A pastor is many things. A pastor is like a precinct captain. He knows his people. What they cry about and what they dream about.
A pastor is like a prophet. He challenges his people to move beyond comfortable silos, to lean into the uncomfortable, feel compassion and moral outrage, and discover the will to do what the Lord requires.
A pastor is like a poet. He shrinks the distance between the pulpit and the pew by weaving stories of his people in with the Gospel stories so both are heard anew.
Father Efraín Bautista is pastor of Corpus Christi Parish in Bonita, California, in the Diocese of San Diego. The front page of the parish bulletin says it all: “We Are the Body of Christ.”
It is Father Bautista’s most fervent wish that the parish’s name be its mission statement and aspirational goal.
Last year, he joined Catholic Extension Society on an immersion trip to witness the impact of our work as well as the impact of his parish’s support.
The precinct captain in him knows that, deep down, his people hunger to be a part of God’s work in the world and that they will be incomplete until they do so.
Corpus Christi is a robust parish of 5,000 families.
For some parishes, that kind of success can be a temptation to coast along comfortably, to self-protect and to keep the needy out of sight and out of mind. But that is not the way of Corpus Christi Parish.
The prophet in Father Bautista knows that the Body of Christ cannot just sit around the parish hall drinking coffee and eating donuts. The Body of Christ builds bridges to those hurting or in need of help. The Body of Christ is meant to be given for the world
Extending their mission
Corpus Christi Parish has 15 unique ministries which serve the spiritual and pastoral needs of their community. Their partnership with Catholic Extension Society allows the parish to also extend their love far beyond home. The parish has supported poor missions in New Mexico and ministry to migrant farmworkers in the Diocese of Yakima, Washington.
There are an estimated 60,000 seasonal agricultural laborers in the Yakima Valley each year. Many of these workers bring their families with them as they follow the harvest. Migrant farmworkers shelter in temporary camps, and children often stay behind while fathers and mothers go to the fields.
Father Bautista recently visited the area to see how his partnership with Catholic Extension Society helps the Diocese of Yakima reach out to these children.
He observed a music ministry during which children learned the scales, did vocal warm-up exercises and learned how to play “Row, Row, Row Your Boat” on the recorder.
He participated in a water balloon exercise designed to teach musical rhythms and fractions (and also how to cool off in the 107-degree heat).
And he observed how the children were given the gift of being children again, of laughing, of loving and being loved. He witnessed an outbreak of joy in a hardscrabble place aided by Corpus Christ Parish, the Body of Christ.
“We have seen the impact we can have in lives by doing just a small part by supporting the work of Catholic Extension Society,” said Father Bautista. And from his experience, he concluded:
The immersion trip and the work of Catholic Extension Society has truly helped my parish, and I see the need of the Church in the United States.”
Spreading the word
After witnessing firsthand how his parish is helping make a difference in the lives of children through its partnership with Catholic Extension Society, the prophetic instinct inside Father Bautista’s heart was stirred even more.
It is no longer enough that his parish is helping the poor, but he feels that he must now encourage fellow pastors and parishes to do the same.
His charge now is to build awareness by describing what he has seen. He is sharing how his beloved parish is making a meaningful difference in the lives of those who are easily forgotten and overlooked, such as the worker he met on his visit in the photo below.
The precinct captain in Father Bautista will talk about the dangers of parochialism, the temptation of staying in the safe silo a parish can sometimes become. The prophet in him will talk about how we must build bridges with those who are different than us or outside of our circle. The poet in him will find the right words to communicate this message.
And he is convinced that when other parishes and pastors hear what is possible by joining forces with Catholic Extension Society, their eyes will open and their hearts will engage. God will act through them to bring support and hope to the poorest regions of our country, where already the Catholic Church is so powerfully present.
In doing so, Father Bautista will do his part to live out the mission statement of his parish, Corpus Christi, by being the Body of Christ in the world today.
Over 500 parishes have joined our parish partnership program to support poor Catholic faith communities across our country. With a compelling list of urgent projects, Catholic Extension Society is asking your parish to help the Catholic Church in America!
Please contact Natalie Donatello at ndonatello@catholicextension.org for more information.
