On Parishes Reflecting the Church's Mission

"In Louisville, Kentucky, my hometown, there is a lifesaving parish called St. William. Every week, the single Sunday liturgy in the modest church building in an impoverished neighborhood is filled to capacity with a passionate mix of young and old; black, white, and brown; and religious and lay from dozens of zip codes.

"St. William is a missional church. Everything on Sunday - from the opening song to the 20 minutes of announcements inviting action - is about mission. What the parish does in between Sundays is equally important. With over a dozen active ministries and projects that have evolved into important and impactful nonprofits, St. William has changed the city of Louisville.

"It is exactly what Pope Francis would hope for. The parish Pope Francis is hoping for can happen. If it doesn't, we will have to satisfy ourselves with being members of an exclusive club or find somewhere else to go. Sadly, data show that finding somewhere else to go is exactly what millions of Catholics, especially young people, are doing and will continue to do."

A recent article in U.S. Catholic explored the importance of parishes, including their various ministries, actively reflecting the mission of the Church in their lives/operations.

To access the complete U.S. Catholic article, please visit:

U.S. Catholic: To rescue a sinking church, think mission not membership (September 2019)