September 29 ^th is the Feast of St. Michael the Archangel. There is no better way to celebrate our Parish Feast Day than to welcome “home” Bishop J. Kevin Boland who fifty years ago was pastor of St. Michael Church.  No doubt, his memories of our faith community half a century ago, will be fascinating.
   
What I heard at our Town Hall Meeting – Part II
 
An opinion was expressed that the bureaucracy of the Church should be downsized.  The Diocesan staff whether ordained or lay was seen as having a very bureaucratic mindset.  “They don’t seem orientated to the concerns of the parish” and often have a superior attitude when “dealing” with the people in the pews.  They seem oblivious to the growing disaffection of those Catholics who still have a desire to practice their faith.
 
Some thought the Church was still hung up on rules, especially with regard to marriage.  “Why can’t annulments be handled by the parish priest?”  And aren’t the German bishops trying to take a more pastoral approach to those who are divorced and remarried?  Our rules turn off a lot of people, especially young families.  Why does there have to be so much red tape in order to have a child baptized?  “We should baptize any parent’s child with the hope that the parents will eventually come back to the practice of their faith.”  On this point, I gave a little push back.  If Baptism is a Sacrament of Initiation into the Body of Christ, then it seems reasonable to me that there should be at least a minimal participation by the child’s parents in the life of the faith community.
 
Though some were surprised by the “negative” comments that were expressed during our Town Hall Meeting, I walked away feeling as though it was a very positive experience.  Someone observed that “there were a bunch of radicals in that meeting.”  But I heard primarily a sincere desire for reform and renewal for the structures of a faith that people dearly loved.  The last topic during this part of the meeting concerned the method by which bishops are nominated.  It is too secretive. It needs to be more transparent and include input from informed laity.  
 
When it came to talking about the strengths of our faith community, people were very positive.  Many people commented that our small size was a blessing.  People used these words and phrases in describing our parish: Close knit, caring, loving community, act as a loving family, dedicated and accepting, friendly, welcoming.  Folks love our music ministry, especially on a day like today when Ryan has invited Kim Michael Polote to lend her amazing voice to our celebration.  Thank you, Kim!
And yet, folks believe the music should not just be a great performance.  Congregational singing is still seen as an important value.  One person expressed the belief that it needs to be emphasized that congregational singing “is an important aspect of worship.”
 
We also need to consider more programs that will attract the young.  More than one person thought about having coffee and donuts after Mass.  I recently passed by a Church that had “Koinonia in the Garden”, which was a fancy way of saying let’s build community by having coffee and donuts out front after the service.  I love the feel we have of being a “village” parish, but there were some who thought we might consider looking beyond Tybee to maintain the vibrancy of our parish.  We do already have a number of folks who travel from off the island to worship with us on Sunday and I am grateful for their commitment.  I am also aware of the “snow birds” and those with second homes here who love our faith community.  We talked about “drawing them in” with a sort of associate membership, for which I came up with the fancy title of the San Miguel Guild.
 
Next week, I will share a few thoughts about our stewardship of time and talent.  But this week, I want to rejoice in your stewardship of treasure.  Okay, last week’s offertory wasn’t the greatest.  Yet, overall your generosity amazes me.  Fr. Joseph expressed his deep gratitude for your generosity last weekend to his appeal on behalf of the Vincentian Congregation.  We’ve reached our BAA goal well ahead of most parishes.  And I am confident that no matter where the Spirit leads us into the future, the resources will be given in gratitude for all the blessings that God has bestowed upon us.  Please, remember to save October 20^th on your calendar.  It should be a wonderful day of renewal for our faith community.
 
 
Fr. Jerry Ragan