Our parish churches are more than just buildings where people meet. They are places where we come together, different and distinct as we may be, as the one Body of Christ. This is where we celebrate the most important events and commitments of our lives. This is where we pass on the faith and values that give our lives meaning. Whatever we do, whatever we teach, promote or solemnize in our churches becomes a public statement of our faith and values.
Parishes can do many things.
In addition to offering meeting places, they might plan a day of education on HIV and prayer for those afflicted. It could be as simple as a Saturday or Sunday afternoon educational program followed by a prayer service for those who have died and those who live with the disease today. The ways we invest our time to learn, to improve human relationships and to pray, benefit not only those who participate directly, but all of us. In all of our Catholic Community Churches there is so much talent, so many skills and so much desire to serve God in new and thoughtful ways. We can do that in so many ways.