The Incredible Parish, Pt. 2

Jan 13

Part Two of Two
January 15, 2023

Jesus Christ: Yesterday, Today, and Forever ~

Last week I wrote a pastor’s column on many of the objective things that demonstrate how Holy Redeemer Parish is so special. If you haven’t read that pastor’s column, you still can by visiting our website and clicking on the pastor’s column tab. Today I go a step further and write about why I think Holy Redeemer is so demonstratively special. Remember, none of this is to brag [see my commentary on this in last week’s pastor’s column], rather to share good news (gospel in Greek); good news that we all need in these very troubled times.

Although there are many things that can go on this list, here are what I think are the seven most significant things that contribute to this parish’s specialness. And by naming these things, I hope to enlist your help in preserving and promoting them.

Stability: This may seem like a no-brainer but the Church specializes in things that make no sense. Prior to the revised code of canon law that went into effect in 1983, pastors were appointed for life, meaning retirement or until they couldn’t do it anymore, whatever came first. Beginning in the 1970’s, throughout this country, parishes have seen pastor’s come and go in 1-12 year cycles. This is as unhealthy for parishes as it would be for families to have changing parents, just a killer. Our neighbors to our east and north, St. Thomas Parish in Camas and Sacred Heart Parish in Battle Ground, have had no less than 14 parish leaders (pastors, priest administrators, and lay pastoral coordinators) in the same time period that we have had two, Fr. Mitchell and myself. The stability of our pastors have had a tremendously stabilizing effect on our parish, limiting change and allowing time to grow in faith and to commit to it.

Fidelity: Holy Redeemer has only had two pastors in her 22 years of existence: Fr. Mitchell and myself. Both of us are faithful to all the Church teaches and has taught from the time Christ walked the earth, that’s not the case everywhere. The leadership of this parish is faithful to God’s Truth, as challenging as that is, regardless of what’s currently popular in the world and in the Church’s hierarchy. Jesus says: “I came to bear witness to the Truth” and “the Truth will set you free.” If lived, God’s Truth will not only set you free but save you for eternal life. Make no mistake, while many of us love God’s Truth’s, even those challenging sexual ones, many have left this parish because these truths are taught here. The parishioners who stay though, get to grow in holiness with others who are also interested in knowing and living God’s Truth and growing in holiness.

Higher Liturgy: All of us have been to parishes where the Mass seemed to be sloppy, or worse, focused on making us feel good, not worshiping Jesus Christ. Here, within the limits of the rubrics, we have tried to give our Masses and liturgies a consistent quality, and focus on pleasing God not us; directing our focus and communion vertically not horizontally. While this is foreign to any other experience we might have in our day to day life, it is exactly this “other worldly” experience that helps us grow in our faith, understanding, and communion with God and others who share this faith with us.

Piety: Piety is all that religious stuff that isn’t required yet is critically important if one is going to grow in holiness: daily prayer, daily spiritual reading, frequent confessions, attending weekday Masses, Eucharistic adoration, small faith sharing groups, daily rosary, devotions, novenas, etc. Piety is one of the unsung heroes of our Catholic faith, yet you find little of it in a typical parish and almost none of it in Protestant churches. It’s promotion and availability here is one of things that makes Holy Redeemer so special.

Fraternity: Truly faithful Catholics are a remnant of the wider population, even within the Catholic Church, where do we go for support? Parishioners here have found a refuge from the spiritual vacuum and moral corruption of the world. We can count on one another to share the same faith, morality, and goals for our lives. This gives rise to relationships that support one another, or fraternity. Jesus and His disciples eventually had this, and His Apostles were able to change the world with it. In this day and age of screens (TV, computer monitor, smart phone) and wealth (enabling us to live apart from extended family), people are more corrupted, isolated, and lonely than they ever have ever been in human history. Many new comers to our parish comment on us being a welcoming and engaged parish, and we truly try to be. The few people who are seeking what we have, can find it here and frequently turn around and share it with others.

Staff & Volunteers: Because I’m the leader of this parish, I’m frequently praised for one thing or another. However, almost everything that gets done in this parish is done by our small dedicated staff and a battalion of volunteers, people who don’t always get the credit they deserve. While we have probably the smallest staff for a parish our size in the Archdiocese (spending $23K a month on debt reduction keeps you lean), I can proudly say they accomplish as much or more than any other parish staff. Because of the fidelity principle that I mentioned above, we don’t have any staff members who descent from any of the Church’s perennial teachings; this is the only parish, out of six, that I have been assigned to in my 18½ years of priesthood where I could say that. Just imagine for a moment, working in a place where everyone on staff was a practicing, true believing Catholic. Imagine what you could share with your co-workers, the trust you have with one another, what could get done because everyone was on the same page seeking the same outcome. The information I shared in last week’s pastor’s column about our volunteer numbers is one of the reasons why we are so special.

Programming: Holy Redeemer Parish offers more volunteer and programming opportunities than any other parish I’m aware of. A big reason for that is having five people on staff who work in our faith formation office, again more than any other parish I’m aware of. We offer year around opportunities for enriching one’s faith throughout life, on-site and off-site: with come-one come-all programs, small faith sharing groups, missions, conferences, retreats, and pilgrimages. It might be fair to say that we offer as much in this regard as the other four parishes in Vancouver combined.

Taken together, I think these seven things are what make Holy Redeemer so special. You might have your own list, however the important thing is to recognize how blessed we are, take advantage of that blessing, and share the good news with others. The number of Mass goers throughout America is in decline but the faith and the stewardship of the faith is not in decline at Holy Redeemer. Share the good news so others can share in it too.

May Almighty God Bless You,