Saint Pope John Paul II said: A Catholic parish “calls for the involvement of the ENTIRE People of God and requires a new fervour, new methods and a new expression for the announcing and witnessing of the Gospel.”
Our own Archbishop John, says that all the parishes of the Archdiocese of Southwark (which includes Holy Family parish, Sanderstead!) and EVERYONE who comes to holy Mass, is called to embrace this impulse of missionary transformation. Nobody in Holy Family parish, Sanderstead or any parish, ought to be a passive, inactive member of a Christian community. Every one of us, whatever our circumstances, is called by the Lord, through our Archbishop and through my poor, unworthy Self as your Parish Priest, to bring other people to know Jesus and his Church. Here in Sanderstead, in Hamsey Green and indeed everywhere we find ourselves, we are all asked by the Lord Jesus to be his missionary disciples and responsible members of Holy Family parish, Sanderstead. The main goal of everyone who comes to our parish, is to connect with those who do not yet follow the Lord Jesus, to love them and to welcome them into the Church. I know that much great work like this is done by people of our parish but outside our parish, in various ways. That is wonderful. Nonetheless, these good people of our parish, are also called by the Lord, to contribute in some way to the work for Evangelisation that is taking place in their own parish.
Many Catholic parishes often appear to have just a few very generous people who do very much in their parishes, while there are others who do very little. We need, by the grace of God in the gift of the Holy Spirit, to try to reverse that trend. Here in Holy Family parish, we certainly have a number of amazingly generous and holy people who do a huge amount of work to build God’s Kingdom in this place and to evangelise; others who do some really good work for God too, in our parish; others though, who I am sad to say, have yet to begin to be actively involved in God’s work. I hope to continue to encourage everyone in our parish, to full, conscious and active participation in our Calling to be Missionary Disciples of Jesus in a Missionary Parish. To do so, I hope to thank and to ask those who are already doing so much, to actually do less and to allow others to better share in the work we do! I hope to thank and encourage those who have begun to share in God’s work in this place, to perhaps do a little more! I will risk being thought badly of, by inviting those who have yet to be actively involved, to please hear the Call of the Lord Jesus and say yes to his loving request. However, please don’t wait for me to speak with you; please do speak with me and tell me how you feel you can better live this wonderful Calling that we all have of being the voice, the hands, the very presence of Jesus in this place. There is such a range of work that we can all do. Let’s talk about it together and find that place and way that is yours. I pray for you every day.
The ‘Olde Forge Cafe’ is not primarily a social venue for parishioners of Holy Family parish. It has ceased to be a Parish Hall where Holy Family parishioners enjoy themselves! It is now, first and foremost, in response to what our Archbishop is asking of us, a place for us to bring our neighbours, family members, colleagues and friends who do not yet know the Lord Jesus and his Church very well. Of course, it is for us too, as we try to fulfil our Calling to be Missionary Disciples, in a Missionary Parish.
“Who have I brought with me?” This must be the question on our lips and in our minds and hearts to indicate the efforts we need to be making, every time we come to holy Mass and every time we come to the ‘Olde Forge Cafe.’
