Stewardship of Talent, Pope Francis’ Mass upon arrival in Philadephia, the Welcoming Reception & Ministry Fair sponsored by Cara to Cara Ministry— what do they all have in common besides the fact that all happened the weekend of September 26 – 27, 2015? They are all an invitation to serve!

In his homily, Deacon Bill noted that Pope Francis was calling all to serve—  during a Mass celebrate with religious men and women, bishops, priests and 500 lay people when he arrived in Pennsylvania on September 26, 2015.

“What about you?

What are you going to do?”

Pope Leo XIII

Pope Francis recalled the words Pope Leo XIII, said to Katharine Drexel when she asked him what the Church was doing to help the poor in the community.  She answered the call to serve the mission of the church and is now called Saint Katharine Drexel.  Those words transformed the life of Katherine Drexel.  She made it her life mission to serve the poor and the needs of her community.  What will you do?

During all Masses, Rob Silva, Pastoral Council member and Chair of the School Grounds Work Committee asked parishioners to prayerfully discern their call to serve the mission of the church.  He noted that one is not committed to life to serve a particular ministry— he did say that you are committed for life to serve— just as Jesus did— the ministry you serve can change until you discover the one that fits your unique talents.  Listen to his appeal after Deacon Bill’s homily.

All Masses were followed by a Welcoming Reception & Ministry Fair in the Church Hall— wine and cheese after Saturday Vigil and scrumptious breakfast treats after the Sunday Masses.  Long time parishioners and newly registered ones, along with the Parish Priests attended.

Parishioners were warmly welcomed by Cara to Cara leaders and invited to take part in food and fellowship after donning pins and name tags so that faces and names often seen or heard can be connected and relationships would be formed and strengthened.

Ministry leaders shared with parishioners all the ways that one can serve the mission on the church at St. Pat’s.  Many answered the call and signed up for ministries they felt drawn to— from Walking with Purpose which grows one’s spiritual faith to Sister Parish which reaches beyond our parish boundaries to sponsor students in Bogota, Colombia. Which ministry are you called to serve?  Can you lend your talents to photography, gardening, catechesis?  What about being and usher, a lector or a choir member?  Maybe a link on the prayer chain?