09 February 2008 |
We are right in the middle of our Building a Legacy of Faith campaign. As of this weekend, we have already held nine of our receptions. At each of these receptions, leaders of our BLF planning team have spoken about what we are called to do, to raise ALL the funds we need so that we can build ALL we need, for the greater glory of God, for our joy and for the legacy of faith we are called to leave for our children and their children. We are to offer this legacy of our faith so that SJN will remain a strong reflection of the Light of Christ for all in this small part of God’s good earth!
The reactions of our parishioners at these receptions, as they have seen the plans for the new worship space and parish hall and ministry rooms, have been overwhelmingly positive. I have seen excitement and joy, in thinking of what will be! When you see what our planning team and architects have come up with… you will be excited and energized as well. Please make sure that you RSVP your invitation, and come to one of our remaining receptions this coming week! Call me for more information, and join me at one of these remaining receptions. ALL are invited. ALL are welcome. ALL are needed, as we come together as a parish family, in renewal of mind and heart.
As I have said before, I believe that this campaign is of God. I believe that in building a legacy of faith, for our joy and for the faith-life of those that will follow us, we are cooperating with the plan of God. We are acting on the plan of God, for the health and vitality of the Catholic Church in Gwinnett County and the surrounding counties. It is what the overwhelming majority of our parishioners know to be the plan of God for us.
But this building a legacy of faith is only part of the plan that God has in store for us. As I have said at each of the receptions, I have come to believe that our parish is being called to a spiritual renewal. I believe that we are being called to a more profound conversion of mind and heart. In my bones, I see the hand of the Lord in all of this, as we have placed the majority of our campaign’s receptions during the holy season of Lent, a season of conversion, of turning toward the Lord and his new Way of Life.
The Lord has shown us this, that we are doing His will, in the many “coincidences” seen in recent months. One of these extraordinary graces involves a book. In September, a friend of mine gave me several copies of Rediscovering Catholicism, a book on spiritual renewal by a layman from Australia, Matthew Kelly. I gave copies of the book to some of the staff and to our deacons. What I heard from all was you’ve got to read this book!
Months later, as we were gearing up for this Building a Legacy of Faith, I received an unsolicited letter from the Matthew Kelly Foundation; and in the letter, the Foundation was offering to give copies of Rediscovering Catholicism to our whole parish! I called the Foundation on the 23rd of December, and arranged for the shipment of books to be sent to us just after Christmas. The books arrived on the eve of the feast day of our patron, St. John Neumann. Each registered household will receive a copy of this book as you attend one of our receptions. Please read it as part of your Lenten observance. Hear what I have heard, that we being called to renewal, to holiness of life and to acting upon this call, in building a legacy of faith.
AMDG
Msgr. David Talley |
