Friends, the parish’s mission to be a “vibrant community that actively accompanies people to encounter Jesus” builds on the church’s very reason for being. It stands in the tradition of Christian of all ages past, especially the many lay orders who have gone out into the world with not so much a story, but a person – Jesus Christ.

On wildly successful order were the Jesuits, founded by St. Ignatius of Loyola. His own encounter and the method of meditation he taught his order did and continues to bear much fruit. While I will leave teaching the method to another day, I share with you two prayers of his which is relevant to our parish mission:

Prayer for Generosity
Eternal Word, only begotten Son of God,
Teach me true generosity,
Teach me to serve you as you deserve,
To give without counting the cost,
To fight heedless of wounds,
To labor without seeking rest,
To sacrifice myself without thought of any reward,
Save the knowledge that I have done your will.
Amen.

Prayer to Know God’s Will
May it please the supreme and divine Goodness
to give us all abundant grace
ever to know his most holy will and perfectly to fulfil it.

Amen.