Faith in a Changing World: Belong. Believe. Behave.

Until the not-too-distant past, still within living memory for many, Sundays were truly a day of rest in many parts of the world. Here in Australia, shops were closed, sporting fixtures paused, and families gathered for Mass and a shared meal. The rhythm of life quietly pointed toward God, and church was simply what you did. Faith was supported by culture. Even those who were not deeply engaged were carried along by a shared social expectation.

Underneath this was an unspoken model of church life: behave, believe, belong. First, you learned how to act. You came to church, because that was what was done, you were taught the prayers, the rules, the moral framework. Then you were taught what to believe, often in Sunday catechism classes or from the Homily by the priest. ‘These are the tenants of the faith and this is how you uphold them.’ Belonging followed almost automatically because the wider culture reinforced it. If you behaved and believed in the expected way, you belonged to the community.

Today, we live in a different environment. Sundays are busy and full of activity. Work continues, sport competes, shopping centres are open, and social commitments fill the calendar. Our culture no longer assumes nor supports faith. This shift is not necessarily negative; it reflects the natural changes of society over time. It is simply different, and thus the way we live and share our faith must also grow and adapt with culture.

In this new landscape, a different model is emerging: belong, believe, behave.

For new members of the faith community, membership begins with belonging. People long to be known, welcomed, and loved before they are ready to receive teaching or moral challenge. Jesus Himself often began this way. He shared meals, called people by name, and created space for relationship before transformation took root. We see this beautifully in the parable of the Prodigal Son. The son squanders his father’s inheritance and returns home rehearsing his apology, prepared to beg to work as a servant. Yet before he can finish his speech, the father runs to him, embraces him, and restores him publicly as his son. Belonging comes first. In that embrace, the father’s actions say: Welcome home. You are loved and you belong here!

Belonging opens the heart. When someone knows they are loved and received, they become more open to discovering what the Church believes. The prodigal son learns who his father truly is through the power and love of his father’s mercy, not a lecture on the rules of church or the hurt they have caused.

From belonging grows belief. Faith is no longer something absorbed by default; it is encountered personally. Questions are asked and stories are shared. Belief becomes a deep personal conviction born of an encounter with the power and love of God, rather than merely intellectual knowledge or something simply handed down. The prodigal son’s belief of his father changes because he is embraced.

Finally, behaviour flows from within. Christian living becomes an opportunity to respond to God: “I get to” rather than an obligation “I have to”. Moral transformation is not imposed from the outside but formed from the inside. The prodigal son’s life is now shaped by gratitude and restored identity instead of fear or shame.

In a culture that no longer assumes faith, we are invited to become communities that reflect the loving father of the parable: communities of genuine welcome, clear teaching, and authentic witness. Church is first and foremost a place where people belong, and only then come to believe and then learn to live that belief (behave) – in that order. Here at OLR, we seek to live this vision intentionally. Mass remains the heart of our parish life, but belonging grows through connection, formation, and shared encounter. That is why we offer a range of opportunities for faith, friendship, and growth. Whether through Connect Groups, our Parish Encounter Night (6 March), the Lenten Mini Mission (9–11 March), or the Morning of Prayer with Sr Jone on (17 March), there are many ways to take a step deeper. We sincerely hope everyone feels a sense of belonging here at OLR.

May this Lent be a time when each of us takes a step: to belong more deeply, to believe more personally, and to live that belief more fully.

Pilgrim well, Fr Gerard