A Hope-Filled Time for Our Church

By Bishop Paul S. Loverde
Herald Columnist
(From the issue of 6/30/05)

I do not need to tell you that at the outset of summer, something almost palpable in the air often lifts our spirits. We experience a great anticipation – of vacations, family visits, special trips... Even so, as a diocesan family of faith – now journeying through our 31^st year as a diocese – we find ourselves at a threshold this summer.

We have so much for which to be grateful. In recent weeks, our diocesan family of faith has welcomed six deacons and four priests to our numbers; celebrated the 30^th anniversary of our Diocesan Migration and Refugee Services, northern Virginia’s largest refugee resettlement agency; wished the Class of 2005 graduates from our diocesan high schools well; established two new Missions – named in honor of the "Year of the Eucharist" – and one new Parish; and sent hundreds of our youth to our Diocesan Office of Youth Ministry’s annual summer WorkCamp to serve those less fortunate in our midst. Truly, we can be grateful for a diocese whose commitment to Catholic education, service of the disadvantaged, and the realization of an ever-more diverse Church is evident in good fruit.

"What is fueling the extraordinary growth in the Diocese of Arlington?" I have been asked over and over again in media interviews over the recent weeks. Reporters cite our 42 percent growth in the past decade alone and our ranking among the five fastest-growing dioceses in the country.

The answer to this question is manifold, but perhaps The Washington Times came closest to it in a June 17 article which led: "A population and immigration boom has flooded Northern Virginia with residents who are filled with the Holy Spirit…"

Although our fast-growing counties and large numbers of diversely cultured Catholics are certainly part of the picture of growth, in the end our answer does not point solely to demographics, but to the Holy Spirit’s leading in our diocesan Church.

Our growth is not merely a function of census data. I sometimes wonder: If we did not have such a vast number of committed and Christ-centered leaders and volunteers serving so selflessly as pastors, catechists, teachers, youth ministry leaders, religious education directors, and other forms of leadership and service, would our parishes be so filled on Sunday mornings? Would our youth ministry be serving over 15,000 youth? Would the hallways of our schools be filled with over 18,000 students? Would our 67 parishes comprise over 400,000 Catholics?

To ask the question is to answer it. For we see in our diocese good fruit, the seeds of which were sown years or decades ago. We see so many blessings from the Lord, and we turn to Him with our heartfelt praise. With hope-filled hearts at this threshold in our life together, we turn with greater commitment to respond to His call to holiness.

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