In this video, Dan Cellucci, presents a realistic look at the ever-shrinking population of churchgoing Americans.  Faced with this reality, our Community looks to how we can move to an exciting new life filled with hope and promise.

For encouragement and hope, Fr. Steve points to the Saints to help guide us. The saints - so connected with Jesus - understood that it is all about Jesus. What is it the God wants us to do for His Church here in Reading?

On July 12, 2022, a joint meeting of the Parish and Financial Councils, Collaborative Staff, and Archdiocesan Representatives, Fr. Paul Soper and Sister Pat Boyle, was held to share thoughts and questions on the need for a possible merger.

Dear Parishioners,

You have been hit with a lot the past few weeks with talk about a possible merger and now Father Campo leaving for a new parish.  Questions abound as to when we will get another priest.  With the lack of vocations the prospects are not promising but with God’s help we will keep moving forward.

I keep asking the question “WHERE IS THE SPIRIT LEADING US?”  As your Pastor I have the responsibility to lead our community in building up God’s Kingdom here in Reading.  Personally, I wish I wasn’t the one given the responsibility to address our current circumstances, but it is my responsibility to lead us where I believe God is calling us.

Looking backwards to 1975, 1985, 1995 has nothing to do with how our community will look in 2025.  As Pastor, I must look to the future and begin building one new and exciting parish, using the foundation stones of both parishes.  Both parishes have great strengths, and a merger is a way to blend these gifts and purposefully move from the past to an exciting new life filled with hope and promise.  One new parish with unlimited potential for answering Jesus’ call to “be the Church” in the future.

Do you remember the Gospel story of the three men given talents to invest by the king?  The third man buries his talent because he does not want to take a chance.  We must be like the other two men in this story:  willing to invest their talents and be rewarded.  I know that I’m not taking a chance because God is leading us and will guide us and strengthen us.

I encourage you to fully understand a possible merger and offer your comments.

• Email your thoughts, concerns, questions to:  Merger@ReadingCatholic.org
• Attend the Zoom meeting on Tuesday, August 16, 7:00PM with Archdiocesan representative, Sr. Pat Boyle and Fr. Paul Soper
• Stay after Masses to listen and ask questions.  Dates TBD

Dear Parishioners,

When we began the collaboration, we didn’t know we would be hit first with COVID-19, and then enduring the impacts of COVID on attendance, finances, and volunteerism.  As we face the challenges and opportunities in front of us, Cardinal Sean has asked pastors in Collaboratives to open conversations in their parishes about the possibility of merging.  In this regard, we have come a long way but are not fully unified. To discuss the possible merging of our parishes we had a joint meeting with the Parish Council, Finance Councils, Staff, and representatives from the Archdiocese to discuss this possibility.  We listened to what the representatives from the Archdiocese had to say and then they listened to our comments and answered our questions.  I would say that a clear majority were in favor of merging and encouraged listening to the parishioners.
We need to ask ourselves “WHERE IS THE SPIRIT LEADING US?”  If we continue to look to the past, we stay in the past.  There is fear with what is going to happen to “my church, my parish,” but we forget it is Jesus’ Church – what does He want us to do going forward in His name and Spirit?
What would a merger look like and feel like?  Truthfully, not much different than what the Collaborative looks like today.  Instead of the of two parishes – “us and them”, we become a new parish of “we,” with two worship sites and shared talents to move us forward.  A merger is a way for the Reading Catholic community to gently and purposefully move from the past to an exciting new life filled with hope and promise.
Over the next few weeks we hope to accomplish the following:

1. Information  Broadly inform Parishioners via Constant Contact email, Masses, bulletin notices, and website updates (https://ReadingCatholic.org/merger)

2. Create Opportunities for Feedback, Answer Questions from Parishioners
   - Website updates
   - Email comments and questions to:  Merger@readingcatholic.org
   - Zoom Session will be held on August 16, 7:00 PM
   - Presentations after weekend Masses will be held in late August

I believe that merging will help shape our future with Christ in very challenging times.  In the Gospel of John, Jesus was praying “so they may be one, as we are one, I in them and you and me, that they may be brought to perfection as one.”  St. Paul struggled with division within the Corinthian Community which was tearing them apart.  There is nothing new with our “issues.”  The beauty of Paul’s Letter is he not only challenged them, but offered them a way forward…unity in Christ, for we are the “One Body of Christ.”
Finally, I want to thank you for your presence in our community.  Each person contributes in their unique way to be the “Body of Christ” to the wider community.  Reading is blessed!  Let’s spend some time in the days ahead in praying for the Holy Spirit to discern God’s will in growing as a stronger community of faith, building up the Kingdom of God for future generations.

God bless,

Fr. Steve Rock

Dear Parishioners,

I would like to share what I believe is positive news about shaping our collective future - with our faith and with each other - in the spirit of Christ and for positive growth in challenging times!

Two short weeks ago I asked for a joint meeting of our Parish and Financial Councils, Collaborative Staff, and our Archdiocesan experts on moving forward, Fr. Paul Soper and Sister Pat Boyle.  I welcomed everyone and spoke about the need for a possible merger.  I quoted the New Testament, John 17 where Jesus was praying “so they may be one, as we are one, I in them and you and me, they may be brought to perfection as one.”  I also mentioned St. Paul’s struggles with divisions within the Corinthian Community which were tearing them apart.  There is nothing new with our “issues”  though they certainly challenge us.  The beauty of Paul’s Letter to the Corinthians is that he not only challenged them, but offered them a way forward:  unity in Christ.  For we are the One Body of Christ, “baptized into one body by the same spirit, we all have been given the one spirit to drink.” 

Do we ever ask ourselves “WHERE IS THE SPIRIT LEADING US?”   We have come a long way in 4 years yet we’ve not gotten any closer together.  If we continue to look to the past, we stay in the past and hope that things turn around.  I am afraid that this will not happen soon, if ever.

Pre-COVID we had  approximately 1,300 people attending weekend Masses.  Now we have about 750.  Fear drives a lot of what we do or do not do. There is fear with “what’s going to happen to my church, my Parish,” but we forget it is Jesus’ Church:  what is it that He wants us to do so that we move forward in His name and spirit?

Our Archdiocesan experts spoke about what merging means:  merging our two parishes into one new parish with a new name and with two worship sites, St. Agnes Church and St. Athanasius Church.  They then listened to any concerns and answered our questions.  One thing they stressed was this was not about closing either church.  I think almost everyone present spoke - and shared their opinions which ranged from keeping ‘status quo’ to merging.  Two comments jumped out at me:  one from a young father who wants a dynamic parish with a bright future for his family and the other who used a marriage analogy.  She said, “We’ve been engaged for 4 years - and it’s time we got married  and raise our two children, Athanasius and Agnes.”

A merger is a way for the Reading Catholic community to gently and purposefully move from the past to an exciting new life filled with hope and promise.

Over the next few weeks I will communicate more to you about a possible merger and invite you to share your concerns.  We have a special email address specifically for sending your thoughts about this promising possibility:  Merger@ReadingCatholic.org

God bless and let’s continue to pray for each other.

Fr. Steve Rock