Let’s Have A Conversation

This coming Tuesday and Wednesday the people of St. Julia will meet with their pastor to have an honest and open
conversation about the future of our parish family. On Tuesday, Sept. 13 after the 8:30 morning mass, we will meet in an English conversation. On the evening of Sept. 14 we will meet in a Spanish conversation. Everyone who is interested in the life of the parish is welcome to attend.
My role, as pastor, on those days is to be a listener. I want you to have a conversation with one another about your experience here at St. Julia. What enriches your life? What can we do differently and better? What new ministries and events would you like to see take life in our parish? What areas of our parish life can be improved in order to meet the spiritual and human needs of our people? All your ideas are welcome and I hope that our meeting will truly be a conversation among the people of St. Julia.
I have also invited the members of the Pastoral Council to be present. While they too may contribute their observations and ideas, I invited them to be listeners together with me. I want our Pastoral Council to listen to the people’s needs, ideas and hopes.
I will only speak at this meeting if anyone asks me to clarify anything or if I need clarification on what someone has said.
I will not be commenting on what people share in the conversation. I am there to listen and to note everything that is contributed. I will take your ideas, concerns, and suggestions and, together with Friar Luis, we will use them to develop a pastoral plan for the parish community. This plan will be presented to the Pastoral Council as a way of double-checking that the people’s suggestions and ideas have been taken into consideration and incorporated into the pastoral plan.
As your pastor, I want you to know that your desires to create a deeper and more authentic experience of faith and
community is taken seriously. Actually, I can’t imagine us going forward without your input and involvement. You are all taken very seriously by the pastoral administration of our parish. You ARE the parish! So, let’s have a conversation.
My God bless our efforts to serve one another and to care for each other.
You are in my prayers and in my heart. Peace and Good- Friar Julio