OLS PARISH MISSION
STATEMENT
We, the
Catholic parish of Our Lady of Sorrows,
seek to engage all people in a vibrant community of faith,
as
we strive to attain spiritual fulfillment by living the Gospel of Christ.
What is a
mission statement and why do we need one? To
paraphrase the Recommendations of The Diocesan Pastoral Council Presented to
Bishop John C. Reiss On June 5, 1993, we offer the following answer.
Numerous studies have shown
that, perhaps, the most critical factor in determining the success of any human
endeavor is the clarity and power of the vision that drives and energize that
endeavor. Of course, there is no clearer, more energizing, more powerful vision
or purpose than that articulated by Jesus Christ almost 2000 years ago. The
question is how do we translate that vision, that purpose, that mission, into
something having concrete meaning and vitality in the every day life and
operation and deliberations at the Parish of Our Lady of Sorrows (or, for that
matter, any other body). The answer is through lots of prayer, through lots of
waiting and listening for God's guidance, and through lots of work.
A key vehicle for motivating that kind of effort and
for capturing and documenting its results is a Parish mission statement. A
Parish mission statement is a concise statement, put into writing after
prayerful reflection, which defines the unique reason for existence. It defines
what the parish is and what it has been called by God to do. A good Parish
mission statement should satisfy the following criteria:
1) It must be short, short enough for people to
remember.
2) It must paint a clear, powerful, picture of how
the world will be when the mission is accomplished.
3) It must be action oriented, filled with words
calling for clear, specific, concrete.
4) It must be inspirational, motivational,
energizing.
5) It must define the parish’s uniqueness.
6) It must be THE Parish's mission
statement, not some other church’s mission statement.
7) It must be understood, internalized, and agreed
to by all members of the parish council, by the pastor, and members of the
parish staff.
We feel that the OLS
Parish Council, in collaboration with Father Joe and key active individuals
covering all of our major ministries have met these criteria in developing
OUR Parish Mission Statement.
Once a mission
statement has been put into words that is not the end of the process. In a real
sense that is just the beginning. Full discussion of its meaning and
implications are essential if everyone involved is going to understand it,
support it, and act accordingly.
We ask for everyone’s
support in putting our words into action as we, the Catholic parish of
Our Lady of Sorrows seek to engage
all people in a vibrant community of faith, as we strive to attain spiritual
fulfillment by living the Gospel of Christ.
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