Greetings to you from my new office of Evangelization here at Christ the King. It is with deep gratitude and humility that I begin this journey with you. Already, I have experienced the warmth of this parish community, and I look forward to learning about you – a true gift and privilege in the life and mission of the Church.
Before arriving here at CTK, I served as Director of Youth Faith Formation at Christ Our Light in Cherry Hill. My ministry has been shaped by a commitment to relational faith building – that is, a way of encountering Christ not as an idea, but as a living presence discovered in relationship: with God, with one another, and with the wider world.
This also calls me deeper to ponder the perspective that: inclusivity, recognizing that every person belongs, every voice matters, and each individual reflects the imago dei – image of God.
Therefore I am constantly examining the profound complexity of the image of God in our present world, the suffering Jesus in our midst, and the miracles that we bring to each other through Eucharist – relationship.
At the heart of this vision of the intercultural/inter-relational church is community – or comunidad – a word that in Spanish conveys not only togetherness, but a deep sense of belonging, shared life, and mutual care.
True Christian community invites us to walk with one another, especially across differences, building relationships rooted in compassion and solidarity.
In my first few days here at the parish, I genuinely felt this welcome with a profound and outpouring love for the community visible in each encounter.
This understanding of community has led me to collaborate with diverse groups locally and globally—from service partnerships in Camden, to outreach in Philadelphia and Trenton, to immersion experiences along the Texas Border and New Orleans through Catholic Charities and World Youth Day.
These mission encounters have extended to places such as Kentucky, New York City, Los Angeles, Guatemala, Jamaica, Ireland, Italy, and beyond. Each experience has revealed a profound truth: we are an intercultural- interconnected Church.
The Church teaches that an intercultural Church is one in which diverse cultures are not merely present, but are welcomed, engaged, and transformed together in Christ. It is a communion where differences are celebrated as gifts that enrich the Body of Christ. In Spanish, we might say una Iglesia intercultural, a Church where many cultures form – one people united in faith and mission.
Through my work in writing and teaching with organizations such as Future of Faith, Paulist Press, Sisters of Mercy organizations, Marianist Collaborative, Villanova University, and St. Joseph’s College of Maine, I have sought to explore how we live and share faith in the modern world.
I am excited to learn about the mission and outreach done so beautifully in this parish. I am ready to embark on the journey!
I hold firmly to the gospel perspective: “salt of the earth… light of the world.” (Matthew 5:13 – 14) My hope is to find ways to live this mission with you here at CTK.
Sherine Green