Michael Barber on Parish Outreach

"At the close of the recent synod, Pope Francis made a brilliant comment that deserves some reflection. He said:

'So, the duty of the Pope is that of guaranteeing the unity of the Church; it is that of reminding the faithful of their duty to faithfully follow the Gospel of Christ; it is that of reminding the pastors that their first duty is to nourish the flock – to nourish the flock – that the Lord has entrusted to them, and to seek to welcome – with fatherly care and mercy, and without false fears – the lost sheep. I made a mistake here. I said welcome: [rather] to go out and find them.'

"This seems right to me. The mission of the Church is not one of sitting around and hoping someone rings the rectory doorbell. We must be involved in outreach. We must go out."

In a recent commentary, Professor Michael Barber, Ph.D., reflected on parish outreach via the use of social media.

To access Dr. Barber's complete post, please visit:

 The Sacred Page: Parish outreach in the 21st century (1 NOV 14)