From: Joan Bergman
My Synod Response/St. Patrick’s Parish
March 24, 2022
Citing from- Jeremiah 17: 5-8
“Jeremiah warned his readers to trust no living person, but to put their trust in God. Jesus proclaimed his contraposition, explaining that we can encounter the reign of God, God’s active presence among us, in a community of flesh and blood people. Not only that, but we are invited to be those people in our moment of history.”
From an article in NCR by Sr. M. Mc Glove who is on the Leadership Team of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet
The above is what the Holy Spirit began calling the parish of St. Patrick to decades ago and what all parishes are called to be…to live out…God’s active presence in a community of flesh and blood people.
It breaks my heart that this action of the Spirit is not recognized, and apparently not valued, by diocesan leaders who don’t have the time to “taste and see”, only to look at statistics on a spread sheet. We have invited them to “taste and see”. If they did come and see they would recognize God’s active presence in the flesh and blood community of St. Patrick/Seattle. They would see arms open wide enveloping and answering the physical and faith needs of those in the congregation who have vision, auditory, cognitive and movement challenges. All are planned for, welcomed and embraced here.
This form of flesh and blood community doesn’t come about because it is decreed on a piece of paper….it take years of learning and reaching out to develop to the point of comfort for all. It is indeed the work of the Spirit in the hearts of a flesh and blood community.
My hope is that Catholic Church leadership will take time to see…to recognize…the depth and breadth of the St Patrick community and other communities before they put asunder what the action of the Spirit has brought about. I call upon the church leadership to go even further by working to nurture and sustain it.
Thanks so much, Joan, for your message of how inclusive St. Pat's people are, and your deep desire that we remain viable as a true Vatican II parish . I believe the phrase, "Where ever 2 or more are gathered, I am there." Blessings to you ! Molly