Growing in holiness as a family

"Celebrate the Holy Spirit" Synod group discussion. Photo credit: Wade Anderson.

The synodal journey in the Diocese of Calgary was a process of encounter, listening and discernment. There were many who questioned if undertaking such a journey would bear any fruits personally and communally. Like on the day of Pentecost the Holy Spirit breathed new life and hope into the weariness that we had been experiencing in these past few years. One parish synod leader described the experience in these words: “The synod allowed our parishioners to move from a period of isolation to gathering once more and in doing so discovering each other’s stories of faith. This was just the beginning of a renewal for our parish and Church in listening to the hurts of the past and to forge forward with hope to grow stronger together.”
 
There were many challenges that surfaced during these listening sessions but there was one overwhelming concern which was voiced and that was for families, youth and children in the life of the faith community. The responses on a family's experience of the Church reflected both ups and downs, and at times, quite serious challenges. Not all families felt welcomed, acknowledged, or appreciated in their communities. Many shared their personal accounts of frustration, hurt, and pain experienced when they had approached the Church. There is a general lack of understanding and acceptance of the uniqueness and conditions specific to families and the stages of life they are in. Often this results in the parishes’ inability to make connections with families in a truly effective way.  
Outreach, inviting, and being welcoming were emphasized over and over again. Families need parishes to make intentional efforts to foster relationships with them, help them to connect with other families in the community, and to work to strengthen these bonds. Special consideration also needs to be given in all our outreach activities to gauge how effective they are in addressing the broad spectrum of families and their living situations. These differences can include: ethnicity, culture, language, age, marital status, single parents, families with young children, and those without access to or familiarity with the latest technology. In addition, people and family circumstances change over time as we age, and communication modes and styles need to be adapted appropriately to the targeted age group.

One person stated “our children deserve a place where they can learn to know, love, and serve God.” This passionate appeal is echoed time and again by many in the community. Do we make consistent and intentional efforts to make sure youth get involved, feel welcome, be encouraged to participate, and have opportunities to be formed in the faith? Have we made space for our youth? Are we fostering an environment where experience and learning are encouraged without feeling scolded or frowned upon? A common concern repeated many times was a lack of organized events specifically to provide opportunities to engage youth, with a focus on ensuring they feel welcome, connected, needed, and loved. Many asked if we are proactively and properly funding youth programs to keep them engaged. The idea of sharing ministry with youth between smaller communities was raised as a possible way to share resources and maximize effectiveness. There is a need for perseverance, creativity, occasional re-evaluation, and a never-ending need for continuous innovation in our communication, outreach, and welcoming efforts as we journey with our youth and their families.

Ultimately, our youth want to journey with us. Thanks to the dedication of our teachers and parish catechists, over 500 youth participated informally in the synodal journey as they shared their experience of Church. As can be expected, the various responses provided a wide-range of answers, reactions, and perspectives; ranging from experiencing the Church as a community that welcomes, supports, inspires, and teaches, to feeling unwelcome, uninspired, and/or judged by the Church.

When asked how we could grow together as a community of faith, responses from our youth included a wide spectrum of ideas for activities to make faith and Church life more appealing. There was an expressed desire for the life of faith to be more inviting, inspiring, and to know God (Holy Spirit) personally. They felt that the Church needs to find new ways to pass on the message of faith in ways that consider individual interest, intellectual level, and age so as to lead young people to make personal decisions about their faith and their relationship with God and the Church. There must be a greater degree of collaboration and openness in accompanying them in relation to addressing modern-day issues and challenges pertaining to faith and morals. They want a better understanding of the sacraments, including the Mass so that the celebrations can be more personal and understandable.

Finally, an important and recurring theme found in our youth responses is the desire to see personal witness among those professing to be people of faith. Noteworthy of mention is their feedback relating to the impact schools, teachers, parents, and the Church have had in providing opportunities for growing in the knowledge and experience of faith.
These themes and others are found in the Diocesan Synod Synthesis Report.

​In this month of June there is also the World Meeting of Families (WMF) in Rome, June 22-26, 2022 which coincides with the closing of the “Amoris Laetitia Family Year”. This gathering, which is part of the current synodal journey of the Church, will place the priority of families at the center of the Church’s discernment of its pastoral accompaniment and outreach. Pope Francis is inviting every Catholic family to join virtually via live streaming. It could potentially be a valuable experience of walking together in the “participation, communion and mission” for families in the life of the Church. I encourage those in our parishes and lay associations to learn about initiatives at the national level by going to the Family and Life webpage at cccb.ca. 

​Pope’s Prayer Intention for June 2022:
For Families – We pray for Christian families around the world; may they embody and experience unconditional love and advance in holiness in their daily lives.

Written by Most Rev. William T. McGrattan, Bishop of Calgary
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​June 13, 2022