Rooted in faith in the Eucharist and recognizing that all is gift from God, our Charlestown Catholic Collaborative will strive to build and foster an intentionally inclusive, trusting, diverse, and welcoming community that helps people to grow in faith and become disciples who serve the needs of one another and the greater community. We will unite in heart as one community, cooperating with people of good will across all faiths, to address the needs and challenges present in our local and global community today especially social and environmental justice.
– Draft Vision Statement
My dear friends in Christ,
A year and a half ago, we began a bold new journey together to build the Charlestown Catholic family in an entirely new way, a challenge, yet at the same time a remarkable opportunity. Members of our staff and our parish councils have begun to meet to look and act on opportunities to work closer together, to share resources and talents and to evangelize, to share the Good News of Christ and the teachings of the Church we love and serve. There have been lots to look at, things to learn, and now we begin to move.
We start with this Vision Statement, a draft that was forged by a group of parishioners and staff from both parishes, of who we are and what we believe Christ is calling us to be, all the time recognizing the things that make each parish what it is- this will be developed by our Councils to become our keystone. From here, we will look for ways to express these words, share them, to attract more people to our parish families, and in Christ, to welcome the many people we know back home to our beloved faith, through our Masses, our community involvement, our ministries, our very selves. We’ll look at our resources and find the strengths that keep us focused on the lofty goals we look to.
What will this involve? It is in our commitment to the Body of Christ within our parishes and collaborative. We already share so much and have accomplished so much. I see this every day as your pastor, in the close work we share to tend to the many parts of this enterprise. Our Pastoral and Finance Councils and staff will work closer together as we look up and ahead- helping us to set the course.
Will there be changes? There have been several since I arrived in November 2022- we share a pastor, and a finance and operations director, a faith formation program, and there will be more changes to come. It’s important to note that both parishes are individual entities, with their own financial responsibilities and properties, and all they entail. Will there be a merger of the parishes? That is yet to be seen. I know that we will speak together with a united, loving, strong voice in our Town, our city, and throughout the Archdiocese.
What about the resources of our collaborative? It’s key that as we take a long look at what we bring to the community and how each connect to our goal, the only one that matters, the service of Christ and His Church. We don’t belong to the things of this world- we never did- we belong to Christ. All the decisions made by me in collaboration with the Councils and staff will be based on this. When we look down in fear or regret or linger in a time that is past, when we change the focus to the things of this passing world, we lose sight of Christ.
As we work together, it will take prayer, time and care, faith, hope and most of all, love. I’m often inspired these days by the life of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, the first American-born saint, wife, mother, educator, and example of the Gospel. May she, under the guidance of our Blessed Mother, St. Catherine of Siena, and St. Francis de Sales, keep us focused on what Christ calls us to be and challenge us to joyfully share the Gospel. Look up. Look ahead. There’s so much to be thankful for. Let us rejoice in the Risen Christ! Have a blessed Easter!
Fr. John Sheridan