ROCKFORD—They say one of the certainties of life is change. And that was certainly part of the message presented at the annual Ministry Day on Oct. 21.
Featured speaker Father Dominic Grassi told the group gathered in Wahl Hall at St. Rita Parish in Rockford that “the Church has to change.”
He also outlined why and how parish staffs could create that change in the first of three sessions of his day-long presentation called “Cultivating Hearts of Welcome and Mercy.”
“We need uplifting times at parishes. Parish is where we get our Catholic identity and where people feel unconditional love and build bonds to build life in Christ,” Father Grassi said. “We can’t wait for them to come to us.”
One of the keys to imparting Christ’s mercy in the world, Father Grassi explained, is to “take people where they are (and) do the best we can do.”
He reminded the attendees that “God’s true mercy doesn’t force anything on people — it helps form, not replace conscience.”
Father Grassi is pastor of St. Gertrude Parish in Chicago. He has been a teacher, counselor, coach, retreat and vocation director as well as an inspirational speaker, editor and writer. His several books include “Bumping into God: 35 Stories of Finding Grace in Unexpected Places;” and “Living the Mass: How One Hour a Week Can Change Your Life.”
The day began with a prayer service led by Father Timothy Piasecki, pastor of St. Mary Parish, Aurora.
According to Ministry Day organizer and diocesan director of research and planning, Dr. Michael Cieslak, a record attendance of about 260 priests and staffs from parishes and schools in the Rockford Diocese gathered for the three sessions and “table processes,” which included the topics of:
♦ All Are Welcome: A Parish to Come Home To,
♦ Look, Pray and Act, and
♦ Living Mercy
“I attended last year and it’s a good bonding time for church and school (staffs),” said Brenda Baldassano, principal of St. Mary School in Woodstock. “It’s good to spend time together outside of the job and helps with our professionalism together as we constantly work on how we can help people feel welcome.”
“We always enjoy the speakers. We already have a new idea to take back and start using at the parish right away,” said Father James Ciaramitaro, OFM Conv., pastor of St. Anthony of Padua, Rockford.
Dr. Cieslak recognized St. Anthony of Padua Parish early in the day as having attended every Ministry Day since it began in 2005.
“We don’t come because we are a troubled staff. We come because we like each other,” Father Ciaramitaro laughed. “It’s like a staff meeting with outside input.”
And that’s exactly the purpose of the annual diocesan workshop — to help parish and school staffs work together in a spirit of faith to better serve the people of their parishes. no matter what size.