There are different kinds of spiritual gifts but the same Spirit;
there are different forms of service but the same Lord;
there are different workings but the same God
who produces all of them in everyone.
To each individual the manifestation of the Spirit
is given for some benefit.
To one is given through the Spirit the expression of wisdom;
to another, the expression of knowledge according to the
same Spirit;
to another, faith by the same Spirit;
to another, gifts of healing by the one Spirit;
to another, mighty deeds;
to another, prophecy;
to another, discernment of spirits;
to another, varieties of tongues;
to another, interpretation of tongues.
But one and the same Spirit produces all of these,
distributing them individually to each person as he wishes.
Monday, January 18, 2010
Among the many ministries at St. Mary's, the RCIA team has been, for me, a wonderful example of people sharing their gifts. The second reading from Paul's Second Corinthians said it well:
Working together as a team involves recognizing each other's gifts, and leaving room for the Holy Spirit to work. As pastor, I bring certain gifts to our shared ministry. Theresa brings the gifts of relating to people in a welcoming way. Gary shares that gift, and adds another dimension of leadership to our Inquiry group. In addition to sharing her faith, Cristi helps us to use technology and organizes us. Tom helps ensure that Dismissal after the Liturgy of the Word is available. Donna brings years of experience on the team, Cliff brings a real desire to teach and share the faith he has received. I see my job as keeping our ministry in line with the Church's vision of Adult Initiation. Of course, we can't forget the great gift that our Inquirers, Candidates and Catechumens are to us. They are our focus, and without them, I wonder how we would experience the deepening of our own faith that comes from our initiation ministry.
What are the gifts you see in each person on the team?
I'm truly blessed to work with such a talented and giving group of people.
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When I think of the many gifts each person brings to our team, I seem to focus in on one specific word. In relationship to our team the first word that pops into my head about Fr. Marc is energy. There can be some downsides to leading our team, but Fr. Marc is the person who sees the upside a lot more than the downside. Because of his experience and formation, Fr. Marc seems “at home” as the leader our team and because of this faithful confidence, he is able to instill confidence in the rest of us. One of the reasons I feel good to serve on the team is because Fr. Marc and the fact that he strives for excellence in every aspect of his role. This is common ground with me. He’s a wonderful priest who knows how to do things right.
ReplyDeleteTheresa is joyful. The ambassador of welcome! Her joy seems to flow from her love of Christ and she is prayerful and listens to the life stories of others. I think people take comfort in that. She is genuinely happy for those who are taking another step in their faith journey.
Gary is faithful. He is a person of deep faith. To me, he is someone who loves being Catholic, who loves all the beauty and complexity of what it means to be Catholic. He is not a scripture scholar, but pretty close. He knows the central stories that are proclaimed throughout the liturgical year and knows them well. I believe our friend, John, has left his mark on Gary or maybe the other way around.
Donna is traditional (in the good sense). Again, masters-level theology is not required. But she is always up to speed on basic Catholic teaching. Because she has lived her faith, she shares what she knows and loves better than anyone I know. She is learning more about Jesus all the time and helps the rest of us realize that we are in constant formation.
Tom is generous. He is a good dismissal coordinator because he isn’t the person who needs all the attention. He allows space for people to talk. He has an active faith life through furthering his education. In a quiet and calm manner, he willingly shares his faith with the rest of us.
Cliff is open. He is open to learning and growing the Catholic faith. He is talkative (in a good way), by that I mean, in a group, when people don’t want to share too much, Cliff is the person who can lead the conversation along.
I too, feel the blessings of each person on the team and see the gifts that each person brings. I’ve always liked this quote from St. Camillus de Lellis. “Think well. Speak well. Do well. These three things, through the mercy of God, will make one go to Heaven.” Those words are essential to great teamwork.
PS: Fr. Marc, I love the 1 Cor. passage you referenced!
Thank You RCIA Team and Father Marc for all of your dedication towards the program.
ReplyDeleteThank YOU Patrick for being a great contributor to our group and all your support. I remember when I came into the Catholic Church, there was an excellent group of people on the RCIA team who had so much dedication to the initiation process. I know I can say for myself, that being a current team member, I am certain that I've learned from some of the best people at St. Mary.
ReplyDeleteBeing a part of the RCIA team at St. Mary’s has been a real blessing to me. It’s a truly wonderful group of people, and I’ve grown in my faith so much through knowing them. One of the greatest lessons I’ve learned is that when we share our faith with others, it has a way of strengthening our own faith. The more we give, the more we get back.
ReplyDeletePope John Paul II once wrote “…that catechesis always has been and always will be a work for which the whole Church must feel responsible and must wish to be responsible. But the Church’s members have different responsibilities derived from each one’s mission.”
While each of us on the RCIA team shares a common mission, that is, to welcome and initiate new members into the Catholic faith community, we each approach it in a different way according to the graces the Holy Spirit has given us. These graces are identified in Isaiah:
“The Spirit of the Lord will rest on Him,
The Spirit of wisdom and understanding,
The Spirit of counsel and strength,
The Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord,
And He will not judge by what His eyes see,
Nor make a decision by what His ears hear” (Is 11:2-3)
Gary brings wisdom to the group. He sees God at work in our lives and in the world. The everyday ups and downs of our lives take on a deeper meaning to Gary. And he is able to see God in everyone and in all creation.
Crysti brings understanding. She truly knows what it means to live as a follower of Christ. She has an ability to see through all the conflicting messages that abound in our society and in our culture. She sees through it all, and does the right thing. She sees the good in people. And she can bring out the good in a difficult situation.
Fr. Marc brings counsel. With the gift of judgment, he steers the team along the right path. When the team comes to a crossroads and is not certain which way to turn, Fr. Marc has a gift for helping them see the truth, and respond prudently.
Donna brings fortitude, or strength, to the team. Donna has a strong faith and an equally strong willingness to stand up for what is right in the sight of God. She makes no apologies for her beliefs. She inspires with her courage.
Cliff brings knowledge. Perhaps more than anyone else I know, Cliff has inspired me to dig deeper into scripture. He seems to have an unquenchable thirst for a knowledge and understanding of the meaning of God's Revelation. And he’s always striving to learn more about the scriptures and tradition. He has a real passion for learning and sharing his faith.
And finally, there’s Theresa, who personifies piety and reverence. Anyone who knows Theresa has to be struck by the deep sense of respect she has for the Lord. She recognizes our total reliance on God, and she approaches the Lord with humility, trust, and love.
Our parish community is very blessed to have an RCIA team that brings so many gifts to the table. It is truly humbling to be a part of this great team faithful servants of the Church.