Our pastor, Fr. Bill, has graciously invited me to share this column with him every other week during the time I am with you at St. Ann’s. I thought I would use this opportunity to tell you a little more about myself, as well as to outline briefly what Fr. Bill and I thought might be some things I could do in the parish during my stay with you.
I have a passion for evangelization and faith formation. It used to be said of Catholics that they were well catechized (knew some answers from the Catholic Catechism) but not evangelized (had a personal relationship with Jesus Christ). Today, sadly, it is often the case that Catholics are neither catechized nor evangelized. Generally speaking, we are poorly equipped to “give an explanation for the hope that is within us” (1 Pt. 3:15). Pope Benedict XVI and Archbishop Carlson are all about changing this. My life is given to assisting them in these efforts.
In addition to working with Mary Jo Reichenbach to being a resource for our grade school children, and with Fr. Bill as a resource for his students at the Newman Center at UMSL, I offer myself as a resource to you in your desire to enter more deeply into the mystery of the Christian faith. I see myself as a “Faith Coach.” I love to walk alongside folks who want to know more of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. To this end Fr. Bill has asked me to offer a few series of presentations during the upcoming months, beginning with three sessions on the Person of Jesus during the Advent season. You will see advertised in the bulletin classes that Fr. Bill and I believe might be helpful for the parish.
Thank you for welcoming me to St. Ann’s. I recognize in your warmth the promise of Him who said, “whenever you did it to the least of my brethren, you did it unto Me” (Mt. 25:40).
– Phil Krill