Vision is Important
People have visions. Vision is important.
I recently heard someone say that they wanted a "New Church". Not necessarily a building, with a small 'c', but a Church with a capital "C". A "C" that represents 'Community'. But yet I think that this person's vision of community necessitates that a new building be created as well.
I have recently realized that I truly do not share that person's vision that a new physical church building would help bring about that desired Community. And why does it matter? Because it has become increasingly evident to me that the plans are still in effect for a new church to be built in our area.
And I ask myself, "Should I want for those people to not build their new church?" If the people in the area want to spend their time and money to build a wonderful space for people to gather, I will not stand in their way. That is their vision. It just so happens thatI do not share it.
I now find it even more necessary then ever to follow the path that leads away from that concept of a new building. The quiet one that beckons. No catchy title and no flashy facilitator to lead the way. I want to be involved in the building of a true community. And, out of the corner of my eye, I am watching one form. People that have vision. People that are not interested in going with the crowd. People that have seen the Lord in the people around them, and wish to walk with them. They don't want to set up their tents at the scene of the Transfiguration, they are ready and willing to follow the Lord off of that mountain. To be with the people in the valley.
Vision is important.
posted by Karen @ 4:36 AM
8 comments
8 Comments:
Why would you think that they would still build a new church?
The archetects said that all the buildings were in good enough shape to use.
And where would the money to build one come from?
One always learns one's mystery at the price of one's innocence.
Richard Rohr
"People who have learned to live from their center in God know which boundaries are worth maintaining and which can be surrendered, although it is the very struggle that often constitutes their deepest 'dark nights'.
Both maintaining and surrendering boundaries ironically require an 'obedience', because they require listening to a Voice beyond their own. If you want a true litmus test for people who are living out of one's True Self, that might be it: they are always 'free to obey', but they might also 'disobey' the expectations of church and state to obey who-they-are-in-God.
Think of St. Paul, Thomas a' Becket, Joan of Arc, Thomas Merton or Dorothy Day."
from Father Richard Rohr's
"Everything Belongs".
It seems to me that some people don't really want to deal with the problems. They want to move on and they think that everything will be fine. The truth is that we have been lied to and now we are just supposed to forget and move on. It is like a open wound that will not heal,it just contiues to fester. Rather then dealing with the problems they choose to move on to new things.Why can't they be honest with us? Are we just supposed to allow the dishonesty to continue? I believe we have a moral responsibility to tell the truth. Why don't they want to talk about how Mike Wasserman named our parish,when we all thought we had that right,and why were we lied to about this? Fr. Kent tells us he is not planning to build a new church and when I talked to Mike Wasserman he told me that Fr. Kent was telling him that he had people on board to build the new church.Unfortunately it seems that there is a pattern of not telling the truth. Look at the abuse from priests and the money they have spent to cover it up.It is to bad that they did not spend that money to help stop the abuse, rather then to cover it up.
I believe in the Catholic Church but I also believe that there are some things that have to change. WE ARE THE CHURCH and we have a right to the truth!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
To anonymous:
I think the problem is that staff will not come right out and SAY to the entire parish that there are no plans to build a new church, or that there are.
The staff must be aware that the talk is out there, so why not address the talk openly and honestly?
If there is no current plan to build, then SAY so to the entire parish in the bulletin or from the pulpit.
If there is a plan to build in two years or five years or whatever, then again, SAY so to the entire parish in the bulletin or from the pulpit.
Until this subject is addressed in the bulletin, newsletter or from the pulpit, no one will know and the speculation will continue.
The parish was told that the architects' report said that the buildings were in good enough shape to use, and some necessary repairs are being made, so then repeat that message in the bulletin, newsletter or from the pulpit.
Is it standing room only every weekend at every mass? If not, then if buildings are in good repair, there should be no need to build anything new.
But at the risk of repeating myself again, the issue of building or not is out there, and it needs to be addressed.
It's difficult to move forward if leadership does not answer the questions of the parishioners.
So what's the answer?
Vision is important. Sharing a vision is important. Sharing the entire vision. So is learning from experience.
Experience suggests to me that some of the strongest families I know have lived in and maintained their family homes for generations.
Experience tells me that the fanciest new home built will not keep a marriage together.
Experience suggests to me that "Charting our Future" is the beginning of a capital funding campaign that is currently disguised as program development.
I could be wrong, but since no one's talking, how will I know?
Balcony View,
I agree that our parish cannot move forward until the staff addresses some of the HUGE questions that will not go away.
I wrote a list a while ago called "Questions we should have asked ourselves." I wrote it when a lot of things about "Charting Our Future " just didn't seem to make sense.
This list is now evolving into, "Questions we need to ask before we can move on". I think it will be best to put these questions on the blog one at a time to see if anyone can answer them for me.
Thanks
I don't believe we need a new "Church" or a new "church". We need to get back to the one we had. And, I don't mean the physical building. This parish was full of charismatic people and priests for 18 years. Stewardship, financially and volunteer wise, was never an issue. I realize that certain segments of the parish were not as alive as they could have been. And, I am not saying there cannot always be improvements. But, closing and tearing down buildings and programs that were successful, just to build them again in a plastic society wasn't the answer. You take what works and you improve and grow. We do not need to be made into a cookie-cutter parish to be successful. Diversity is a wonderful thing. That is how people grow, not by being made to do all things alike under one person's vision. Vision is important, but by all people not a select few. God made each of us with our own talents and abilities for a reason. All of these have a use in the parish, not to be squashed by the few. This parish is beginning to have the life chocked out of it. The life is there waiting to explode again. People are hanging on trying to bring the life back, but at every turn are stopped for the cold, sterile church that we are becoming. Please bring back the charismatic attitude and the life before it is too late and we lose people and energy that are vital to the growth of our parish. People need fed to grow and this parish has been being starved for long enough. The high school famine weekend is a wonderful idea. Let's help end the famine for the children in Africa. But, when does the famine occurring in our hearts and souls end? If you are one that can fix the problem, please step up and do so. Stop sufficating the people and give them the air to go on and grow into a vibrant Christian community. Save money and the church, and give the church back to the people.
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