Apostolates> Parish Missions

THE PARISH MISSION

conducted by:    FR. CLAUDIO PICCININI, C.P., MS. ANDREINA BRANN

and the Passionist Mission Team

INFORMATION FOR PASTORS AND PARISH STAFF

Dear Father Pastor and Parish Staff:

A parish mission is a very special and grace-filled time for the parish community.  It is a time of particular blessings, change, renewal, repentance and conversion.  We could say that Jesus is passing by during a parish mission.  Therefore, it is a time of visitation by the Lord.  Jesus is making a “house call”. 

By calling for a parish mission, the pastor issues a special invitation to Jesus to pass by his parish.  And we know that whenever Jesus passes by, things always change for the better.  People are never left the same.

With the parish mission, the pastor repeats the invitation of Jesus, “You must be made perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Matt 5:48).  The proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ is the ultimate goal of the Church.  During the mission, it becomes our special goal as we preach a crucified Lord who redeems us mercifully and lovingly by His Passion, Death, and Resurrection.

Please review the attached material.  There is important information and some suggestions that can be implemented before the Passionist mission team arrives for the mission proper.  If you have questions or concerns, please feel free to call or FAX me at the above numbers.  My E-mail is frclaudio@teopoli.org

Fraternally yours in Christ,

Fr. Claudio Piccinini, C.P.

THE PARISH MISSION

THEME:  THE PRESENCE OF GOD IN MY LIFE

Sunday                The Presence of God in My Life
Monday               The Presence of Evil in My Life
Tuesday               The Presence of God in Prayer

Wednesday        The Presence of God in the Sacraments
Thursday            The Presence of God in Mary
Friday                  The Presence of God in the Passion and Death of Jesus

A parish mission is a time of grace for everyone in the parish.  Appropriate planning is absolutely necessary for it to be a successful experience. 

Parish preparation for the mission begins in the heart of those in parish leadership.  If we are enthusiastic, spirit-filled and hopeful about possible changes and benefits that the mission can bring to us, individually and as a community of faith, we will convey these ideas and feelings to the people, and they in turn will follow us in preparing for the mission.

The best preparation that can be made for the mission is spiritual, through prayer, offered in public and in private, at Church and in the home, and at the workplace.  For example, a prayer for the success of the parish mission could be printed in the parish bulletin each week.

The parish should cancel all other activities that would naturally interfere with the attendance of parishioners to the mission.  Special emphasis should be given to all children, teenagers and young adults because no one is too young or too senior to receive the spiritual benefits that come from a parish mission.

The parish staff might want to establish a special Parish Mission Committee that can see to it that all aspects of the planning are implemented, such as the announcing of the mission to all parishioners and the coordinating of all resources within the parish.

Every group within the parish, such as religious communities, schools, confraternities, prayer groups, music ministry groups, the CWL, Knights of Columbus, Marian groups, St. Vincent De Paul Society, Holy Name Society, parish youth group, Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, etc., should be included in the preparation stage.

The Parish Mission Team could be instrumental in providing transportation, or making other arrangements, to make it possible for everyone to attend.

In those parishes where there is a school attached to it and/or where there are programs of religious education such as CCD, there is a great opportunity to announce and promote the parish mission.  This may be done by personal contacts with those in charge and writing letters to the parents of children involved in these programs and institutions.

The principals and teachers of the schools and the instructors in all these programs should be encouraged to help in the preparation of the parish mission by generating interest through special activities and assignments that would help the children to understand the meaning and purpose of the parish mission.

BASIC FORMAT OF THE PARISH MISSION

1.   Opening of Mission with a Solemn Procession 
   

I usually arrive at the parish on Saturday during the day.  I use the time before the first Mass on Saturday evening to set up the Jesus the Listener mission crucifix and to meet with the pastor and/or parish staff. 

    Traditionally, the Passionist missionaries have used their own particular mission crucifix for the parish mission.  In the celebration of the weekend Eucharistic liturgies, this crucifix is carried in procession either by the pastor or the missionary.  The crucifix is always carried at the end of the procession.  The corpus is carried facing the congregation, indicating the presence of Jesus and his invitation to follow him.

    It would be appropriate to have candles, flowers and/or plants to place in front of the mission crucifix while on the altar.  To highlight the crucifix, I will have a small spotlight that will be used. It is also appropriate for the crucifix to be incensed at the beginning of each weekend Eucharistic celebration. 

