I have been a parishioner at St. Ignatius Church for 8 years along with my wife and two children. Our family was introduced to St. Ignatius after realizing our previous parish did not offer continued Catholic Faith Formation for our children. Further growing our children’s faith and continuing ours as a family was important for us. In searching for a new parish, a good friend suggested St. Ignatius. While initially we were impressed by the inside architecture of the church, we quickly realized that St. Ignatius has much more to offer. We immediately felt welcomed by the community, the activities, the continued Children's Faith Formation for our children, and of course the Jesuit way of teaching. Since joining the parish, our daughter has been confirmed, our son made his first communion, and he is now preparing for his confirmation. The church has made such a positive impact on our family and we feel a natural desire to be more involved. Additionally, by being more involved, our own experiences have been enriched.
Two years ago, I was asked to join the Faith Formation Commission. It seemed like a natural fit for me since both of my children have participated in the Faith Formation program here at St. Ignatius. I wasn’t familiar with the work of the commissions, but I quickly learned more. St. Ignatius strives to empower parishioners with leadership in many aspects of the parish life and develop leaders from within the community. The four commissions focus on providing direction to all aspects of Parish life: Faith Formation, Mercy & Justice, Community, and Worship. Each commission sets both short-term and long-term goals and action plans that are consistent with the Mission Statement of the Parish.
As a Jesuit parish and community, we come together to grow in our relationship with God and to find the inspiration, desire, and strength for each other. We seek to find God in all things by deepening our faith, listening with discerning and joyful hearts, and actively serving, all for the greater glory of God.
The experience of being part of the Faith Formation commission has enriched my relationship with the parish by meeting new community members that I would not otherwise have met. It has also allowed me to become involved in more of the church activities and opened my eyes to how much St. Ignatius has to offer. I have realized that the more you put in the more you get out!
I would strongly recommend nominating someone or even yourself for one of the commissions. It is truly fulfilling.
Jamie McGrath, parishioner and Faith Formation Commission member