Mission Day brings Peoria diocesan and parish staff together in discipleship     

Bishop Louis Tylka and participants gather for a photo at the close of the Peoria diocesan-parish staff Mission Day at the Spalding Pastoral Center on Jan. 29.

Julianne Stanz’s grandmother was the bell-ringer at her church in the village of Hacketstown, County Carlow, Ireland for over 50 years. As Julianne related “the day the bells did not toll, is the day my grandmother passed away.”

Ultimately, the reason we do what we do is because of the love of God, and so days like today help draw our minds back to that.” – Kari Higgins, director of religious education at St. Philomena Parish, Monticello

Her granddaughter has carried on ringing the bell for the Lord across the United States (now her home with husband Wayne and three children), and around the world.

Her core message? That with evangelization, everyone is on the front lines of love. Conversion comes when people share the good news of what Jesus has done for them with others.

46 PARISHES REPRESENTED

Invitations to the pastoral formation day were extended to all diocesan curia (office staff) as well as parish staff throughout the diocese to “come and see.”

A total of 46 parishes were represented, and upwards of 150 registered – “with add-ons” – said Matt Faley, chief of mission for the Diocese of Peoria.

Representing LaSalle Catholic Parishes at the Mission Day (from left) are: Gisela Bustos, Kathy Bacidore, Rosa Vazquez, Esmerelda Cruz, and John Eilert

Stanz guided attendees through a series of presentations that emphasized that being a diocesan or parish staff member is (or should be!) about being a disciple of Jesus first, and an employee second.

In his remarks, Bishop Louis Tylka said, “Before I’m a priest, I’m a disciple.”

EVANGELIZATION THROUGH RELATIONSHIP

Individual discipleship turns the corner into evangelization through relationship, Stanz stressed.

She elaborated on the point in an interview with The Catholic Post Online.

Julianne Stanz, author of “Start with Jesus” among other books, helped to guide Mission Day participants toward a greater comfort level with evangelization.

In her preparatory research for the Mission Day (her participation was sponsored by Loyola Press, for whom she is director of evangelization and outreach), she was struck by how Bishop Tylka prepared for the Peoria diocesan renewal process of Growing Disciples.

By listening.

“He really spent a lot of time listening to the people, and . . . balancing listening to the people with listening to the Holy Spirit, and asking God where we should go together,” Stanz observed.

In his homily at the Mass that was part of the Mission Day, Bishop Tylka reflected on the parable of the sower, and encouraged diocesan and parish staff to focus on the passage in a different way.

As opposed to wondering, “What kind of soil are you?” (e.g., rocky and shallow; thorny with the cares of the world; or rich and fruitful); he suggested thinking of it from an evangelization perspective: “You’re the sower.”

JESUS IS THE SEED

He cautioned against discouragement. “Don’t get caught up in how the seed grows . . . . you’re planting the seed in the soil of somebody else’s heart.”

In his homily at Mission Day Mass, Bishop Tylka he said it is our role as disciples to sow the seeds of faith, but that Jesus will take over from there.

“We simply say, “Lord . . . I’m going to plant the seed – of you – because it’s been given to me.”

He added, “That’s all we’re called to do.”

Kari Higgins is director of religious education at St. Philomena Parish in Monticello. She commented on the value of the Mission Day as a way of bringing diocesan and parish staff together.

“I think it’s very useful because sometimes when you’re at the parish level, it’s easy to forget the largeness of what we do, and the unification of what we do with our fellow brothers and sisters in the diocese,” she said.

FAITH FORMATION FOCUS

Higgins also welcomed the Mission Day focus on faith formation. “Ultimately, the reason we do what we do is because of the love of God, and so days like today help draw our minds back to that.”

Mike Buckley, director of diocesan finance, couldn’t have agreed more. “In finance, it tends to be a very transactional activity, and it is hard sometimes to remember that we’re doing these transactions for a reason, and the reason is to spread God’s word, to share the love of Jesus with others.”

(from left) Carla Yanez, director of religious education at Nativity of Our Lord Parish, Spring Valley, and Stephanie Demboski, adult faith and evangelization coordinator, Epiphany Parish, Normal

“FERTILE FIELDS” FOR EVANGELIZATION

In his closing prayer for the day, Bishop Tylka thanked the Lord for the blessings the Diocese of Peoria has received in having some of the “most fertile farm fields on the planet, but not just to grow corn and soybeans, but to grow disciples for Jesus.”

The Mission Day afternoon session included a Q & A with Bishop Tylka, diocesan mission director Matt Faley, and Julianne Stanz.

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