    I preach at all the Masses during the weekend.  If necessary, I can be the main celebrant as well.

    Whenever possible, I begin the mission proper on Sunday evening by holding a mission service without Mass and close the mission on Friday evening.

2.   The 2-inch Crucifix
   
As part of my parish mission, I distribute a 2-inch metal Crucifix entitled JESUS THE LISTENER during the homilies to all the parishioners who attend the weekend services.  I will be asking the ushers (Ministers of Hospitality) to help in the distribution of the crucifix to the congregation.  The parish is not charged for the crucifixes.

3.   Ask, And You Will Receive

    At each weekend celebration, I present the above-named book for a free-will offering.   It can be used as an aid to the mission proper.  The book is an integral part of my evangelization effort.   It has an Introduction by the late John Cardinal O’Connor of New York who said the book “will encourage those who are suffering to confidently speak with ‘Jesus the Listener’ and share with him their concerns.   Having endured suffering himself, Jesus is always ready to answer our prayers and be ‘God with us’ ”.   The book has received very favourable reviews by clergy, laity, and religious.   Based on Passionist spirituality and the scriptures, it makes good spiritual reading, provides support for the mission message, and helps prayer life.   It promotes spiritual growth through a basic presentation of the fundamental truths of our Catholic faith.

4.   The 18-inch Crucifix

    In 1978 I began promoting the theology of Jesus the Listener, that is, the realization that we are loved by a present, merciful and listening God. 

    As a Passionist missionary who has been in various mission areas throughout the world, it is my personal experience that the lack of family prayer is one of the main causes of the evil we face in our society.   I worked on an idea to make available to every household in the world a special crucifix showing a Redeemer who is alive and who is listening and who calls the family together for prayer.   This crucifix is entitled Jesus the Listener. 

    After much work and research, and with the help of thousands of benefactors, I am finally able to offer this beautiful 18-inch Jesus the Listener crucifix, simply for a free-will donation.

5.  Morning and Evening Celebrations Followed by Confession

  I usually conduct two services a day, Monday through Friday.  The two mission talks for the day are the same.   This gives the people the opportunity to make the mission by attending either the morning or evening service. 

    I celebrate Holy Mass as part of each service and give the mission talk after Mass.  The entire service is approximately an hour and a half.

    After each service, I make myself available for the celebration of the Sacrament of Penance with the exception of Friday morning and evening because of the Veneration of the Crucifix and the social that might follow (and unless required to be elsewhere after each service during the week, such as visiting schools).

6.   Pastoral Counselling During the Mission

    I and my collaborators are available during the entire week for appointments as time permits.   We ask that the parish provide us with a private place for this work. 

7.   Passionist Religious Articles

    I bring with me some Passionist religious articles, such as Chaplets of the Five Wounds, Passionist rosaries, and audio and video cassettes of the mission.   An appropriate place should be assigned for these articles, if there is no parish gift shop, as well as some volunteers from the parish to assist in making this material available.

8.   Parish Participation

    I encourage the presence of altar servers, Eucharistic ministers and cantors to participate in all the morning and evening celebrations.   If there is a Music Ministry in the parish, I would ask its active participation in the Eucharistic celebrations for the duration of the mission.   Music that is solemn and reverential is particularly important at the closing of the mission during the Veneration of the mission crucifix.   I leave the choice of the music proper to the Director of the Music Ministry.

9.   Closing-of-Mission Social

    If the Parish considers it opportune, it may schedule a Closing Social (coffee and tea, cake, cookies, etc.) on the last day of the mission after the Veneration of the Crucifix.

10.   Publicity

    Parish Bulletin.  Besides clarifying our attitudes and expectations, there are other kinds of preparation that need to be done.   First among these is the weekly parish bulletin.   This is a powerful means of communication; it is effective and available.

    Letter Writing.  A pastor should write one or more letters, presenting to all the parishioners what is going to happen and what the pastor expects from the parish mission.   If there is a school(s) within the parish, it would be very good for the pastor or principal to notify the parents and families of the students.

    Weekly Pulpit Announcements.  Each week the core of the parish community comes together to worship.   It is a captive audience ready to be fed, inspired and informed.   One can hardly look for a better opportunity to explain the purposes and the benefits of attending the parish mission.

    Newspapers, Radio, Local TV Stations, and the Website.  Our age is one of communication through the mass media.   All these means should be used to inform the parishioners and the community at large of the parish mission.

11.  The Passionist Missionary Team

    I conduct my parish missions with lay and religious Passionist collaborators.

