Father Gene’s Vision Statement for Saint Anselm
November, 2005
Continue the work of previous pastors to enable the life of a parish marked by active and effective lay-ministry.
Prepare the parish for the future (20 years?) when Saint Anselm may not have a resident pastor, or may be merged with other parishes into a mega-parish with multiple worship sites.
Enable Saint Anselm to be a vibrant parish that focuses on the following main areas: Worship, Community, Service, Education/Formation.
Worship
Celebration of the Liturgy:
- Eucharistic liturgies are celebrated in a prayerful and reverent manner.
- The liturgy is celebrated with music, competently led and sung, which enables and fosters the participation of the entire assembly.
- Homilies that are instructive, challenging, well-prepared, and assist people in applying the Scripture and church teaching to their life experience.
- The physical environment is conductive to prayer and is capable of accommodating the rites of the church.
- The assembly is encouraged to participate in sung, spoken, and silent responses.
- The liturgical ministers are a regular part of the liturgies and are properly trained for their ministries.
- There is a worship (liturgy) committee, which meets regularly to plan liturgies.
Celebration of the Sacraments:
- There are regular opportunities to participate in Mass and to receive the Holy Eucharist.
- There are regular opportunities for Sacrament of Reconciliation (individual absolution in both a communal and individual setting), and Anointing of the Sick (communal and individual).
- There is sufficient preparation for the Sacrament of Matrimony in cooperation with programs offered through the Diocesan Family Life Office.
- There is proper preparation for reception of the Sacraments, which includes family preparation.
- There are various forms of devotional prayer offered and encouraged.
- There is Compassionate (Consolation) Ministry which assists in visitation to the homebound and sick, care for the grieving, and assists at funeral with compassion and understanding.
- The RCIA process is being implemented and is part of the parish liturgical life.
Spiritual Growth Programs:
- Retreat/renewal programs that foster personal spiritual formation are made available and encouraged.
- Prayer groups and small faith-sharing groups are encouraged.
- Programs offered through the Diocese of Trenton for spiritual enrichment are utilized.
Community
Hospitality:
- The integrity of Christian family life is fostered and respected in every parish undertaking.
- All parishioners are greeted with hospitality as they enter the weekly liturgies.
- An organized welcome program exists for new parish members.
- The elderly are invited to participate in parish life.
- Physically disabled members are included in all activities and have access to all facilities.
- Adolescents and young adults are made to feel a part of the parish community.
Stewardship:
- The parish has created a Stewardship Committee that promotes ongoing educational activities that instruct parish members about sharing their gifts as a faith response and as a way to meet the ministry needs of the parish and the local civic community.
- The parish conducts an annual stewardship renewal of time, talent, and treasure.
- The parish encourages a theology of stewardship that promotes sacrificial giving.
- The parish has a prepared budget and meets its ordinary expenses in a timely fashion, including support of the pastor, liturgical worship, and assistance to the poor.
- The parish maintains its plant and facilities in good condition.
- The parish facilities are adequate for the present and future needs of its people and its programs.
- The parish works to retire any debt it has incurred and keeps up with interest payments on a timely basis.
- Parish staff is paid just wages.
- The parish promotes the stewardship of assets and endowment awareness among parishioners for the long-term financial benefit of the parish, diocese, and universal Church.
Evangelization:
- The parish encourages all community members to ongoing spiritual conversion.
- The parish supports the mission activities of the Universal Church.
- Individual parishioners feel the responsibility and the freedom to invite others to join the community of faith.
- The parish, in some fashion, reaches out to the unchurched, alienated, non-practicing, and marginal Catholic.
Leadership:
- Parish leadership identifies and encourages talents and interests of those in the community.
- Parish leadership seeds a wide diversity of people for involvement in activities and ministries.
- Parish leadership is able to identify the changing needs of the parishioners.
- The parish has sufficient qualified personnel as staff and for program leadership.
- The parish has an active Pastoral Council which meets regularly and advises the Pastor.
- The parish has an active Finance Council which meets regularly and advises the Pastor.
- The parish provides and encourages training and ongoing faith formation for all staff, as well as Pastoral and Finance Council members.
Service
Within Parish:
- Parishioners are instructed in their baptismal responsibility to serve in Jesus’ name.
- Parishioners are made aware of the social teachings of the Catholic faith through homilies and various educational opportunities.
- The parish keeps contact with shut-ins and the ill, especially by means of Eucharistic visitations.
- Disadvantaged parishioners can get assistance with their material needs.
Local Community:
- The parish welcomes beneficial community activities, such as: blood drives; food or clothing drives; various kinds of support groups such as AA and bereaved groups.
- Parish groups reach out to local institutions: nursing homes, hospitals, prisons, etc.
- Parishioners are invited to participate in local soup kitchens, AIDS centers, and other outreach programs.
- The parish contributes a portion of the Sunday collection to diocesan social ministries and worthy community and regional programs for the needy.
Beyond the Local Community:
- Parishioners are encouraged to respond generously to diocesan appeals for international aid to the poor and needy.
- Parishioners are encouraged to understand the Church’s teaching on abortion and to protect every human’s right to life.
- Parishioners are informed about the church’s missionary efforts and encouraged to support them with prayer and finances.
Education/Formation
- Total Parish Education Programs
- Parish educational programs assist parents in understanding their primary role in the spiritual formation of their children.
- The parish looks for opportunities to educate the faithful concerning respect for life issues and sponsor pro-Life programs and activities.
- Parish educational programs foster an awareness of religious vocations.
Religious Education:
- The parish offers complete programs of religious instruction for adults, youth, and children.
- The parish allots adequate funds, staff, and space for effective catechesis.
- The parish has a qualified Director or Coordinator of Religious Education.
- The parish encourages and provides opportunities for training and education for its catechists.
Adult Education:
- The parish offers a variety of opportunities for adult learning experiences (e.g. Bible study, speakers, discussions, etc.).
- The parish supports its lay ministers and volunteers with regular and ongoing in-service programs.
- The parish provides printed, audio, and/or video materials for ongoing theological education.
- The parish provides occasional educational programs that address special needs such as single parenting, divorce, caring for the elderly or disabled, communication skills, and church annulments.
RCIA:
- The parish implements the prescribed Rite for Adult Initiation, both liturgically and catechetically.
- The parish supports the training and ongoing formation of lay ministers who serve as catechists and team members for the RCIA.
Youth Ministry:
- The parish encourages and provides young adults with opportunities to engage in activities that enhance their faith life.
- The parish has a qualified Youth Ministry Coordinator.
- The parish has an active youth ministry program for adolescents and young adults.
- The parish encourages training and ongoing formation of lay ministers responsible as leaders in youth ministry.
- All volunteers working with children will have successfully passed a criminal background check, and have completed the VIRTUS program for “Protecting God’s Children.”
Ecumenism:
- The parish engages in education for Christian unity and ecumenical activities.
- The parish fosters interfaith understanding by conducting and participating in ecumenical worship services.
- cParish leadership encourages
interfaith dialogue and, when possible, participates in ecumenical worship
services.