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Dec 29th, 2019
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Father Anthony,
Thank you for your informative and encouraging words. I recall Mother Teresa's words, "Faithfulness, not success." I think that this should be the mantra of anyone involved in mission work.
We only fail, when we fail to love God and souls. If that is 2 people in a small house chapel, then so be it. (At least that is my opinion.)
Fr. Deacon Daniel
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And, the Catholic Church is still relearning how to evangelize. (And that is why I advocate a measured and dispassionate study of the Evangelical Protestants for lessons, positive and negative, to be learned.)
Meanwhile, the Orthodox in this country had the gift of Fr. Gillquist's group. They were (in effect) a cadre of educators of modern evangelical techniques and mindset. But it was a re-education of sorts too, and it too is still ongoing. To be sure, the "Scott Hahn" effect in fact IS being felt. Indeed, the Scott Hahn Effect is also felt on this esteemed Forum. One of our Deacons is working on his MA in Theology under Dr. Hahn. I won't reveal him, but if he so chooses...
Last edited by Dr. Eric; 01/13/09 09:20 PM. Reason: punctuation
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 If you read many of his recent writings, he is very keen to see a revival of interest in the "liturgical hermeneutic," very near and dear to the Eastern approach to Biblical exegesis. He is seeking to help Christians rediscover the fact that the Bible, far from being simply a "textbook" for Christian living, is rather a liturgical book, which also speaks to the purpose of the canonicity. Apart from its value for all aspects of the Christian life (doctrinal, moral, sacramental), such an approach can be an excellent means to evangelize our Bible-believing brethren of the Protestant traditions.
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A question on missions... if a mission stays a mission for 5-10 years is it a "success" or a "failure." By that I mean if the BCW, Horizons, The Way, etc. puts out an article of a mission celebrating 10 years should we celebrate with them or lament the fact that the seed has not taken root sufficiently that there is now a parish? Developmentally, each mission grows at a different rate with various demographics that have to be taken into consideration. The only way a mission can be a failure is by a consistent loss in the initial numbers, thus making it no longer feasible for it to continue. Some missions may be slow starters for a variety of reasons. Some may encounter numerous financial issues, others may have a low population base to draw from, local economic and employment issues, etc., etc. Many questions that all factor into the life of a mission. If the mission population base has stayed consistent with some growth, it is not a failure. Who knows what the seeds they are planting now will yield in the future. If they give up, then surely it will be a failure. In IC XC, Father Anthony+ I tend to take a different view. Metropolitan Jonah, in a recent interview, said that the OCA needs to do more than get Christians already inside the faith (so to speak - he was referring to Catholic, Lutherans, Evangelicals, etc.) and start doing things to engage the vast unchurched masses. St. Paul could well have looked at the demographics of his immediate area, gotten a few converts here and there, and spread the church slowly but surely. I think - strictly from my own opinion - that we are called to do much more; to go out into the world and bring the Ancient Faith to those people who equate Sunday more with football than with the Resurrection and fundamentally reorient their lives.
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Byzantine TX,
So how does your reply in any way disagree with the statement I gave and your initial question? I never said anything regarding a way and means to evangelize, but that there are many factors that go into a mission, its healthy growth and success. All you have done is list an opinion that to me and I am sure others who may be also scratching their heads, does not correlate with your original question that you were so kind as to also quote.
In IC XC,
Father Anthony+
Everyone baptized into Christ should pass progressively through all the stages of Christ's own life, for in baptism he receives the power so to progress, and through the commandments he can discover and learn how to accomplish such progression. - Saint Gregory of Sinai
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One shouldn't reply when one is late for an appointment. I failed to follow that bit of wisdom and so was unclear.  My simple point was this: I think a mission that aims to hang on or adds one or two parishioners a year is planning for a very slow crawl towards parish-hood at best and failure at the worst. I'm not calling for "non-denominational" tactics like offering iPods or free coffee (as the church down the road from me does) for getting people in the door, but planning more aggressively might be called for. Thanks for the quick response! Joseph
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Humbly, I agree that college/university cities are a good place for missions, but the student population is very temporary. The students are there for 2-4 years and then are gone.
Better roots are planted in the nearby residential areas of the community where the people will be there for at least a generation, so that it can grow roots. Mass transit in college towns are generally good enough that the students can attend if they have the desire.
I commend you all for your enthusiasm; what is needed are local leaders.
Let us pray that they will recognize their vocations and come forth.
Fr Deacon Paul
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Humbly, I agree that college/university cities are a good place for missions, but the student population is very temporary. The students are there for 2-4 years and then are gone.
Better roots are planted in the nearby residential areas of the community where the people will be there for at least a generation, so that it can grow roots. Mass transit in college towns are generally good enough that the students can attend if they have the desire.
I commend you all for your enthusiasm; what is needed are local leaders.
Let us pray that they will recognize their vocations and come forth.
Fr Deacon Paul And college students can be uppity. We had two last Sunday that, on hearing that we called ourselves Byzantine Catholics and not "Roman Catholics of the Byzantine Rite," declared us heretics and fled the nave. It was one of our weirder moments.
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For the BCC, when and where were the most recent missions planted?
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I plan to try to plant one new Eastern Catholic Mission here.
Hopefully in 2010 AD.
Stephanos I
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A small group of Byzantine Catholics have gotten permission to have Divine Liturgy once a month in Kalkaska, Michigan a Godsend for any Byzantine Catholics in northern Michigan because there is no Byzantine Catholic presence there at all. Forunatly, the associate pastor in the RC Church in Kalkaska has bi-ritual privileges. Please pray for the success of this tiny community.
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