    The team affords the parishioners more time for conferences and personal appointments. 

    The team also sets an example of the many different types of ministries available to the laity and religious.   It shows them how they can contribute to the spiritual enrichment of the whole parish community.   I have found that the results of a team have always been very beneficial.

12.  Follow-Up to Mission

 I have been involved in conducting parish missions since my ordination in 1972 in both large and small parishes.    I have discovered that there is a great need for this kind of grassroots evangelization.   The contact with and intervention of outside missionaries always brings about profound spiritual results in the lives of the parishioners. 

    The many and varied spiritual benefits that accompany a parish mission can be made even more lasting, however, with a parish-mission follow-up that is reasonable and adapted to the actual needs and potentials of the parish.   I have some ideas and proposals that I would be willing to share and discuss with the Pastor.

13.  Financial Remuneration

    As a member of the Passionist Congregation and as a person under vows, whatever I receive as remuneration for my apostolic work goes to my community.

    I ask the pastors to allow a collection to be taken during the closing Friday morning and evening services as remuneration to my Passionist community and to the other members of the Passionist missionary team for our apostolic work.

    In order to exercise a certain amount of financial responsibility toward my community, it would be appreciated to know in advance if the parish intends to keep some of the collection.  It would also be appreciated if during the Sunday liturgies following the Mission a chance would be given to those who were absent at the closing services to make a donation for the support of the Mission and then be forwarded to me.

Biographical Sketch

Fr. Claudio Piccinini, C.P. is a Passionist Missionary Priest born in Ascoli Piceno, central Italy, in 1941.   Fr. Claudio lived there for 18 years as a shepherd and farmer before establishing residence in Windsor, Ontario, Canada, with his family.   Father is one of seven children.

Father Claudio is an honorary member for life of the Knights of Columbus, Baltimore, MD, since 1983.

In 1961, at the age of 20, Father joined the Passionist Preparatory Seminary in New York.   In the summer months, during his years of study before ordination, Father worked in construction in Windsor, Toronto Canada, and Detroit, MI. 

After completing 11 years of study, which took him to various cities of the United States, such as Pittsburgh and Scranton, PA; Jamaica, NY; Union City, NJ; and West Hartford, CT, Father was ordained to the priesthood in Toronto, Canada, on June 2, 1972.
Fr. Claudio received a Bachelor of Arts and Master of Theology from St. John’s University, Jamaica, New York.

Father’s ministry has included conducting week-long missions and retreats to English and Italian-speaking faithful; Retreat House work in West Springfield, MA, and Pittsburgh, PA; Days of Renewal and special days of devotion; and Home-to-Home Missions in Parishes that at times have lasted for months.   Father has also conducted these activities in various countries throughout the world, including Africa, India, and Israel.

For eight years, as an ordained priest, Father served the Passionist Congregation in the capacity of Director of the Confraternity of the Sacred Passion, developing new and creative programs for its members.   Father has devoted much of his time to the needs of the young and of the family in modern society.

While still a student preparing for the priesthood in Union City, NJ,.  Fr. Claudio founded a mission consisting of Religious, Priests, and Laity to promote Peace, Love and Unity according to the teaching of the Gospel.   This mission of Società Unita/The United Society is still working on its goals and has branched out to Toronto, Ontario, and West Springfield, MA.  In Canada, the mission has a program called TEOPOLI, the City of God, established on 200 acres of land in the beautiful Muskoka area.   Every year thousands of pilgrims and children spend days and weeks in this place of pilgrimage and prayer to deepen their faith and religious lives.

In 1979, Fr. Claudio founded Jesus the Listener, a program to promote devotion to the Passion and Death of Our Lord by bringing the Jesus the Listener Crucifix into homes, nursing facilities, hospitals, prisons, and schools.

Fr. Claudio plays a musical instrument called “concertina” which he learned while tending his sheep as a young boy in the mountains of Italy.   During his mission work, he has used this talent and integrated it into the full scope of his work, the proclamation of God’s love for each one of us through the Passion, Death and Resurrection of Jesus Our Lord.

In collaboration with Andreina Brann, Father wrote a book entitled ASK, AND YOU WILL RECEIVE in response to the Holy Father’s special Jubilee call to evangelize.   The book presents to the faithful a present, merciful and loving God who listens and answers our prayers. 

You may phone Fr. Claudio at (705) 687-4488 or send an E-mail.  frclaudio@teopoli.org