THE QUESTION OF MISSION

At the Ascension, Jesus’ parting words are: “Go out to the whole world; proclaim the Good News to all creation”. He tells us that signs and wonders would be associated with believers, to convince others of his presence. He promised to be with his people “always; yes, to the end of time” (Matthew 28,20).

THE BIG QUESTION
How do we go to the whole world and proclaim the Good News to all creation as the Lord told us to? Firstly, we have to know the risen Lord personally, without that, our witness would be just words. I need to think about my personal knowledge of Jesus. If it is in the mind only, I have to pray earnestly that he come into my heart as well. This is what Cardinal Newman called the “Second Conversion”. Sometimes, he comes suddenly and unexpectedly to a person; often he comes gradually in response to prayer, either by ourselves or by others. Then we need to ask for his guidance about how to take his Good News to the whole world. He will show us. He will show us even more strongly if we do it with others. If we as a parish can learn these skills together, we will find our parish abundantly blessed. The Sion Community have offered to share with us their experience of mission. On the Second Sunday of Easter, they talked to us; they invited us to pray, and gave us some ideas about how we could start. Please pray that this new initiative in our Parish is abundantly blessed!

WE ARE BEING PREPARED

I am sure that we have been prepared for a new outpouring of grace. Years ago, Pope John Paul II proclaimed the whole decade of the 90s “the Decade of Evangelisation”. That threw most of the Church in Europe into a quandary – we knew that evangelisation is spreading the Good News, but we didn’t know much about doing it except through good example. But we pondered and prayed and we waited for the Lord’s guidance. What happened in this parish was this:

Firstly, the Sion Community asked if we would be the first parish to enter into a three-year mission partnership with them. They were very good at giving short term missions in parishes and schools – usually for one or two weeks, but they felt they needed to explore how better to nourish the evident increase in zeal which their missions engendered. So, we were invited to explore with them. The very first!

Then, secondly, people started knocking on the parish house door asking to become Catholics: seven in 2006, and eight this year. Anne and I had to put a lot of work into setting up an RCIA Course. This is a new development from the Vatican Council, which is a combination of instructions and ceremonies to formally bring people into the Church. RCIA means: the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults. I think we were being taught new skills that would be increasingly necessary – it has been a real learning experience.

Then, thirdly, a lot of people responded to the Bishop’s invitation to explore how to be a more Welcoming Parish. You will see the first fruits of their work as you are handed your book and hymn sheet at the entrance – that is just a beginning. We really are thinking and praying about how to improve our welcome to the stranger in St Mary’s – not just the stranger, but those who have fallen away, and seek a way of returning. So it seems to me that we are being prepared for something very special. Pray that the spirit of Mission grow strongly among us!

Fr Murphy
Parish Priest, St Mary's Swinton