Dearest Sacred Heart Parishioners,
A new Pastor always and quickly hears about the roiling controversies in his new church. “This has never been fixed!” “The former Pastor did this, which was terrible!” “When are you finally going to implement this program/liturgical change/theological soupe du jour?”
Of course, we new Pastors must continually remind ourselves that parish communities are deeply rooted and generally content with their local churches and the priests who serve them; and that the concerns we hear often come from a relatively small segment of the community. It is essential that we approach these situations with humility, acknowledging that we are entering into a story that has been unfolding long before our arrival – a story shaped by faith, tradition, and relationships.
At the same time, we are also called to be attentive. Just because a concern is raised by a few does not mean it lacks merit. There are moments when the person in front of us is expressing something that deserves our prayerful reflection and possibly even our pastoral response. The challenge – and the grace – is to discern when to honor what is already established, and when the Spirit might be inviting us to gently guide a needed change.
Which brings me to the Stations of the Cross. Though the new Stations were chosen to match the architecture of our church, I have heard concerns that they are small and monochrome, making it difficult to see the scenes depicted. I have also heard a sense of unease about how the new stations were introduced, without a clear explanation for the change. To resolve these concerns, I asked our Arts and Environment Committee to consider our previous Stations (which the current owners have generously offered to return), our current Stations, and any other Stations that might be available on the market, and to make a recommendation to me. After thoughtful discussion and research, the Committee has recommended purchasing new Stations from Italy which are architecturally consistent with the church and which vividly display the scenes of the Passion.
I fully agree with their recommendation and am really excited about the possibility. However, because this is an optional growth project it is not appropriate to buy them from the parish budget. If our community wants these stations, the money is going to have to come from free-will gifts, not from Sunday tithing. Overall, the Stations are priced at $38,000 for the set (though we may receive a discount as we work with the vendor). We already have a generous $10,000 gift, so we will need to raise the remaining $28,000 before I am willing to approve start of manufacturing.
If you are willing to donate towards the purchase, please contact Ellie Spring in the office (ellie.spring@shbham.org). If you have general feedback about this decision, that can come to me (frmoore@whatcomcatholic.org).
Fr. Moore 