“To live is to change, and to be perfect is to have changed often.”
Cardinal John Henry Newman
by Mary Quilici Aumack, Executive Director
If you’ve read my column for a while, you know that there are just a few recurring themes: Gratitude, Faith, Family (genetic and otherwise), food (I do write a lot about food) and Hope. Today, in the context of all of these, I reflect on change.
Last month I attended two beautiful Masses. Now don’t think that I only went to Mass twice last month; these were weeknight liturgies, in addition to Sunday. One was in gratitude for twenty years of leadership from Bishop McGrath. The other was a celebration of 25 years of priesthood for Bishop Cantú. This is what makes me reflect on change.
Our change of episcopal leadership after 20 years is BIG, and it’s NOTHING. Stay with me………
Of course, there will be change. We welcome the vision, priorities and expectations of new leadership. Bishop Cantú has outlined his plans to build a “Culture of Vocations,” encouraging all to pray for increased decisions for priestly and religious life. This will be a family-centered initiative, supported by the broad community of faith. We pray, and we foster conversations. With the guidance and grace of the Holy Spirit, we have the opportunity to positively affect the future of our Diocese.
Bishop Cantú also has a deep and strong passion for Catholic education. We have this in common. Both the bishop and I are products of Catholic education, and we were both able to experience it through the support of others. I pledge to assist as we work to increase the strength of our schools across all measures, and to make them accessible to all.
Our new bishop will make changes in leadership team, process, planning criteria, metrics. He will have his own style of homilies and worship. He will ask things of us that are different from Bishop McGrath.
So yes, much will change.
And yet, NOTHING will change. Did I already say, “stay with me?”
Remember when you were learning a new skill, language, or subject? Your dad, mom or teacher would say “learn the basics, because the basics don’t change. Everything from there is variation.” This is how I think of a foundation. A foundation provides the backbone, the “jumping off point” if you will.
So it is with our faith, and the fundamental teaching of Jesus, which are the blocks of our foundation, the unchanging truths and guideposts. We live by Gospel values and those don’t change. For me, these tenets get stronger. I am bolstered by my relationship with Jesus. I am fed by the Eucharist, and I am called to be the Body of Christ, ministering to those in need, and witnessing through my actions.
In fact, there is a long list of things that will not change:
- The sacraments and the grace accompanying
- Our support of each other, in our parishes and schools, families and friendships
- Our “call to action,” responding to need because of gratitude
- Our opportunity to deepen a friendship with Jesus the Christ
At the Catholic Community Foundation, you know that we speak often of FOREVER VALUE: the idea that through building endowments for ministry and planning estate gifts to remember our cherished faith institutions, we support the unending, unchanging gifts of Word, Worship and Witness.
Psalm 148:
Let them all praise the Lord’s name
For he commanded and they were created,
Assigned them their station forever,
Set an order that will never change
In the end, my reflection on change results in a strong feeling of HOPE. I pledge to support Bishop Cantú, and take comfort in our enduring foundation.