Come to the Table: From Welcome to Belonging
“Hospitality is not merely something we do. It is who we are.”
Those words from Vision 2031: A Parish on Mission express something important about who we believe God is calling Mary, Mother of Our Savior Parish to be.
During our year-long visioning process, hospitality emerged as a particular charism of our parish a gift God has entrusted to us so that people who encounter our community might experience welcome, belonging, accompaniment, and ultimately a deeper encounter with Jesus Christ and His Church.
But how does someone move from simply attending a parish to truly belonging to a parish family?
Usually, it happens through relationships.
Someone learns your name. A person notices that you are standing
alone and comes over to introduce themselves. You are invited to sit
down. A conversation begins. Someone remembers you the next
time they see you. Slowly, a church that was once simply a place
you attended begins to feel like home.
That is why gatherings like our 3rd Annual Parish Family Diversity Dinner, Sunday, October 18, at 1:00 PM in the Seton Center, are important to the life and mission of our parish.
Our parish family is wonderfully diverse. We come from different cultures and countries, generations and neighborhoods, with different traditions, experiences, and family stories. Yet every Sunday, God gathers us around one altar as one family in Christ. The Diversity Dinner gives us an opportunity to celebrate that gift and, perhaps even more importantly, to know one another better. So I want to offer our parish a simple challenge: come to the table.
Come even if you are not bringing a dish. Bring your family. Invite someone to join you. Sit with someone you do not already know. Learn a name. Hear a story. If you see someone standing alone, invite them into the conversation. And if you are new to our parish or still feel like you are trying to find your place please come. We are glad you are here, and there is a place for you among us.
These may seem like small things, but they matter. In fact, they are part of evangelization.
Vision 2031 calls us to become a parish increasingly defined by a culture of hospitality not simply through events, receptions, or meals, but through a community of people who intentionally notice one another, welcome one another, and help one another belong. The Eucharist makes us one Body in Christ. Our life together should make that communion visible.
Sometimes becoming a Parish on Mission begins with something as simple as pulling up a chair, introducing ourselves, and making room for one more person at the table.
Come to the table. From welcome to belonging this is who we are becoming together.
Your Servant in Christ,
Father Jason C. Hage, Pastor
Our Lady of Lourdes, pray for us!
Our Lady of the Rosary, pray for us!
Mary, Mother of Our Savior, pray for us!