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Uniting in HeartFrom Bishop Timothy Doherty
I once met an ancient monsignor who advised my young self to give people what they need, not what they want. As a young priest, he helped found Granger communities in Iowa to lift farmers and miners out of poverty. Like Christ, his work pointed people toward God and their neighbors. Our present mission is the same. While parts of our culture are marked by debilitating spiritual poverty, the Holy Spirit can free us by renewed experiences of God in Word and Sacrament. And we can demonstrate that neighborly cooperation is more than a part of discipleship, it is necessary evidence that God’s grace is alive and effective.From Fr. Eric Underwood
What is your high-level understanding of the 3 Pillars of Uniting in Heart as it relates to the Muncie pastorate?The three pillars of Uniting in Heart map out clearly the Christian way of life – Mission, Community, and Witness. They embrace the New Evangelization, by helping us each to have a deep personal relationship with Christ so that we all may be holy. We then foster that personal relationship with Christ in the family of the Catholic Church, strengthening our love for God and neighbor. The beauty is, this spills forth in a loving witness that cares for the poor, inspires faith to blossom in those who are searching within the larger community, and builds up the Body of Christ. All this, for the greater glory of God!And, like three close friends who each bring their own unique personalities, it will be invigorating to experience our shared faith as a larger Catholic community in Muncie – St. Francis, St. Lawrence, and St. Mary. We embark on this exciting journey together!Given the goals of Uniting in Heart outlined in the “What: The Results” section of https://dol-in.org/uih-questions, what are some possible concrete actions that you plan to put in place in the next year to help achieve the goals?Fr. Doug Hennessy was the pastor of St. Paul Church, where I grew up in Illinois. When I was in seminary, he and I had lunch one day and he gave me the best advice ever: “when you get to your new parish, spend the first year doing two things – being a historian and a lover”. Take time to get to know the people, the parish, the community, and how they got to where they are today; and, love them with all your heart. I have tried to put his advice into practice everywhere I go. This is the first and most important concrete action to living out Uniting in Heart.The second concrete action I plan to put in place is the Pastorate Leadership Team. This team will represent each of the three parishes and help set the direction on a daily basis to promote unity in the Muncie Catholic Community. This team will help me and the parishes to keep our focus on living out the Three Pillars of Uniting in Heart, drawing from the beautiful strengths of each parish.In light of COVID-19, one of our major projects will be to help people return to Mass and worship God in a healthy way. It is so strange that we have been isolated from one another in our world – and how this has impacted our ability to worship Christ in a vibrant way as a Catholic family. The Eucharist is the source of our Christian faith, and we need to help people return to the worthy reception of the Eucharist so that they can be truly fed and reassured of His goodness. Our team will have, as a primary effort, bringing to others the Faith, Hope, and Love of Jesus Christ!Other actions will need to be carefully identified as we get to know the parishes, parishioners, and needs of the Pastorate. In the process, we will strive to joyfully love Christ with all our hearts!Click the orange bars to expand.
The diocesan pastoral plan, Uniting in Heart, is about so much more than structures and priests. It is about loving Jesus, his Church, his people, and letting them love you in a more profound way. It is about experiencing the saving love of God. So let us start with loving Jesus.
Fr. Theodore Dudzinski
THE CATHOLIC MOMENT – MARCH 22, 2020Change is an intrinsic part of the Christian life. Throughout our faith journey we undergo a series of changes – some sacramental, some vocational, some simply affecting our lives and relationships… The Uniting in Heart 2030 Pastoral Plan calls for us to embrace necessary changes in our pastoral priorities and diocesan structures.
Fr. Theodore Dudzinski
THE CATHOLIC MOMENT – MAY 24, 2020I think Uniting in Heart 2030 is wonderful and it will help to revitalize and strengthen our parishes to carry out our Mission which is moved by the Holy Spirit to do the Father's will by sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ for the salvation of souls. The Muncie Pastorate which includes St. Mary, St. Lawrence and St. Francis is very Blessed to have Fr. Underwood as their new pastor along with Fr. DeCarlo and Fr. Owens as the Associate Pastors. These three men are very holy, smart and personable priests. They will be able to bring our Catholic Community together in ways that three individual pastors were not able to do so. I am excited for the Muncie Pastorate ~ I know these three priests and they will help to carry out UiH2030 by focussing on the three pillars of Mission, Community and Witness. Fr. B. Doerr, Fr. Hellmann and I are leaving our parishes in good hands.
Fr. Andrew Dudzinski
I believe that the new pastoral team arriving in Muncie on August 19, 2020, will bring a youthful presence to the city of Muncie. These young priests are men of faith and active charity. They are eager to serve the Catholic people of Muncie as well as our neighbors. They have a profound love of Sacred Scripture, the Sacred Liturgy, and all things Catholic. My hope is that they will be welcomed as a true brothers and that they will make Muncie their new home.
Fr. Brian Doerr
The meeting the staff and I had at St. Lawrence with Fr. Underwood was very encouraging. He was impressed with the outreach and services extended to others through St. Vincent dePaul, Muncie Soup Kitchen and the Deacon's Food Pantry. There was conversation about Adult Faith Formation Programs and Youth Ministry Programs being offered in collaboration with all three parishes -- available to all parishioners. His attitude was one of working together, listening and building a strong Catholic faith community, welcoming those outside. Fr. Underwood spoke of the excitement that the two younger priests had about serving in the three parishes. He stated that he cared about the heart of the people.
Fr. Dave Hellmann
Only the divine is immutable. Human nature and life change from one stage to another. Seminary training which culminate in ordination to the Priesthood demonstrate that; ordination is the end of Seminary training and the beginning priestly life and ministry, and on and on. Change is the only thing constant in life. Life is all about moving on, accepting changes, and looking forward to what makes you stronger, better and more complete.
Petition: May our embracing of the "Uniting in Heart 2030" of our Diocese: Catholic Diocese of Lafayette in Indiana, by the grace of God, pave way for a positive and transforming change in our priestly life and ministry. And may our Blessed Mother Mary, mother of Priests intercede for us, now and always. Amen.
Fr. Matthew Kalu
Since Uniting in Heart was first proposed, I've been excited for the prospect of shared mission and of authentic community. I believe deep in my soul that Jesus Christ walked on this earth and breathed our air. Before He left, He gave us the awesome and daunting responsibility to implement His plan for humanity: to bring mankind, redeemed by Him, from the visible world to an unseen reality. In all of this, He is not a micromanager. He allows us freedom to follow or fail. Following after Him is the central point, and has always been the Church's professed mission.
Fr. Coady Owens
First, I am grateful to Fr. Andrew Dudzinski, Fr. Brian Doerr, and Fr. Dave Hellman for their dedication to their parishes and their parishioners in Muncie. As the Diocese begins to implement Uniting in Heart, we will all be undergoing change and be pushed outside of our comfort zones as related to the three pillars. Priests and parishioners will both be challenged to grow in Mission, Community, and Witness, which will also be the main focus of our work and ministry in the Muncie Pastorate. Our mission to go and make disciples, the Mission of the Catholic Church, will be our goal, beginning within the pastorate then moving out to the rest of the city. It excites me to enter into a new dynamic and be pushed to think outside the box for genuine evangelistic strategies to facilitate an encounter with Jesus Christ and the Church.
Fr. Christian DeCarlo
