Many churches are blessed with beautiful gardens, trimmed lawns, long pathways.  At St. Pius V things are a little different.  When you walk out our church’s front door you arrive immediately on busy Ashland Avenue, with the bustle of people and the noise of traffic.  You are in the heart of a busy city.

This is a vivid reminder that the faith we celebrate in the comfort and familiarity of the church demands that we bring it to the community.  Our church is warm and welcoming.  The street can be cold and harsh.  How can we connect our two worlds?

St. Pius V has a long tradition of community members who have shown us how to do exactly that.  We have Christian Base Communities, small groups of neighbors coming together to pray, support one another, grow in faith, and take action on the issues that affect them.  Our parish has a wide array of social outreach programs and organizations – concrete ways that parishioners and staff can touch the lives of our neighbors.

Our church, meeting spaces and parish office are busy every night of the week.  Parishioners provide leadership at work, schools, community events.  We are offered many opportunities to live out our faith beyond the Sunday liturgy time.

This Holy Week we reflect on the passion, death and resurrection of Jesus.  How will our daily lives also "reflect" what is happening in church?