Dear Parishioners,

Over the last several weeks we have seen many changes in our world, as well as here at Our Lady of Lourdes Parish and Mission. In our world, we have seen the election of a new Pope. Here at our parish, we have seen a pre-campaign feasibility study that we are currently in the middle of. We have even seen changes to our staff and have been working to adjust our organizational structure.

All these changes have presented us with an opportunity to reflect and discern. Amid all the changes in our world and in our church, what is the constant?

All these changes have presented us with an opportunity to reflect and discern. Amid all the changes in our world and in our church, what is the constant?

To properly ascertain the constant, it is necessary to consider the core purpose for our existence. What is the core purpose for which we exist? Why does Our Lady of Lourdes Parish exist in this part of Sun City West, and Peoria in Arizona, USA?

After some prayer and reflection with key leaders of the parish, it has become apparent that, ultimately, Our Lady of Lourdes Parish and Mission exists, for the salvation of souls and the restoration of all things in Christ. This is the core purpose of why we exist. It is the why, behind the why we do all things. We ultimately exist for the salvation of souls and the restoration of all things in Christ.

If we can think about it, the salvation of souls is the reason why we celebrate mass. It’s the reason we offer confessions generously. It’s the reason we will respond in the middle of the night to anoint a dying parishioner. We exist for the salvation of souls. To bring people to salvation in Jesus Christ so that they can experience eternal life with Him.

But it doesn’t end there. After we ourselves have received the gift of salvation, and are being saved, God immediately puts us to work. He wills that each of us become a participant in His own redemptive work. In other words, after we ourselves have received, and are receiving His grace, we in turn become God’s agents of restoration and redemption of all things in Christ Jesus.

We participate in this work of redemption and restoration, not only through proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ by our words and our deeds, thus bringing others into relationship with Him. We also participate in the Christ’s work of redemption and restoration by sanctifying the temporal order. In summary, we work to make the world a better place by configuring it and conforming it to Christ.

Here at Our Lady of Lourdes, we are blessed with so many wonderful and generous parishioners who do this in many ways. We are also blessed to have amazing ministries such as St. Vincent de Paul, and Catholic Daughters of America. We have the Knights of Columbus and Our Lady’s Guild. We even have a Respect Life Ministry, all working in their own way, to renew and restore the temporal order and conform- ing it to the Kingdom of Christ.

All these make significant contributions to our local community, each in their own way, harnessing the generosity of this parish, to bring a little more light and love to our dark world. They, and you, all play a significant role in restoring all things in Christ.

Going forward, it is my hope that we can organize our structures of governance here at Our Lady of Lourdes, in light of our core purpose. It is my hope that we do what we can to structure our parish in such a way that we can better facilitate and support this core purpose of the salvation of souls and the restoration of all things in Christ.

I also hope to share more thoughts about these things soon. In the meantime, please keep us in your prayers as we strive to be faithful to the mission that Our Lord has entrusted to us.

May God Bless you all!

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