Archbishop praises St. Paul’s for school and perpetual adoration during parish visit 

Often, the school is the heart of a parish, Archbishop J. Michael Miller told the congregation at during his recent pastoral visit to the St. Paul’s Parish in Richmond. 

“You are truly blessed to have such a first-class school within your parish,” he said. “I say ‘within’ your parish, because it is better if we do not refer to the ‘parish’ and the ‘school’ as if they were two separate institutions or communities.” 

“Yes, the church and the school are two distinct buildings, but there is one family, one parish community,” he said. “It is your parish school. It is a joyful community of learning and faith, which lives, celebrates and proclaims our beautiful Catholic faith.” 

“Your school is flourishing because of the extraordinary way in which it is carrying out its mission as an evangelizing community which is intentional in fostering in its students a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, a Catholic world view, and a way of life patterned on the Gospel.”

The pastoral visits offer the archbishop a chance to understand the parish community, with all of its successes and struggles. “In our discussions together,” said the Archbishop, “we noted some of the challenges you are facing and the opportunities that lie before you to reach out to others in new ways, so that more and more people will come to know our Lord Jesus Christ.”

He praised parishioners specifically for the large number of organizations and ministries at St. Paul’s and remarked that their commitment to a perpetual adoration chapel is a source of “many blessings that God is pouring out on your parish family.” 

Finally, the archbishop encouraged parishioners who were not actively involved in parish life to find a way to use their gifts to better the parish and its community. 

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