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Who We Are
All of us, lay and ordained, are Christ’s faithful.
We are here to help one another, in all our
diversity, to be disciples who
live out the mission we received at baptism.
The power and creativity of a
local community comes from relationships. When we live in
community with
others whom we have come to know, love, and respect, it changes how
we think
about “their” problems, how
we approach them when there are difficulties to be
resolved. People who know
they are loved and valued co-operate and collaborate easily.
They become
accountable to one another and support each other’s efforts to put
our faith
into practice, to give back to our local community, and to reach
out to those in need and to
those estranged from the Church.
We look to build on the strengths of our fellow parishioners and to help
carry their burdens.
We build our unity by finding ways to celebrate our
diversity.
According to canon law, the distinctive characteristic of a parish is that
it is a certain community
of Christ’s faithful, and a pastor’s
first priority is to help that community become aware of its
God-gifted authority
to live and share the gospel through word, sacrament, and service. While
this authority is rooted in communion with the universal church and coordinated
and nurtured
by the service and care of pastoral ministers, it is not hierarchically
delegated by the bishop,
the pastor, or the provincial—it comes from
Christ himself: “Where two or three are gathered
in my name, there
I am in the midst of them.” This is our baptismal charism.
This certain community at St. Ignatius is formed by persons who find here
shared values, shared
affection, shared commitment. The power of the Holy
Spirit is always present where there is mutual
respect, self-emptying love,
humility before God’s word, and a willingness to learn and be shown.
The way we live the gospel, the way we serve the wider community, worship,
educate our children,
or make choices and decisions depends on our sense
of being an us, of being involved in a common
enterprise that stretches
us all beyond self-interest, to lay down our lives in witness, in adoration,
in service.
The witness of service, the new relationships and networks formed, draw others
to join us,
sometimes in common worship, at other times in common social,
educational, or cultural efforts.
We in turn are drawn out into the wider
community to live our particular calling.
This is the kind of authority we all exercise on each other’s behalf.
This practical authority
of the local church shapes how the universal mission
of the Church takes flesh in particular times
and places and grounds the
pastoral mission of the Society of Jesus. The particulars come from us
and
from the needs of the people we serve—young and old, gay and straight,
married and single,
rich and poor, in all of our racial and ethnic diversity,
and with all the spiritual strength brought here
by those in various recovery
programs.
This practical authority, coming from the working of the
Holy Spirit, continues
to make Christ
present here and now.
Spring 2013 Parish Forum. At a Parish Forum held after each Mass on the weekend of April 6-7, parishioners were updated on the implementation of the Strategic Plan discussed in the paragraph below. A brief summary of the Strategic Plan Pillars can be seen here. The more detailed analysis of the implementation of the Strategic Plan, which was presented to those attending the Forum is available here.
Click here to review the original Strategic Plan which was developed to assure that the parish grows in a manner that meets the goals and objectives of the pastor and the parishioners of St. Ignatius. It is a "living plan," covering a 5 year period ending in 2015 that can be adjusted to meet changing need and situations that normally occur within such a time frame. The Plan was developed following extensive consultations with St. Ignatius parishioners: an extensive survey conducted both on line and in written form and two listening sessions after all Masses to ascertain parishioner reaction to earlier drafts. The Strategic Plan Grid essentially meets requests by a large number of parishioners to include within the plan a manner to define responsible parties and to assess success in meeting stated goals. The plan consists of five pillars that define the visions of the parish. They are supported by goals that set forth what we expect to accomplish under each of the pillars. Comments and questions are welcome.
The web based survey in September 2010 in which participants were asked to respond to specific questions and an oral one in the spring of 2011 at parish forums held following the weekend Masses played an important role in the development of the Strategic Plan. The draft plan, the results of the web-based survey and the comments received at the parish forums are available here for review.
Five-Year Parish Profile
Our parish's five-year profile for the years 2007-2011 is available here. This document is produced by the archdiocese based on annual reports that are submitted by the parish. It has been reviewed and approved by the pastoral council.
Join Us
Those attending our 9:30 or 10:30 a.m. liturgy on Sunday
morning are encouraged to come
to Ignatian
Hall after Mass to enjoy our hospitality hour and to meet members of the
parish and staff. There is also a hospitality hour after the 6:00 p.m. Mass on the second Sunday of the month.
Anyone wishing to become a member of the parish should complete and return
a Parishioner
Registration Form which can be printed from this website or obtained from the narthex of the church or the
bulletin board in
the gallery.
You are also welcome to drop by the parish office at 805 North Calvert Street
between the hours of
9:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Faith Direct
Electronic Giving Is Possible. Faith Direct is a way to simplify your regular offertory and Historic Trust Fund contributions to our parish by arranging to have one electronic transfer each month directly from your bank account to ours. Donations may also be made through a credit card. Go to www.faithdirect.net and see how easy it is. Our church code is MD301. For more information, contact Deacon Paul Weber at 410-727-3848 or paulweber@st-ignatius.net.
One-Time Gifts. We now have the ability to accept donations on-line from your credit card. Click here and follow the prompts. We are grateful for your generosity.