Our Parish Vision
Our Mission
We, the members of St. Francis Xavier College Church, form a welcoming Jesuit parish community. As followers of Jesus Christ, we praise God, love our neighbors as ourselves, celebrate liturgy and the sacraments, engage in lifelong formation and proclaim God’s reign of justice, mercy and peace.
Our Orientation
What we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we looked upon and touched with our hands concerns the Word of life - for the life was made visible; what we have seen and heard we proclaim now to you. I JN 1-3
Our shared experience of Jesus Christ, the Word of life, is the foundation of College Church. We are grateful for the abundant graces received. We recognize the good work God has done for and with us. As we consider our future, we hear and see and proclaim:
A profound need for reconciliation with God, one another, and creation.
A deep desire for an authentic encounter with Christ and each other.
A great hunger for communion with others and accompaniment along life’s journey.
Our Way of Proceeding
This is a particular way for us to hear and respond to the call of Christ. These guiding principles are how we intend to operate with one another. They will guide our work and provide us with the clarity to adjust course as needed.
Ignatian Spirituality: We seek to facilitate personal encounter with God, become a more discerning community, be free of unnecessary attachments, and deepen our connection to the mission/identity of the Society of Jesus.
Synodality/Collaboration: We believe that the Holy Spirit is moving within and among us. Our region has an abundance of gifts and resources. We as College Church have gifts and resources to share with one another and the broader community. It is through encountering one another, building relationships and bringing our gifts and resources together that we can more fully embody God in the world.
Our Priorities
These priorities are areas that we believe need particular attention in our current time and place. We have many important ministries and programs at College Church. Our priorities are not meant to diminish other ministries or programs. Rather, it is our intention that all parts of our parish community will consider these priorities as we plan for and implement all of our ministries and programs. The priorities are not meant to be the responsibility of a particular leadership body.
Reconciliation with Creation: Through Christ all of creation has come into being and bears the imprint of the Creator; hence, all is holy. Our innate connection with the created world has been severed, leading to brokenness and illness everywhere - politically, spiritually, environmentally. It is our moral and evolutionary responsibility to reclaim our awareness of the holiness of all, re-establish our connectedness, and be about healing ourselves and our planet. We are called to realign our relationships to reduce isolation from one another. In doing so, we can realize our shared abundance. We are also called to decrease our environmentally damaging consumerism and culture of disposability.
Accompany Young People (birth to 35) in the creation of a hope-filled future. Accompaniment is important for all of us at every stage of life. We see young people leaving the Catholic faith in large numbers. As a parish, our Body is missing an integral piece without our youth. We need the presence, perspectives, voices, and gifts young people bring. Each particular age/stage needs something particular from the church (formation) and has particular gifts to offer to help build the Kingdom. College Church has a strong, vibrant Youth Faith Formation program. However, as a parish we need to create more space for young people to engage in ministry and provide leadership.
Anti-racism: We are committed to becoming an anti-racist parish. We must continue to grow in our understanding of the systems that uphold racism as well as the actions and avenues that help to dismantle it. With the aid and guidance of the Holy Spirit, we are committed to transforming ourselves, our church and the community so that we can fully live the gospel. We will work to become a transforming institution committed to the process of intentional institutional restructuring, based upon anti-racist analysis and identity.
