- Feb 5, 2002
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A while back, I helped a friend move into his new home. He is a Catholic priest and got assigned as Pastor to a new parish. This parish has multiple locations, a school, a big staff, and dozens of large buildings. When he realized just how many things he is responsible for, it was a bit disorienting. It was also clear that he is stepping into a situation where some of these responsibilities are possible distractions to that which is much more important - the mission of his parish.
Think of what it takes to maintain parish buildings at such a parish.
*Time
*Money
*Effort
*Etc.
It isn’t easy. The bills never stop because utilities and maintenance are always needed. The needs never go away. The problems and daily issues will always arise.
Yet, without a proper perspective, buildings (and other parts of maintaining a parish, school, diocese, etc.) may cause us to shift our gaze away from our true mission.
What is our mission supposed to be?
***MAKING DISCIPLES***
This is why Catholic institutions exist in the first place - to make disciples. If a building (or any other thing) causes us to shift our gaze away from our mission, then it can also cause us to be distracted from what we ought to be doing.
When our gaze shifts, the Church starts to lose its mission of making disciples.
Whenever the Church loses its mission people lose their faith.
Now we have come to the heart of the reason we have decline in Western Catholicism. We aren't living out our mission as we are supposed to. We are distracted and off-track. While maintaining buildings, dealing with ongoing issues, managing staff, etc. are all necessary parts of doing the work required, we can't let it stop us from doing what is most important.
DISCLAIMER - I am not saying buildings are the primary cause of the decline in Western Catholicism, rather they are a symptom of a deeper problem - the loss of our purpose and mission.
Continued below.
Think of what it takes to maintain parish buildings at such a parish.
*Time
*Money
*Effort
*Etc.
It isn’t easy. The bills never stop because utilities and maintenance are always needed. The needs never go away. The problems and daily issues will always arise.
Yet, without a proper perspective, buildings (and other parts of maintaining a parish, school, diocese, etc.) may cause us to shift our gaze away from our true mission.
What is our mission supposed to be?
***MAKING DISCIPLES***
This is why Catholic institutions exist in the first place - to make disciples. If a building (or any other thing) causes us to shift our gaze away from our mission, then it can also cause us to be distracted from what we ought to be doing.
When our gaze shifts, the Church starts to lose its mission of making disciples.
Whenever the Church loses its mission people lose their faith.
Now we have come to the heart of the reason we have decline in Western Catholicism. We aren't living out our mission as we are supposed to. We are distracted and off-track. While maintaining buildings, dealing with ongoing issues, managing staff, etc. are all necessary parts of doing the work required, we can't let it stop us from doing what is most important.
DISCLAIMER - I am not saying buildings are the primary cause of the decline in Western Catholicism, rather they are a symptom of a deeper problem - the loss of our purpose and mission.
Continued below.
