Sunday, June 17, 2018

A paradigm shift is taking place in Catholic parishes especially here is the northeast and mid-Atlantic. Structures are changing, leadership roles are evolving and pastoral practices are being adapted.

One of the greatest challenges as we move to the  year 2020 is overcoming parochialism and resistance to change. We must call forth the gifts of others, be open to ongoing formation and evangelization and demonstrate the relevance of faith to the lives of our people.

Small, faith-based communities, deep seated prayer, sacramental life and a rock bed foundation in adoration and the Eucharist is the center of all parish life and ministry.

In the US there are more than 64 million Catholics, about 1/3 of whom are actively involved and engaged in parish life. Here, at St. Katharine Drexel Parish, that translates into 950 households of whom 300 are involved and engaged in SKD parish life.

Our primary goal this summer is to reach out and contact and visit those who are not engaged or connected and invite them into the circle of parish life and mission.

Our secondary goal is to create small faith communities and begin to form and develop neighborhood missions which extend out form the parish center so that the domestic church in each household begins to flourish in homes and families.

Toward a future “full of hope.”

In His love and mine,

Fr. Ken

In the Spring of 1988, Bishop William D. Keeler formed a new parish to accommodate the rapid growth in Silver Spring Township and named Reverend James R. O’Brien as the founding pastor. That same year, Mother Katharine Drexel was beatified by Pope John Paul, II. At Bishop Keeler’s request, the Holy Father gave his permission to name the Parish in Silver Spring Township as the first parish in the world to be named in her honor. Eighteen years later, on October 1, 2000, Blessed Katharine Drexel was canonized and the church’s name changed to Saint Katharine Drexel.

The Saint Katharine Drexel Parish Family, guided by the Holy Spirit, commits itself to reaching out and sharing with all people the love and service modeled by our patroness, with the Eucharist as our source of strength. Through prayer and action, we will serve God, our Lord and Savior, and our community, exhibiting a special concern for the poor, oppressed and marginalized of our society, especially those among the African-American & Native-American peoples.