Leadership
The Primacy of Mission
by Fr. Mark Miller, c.pp.s., Provincial Council
We have completed the celebration of the Triduum in which we remem-
bered all that Jesus did and how he has invited us into that mystery of new
life. The world has already moved on to the next holiday, but we as disciples
of Jesus Christ, are still celebrating the Easter season, reminding us that one
day is not enough to truly incarnate the mystery of a new creation.
As we—a community of priests, brothers, and Companions—continue
our journey to a new creation, we are invited to see with new eyes, to un-
derstand with new hearts, and to act with new courage as we move into the
future. Just as those first disciples moved from fear to shouting the Good
News in the city square, we too must believe that God is calling us to a new
expression of what it means to be a Missionary of the Precious Blood.
While it is tempting to focus our attention on the structure of what this
new creation might entail, we must never forget about the mission of this
new creation. It is to incarnate our original mission of preaching the Word
and being about the ministry of reconciliation and renewal—but in a way
that will address the needs of this present age, perhaps differently than we
had in the past. Some of the former structures were effective in the past but
no longer seem to be addressing the needs of today. I would suggest that
there needs to be a closer relationship between our faith and our social,
and political lives; a more intentional response to where people gather and
find themselves today. Perhaps we need more “tent revivals” rather than
church missions; perhaps more involvement on the streets rather than in
our comfortable churches.
Since we are getting around 40% of our parishioners coming to church
on any given Sunday, perhaps we need to ask how do we minister to the
60% that still consider themselves Catholic but have no connection to our
sacramental lives? If the ministry of the Word is part of our mission, how
do we preach the Word to those who are not church-attending people?
If the ministry of reconciliation is part of our mission, how do we help
those who feel alienated from the church for a variety of reasons, so they
can be healed of whatever hurts are still keeping them away? If renewal of
the church is part of our mission, how do we work with the institutional
church to express a more welcoming atmosphere for those who experience
being on the fringes of church and society?
For me, these are the large questions that ought to be present in our
on-going conversations. Perhaps it is more comfortable to talk about
the make-up of the provincial council, the sharing of financial and other
continued on page 7
May 2018 • The New Wine Press • 3