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Diocese of Pittsburgh
III Boulevard of the Allies, Pittsburgh, PA 15222-1618
Phone: 412-456-3010. Fax: 412-456-3185
E-mail: [email protected] • Website: www.diopitt.org
Office of the Bishop
April 12, 2015
Sunday of Divine Mercy
My Dear Friends in Christ:
We hear in the Acts of the Apostles today that in the early days of the Church "the community of
believers was of one heart and mind," and "with great power the apostles bore witness to the
resurrection of the Lord Jesus" (4:32-33).
As we reflect on how the Holy Spirit worked through Jesus' followers, I am writing personally to
invite you to take part in an expanded effort to spread His love to every person you encounter.
Today I am formally announcing On Mission for The Church Alive!, a dynamic planning
initiative engaging all laity, religious and clergy in the Diocese of Pittsburgh. It will involve
prayer and study, strengthening school and parish partnerships, and providing support for clergy
and lay leaders for every avenue of ministry to you, the faithful of the Church of Pittsburgh.
The goal of On Missionfor The Church Alive! is to help our parishes and schools, our health care
facilities and campus ministry programs and every faith community in our diocese become even
more vibrant communities of worship and service, while challenging all of us to be excited about
our faith!
On Mission for The Church Alive! seeks to strengthen and guide us so that we may accept the
invitation of Pope Francis to seek out and welcome those who have left the Church or are far
from God.
In order to encourage others to be friends of Jesus, each of us must deepen our relationship with
Him. We grow in faith and holiness by truly listening to His Word in Scripture and by embracing
His presence in the Sacraments so that we can learn Jesus, love Jesus, and live Jesus. Through
our own spiritual development, we become truly loving and merciful Christians who must
transform our parishes and diocese into The Church Alive!
How is God calling you to be alive in your faith?
My invitation to you is to dream big, say "Yes!" and roll up your sleeves to get more involved in
the work of the Church through five important realities-the
Eucharist, Catechesis,
Evangelization, Formation and Stewardship.
Letter to the Faithful
April 12,2015
Page 2
Imagine more vibrant parishes with liturgies that inspire and faith formation that helps every
person grow closer to Christ. Consider how we can better support our priests and deacons to help
them proclaim God's Word and celebrate the sacred mysteries of the Sacraments. Picture our lay
ecclesial ministers and parishioners working together more closely as members of the Body of
Christ, leaving a legacy for the next generation.
On Mission/or
The Church Alive! will be consultative, courageous and compassionate:
•
Consultative, as we work more closely out of love for the Church;
•
Courageous, as we respond more willingly to the presence of the Holy Spirit; and
•
Compassionate, as we reach out more generously to those in need.
To do so means that we drop to our knees in prayer to ask the Holy Spirit to fire up our souls. To
do so means that we be less competitive and less protective of what we may think the Church is.
To do so means that we accept the invitation of Jesus to grow the Church now and for the future.
In the coming months, you will be hearing much more about On Mission/or The Church Alive!
and how you may become a partner, beginning with prayer in your parish. My hope is that you
will embrace this invitation as we look at our faith communities and new models of ministry that
will help us reach out to all who need His everlasting love.
Pray with me that as we imitate life in the early Church, may we come to learn Jesus, to love
Jesus, and to live Jesus.
Thank you for your support and prayers as we seek to be more excited about our faith.
Grateful for our belief that "Nothing is Impossible with God," I am
Your brother in Christ,
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Most Reverend David A. Zubik
Bishop of Pittsburgh
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