Parishes: New, Yet Familiar

Few liturgies match the ritual beauty of a mass of dedication for a new church building. These dedications don't happen too often. That is why I felt so privileged and blessed to be a part of the rites for the new church at my home parish of St. Jude's in Mountain Top, PA.

The construction of the new church building was many years in the making. Many people worked diligently throughout the years to envision a home for the Catholic faith community in Mountain Top. The end result went far beyond expectations! The new church building blended traditional and contemporary elements, creating a mosaic of a living parish faith community.

Parishioners gathered together with Bishop Bambera, Fr. Joe Evanko, and other priests to worship God, to hear the Word, to share the Eucharist, and to go forth to transform the world. Even though the parish gathered in a new church building, we were participating in something very familiar.

For me, it was quite moving to see many familiar faces during the mass of dedication and to realize that there were still many others who couldn't make it or who are no longer with us. We stand upon the shoulders of those who came before us. Our faith is alive, especially as it is passed from one generation to the next. And so, as the ritual unfolded, I found myself reflecting on the significance of a parish.

It is among this faith community of St. Jude's that I was baptized, confirmed, forgiven of sin, and fed at the Lord's table. At St. Jude's, I attended weddings and funerals, I was formed in the Catholic faith, and I spent many hours in prayer discerning God's call for my life. The mass of dedication for the new church building at St. Jude's reminded me that our Catholic-Christian faith must always be rooted in a living community. Parishes are where faith is planted and grows.

Certainly, it was a joyous occasion to watch as the bishop blessed and anointed the new church. It is great to see that this community is now housed in a spacious, beautiful, and functional edifice. But what was most gratifying for me was knowing that even though the Catholic community of Mountain Top now had a new and magnificent church, St. Jude's Parish would still be the familiar living family of faith that continues to guide me (and so many others) on the journey of life.

For more pictures of the Mass of Dedication of the new church at St. Jude's, visit: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1107680626000734.1073742062.313158165452988&type=3