“For you always have the poor with you...” Matt 26.11
We heard Jesus express this to his Apostles in Matt’s gospel only a few weeks ago. The phrase is as true for us today, as it was then. We know everywhere around us there are many who go without or have to make difficult choices about what basic necessities they can afford. Living through a global pandemic has only highlighted the needs of those who are vulnerable. If the poor are always with us, then as followers of Christ today we must always seek ways to help those in need. When Archbishop Dunn moved to Halifax, he was struck by the number of poor and vulnerable he came across as he walked down the street. Moved by this new-to-him experience he reflected on what he could do, and what we as a people faith could do.
In January Archbishop Dunn shared with the faithful four pastoral priorities that he asks us all to focus on this year. The four priorities are Evangelization, Homelessness, Parish Identity, and Catechetics. From many these are familiar terms, for others the words may be new. What is also important is to know what is meant by each of these words.
January 28, 2021
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
As we begin 2021 it is important to build on the good work done in our pastoral plan Equip the Saints and set some goals and priorities for our work this year. In my letter to the clergy on November 27, 2020, I outlined some of the areas of pastoral concern that I see within our archdiocese. In addition to these, I have also heard the concerns of people and pastors in our many meetings and visits over the course of this pandemic. With these reflections in mind, I would like to highlight the following pastoral priorities for the Archdiocese of Halifax-Yarmouth for 2021:
Priority - Parish Identity
“Every one of our new Parishes needs to commit to developing a new Parish identity that is positive and united, regardless of the number of people or number of buildings. The focus must be on the whole community of the faithful that makes up the parish, rather than particular groups that gather at individual churches. Doing so will require fostering healthy relationships and new understandings of Parish life and roles.”
Priority - Homelessness
“While many are without homes in Nova Scotia, many more are presented with the impossible choice of whether they spend what little they have on shelter or food. I realize that many of our Parishes have ministries dedicated to these and other social issues, e.g., food banks, various kinds of outreach, etc. This can provide a variety of opportunities where we can collaborate with our brothers and sisters of other Christian denominations. Our new Parishes have many properties, some of them surplus, and I ask Parish leadership to consider whether some existing resources can be diverted for the service of the homeless in some way.”
Priority - Evangelization
“Evangelization – proclaiming the good news of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ – is the primary activity of the Church. Each new Parish must have a plan for evangelization with a commitment to a particular program of evangelization. Significant time, energy, and resources should be invested in reaching the various audiences of the new evangelization: those who have never heard the Word of God, those who have heard the Word of God but fallen away, and those who have heard the Word of God yet require ever deepening conversion”
