By: Fr. John Jasica
JESUS BRINGS A NEW WAY & A NEW PATH
This being the Christmas bulletin, I want to express my sincerest Christmas blessings and Happy New Year to everyone as we celebrate the birth of our Lord and Saviour. I want to thank all of you for your faithfulness and commitment to our family of parishes. I also want to thank our amazing staff who work hard each and everyday to help us become better disciples. A special ‘thank you” to Lynda Cadotte, who after over 52 years working for the Diocese of London (all in Chatham) is retiring. We will celebrate as a faith community later in January 2025. May she be blessed with good health and joy for many years to come!!!
The gift of Christmas is not just about the birth of Jesus, but the impact of the Incarnation for our lives. Christ came to free us from our sins and the fear that this world can bring—the Prince of Peace offers us a new way and a new path forward. We no longer live in fear or for ourselves, but for Him, and choose the path of service, sacrifice and love that continues to evolve, grow and adapt throughout our lives. Christmas reminds us of the need for constant change for the sake of the Gospel.
CHRIST’S PATH EMBRACES CHANGE
Through the gift of Christ’s birth, the beginnings of a new way, a new path and a new life are revealed. He not only tells us about the path of discipleship but lives it and leads us through His passion, death and resurrection. Are we willing to change our lives, change our behaviors and change our ways to become true disciples? Are we willing to let go and surrender to God’s plan?
Our Chatham Catholic Family of Parishes is going through a major change (or transformation) for the sake of Christ, the Gospel and our world today. This change requires sacrifice, letting go of the way we have done things for years and discover new ways to be Christ in our world. The Gospel and the mission given to us by Jesus hasn’t changed since the resurrection but how we live it out does.
This is described in detail via our IGNITE THE MISSION pastoral plan and the many articles and documents that have shown our journey so far (go to www.chathamcatholic.ca and click on Ignite the Mission under the “News/Events” tab). To stay close to Christ and his path we must constantly reflect, review, change and adapt so that God’s love may shine brightly in this world.
CHANGE BRINGS HOPE
The great gift of change is that it brings hope. Over the last three years we have begun the transformation from maintenance to mission. We have moved from trying to hang on to what we have (which we clearly know we cannot sustain) to re-igniting the call of Christ to go out into the world and change our culture and society. We see diminishing attendance, declining finances, limited volunteers and aging buildings in our family of parishes while the world becomes more secular, more selfish, more challenging and completely distant from God. All of this beckons us to change so that we can become a stronger community of faith that shares the compassion, love, mercy and joy of Christ to a world that is in so many ways lost and adrift. We change so that we can be relevant in our world showing them the love, joy and presence of Jesus.
Our mission given to us through Baptism and strengthened in Confirmation is to go out into the world with true courageous faith. As Christ heals, inspires and empowers us—we go out into the world to do the same for others. We are called to help change lives one person at a time and we do that together.
CHANGE BRINGS TRANSFORMATION & BLESSINGS
Even though change is difficult, when done for the right reasons, is a gift and a blessing. Adapting the way we do things can push us out of routine but it can also force us to see things differently and to change our priorities. We at times become too comfortable in “our ways” that can actually hinder our mission. Change can clearly be a blessing!! Sometimes we just have to wait patiently for it to reveal itself.
As I write this message, one of the most painful changes we will endure is the upcoming closure of St. Agnes Parish. This is a very difficult time for all of us and yet we know this is part of our ongoing shift from maintenance to mission—a step forward to fulfill our pastoral plan to form disciples who reach out to all.
This change is not limited to St. Agnes but affects the entire family of parishes as ministries change locations, change the ways they operate and make room for more supplies, new people, new neighbours and new schedules. We are invited to embrace this transformation humbly for the sake of our mission. These changes involve thinking beyond ourselves and becoming something new—better disciples of faith!
While the changes have been difficult, I have seen amazing moments of grace, hope, light, joy, generosity, humility and a new vigor for mission. I have been overwhelmed with new possibilities, new opportunities and new priorities from parishioners through this process that brings us closer as a family of parishes and closer to Christ. MERRY CHRISTMAS!
