A Message from Dcn Dan Finn
"Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all
creation" Mark 16-15
"Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations"
Matthew 28:19
"And that repentance and remission of sins should
be preached in his name among all nations,
beginning at Jerusalem.” Luke 24:47
"As you sent me into the world, so I sent them into
the world." John 17:18
creation" Mark 16-15
"Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations"
Matthew 28:19
"And that repentance and remission of sins should
be preached in his name among all nations,
beginning at Jerusalem.” Luke 24:47
"As you sent me into the world, so I sent them into
the world." John 17:18
Dear Fellow Disciples on our Earthly Journey,
If you have received an email from me, the verse in Matthew 28:19 is under my signature. It is my favorite verse of the Bible. These are among the last words to the Apostles from Jesus in Matthew, Mark, and Luke. And similar words appear in John.
These are important words. It is Jesus' final command to his disciples. It is his command to us as disciples of Christ.
We hear in Acts that the power of the Holy Spirit is going to give them courage as Christ's witnesses. A witness is someone who says, "I know this is true." It is not "I think it is true." As disciples of Christ, we know that Christ was born, lived, crucified, and rose on the 3rd day. God, the son, taught the Apostles. And through the Apostles and the Church, God teaches us.
St. Francis of Assisi reportedly said, "Preach the Gospel at all times, and if necessary, use words." As a disciple, our deeds can speak louder than our words. After Sir Henry Stanley found Dr. David Livingstone in Africa, he spent some time with him and was quoted as saying, "If I had been with him any longer, I would have been compelled to be a Christian."
As I reflected on the readings for this week, these two phrases kept coming back to me and how it is has influenced my life and why I am even here at St. Tom's in West Lafayette.
Where does this journey begin? It begins with my parents, who moved to West Lafayette when I was five years old and helped build Church of the Blessed Sacrament. I observed as they were active in the Church using their God-given talents.
I met my wife on a blind date (a story for another time) shortly after moving to Washington DC after graduating from Purdue. I remember leaving her off after a date in the wee hours of the morning and being back to pick her up to go to 9:00 am Mass. We've missed a handful of masses in 47 years of marriage, mostly because we were flying or more than an hour away from the closest Mass while camping.
During a leadership development program at Marriott International, where I worked, we were called to contemplate a personal vision statement. My vision was "Make a difference in the world through service." This has guided my life. This is the way that I go and make disciples.
About 30 years ago, I felt the call to the Permanent Diaconate but decided my priority at that time was to be a father to our children. God called me again about 20 years ago, and my wife and I both realized then that it was the time to follow this call to a ministry of service to the Church.
That brings us to our move here to West Lafayette. I had been active in our parish in leading a multi-year effort to reinvigorate the "Build up our Church" and bring parishioners to a deeper relationship with Christ and more active participation in serving the Church. We felt the call to a new challenge which ultimately led us here (again, another story) and involvement in Uniting in Heart 2030 Pastoral Plan.
Why has the Diocese of Lafayette focused its attention on Uniting in Heart? It is to deepen parishioners' relationship with Jesus Christ and his Church. It desires that everyone know Jesus Christ and foster a deeper personal commitment to follow Him and his Church. It is to equip us to proclaim the Gospel in all we do for the salvation of souls through the pillars of Mission, Community, and Witness. To create robust, thriving Pastorates that reach out and welcome others to that relationship with Christ. Does it remind you of the last words of Jesus?
Your journey will be different from my journey. Your call will be different from my call. We are each challenged to listen to God's call to us. Listening requires us often to be still, meditate, spend time in Eucharistic Adoration, be open to God's call to you, and think about the talents, skills, and charisms that God has gifted you. You are called to use your unique gifts in your personal life, in your work life, and in your service to God.
I encourage you to spend some time thinking of how YOU are called to make disciples of all nations. What is your vision for the life God has given to you? How will you respond to that vision? How will you embrace that vision and let it guide your daily activities?
Dcn Dan Finn
Mass Resources:
We encourage you to prayerfully consider what you might be able to give to the “Hearts on Fire” Catholic Ministries Appeal," which benefits both our Diocese of Lafayette and St Tom’s. To date, we have reached 89 percent of our goal, with about $25,000 in pledges still needed.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
A reminder that there will be NO confession this Monday evening at 4:00 p.m.
"Pivotal Players" program offered Mondays in June
Discover how two influential Catholic figures helped form souls and fight against injustice by joining us for Bishop Robert Barron's “Pivotal Players: St. Ignatius of Loyola and Bartolome de las Casas,” The sessions meet on Mondays in June from 7:00 to 8:30 pm in the Siena Rooms. To register for this free program, email john@boilercatholics.org.
Join Book of Genesis bible study on Wednesdays
Learn more about the Book of Genesis through a free summer bible study being led by parishioner Alice Hession. Participants will meet from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. on Wednesdays from May 26 to June 30 in the Siena Rooms. To join, email mary@boilercatholics.org.
Help Needed at St. Tom's
With our student parishioners departing for the summer, St. Tom’s is in need of ushers, liturgical ministers, and volunteers to staff the office reception desk. If you can help, please contact
Nick Baietto (nbaiettto@purdue.edu) to assist as an usher
The liturgy interns (liturgy@boilercatholics.org) to serve as a liturgical minister
Mary Riehle (mary@boilercatholics.org) to serve as an office reception volunteer.
"Ignite" offered this summer
Are you staying here and seeking social connections? Consider joining Ignite, a small group faith-sharing ministry, during the summer semester. It’s a great opportunity to join an Ignite for the first time or to mix things up with a new group. To sign up, scan the QR code on the bulletin board flyer as you leave the church or register online.
For more information on St. Tom’s many other activities and events, including log-in details for virtual events, consult the Announcements section and calendar on www.boilercatholics.org and today’s bulletin.
To provide a one-time or recurring gift to St. Tom's, visit our FaithDirect giving page. We are grateful for your generosity to our mission and ministries.
