by Rachael Tvrdy,
Director of the Office of Family Life and Discipleship
In 1988, Pope John Paul II wrote an apostolic exhortation “Christifidelis Laici” (Christ’s Faithful Laity) calling the laity “to be the salt of the earth” and “the light of the world.” This document is as relevant today as it was 30 years ago.
The document highlights Christ’s words in Matthew’s Gospel: “You too go into my vineyard.” This call, ever ancient and ever new, is enlisted to us at our baptism, but so many of us have found ourselves sitting on the sidelines, needing a coach to rally us to enter the game. So, we sit idle, not because we’re lazy or apathetic, but rather because we don’t see ourselves as co-laborers with Christ. (We leave that up to the experts!) But Christ doesn’t want experts to go into His vineyard, He wants us.
Mission flows out of community. They cannot be separated. In order for our regular folks in the pews to be on mission, they need to feel a part of an authentic, intimate community. Sadly, many do not feel that sense of community in our parishes, as it often can feel like a way-station on a Sunday where we fuel up for the week. We see each other at Mass, but there isn’t a sense of journeying together.
One of the characteristics of my new office of Family Life and Discipleship is to create opportunities for the lay faithful to be a part of a missionary community. To be on mission is not just for the elite few, but for every household and person.
Two particular populations of focus are young adults and young married couples. These two groups are at the highest risk of leaving the Church, and are the ones who feel the most “left out” when it comes to our parish culture. Parishes are set up for families, which is rightly so, as the parish is a “family of families.” But if those who are the future of the Church aren’t finding a home in our parishes, where will they go? That’s where we step in.
Witness to Love and Be Light
In September, my office will be hosting a diocesan training for our pastors and parish staff by an organization from Louisiana called “Witness to Love.” Witness to Love is a marriage renewal movement, focused on rooting our engaged and newly married couples into our parishes.
The premise of Witness to Love is to organically form friendships, where an engaged couple chooses a mentor couple to walk with them before the wedding. Ideally, the engaged couple would choose a mentor couple they admire, and someone they could build a friendship with that will last beyond the wedding day.
After the wedding, the couples are encouraged to join the marriage movement “Be Light,” reminding every marriage to be light in the world. Any marriage can form a Be Light group, no matter how many years married.
Salt + Light
The second initiative my office is launching is the “Salt + Light Young Adult Community.” This is a brand new launch from the previous movement, “Frassati Young Adults.”
Salt + Light was re-branded by a core team of invested young adult leaders who desire to host more than just events. Salt + Light was formed based on previous efforts in the Archdioceses of Omaha and Kansas City, which followed the model of City on a Hill. This model is a response to “the crisis of discipleship,” which offers a solution for young adults to create a community of support and spiritual development.
Our core team, still in its infancy, is looking to i.d. 916, a formation resource in Ann Arbor, Mich, to help our young leaders grow in training and leadership development. The hope is to eventually form their own discipleship groups in parishes, offer monthly formation nights, and other mission opportunities. And of course, having fun and sharing life together.
As these two new initiatives develop, more opportunities will arise for our lay faithful to join, so stay tuned. In the meantime, for more information on how to form your own Be Light married small group, you can find info at www.witnesstolove.org/belight. To look into joining our Salt + Light Young Adult Community (ages 21-40; all vocations welcome) go to www.saltandlightlnk.com/.
