HOSPITALITY IS
AT THE ROOT
OF MISSIONARY
CONVERSION IN
Unleash
Gospel
THE
Fr. Stephen Pullis | Photos courtesy of the Archdiocese of Detroit
I
t is an incredible time to be in the Archdiocese of Detroit. Since the release of Archbishop Allen
Vigneron’s Pastoral Letter, Unleash the Gospel, there have been many fruits which have sprung
up, confirming the work of the Holy Spirit during Synod 16. The response of the faithful has been
overwhelming in their desire to see this “missionary conversion” called for by Archbishop Vigneron.
“Unleash the Gospel” has been etched
into the lexicon of Catholics in Southeast
Michigan (and beyond!) since Archbishop
Vigneron’s pastoral letter of this name in
June 2017. This phrase has become a call
for all the faithful in the Archdiocese of
Detroit to take up their baptismal iden-
tity and to live their faith boldly and con-
fidently in every area of their lives. This
means allowing our Catholic identity to
shine forth in our relationships with our
neighbors, friends, and coworkers. For
this to be accomplished, we must demon-
strate “unusually gracious hospitality.” 1
Expressing this kind of hospitality re-
quires a change in how we think. This
4
change – or conversion – begins first in
one’s personal life. It must be an indi-
vidual conversion to personally adopt an
attitude of hospitality that is truly remark-
able. Christian faith is passed on from one
generation of believers to the next, from
one disciple to one “potential disciple.”
Unless one actually encounters this kind
of gracious hospitality, this phrase remains
simply words on a page. The Holy Spirit
invites and inspires each disciple to form
this readiness to share the Gospel in the
concrete circumstances of his life.
But it is not enough for one, or even
a disparate collection of disciples to
take this on in their lives. Unleash the
Sacred Heart Major Seminary | Mosaic | Summer 2019
Gospel has become a movement in
Southeast Michigan. Just as hot coals
are brought together to make their heat
glow into a fire, the mission and the work
of disciples must be united so that the
light of Christ can be clearly seen. This
is a movement to which all of the faith-
ful in Southeast Michigan – and beyond
as well! – are invited. There are three key
areas by which our unusually gracious
hospitality should be united.
First, our hospitality is not simply be-
ing nice to another person. There must
be a strong reason and deeper roots
to our hospitality. These roots are the
life of our Savior, Jesus Christ. While