Holy Name of Jesus Parish took a unique approach to synod
implementation with a three-day study period attended by as many as
70 people.
Father Robert K.L. Wong, SJ, the administrator of the parish,
recounted that on the first night, as a process, the attendees asked
themselves, "What are the graces that the parish is experiencing
now?" As a result of all this work, he said, "The parish is alive
and revitalized and vibrant. More people are coming to Mass."
Included among the parish practices already present: First Saturday
Devotions and Liturgy of the Hours preceded synod propositions 31
and 30 (the Liturgy of the Hours is prayed at 8:30 a.m. Monday to
Saturday except the first Saturday of the month); missions are
preached twice a year, paralleling proposition 26 ("Sponsor
evangelization events in different deaneries in order to promote and
publicize Catholic values"); and there was involvement of
parishioners ("Participation in different ministries in Mass ... and
involvement of youth/young people").
Father Wong emphasized, "People want to embrace stewardship as a way
of life as a disciple of Jesus, and not as a program. The parish was
moving in that direction before the synod," and so the parishioners
have embraced the ideals of the synod.
He said with confidence that the reaffirmation by Archbishop Raymond
Roussin, SM, of the name Holy Name of Jesus for the parish (the
parish has been known more commonly as Holy Name) has added impetus
to their synod-inspired, stewardship-based renewal. Synod
proposition 34 calls the faithful to "Adopt a `time, talent, and
treasure' stewardship program."
The parish held a retreat or "Novena of Grace" Nov. 26-28, 2006,
entitled "No Greater Love: Giving Beyond the Collection Basket,"
with a Jesuit from Toronto preaching. Father Wong said he saw a
unity in the fact that this new emphasis on stewardship came right
before the proclamation of the synod on Dec. 3.
Tom Burns, involved in synod implementation and as an extraordinary
minister of Holy Communion (with his wife), said he viewed
stewardship "as the linchpin: everything you want to do requires
people. Stewardship is the ability and desire to move on to the next
step."
In addition to this call to stewardship, the parish was already on
the same path as the synod, for example by taking a census in
February (proposition 49).
The parish's emphasis on accessibility for people using wheelchairs,
including a plan for accessible confessionals, reflects proposition
36, one on which parishes have not been focusing: "Develop a
pastoral plan that includes all special-needs groups. Appoint a co-ordinator
or a co-ordinating committee in each parish with the mandate to
build community by connecting with and addressing the needs of
specific groups."
The parish tends to wrap all such committees (including the call of
proposition 43 to "Establish parish spiritual life committees") into
the pastoral council, which now meets monthly instead of quarterly
as before. The parish council has a "socializing function,"
according to Burns. "Members want to build identity and interaction,
which means that the committee functions as an event co-ordinator
and programmer."
Another parish strength that preceded the synod concerns the call
for increased devotion. Holy Name of Jesus already had Exposition of
the Eucharist and Benediction before the 9 a.m. morning Mass from
Monday to Saturday, except the first Saturday of the month.
Burns emphasized the importance of the parish for people outside the
parish boundaries. As many as 90 people, some from outside the
parish boundaries, attend the 9 a.m. Mass each day.
Another of the many blessings that the parish synod implementation
process mentioned was "Welcoming the Korean Roman Catholic
community." St. Andrew Kim Parish in Surrey, the Korean parish for
the Lower Mainland, has been using space at Holy Name of Jesus
Parish for some of their outreach to the many Koreans living in the
area since November 2003. St. Andrew Kim offers PREP and RCIA in
Korean.
The parish PREP class has almost 20 Grade 1-7 students. The parish,
with an older and racially mixed demographic, is offering no RCIA
because of the lack of demand. It is offering an Adult Faith
Formation instead. The parish also offers outreach to homebound
elderly people in nursing homes; every Thursday and Sunday
parishioners take Holy Communion.
The parish followed up on proposition 27, "Ensure regular catechesis
about the Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick," on Nov. 9, and had a
good turnout. Catechesis and socializing followed the anointing.
Vocation of stewardship
Father Wong wrote to the parishioners of Holy Name of Jesus Parish:
"As a companion of Jesus and a friend in the Lord, I pray [and] hope
that you and I, a community of followers of Jesus, will collaborate
in building the kingdom of God here, using and sharing our time,
talents, and resources for the greater glory of God. I look forward
to meeting many of you as we serve the Lord in the name of Jesus,
our patron!"
He noted that in his two-year tenure at St. Ann's in Abbotsford he
also focused on "the spirituality of stewardship as a way of life
for the parish."
Father Wong joined the Jesuits in 1981 after working for four years
at B.C. Hydro in Vancouver, and was ordained in 1993. He first
served at St. Paul's Parish in Richmond.
"Shortly after, in the summer of 1995, Archbishop Adam Exner, OMI,
appointed me the founder-pastor of Canadian Martyrs' Parish in
Richmond, where I served till the summer of 1997. Then I was sent to
the Philippines for my tertianship, that is, in preparation for my
final vows.
"I returned in 1998 and took up chaplaincy ministry at the
University of Guelph for a year. I professed my solemn vows on Dec.
8, 2000, in Toronto, thus completing my formal formation in the
Society."
