May he run the good race

The Diocese of Helena recently selected Moe Wosepka as its new Development Director.  Moe is well known and loved throughout the large network of social concern advocacy with which he has been involved over the years.  He was director at the incredibly successful Good Samaritan Ministries in Helena from 1996 to 2006 that provides critical assistance to those in need.  He was then tabbed to be the director of the Montana Catholic Conference tasked with advocating for Catholic social teaching to be reflected more closely in the law.  Now he will turn his attention to marshaling resources for the Diocese of Helena that it may be better equipped to deliver the Gospel.

Moe will work closely with the Bishop and his staff on the goals and objectives of the Diocese.  As with any entity whose purpose it is to provide services, there is necessarily a component to gather the funds required to make the delivery of those services possible.  This is the arena in which Moe will work.  It will be his job to seek and establish relationships and partnerships with like-minded individuals and entities, Catholic and non-Catholic, who seek to join forces to make the world a better place to live.  In the parlance of our Catholic faith we would refer to this as working to usher the Kingdom of God into the world.

He will undoubtedly run into all sorts of obstacles along the way.  Perhaps the most discouraging of these will be the denial or avoidance of support by potential benefactors because of the clergy scandal and the potential legal claims against the assets of the Church.  So how does he open the conversation?  Does he begin with an apology?  Or does he simply forge ahead as though there is no history of sin in the Church?   I would suggest that the only message to lead and end with is the truth and love that is found in Christ.

You may have heard it said that the Church is a population of saints and sinners because within each person there is the nascent saint cloaked within a sinner.  Certainly we feel let down and angry when we discover that this truth is not limited to those in the pews but also to those serving in the sanctuary as well.  Moe will do well to deal with this fact head on and to assert that repentance in this matter must not be limited to introspection and correction within the Church but must be accompanied by a renewed vigor to deliver the Gospel in word and deed.

Let us keep Moe and our Diocese in our prayers, remembering these words, [T]herefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us rid ourselves of every burden and sin that clings to us and persevere in running the race that lies before us while keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus, the leader and perfecter of faith. Hebrews 12: 1-2