Almost one hundred people attended in person, and sixteen live-streamed last week’s Town Hall to hear Father Jon’s State of the Parish Address. The address highlighted building community, local mission, and capital projects. As Dorothy Day once said, “We have all known the long loneliness, and we have all learned that the only solution is love and that love comes with community.”
Father Jon reiterated this sentiment, highlighting how our gender and curriculum-based ministries, which meet in Morgan Hall, and our home-based faith-sharing groups, which meet in the intimate setting of a member’s home, are intentionally designed to foster community. He emphasized that it is through Christian spirituality and the act of sharing one’s faith with others that we combat loneliness. He then introduced the ‘Question of the Week’, a new initiative to achieve the working goal of each church-going parishioner involved in a faith-sharing group. Continuing the theme of building community, Father stated, “While many other organizations in town support the poor and needy, we are the only organization offering the fullness of the Christian faith.”
Our upcoming two-year agreement with the Sisters of Saint Joseph Neighborhood Center emphasizes local mission. This mission will be transformative for all who participate by allowing parishioners to learn, love, and serve with one another and our neighbors in Camden. After updating attendees on projects such as the Adoration Chapel, ADA ramp, Rosary Chapel, and the Outdoor Patio, parishioners spoke up on topics of interest.
The meeting concluded with the election of four Parish Council members; after announcing the winning names, Council Secretary John Kearney noted that we had nine exceptional candidates on the ballot. New members Andrew Miller and Mariann Gilbride join returning members Theresa-Rose Woodward and Jennifer McHugh-Barker.