A PROVEN FOUNDATION FOR FRUITFUL MINISTRY
CONGRESS X PLAN OF ACTION
Most Reverend John H. Ricard, S.S.J.
President of the Board of Trustees
(Article: Page 19 of 19)
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A PROVEN FOUNDATION FOR FRUITFUL
MINISTRY
LEADS TO
A PROMISING FUTURE
[Jesus said,] "Remain in me, as I remain in
you. Just as a branch cannot bear fruit on its own unless it remains on the
vine, so neither can you unless you remain in me. I am the vine, you are the
branches. Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit, because
without me you can do nothing. Anyone who does not remain in me will be
thrown out like a branch and wither; people will gather them and throw them
into a fire and they will be burned.
If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask for whatever you want
and it will be done for you. By this is my Father glorified, that you bear
much fruit and become my disciples.'" John 15:4-8
 The Gift of Christ and His Church is the proven
foundation for a fruitful ministry. Formed by the convictions of the Gospel,
filled with the Holy Spirit, and inspired by the witness of our ancestors, we
are deeply grateful for the gifts of our Catholic and African heritage. Our
contributions to our Church and society enrich the lives of people of every
ethnicity.
God is glorified as our ministry bears fruit.
Nourished by the grace of Christ in the Sacraments, we are sustained by divine
life and love. This is the reason for our hope for the Catholic Church in the
Black Community. First, our hope is placed in God, who is always faithful in
fulfilling His promises. Second, growth takes time and God is good all the time!
We reaffirm our ongoing work on the Core Principles, affirmed by Congresses IX
and X as our framework for action. Renewing our understanding of the sacramental
life of the Church reminds us that the grace of Christ will help us to stand on
a solid foundation (cf. Matthew 7:24-28).
Relying upon the grace of God who wants us to have a
fruitful life, we face our challenges and embrace opportunities. God will lead
us to experience a promising future--within time and for eternity.
"Let us not grow tired in doing good, for in due
time we shall reap our harvest, if we do not give up. So then, while we have the
opportunity, let us do good to all, but especially to those who belong to the
family of the faith." Galatians 6:9-10
- Cyprian Davis, O.S.B. The History of Black Catholics in
the United States. (New York, NY: Crossroad Publishing, 1990), pp. 7-8.
- Catechism of the Catholic Church 2nd Edition, section
1131.
- Appreciative Inquiry (AI) is a collaborative process
for organizational change and development that is used by corporate and
nonprofit institutions worldwide. It was introduced to the NBCC community at
Congress IX. Rather than focusing on deficits to be eliminated, AI
emphasizes strengths to be used and past successes to be replicated. Rather
than problem-solving, an AI approach involves envisioning "ideal states" and
defining strategies for progressing toward the ideal.
- More information at:
http://www.usccb.org/churchinafrica/background.shtml
- CRS offers a variety of ways for Catholics in the
United States to get involved. They have programs and resources for
education, direct action, advocacy, partnership and service, enabling
development of a program tailored to a particular parish.
- Brothers and Sisters to Us (1979), a pastoral
letter by the precursor of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
and What We Have Seen and Heard (1984), a pastoral letter by the
Black bishops in the United States, are two examples of ways in which
members of the hierarchy have spoken about racism and its deleterious
effects upon Church and society. Members of the hierarchy have issued
pastoral letters in their own dioceses as well.
- Vatican Council II, Dogmatic Constitution On
Divine Revelation
(1965), section 21.
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