Bob Jensen

New Women’s Commission

On Thursday January 4, we had an informational listening session on our proposed Women’s Commission. There were about 40 people who gathered.

Parish consultative bodies play a vital part in parish governance. Councils are mandated by a higher authority. Every parish must have a Finance Council, mandated by the Vatican. Every parish must also have a Pastoral Council (at St. John the Baptist, we call it a Parish Leadership Team) mandated by the Archdiocese. Commissions are determined at the parish level in response to the unique identity, needs, and circumstance of a parish community. “Commissions can be formed that are responsible for the development of strategic plans and policies for their specific ministry areas in response to the broad directions articulated by the pastor and parish pastoral council.” [1] The need for a Women’s Commission arose from our parish synod sessions that began two years ago. Our Parish Leadership Team not only provided to the Archdiocese a report on our parish synod sessions, but they also spent a considerable amount of time pondering what they heard from parishioners and formulated new parish priorities based on what they heard.

What I heard at the January 4 gathering was overall enthusiasm for the charter describing the role of the commission. (sjtbcc.org/go-ministries/stewardship-parish-ministries/) Additional ideas that surfaced were:

• the need for healing for the exclusion some women have felt;
• adding a special outreach and support for moms; and
• including a service component.

These were the things that stood out for me. Others were also taking notes, so that no idea would be lost. The next gathering for the Women’s Commission will be on Tuesday, February 6. To make this commission a reality, we will need parishioners to serve on the commission as well as parishioners to be engaged in some of the various committees or ministries supported by the commission. (Parishioners can only serve on one council or commission at a time but can serve on as many committees as they like.)

Last week, in John’s Gospel, Jesus invited his first apostles to “Come and see.” If the notion of a women’s commission sparks an interest, a hope, a desire, or just curiosity, I invite you to come and see. For more information, contact Kathy Wickward at kathyw@sjtbcc.org.

[1] Many Gifts: Consultative Leadership, Page 15

When We Are Called Home

Recently, people have been asking about the “Last Rites.” This term has not been used for the past 60 years. The Second Vatican Council, in its reform of the liturgy, restored Extreme Unction (the Last Anointing) to its more ancient practice of being not just for the dying, but for the sick. Now known as the Anointing of the Sick, this sacrament prays for healing of body and soul. It is celebrated with those who are seriously ill, anticipating surgery, or suffering from advancing age.

The Church has a special care for those who are dying. There are two prayers for the dying. The first is called Viaticum, which translates “for the journey.” It is sharing Holy Communion with the dying and focuses on the gift of Eucharist as the promise of eternal life. “Jesus said, ‘The one who eats my body and drinks my blood will live forever.’” (Jn 6:54) Viaticum often includes a renewal of one’s baptismal promises that began the journey of faith, now that the journey is reaching its conclusion.

The other prayer for the dying is called the Commendation of the Dying. It is a beautiful prayer that includes the litany of the saints and entrusts the dying into the gentle embrace of God. In one sense, it is the sending forth of the Christian soul from this life to eternity. Not only a comfort to the person dying, this prayer can have great meaning for family and friends who have gathered.

The Anointing of the Sick is led by a bishop or priest. Viaticum and the Commendation of the Dying can be led by a priest, deacon, or even a layperson. With fewer priests possibly covering larger areas, lay people may be called upon more and more to pray with the dying and accompanying them on this journey of faith. Though often difficult, it is a very holy experience.

Parish Priorities

In our parish priorities, we state, “St. John the Baptist Catholic Community offers Christ-like inclusion and acceptance.”

To further this goal, the parish staff, for its own development, is reading Fr. James Martin’s book, Building a Bridge: How the Catholic Church and the LGBT Community Can Enter into a Relationship of Respect, Compassion, and Sensitivity. Martin takes those last words from the Catechism of the Catholic Church, which teaches that Catholics are called to treat homosexuals with “respect, compassion, and sensitivity” (#2358).

One of the insights Martin gained was realizing that far more people than he had imagined are touched by this topic. Many Catholic families are affected by LGBT issues, be they moms and dads, brothers and sisters, grandparents uncles and aunts, cousins, or friends of gay Catholics.

Martin does not start with those issues that are divisive for the gay community: our Church’s teaching on marriage and sexual relations. His approach is to focus on how we first can build a bridge in order for folks to be more receptive and understanding of our Church’s teaching. The more foundational issue is our baptismal identity. We are all children of God, members of the Body of Christ.

What does it mean to offer Christ-like inclusion and acceptance? In part, it means being a place where all people will experience respect, compassion, and sensitivity. That challenges all of us.