Lives Transformed

Seeing the Church in a New Light

by: Manas Khurana, CC Seminarian

As a Companion of the Cross seminarian, I benefit from a formation that makes me see the shape of the Church in a new light. Our goal is not simply to keep the Catholics we have but to convert the whole nation because that is what the Heart of God desires. He desires for people to know his love and for more and more people to receive him in the Eucharist. 

For the last several decades, churches have been operating in a “maintenance mode.” Churches often seem to provide “services” to a rapidly declining Catholic population.  

Our society around us has transitioned from a Christendom to a secular post-Christendom, so the old approach no longer works. Therefore, parishes will need to shift focus. We need change.  

We need to go out and share the awesome Good News of God’s love with others, and invite them to experience a relationship with him. This is God’s desire.  

God goes ahead of us. He is doing amazing things. He is doing amazing things in the Companions of the Cross community, and he is doing amazing things in our parishes.  

One of the reasons that our parishes are starting to flourish is the new leadership model we’ve implemented in them. These leadership models—for example Divine Renovation or Amazing Parish—are moving the parishes from “maintenance mode” to Mission mode; from simply being a church which provides “services”, to a Church that evangelizes and builds up God’s Kingdom.  

During my internship last year in Halifax, I experienced two Divine Renovation, Companions of the Cross parishes. These parishes are dynamic and full of life. I saw conversions and people’s lives change during my time there. The lay people and priests work together around a common vision and a mission focused on evangelizing people and calling them to live a Spirit-filled life.  

As Companions of the Cross seminarians, we learn the principles of leadership in our summer formation program. Because of the busy schedule of the priests, it is difficult to learn these leadership skills once ordained. It’s very helpful that we develop these skills while in seminary.  

We are being equipped and taught how to be holy priests so that we may, when our turn comes, serve our parishioners and our communities well. We are learning to be leaders so that we will accompany lay leaders with the goal of bringing more and more people into a relationship with Jesus.