The Parish Transformation Project Team is coming in to the home stretch!  We are simultaneously finalizing our Parish Mission Narrative, and determining Action Plans to support our revised Mission, including detailed plans in the Finance and Education areas.  The target is to share these Plans with the Parish in mid-May, then discuss them with our Deanery Vicar, Bishop Francis Kane, on May 29.

A Mission Narrative is slightly different than the Mission Statement that we're familiar with.  It provides a structure for parishes to tell their spiritual story.  It calls parishes to reflect upon their history and what has shaped them in the past, what is currently influencing them, trends that may influence their future, and who they believe they are being called to become.  Writing a Mission Narrative calls parishioners to rethink and strengthen relationships, not just initiate changes to programs.  Mission Narratives should be relevant both to engaged parishioners as well as those who aren't as active.

Our Parish Transformation Team has chosen to focus our Mission Narrative on the core values of Catholic education, service to our community, and spiritual stewardship.  We are still refining it, so here is a sneak peek:

"We, the parishioners of St. Josaphat Parish, are a welcoming community of believers who are called to educate Catholic leaders, serve others as Jesus taught us, and share our many blessings with those around us.

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One of our greatest strengths is the robust spiritual preparation provided by our parish school and religious education program.  We hope to extend that same enthusiasm for religious understanding to our entire parish by being examples of Christ's teaching to one another.

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As a relatively small parish, we aim to make a big impact to our surrounding community through works of feeding the poor at our very doorstep, and providing comfort to the stranger in our midst.  We endeavor to embed works of charity and justice in the foundation of our parish culture;  through this we share the joy of our faith.

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We are dedicated to sharing our time, talent and treasure with our parish and wider community out of love and gratitude for God's gifts.  In the spirit of stewardship, we encourage parishioners to ask ourselves:  Am I taking ownership for our parish experience?  Am I caring for its well-being?  Am I seeking opportunities to leave the parish better than when I arrived?

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Our parish community, a place to come home to, welcomes all who enter our doors.  Pope Francis challenges all of us to dream great things.  We dream of an active, vibrant parish that continually challenges itself to look beyond its walls to educate and serve others by gladly sharing in the mission of Jesus."

This is a work in progress, so if you have any feedback, please contact a member of the Parish Transformation Team, or forward it to the Parish Office at [email protected]

Thank you.