A Church Renewed in Faith and Mission

Renewal is Taking Root! The Midpoint of the Stronger Priests Initiative

Our Stronger Priests, Stronger Parishes, Stronger Church Initiative in the Diocese has reached its midpoint. You’ll recall that this three-year effort, which I introduced in a December 2024 Pastoral Letter, is designed to strengthen priests personally, spiritually and pastorally while improving the diocesan systems and ministerial environments that support them. The initiative is rooted in the conviction that stronger, healthier and better-supported priests are better able to lead vibrant parishes.

To offer a midpoint update on the Initiative, we’ve created this video to look at what’s been accomplished so far and to preview the next phase as we move forward over the coming months. The Anchor will also be featuring stories by Matthew Robinson, Director of Clergy Support in the Diocese, on the progress of the Initiative.

In summary, I am pleased to share that meaningful signs of renewal are beginning to emerge. Priests have participated in physical and mental wellness opportunities, the Inner Shepherd human formation program, fraternity teams and spiritual renewal centered on St. John Vianney. As Matthew will report in his stories, annual surveys indicate significant improvement in priests’ personal morale and mental well-being; there is a renewed sense among priests that their well-being matters and that the Diocese is investing in their future.

This effort has always been about people. Priests who are supported, church staff who work together, and parishioners growing as missionary disciples, and our Stronger Priests Initiative will expand in 2027 to include the wider diocesan family. Beginning in Lent, parishes will be invited to participate in One Church: Living Christ’s Mission Together, a five-week formation experience exploring the Church as the Body of Christ and Family of God, the relationship between the ordained priesthood and the baptismal vocation of every Catholic, communion, stewardship, and shared mission. I look forward to this opportunity to journey together as a Diocesan family to continue building Stronger Priests, Stronger Parishes, and a Stronger Church.

The National Encounter of the Brazilian Apostolate

This week, I am with clergy and lay leaders from Brazilian Catholic communities across the United States at the Betania II Retreat Center in Medway, Mass. for the National Encounter of the Brazilian Apostolate. Through prayer and dialogue, we are reflecting on pressing pastoral needs of Brazilian Catholics in the United States, sharing experiences from their local communities and identifying ways to strengthen the Apostolate’s mission. This gathering in Massachusetts, where there is a strong presence of Brazilian Catholics, offers an important opportunity to renew relationships and deepen the unity that supports our shared work of evangelization.

I am honored to serve as the Episcopal Liaison to the Brazilian Apostolate for the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. In that role, I accompany its clergy and lay leaders, help connect their ministry with the wider Church and offer pastoral guidance as we discern the way forward. It is my pleasure to be with participants here at the Encounter, listening to the hopes, challenges and ideas they bring from Brazilian Catholic communities throughout the country.

Welcome and Caring for the Strangers Among US

From September 21 to 27, Catholics across the country are recognizing World Day of Migrants and Refugees/ National Migration Week. During a time in which many migrants are concerned about their status in the country, we must remember that migrants are human, our brothers and sisters. Their contributions and concerns transcend politics. As Catholics, we believe in the dignity of every person which is why we are called to welcome the stranger and feed the hungry. I invite you to read this beautiful message by Pope Leo XIV for World Day of Migrants and Refugees reflecting on the theme, ‘Even just one of these children’.

This recognition is especially meaningful in our Diocese, where generations of migrants and immigrants have enriched our parishes and communities through their faith, culture and service. I encourage us to listen to their stories, pray for those forced to leave their homes and support efforts that protect human dignity while promoting the common good. May National Migration Week renew our commitment to encounter migrants not with fear or indifference, but as brothers and sisters and as our neighbors in Christ.

Sincerely,

+Bishop da Cunha