We are one human family whatever our national, racial, ethnic, economic, and ideological differences. We are our brothers’ and sisters’ keepers, wherever they may be. Loving our neighbor has global dimensions in a shrinking world.
At the core of the virtue of solidarity is the pursuit of justice and peace. Pope Paul VI taught that if you want peace, work for justice. The Gospel calls us to be peacemakers. Our love for all our sisters and brothers demands that we promote peace in a world surrounded by violence and conflict.
As our Catholic Social Teaching principle of solidarity states, we are one human family and yes, Cain (Genesis 4:9), we are indeed our brothers’ and sisters’ keepers.
St. Paul VI’s teaching, “if you want peace, work for justice”, is always relevant and is intended for all institutions, individuals, and groups of any kind.
Peace also has a deep spiritual meaning, that to be at peace with God, to be at peace in our hearts, and in our minds, and with other people, it is important to keep the wisdom of Micah the prophet close to us, specifically, “You have been told, O mortal, what is good, and what the Lord requires of you: Only to do justice and to love goodness, and to walk humbly with your God.” (Micah 6:8)
Together, as Catholics in the Diocese of Madison, we have a providential, amazing, and Holy Spirit led opportunity of solidarity in our midst.
Opportunity for solidarity
This blessed opportunity is to be in solidarity with our Into the Deep strategic plan for our diocese.
As we have probably all heard or read, “Go Make Disciples is our ongoing effort to renew and build a culture of evangelization, discipleship, and mission within every parish, school, and other Catholic institution in the Diocese of Madison in fidelity to the Lord Jesus’ mandate to ‘go make disciples of all nations.’
“Go Make Disciples is not another program, then, but it is the very mission of the Church, our diocese, and our parishes. It is WHAT we do (or should be doing) as baptized Catholics.
“Into the Deep, on the other hand, is about realigning our structures and resources for the sake of this perennial mission. It is concerned with HOW — how we can better position our structures and other resources to serve this mission of evangelization and discipleship.”
We are all called to come together for this wonderful opportunity of recalibrating our diocese to better “serve this mission of evangelization and discipleship”. Change can be difficult but when you look through our eight takeaways from our current reality on our Into the Deep website intothedeepmadison.org you realize something needs to be done in order to better serve our Lord, His Church, and all people of God throughout our 11 counties:
- The total population across the Diocese is growing.
- We are losing Catholic people, especially our younger people; and we are aging.
- Fewer and fewer people are attending Mass.
- Significantly fewer people are receiving Sacraments.
- Faith Formation enrollment is in a free fall, while school enrollment is holding relatively steady.
- We have significantly fewer priests than in the past, but — praise God! — we project to be relatively stable into the future.
- People who give donate about 2 percent of their income, with fewer older people giving more these days.
- At present, we are facing financial challenges impacting our mission and our employees.
What you can do
There are a number of things one can do in order to be in solidarity with our Into the Deep strategic plan and with all of those charged with the implementation:
- Pray daily for Bishop Hying and for all of the Into the Deep clergy and lay leaders, for the 30 parochial administrators, the parochial vicars, our retired priests, and for all of the people in the pastorates
- Pray daily for yourself that you continue to embrace and understand even more our Holy Spirit driven process and know where you can help with your time, talent, and treasure
- Read and study the strategic plan in great detail so you know more about what is being done in the diocese and in your pastorate
- Help others in your pastorate and in other pastorates better understand Into the Deep, including people who are struggling with the strategic plan for whatever reason
- Sign up to stay informed and encourage others to do so as well through intothedeepmadison.org/stay-connected
Our Catholic Social Teaching principle of solidarity applies in many ways to all of us as disciples of Jesus.
One great and very concrete way it applies is for all of us to be in solidarity with our strategic plan. We need to take this providential opportunity, as we are guided by the Lord, to help build God’s Kingdom even more in the Diocese of Madison through Into the Deep.
Dr. Chris McAtee is the Director of Human Life and Dignity for the Diocese of Madison and publishes “Building the Kingdom of God Together” each month in the Catholic Herald. Email him at chris.mcatee@madisondiocese.org