Strengthening Faith Through Leadership, Education, and the Example of St. Teresa of Calcutta

A Day of Faith, Formation, and Recognition at the Parish Leader Convocation

On Saturday, we had a Parish Leader Convocation in the Diocese at St. John Neumann Parish in East Freetown. It’s one of two professional development days our Secretariat for the New Evangelization offers during the year for pastoral and catechetical leaders from our parishes. We began with Mass in the church and then went over to the parish center for the talks, workshops, discussion, and lunch. The center was at capacity, and it was wonderful to be with so many from across our Diocese who are committed to taking advantage of all the Convocation can offer them for support and insight as they begin a new year of education and formation programs.

In addition to the spiritual and educational components, this Convocation also included something unique and very special: the Pope Francis Catechist Awards. As we move through the Jubilee Year, each month is designated for a special focus. In September, it’s the Jubilee of Catechists. Given this, we wanted to recognize and affirm the dedicated laity who help teach and share the faith in our parishes. Toward that end, I was so pleased to bless and present at the end of the Mass the Pope Francis Catechist Award to twenty-six women and men nominated for the recognition by their parish. Many of these honorees have served as catechists for decades. One woman receiving the award has been doing it for over 50 years!

We decided to name the award for Pope Francis, who did much in his papacy to strengthen the Church’s work in evangelization and catechesis.

I was grateful to have two opportunities to address the Convocation participants. In my homily, reflecting on the words of St. Paul in the reading for that day, I reminded them that though Salvation is a gift to us from God, God needs our acceptance of it. Moreover, we must embrace it, persevering in our faith and understanding that there will be challenges. In the face of them, we must remain grounded in the hope of Christ. At times, from our human perspective, it may seem that God is distant, but through our faith, we believe otherwise. God is there for us. For a model of fidelity, we can turn to one of our newest saints, St. Carlo Acutis, whose relic was present in the sanctuary during our Mass: in his suffering, he never wavered in his trust in God. He was a witness to his faith to the end, throughout the illness that took his life at such an early age.

In my talk in the program that followed, I shared the results of research that underscores, yes, the many present challenges but also some reasons for hope. History shows that the Church has faced crises before, but the Church remains and will remain. As we work to pass on our faith, I explained that faith is not something that is simply “caught” but instead must be taught by family and community. I talked about my firm belief that to teach faith, you must reach not only the mind but also the heart. To share our faith, we must touch the hearts of others. And how do we do this? By our example, our prayers, our words, we provide a sense of community and vibrant parish life.

The Convocation also featured presentations and workshops by Jim Beckman, who is the executive director of ImpactCenter, a Catholic apostolate that serves ministry leaders. In his work over the years, he has helped build thriving parish and diocesan ministries, and we were fortunate to have him speak to our attendees.

How You Can Provide the Gift of a Catholic Education

This weekend (September 13 and 14) our Diocese will hold a special second collection at all parishes to support the Foundation to Advance Catholic Education (FACE). Since it was founded in 1991 as the St. Mary’s Education Fund, FACE has provided more than $21 million in scholarship aid to thousands of students across Southeastern Massachusetts. Thanks to generous gifts from so many, each year FACE distributes more than $1.2 million in tuition assistance to over 1,000 students attending a Catholic school in our Diocese.

The generosity of parishioners in this collection makes a real and lasting difference. Your gift helps increase access to Catholic education and provides opportunities for young people to grow in knowledge and faith. In our schools, children are encouraged to grow academically, spiritually, and personally, developing their God-given talents to serve.

I am deeply grateful for the ongoing support of the faithful who make Catholic education possible. Please prayerfully consider a gift this weekend (in any amount) so that more families may experience the blessing of a Catholic education.

A Feast of Love and Service: Honoring St. Teresa of Calcutta

Last Friday, September 5, was the Feast of St. Teresa of Calcutta. I celebrated a Mass to observe the Feast at the invitation of the Missionaries of Charity (Mother Teresa’s community of sisters) who live in New Bedford and minister in our Diocese. Many others also attended the Mass that took place in St. Lawrence Martyr Church in New Bedford, where then-Mother Teresa spoke to a packed church when she visited our Diocese in 1995. I was not surprised to see so many joining the Sisters at the Mass. St. Teresa of Calcutta continues to be widely respected and celebrated for her unconditional love for the underprivileged and “the poorest of the poor.” It was good for us to gather on her Feast Day to recall her life, her service, and her holiness. Her life continues to be a source of inspiration for all of us.

Sincerely,
+Bishop da Cunha