Tell a Buddy, Bring a Friend

Is there someone in your life who has fallen away from their Catholic faith, never known Jesus Christ, or struggling to trust God? Maybe you’re at a crossroads in your faith and need to go a little deeper. Consider coming to Alpha beginning Monday, February 7th. It begins at 6:30pm in the Parish Life Center at St. Joseph.

Alpha introduces (or reintroduces) the participants into the basics of the Christian faith. It is called “Alpha” because alpha is the first letter of the Greek alphabet. For those who have no understanding or a misunderstanding of Christianity, Alpha is perfect. It offers the basics of following Jesus Christ, covering topics like: Why did Jesus come, what is prayer, and what is the Bible.

The fundamentals of faith aren’t just for beginners though. Just like an athlete still polishes their fundamentals, mature Christians need to re-engage the basics of our faith. Numerous parishioners and life-long Catholics have benefited from Alpha and had a deeper encounter with Jesus Christ. I was really moved during one of the witness talks a couple weeks ago by a young woman who is a lifelong Catholic and had a deep encounter with Jesus Christ through Alpha. None of us are “too advanced” to rediscover the basics of Catholicism.

A night of Alpha is fairly simple. It begins with a meal. The ministry of Jesus Christ was centered around food. He regularly taught His disciples over a meal. Friendships are born and deepened when eating together. After the meal is a video which discusses the basics of the Christian faith. The videos are really engaging and thought-provoking. The evening ends with a table discussion. No one is forced to say anything. Some people take time to think about what they’ve heard and others want to discuss it right away.

I invite you to give Alpha a try. Come the first night. If it isn’t for you, then don’t come back. If you can’t come the first night and want to start with night number 2, that’s fine as well. In an ideal world, everyone would register ahead of time so that we can plan accordingly. However, if you forget to register, feel free to show up. There will be a place for you. You can register at our website, Petersburgparishes.org.

Finally Alpha is a way for you to participate in the mission of the Church. Jesus Christ came to seek and save those who are lost and He wants our help. So many of our family members, neighbors, co-workers, and friends are far from God. They don’t have a relationship with Him. It is part of our responsibility to help them find eternal salvation. This can seem like a daunting task, helping the lost come to faith in Christ and members of His Church. On the contrary, it could be simply praying for them and inviting them to join you at Alpha. Please, please, please pray for those who are far from God and invite them to come with you to Alpha; eternal salvation may depend upon it.

The Church exists to evangelize, to bring people to Christ and His Church. Are you willing to participate in this great mission? We exist to become and form saints – it’s time to get to work.

Sincerely in Christ,
Fr. Sean Wilson