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APRIL 13, 2008
’God help me work your plan today’ Holy Cross Sister Mary Brooks leaves a spiritual mark on the diocese By Sister Margie Lavonis Holy Cross Sister Mary Brooks leaves her ministry in the diocese with the Office of Spiritual Development and Evangelization this month to assume her new role as director of mission for the sisters and their lay colleagues who work for Sisters of the Holy Cross Inc. at Saint Mary’s. She describes her new ministry, and that of the whole corporation, as “one of stewardship of our mission, values and resources in an effort to be faithful in giving the quality of service we promise.” How did her journey with the diocese begin? Sixteen years ago Bishop John D’Arcy was her primary recruiter. “I was between ministries, having just completed my work at Mary’s Solitude” (a former house of prayer at Saint Mary’s). “Bishop D’Arcy called me,” she says. “He had just returned from Boston where he had visited his family and my name came up in a conversation with his sister who knew me. He asked if I would meet with him to discuss the possibility of working in the diocesan Office of Spiritual Development. He offered me the position, and I accepted.” Sister Mary describes the mission of the Office of Spiritual Development in this way: “It exists to assist the pastor and parish community in the ongoing development and renewal of the spiritual life of the parish. The focus of this ministry is the parish because of its unique opportunity to be that place where faith is nourished and people are enabled to continue to live out their Christian vocation.” Asked what the highlights of her ministry were these past 16 years, she has a difficult time choosing. “There have been so many highlights for me in this ministry. Among them is the clear evidence of growth and development of so many parishes in the Parish Renewal Program, which Bishop D’Arcy introduced to the diocese in 1987.” Another highlight she mentioned was the experience of Disciples in Mission, which is a parish-based process of evangelization, which the Paulist Fathers developed in response to the 1992 Pastoral on Evangelization of the United States Bishops. The diocese made a five-year commitment to learn the process and prepare parishes to use it in their efforts to evangelize. “The program nourished some of the hungers for spiritual growth generated by the Parish Renewal Program. It opened people to their baptismal call to evangelize and to take responsibility for actions on behalf of meeting the needs of family, work life and parish life,” she said. Wells of Hope was developed as a response to the need to reach out to inactive Catholics that was identified by many parishes through the parish renewal process. Several parishes sent teams to the training that took place last year. “It is hoped that this will be an ongoing service to parish communities and will result in many people ‘coming home,’” she says. It is with a grateful heart that she leaves her work in the Office of Spiritual Development. “I feel especially blessed and grateful to have ministered in collaboration with Bishop D’Arcy, with the diocesan staff in all departments, and with the pastors, pastoral staff and devoted lay members of the parishes within the diocese. It has been a real experience of ‘church’ for me. It has been my gift to have shared in the faith life of so many. It has enriched me personally and spiritually beyond anything I could have imagined. I am profoundly grateful and will always be indebted to Bishop D’Arcy and to my congregation for giving me the opportunity to minister in the Diocese of Fort Wayne–South Bend.” Sister Mary has indeed touched and left a mark on many people in the diocese. Mary Szymczak, who works in the Office of Vocations, says, “I am going to miss her. She is a good confidant and gives great spiritual advice.” Barbara Szymanski, who worked for several years at the Tribunal Office in South Bend, says she will miss Sister Mary’s “one-liners,” as she calls them. She quotes Sister Mary as saying things like, “Don’t lose any graces over this” and “God help me work your plan today.” Sister Mary also has a “God Box” in which she put intentions. Of the people and things she wants to pray for she often says, “They are in God’s Box and he will take care of them.” To be sure, those who have worked with Sister Mary over these past 16 years will find themselves in her God Box. Finally, when asked what her hopes and dreams are, she says, “They are to join with others who share a common vision and to use the gifts we have been given to build a better world with and for the people we serve.” * * * |
