This draft statement is intended to describe the “mission” of our parish community – ie what we are trying to achieve for the Lord.   All parishioners are invited to comment on it and to make any suggestions for improving it.  These comments can be typed in the reply box below OR emailed to stcolumbkille@btconnect.com OR written on paper and handed in to the parish house by  Sunday 9th October 2017.  This draft, together will all the comments received, will be discussed at the Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) of the Parish Council (7pm on Tuesday 10th October) in which all parishioners can participate.  (N.B. A downloadable print-ready version can be seen below.)

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THE VISION OF OUR PARISH:

 

THE MISSION WHICH WE SERVE:

TO PROCLAIM THE WORD:  The first church in Rutherglen was established in the 6th century by St Conval, a disciple of St Mungo, to proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour.  We shall strive to follow the example of St Conval and St Columbkille in proclaiming the Gospel in our words and our actions.

TO CELEBRATE LITURGY & SACRAMENT: Our church provides a consecrated place for the community to encounter Jesus Christ, through prayer, the celebration of Holy Mass and the Sacraments. We shall strive to provide various opportunities for prayerful encounter with the Lord.

TO SERVE THE COMMUNITY: Our parish was established to serve the needs of poor immigrants. Members of our parish community, witnessing to the love of Christ, will continue to work in various ways to support those who are most in need across the community.

 

THE VALUES WHICH WE STRIVE TO UPHOLD:

Respect for Human Dignity
We believe that all people have been endowed by God with dignity and deserve respect. Our faith begins with the recognition of the infinite worth of each and every human being. Respect for the dignity of all people leads to defending their human rights – the right to the basics of life (e.g., food, clothing, shelter, education, work) and ensuring that everyone in society works to see that people’s basic needs are met.

Respect for Creation and the Environment
We are called to respect, care for, and defend all of creation. We are called to examine how we use and share the goods of the earth, and how we live in harmony with God’s creation. We are called to stewardship – the duty or responsibility to use the world’s resources responsibly.

Love
We are called to love one another and ourselves. Jesus said that our love for one another is a sign by which others will know that we are his disciples (Jn. 13:34-35). Jesus said that we need to love others as we love ourselves and to remember that we are always loved by God.  We are called to love even our enemies.

Justice
We are called to work to right the wrongs, to balance the indignities, to fight for the good causes, and to bring human dignity into this imperfect world. Justice means working for human equality and decency by not displaying ignorance or prejudice, by not judging others, by respecting differences, by opposing bias, bigotry, and discrimination. Justice means expanding our care and concern beyond our family and local community to the nation and world.

Care and Compassion
We are called to hear another’s cries of anguish, feel another’s pain, and respond. Compassion is the experience of feeling the other’s life as one’s own. One of Jesus’ most powerful stories focuses on the call to compassion: the Samaritan looks on the man in the ditch with compassion and responds in a way that no one expects (Lk. 10:25-37). Compassion moves us beyond just “feeling” the pain of another; it moves us to action.

Service
We are called to serve one another, humbly and unselfishly. Jesus gave us an example when he washed the feet of his disciples (Jn. 13:4-17). We are called to serve the poor and the powerless – feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, sheltering the homeless… (Mt. 25). We are called to befriend those whom society looks down upon. Jesus made himself the friend of the outcasts (Mt. 11:19) and did not avoid their company (Mk. 2:16).

Forgiveness
We are called to forgive one another and always to seek reconciliation with one another. Jesus said that we cannot ask forgiveness for our own sins unless we are also ready to forgive those who sin against us (Mt. 6:12). We are called to renounce revenge. “If anyone strikes you on the cheek,” Jesus said, “offer the other also” (Lk. 6:29).

Peace
We are called to pursue peace and harmony in our personal life, relationships, and world. Peace means reconciling differences and resolving conflicts non-violently, recognising that differences are seldom resolved through conflict or violence.

Faithfulness
We are called to develop relationships built on loyalty, trust and love that provide intimacy, security, and happiness. Faithfulness in relationships involves respect and commitment between people. We are called to reserve sexual intimacy to the committed relationship of marriage.

Honesty and Integrity
We are called to be honest and genuine with other individuals, institutions, society, and self in every act, deed, and dealing. Honesty grows from an inner strength and confidence that is bred by exacting truthfulness, trustworthiness, and integrity.

Parish Vision_Mission