I hope this letter finds you well and filled with the blessings of the Easter season.
I am writing to express my gratitude to our Parish Leadership Team (PLT), whose dedication and commitment have been invaluable over the past year and a half. This team has walked alongside me, working with the organization, Divine Renovation, to move from maintenance to mission. This process began in earnest in February 2023.
The team has been on a journey of conversion as the Spirit reveals what it means to be “in mission” with a focus on evangelization. In short, we are shifting to seek those not yet in our pews. And in so doing, we will better serve those IN our pews by calling all in our parish geography into community and a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ. That may look like:
Designing the Sunday Experience to prioritize a liturgical space where all (even if they’ve never set foot in a Catholic church) feel welcome, starting with the moment they enter our campus through their walk to the sanctuary, how they are drawn into community before, during, and after Mass, and culminating in the touchpoints designed throughout the week. Homilies look/sound different. The music and mass aids draw people into participation. There is intentional space opened up for the Holy Spirit to work in and through the beautiful structure of the liturgy.
Creating community moments for anyone entering our campus. That could look like having a coffee/tea bar for parents dropping children at preschool every day, coffee/tea time for parents bringing children to RE classes, taco night for parents dropping teens at middle school/high school ministry. For those who are ready, building on relationships to form small groups at all ages who walk through life together.
Designing the parishioner experience to create BELONGING across all things we do, knowing not everyone is ready for healing prayer or in-depth bible studies, but meeting them where they are in their lives today, which might mean they just need a space to gather, help finding a job, helping thinking through their college decision, etc. And, we recognize that “parishioners” already include all of those in our parish boundaries, not just those in our pews already! How do we create an invitational, relational space where all are welcome and find a place to belong no matter where they are in their journey to God?
Raising leaders within our community to bring their strengths, insights, vision, and charisms to expand ministries far past what staff could imagine and provide alone. Using the “I see you” model of raising up volunteer leaders…I see that you love children, I see that you write beautifully, I see that you…. Such that we see people first and align them with a space they can flourish rather than pushing our needs onto the same small cadre of people who do all the work!
In short, when we lift our eyes to those I am canonically responsible for (all those within our parish boundaries), we design our entire parish experience differently. Our focus shifts to a collaborative effort in which our current, active community engages in serving our community at large in Austin (and in so doing, deepen our own faith). We imagine a time when every single member of our community brings their strengths and charisms to bear to serve the world around us. That we collectively become A Beacon of Light Drawing People Home.
What has become apparent to me through this journey so far is the importance of team-based leadership in parish renewal. Our PLT plays a crucial role in executing this vision to become a beacon of light inspired by the principles of Divine Renovation.
As we continue to grow and evolve, it is essential to recognize that leadership is not static. The composition of our leadership team will change over time to adapt to the needs of our parish community. Currently, we are in a period of transition, with two members set to roll off at the end of April due to a new staffing structure that will soon be implemented at St. John Neumann.
I want to extend my deepest appreciation to all current and past members of our PLT for their dedication, wisdom, and tireless efforts in serving our parish community. Your contributions have been instrumental in advancing our mission and fostering a spirit of fellowship and growth among our parishioners.
As we bid farewell to a couple of members and welcome new members to our leadership team, I am confident that together, we will continue to build on the foundation we have laid and lead our parish to new heights of spiritual growth and community engagement.
May God continue to bless our parish abundantly as we journey together in faith.
Grace and Peace,
Fr. Dean,
Bobbi Dangerfield, Tamara Stacey, Michelle Fontana*, Laura Hughes*, Dcn. Chris Sperling, Tracey Lackovich, Karen May