“Encountering the Living Christ, through Conversion, Communion & Solidarity”
The Pastoral Council of St. Paul Roman Catholic Parish adopted its Mission Statement from Pope John Paul II's Apostolic Exhortation entitled, "The Church in America (Ecclesia in America), On the Encounter with the Living Jesus Christ: The Way to Conversion, Communion, and Solidarity in America." From this Church document we composed the following Mission Statement: Encountering the Living Christ, through Conversion, Communion and Solidarity. To better understand the meaning of this mission statement we have defined its terms:
Encountering the Living Christ:
St. Paul Parish encounters Christ through the Sacraments, Sacred Scripture, and Church Tradition. Christ is present in the Most Holy Eucharist consecrated by His priest during the Sacred Liturgy. Through the intercession and example of Blessed Mary, Our Lady of Guadalupe and Patroness of the Americas, we deepen our personal and public encounters with Jesus Christ.
Conversion:
Conversion, a lifelong task, fosters a new life in which there is no separation between faith and works in our daily struggle for holiness. Conversion is prepared and nurtured through prayer, reading of Sacred Scripture, and the practice of the Sacraments, especially Reconciliation and Holy Communion. The goal of conversion is spiritual: a daily dying for Christ with the Holy Spirit, accepted in faith, expressed in charity, and inspired by hope.
Communion:
As a Catholic community, our parish is a place of fraternity, of Christian education, and celebration of the One True Faith. It is organized in a communal and responsible way that is open to charisms, services, and ministries, and is attentive to spiritual and charitable projects within and beyond our parish. We strive to be a source of great hope in the community, celebrating the Sacraments, preaching the Gospel, and promoting family and respect for life. With the Holy Father and our Bishop, the priests and parishioners are united in fostering an intimate spiritual life with God and His Saints to further spread the Faith.
Solidarity:
Solidarity is the fruit of the communion of saints, grounded in the mystery of God the Father, Holy Spirit, and Son who became flesh and died for all. It is expressed in Christian charity as we are all created by God and redeemed through His Son. Taking the Gospel as our starting point and reinforced by the teachings of Catholic Social Doctrine and the Catechism of the Catholic Church, we promote solidarity, inspiring initiatives in support of the less fortunate by sharing the spiritual and material gifts with which God has blessed us, and in spreading the Faith.
