A Visit From Bishop DiLorenzo

"Why didn't they tell us, so we could be prepared?" was Bishop DiLorenzo's theme today, as he met with parishioners in the church hall after Mass. He came to discuss where we are as a parish in the greater scheme of diocesan planning for the future and to answer our questions about the future of St. Elizabeth's.

The Bishop spoke about how our diocese has changed from having a predominantly Caucasian population to a multicultural and diverse one with a huge increase of Filipino, Korean, African American, Vietnamese, Hispanic and other ethnic Catholic minorities.

Each of these groups have their own styles of worship and devotions, creating a rich tapestry of Catholic life in the Diocese of Richmond. Some of these groups want their own churches; others desire to be integrated within a larger church community but being able to retain their cultural identities within that larger community.

These immense changes within our diocese have also been felt in the diocesan offices with the creation of new entities such as the Hispanic Apostolate and the Asian Ministries that join the Office for Black Catholics as the major minority outreach programs of the diocese.

There is a new effort planned to bridge the gap to reach those young people between the ages of 17 and 30; many of whom lack any religious affiliation at all. This age group is the future of our church so we need to find ways to encourage these young people to return and participate.

There are also plans already underway for the training of lay people for Master degrees and certificates in areas such as parish administration. The fact of only 8 priests being available for 12 parishes in the City of Richmond is a harsh reality that all of us have to face. This calls for creative and collaborative leadership with the sharing of resources and ministries.

The future of St. Elizabeth's is still uncertain, though it appears from the surveys we filled out in the past, that the majority of our parish members hope to be paired with St. Paul Catholic Church because of its proximity to us.

What we do know is that we are already the faith filled and welcoming community that the Bishop desires all the parishes strive to become. We are an integrated community that works well with other Catholic churches; as well as, with the larger Christian community in Highland Park. We have several people who have been trained in various ministries such as Liturgy, Christian Formation and Social Ministry.

We realize that we need programs that will keep our young people interested in the church. They are our future and the only way we will be able to maintain a Catholic presence in Highland Park.

And finally, it was brought to the attention of the Bishop that we were happy with our priest and want him to remain with us.


~ photograph by Mildred Green ~