2017 TOWARDS STRENGTHENING OUR FAITH COMMUNITY

We the parishioners of Church of St Joseph have committed ourselves to journey the next three years through our Vision 2015 – 2017, “TOWARDS STRENGTHENING OUR FAITH COMMUNITY.” These past two years (2015 and 2016) we have been journeying with our parish Vision 2017 by setting our missions and goals to achieve our parish vision in the Year 2017.

I just want to recap our past two years journey towards 2017 as a parish. I hope you still remember our journey in the first year 2015 where the mission of our parish was on Jesus: the Heart of our Family. Our second year mission was on BEC (Basic Ecclesia Community): Witnessing Jesus Through the Works of Mercy and Spiritual Works of Mercy.” Our third year mission will be “Celebrating Jesus”.

 As we were engaging every member of our parish to journey towards strengthening our faith as individuals and also as a community we have organised many events, activities and formations, etc. basically to enhance our spiritual life and community living. We the leaders from the various ministries together with each member from the BECs have worked tirelessly towards making our vision and missions into reality these two years. It was not an easy task. Along the way we had a lot of battles, arguments, back-biting, disagreements over issues, failures in carrying out our mission into realities, and many other unaccounted causes. Despite all these I truly admire your enthusiasm and the spirit of “let’s move” in the right direction and working hand in hand with your committees, ministries and me.

I personally felt these were necessary obstacles and hiccups for strengthening and building up a parish community. There were some members who backed out from being in the forefront of our parish commitments and missions. As for me this is really disheartening. On the contrary, I very much appreciated that although our members argued and disagreed with me on issues, they have however, always been on my side to ensure all things are possible for all parishioners and the parish as well. Our past two years missions on families and BECs are the most vital marks of strengthening our faith community. These missions have helped us to increase our commitments to live more productively and successfully for our coming mission in the year 2017.

For the year 2017 we have set our Vision: “STRENTGHENING OUR FAITH COMMUNITY”. To make this Vision 2017 a reality, we have identified relevant strategies as we commit ourselves to walk effectively in this coming year. To realise our vision we shall commit ourselves to celebrate Jesus by:

•   DEEPENING OUR PRAYER LIFE;

•   BEING DEEPLY ROOTED IN THE WORD OF GOD

•   EXPERIENCING THE SACRAMENTS AS A TOUCH OF GOD, AND

•   COMMITTING OURSELVES TO NEW EVANGELISATION (ACT 1:8).

Each of you have something to contribute towards our vision this coming year. “Do not lose your heart in the ministry which is entrusted to you,” but in humility and simplicity let us discern each other’s gift and responsibility as we connect ourselves in the parish vision and mission.

Fr. George Packiasamy