The Injured, The Drifters, The Dissenters – November 18, 2018

Today was a joyful day at St. Francis Xavier. Oganya Uwadiegwu, a 26 year old immigrant from Nigeria, was blessed at the Rite of Welcome at our 10:30 Mass.  I had tears streaming down my face as I witnessed the congregation come out of the pews to surround Oganya and greet her – little kids and their parents, old people and teenagers, men and women, some folks who joined the church through the RCIA themselves, and a lot of cradle Catholics.  Oganya received the Sign of the Cross on her forehead, ears, eyes, lips, heart, hands, shoulders and feet.  She was invited to follow in The Way of Jesus.  As we encouraged her to say YES to that awesome invitation, we were encouraged ourselves – to act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with our God.

During Children’s Liturgy of the Word we talked about our plans for the Thanksgiving holiday. I was delighted to hear how excited the children (ages 5-10) are to see grandma and grandpa and their cousins.  One little boy reported having “a thousand cousins.”  How lucky is he? 

After all the Masses we had sign-ups for the Christmas Basket Project. While some folks moved bags of groceries to the food pantry, others signed up to bring turkeys or bake cookies or help with this effort to give our dear neighbors in need a happy Christmas. 

Last night we had a beautiful “Gratitude Reception” for our new Xavier Hall. After many years and lots of hard work we have a place to gather for speakers and classes, parish meetings and parties, wedding receptions and funeral dinners, teen lock-ins and adult retreat days.

Oh! And we’re planning two delegations to the El Paso-Ciudad Juarez region to learn more about what is happening at our southern border. A group of adults will go down in January.  A group of teens (and their adult leaders) will go down in July.  Both groups will have a chance to meet and minister to migrant, refugee and vulnerable immigrant persons and make the connection between our Catholic Social Teaching and real world realities. 

Saint Mother Teresa of Calcutta once said, “The problem with our world is that we draw the circle of family too small.” I’m so happy that SFX’s “circle of family” is big enough to include all these persons – Oganya and the boy with a thousand cousins, our neighbors in need and those struggling folks at the border.

Going, Going, Gone: The Dynamics of Disaffiliation in Young Catholics  a new study released by St. Mary’s Press in collaboration with CARA (the Center for Applied Research in the Aposolate at Georgetown University) reports on the reasons why young people ages 15-25 leave the Catholic Church.  The study identifies three categories: the injured, the drifters and the dissenters.  In 35 years of parish ministry I have seen many people – of all ages – leave.  I understand why they leave.  But some stay. 

Today reminded me why I stay.