May 29, 2008
My dear friends,
This is an exciting time in our local Church. The first season of Spirit Alive! has been a moment of grace
for us. Many have visited our www.rochesterspiritalive.org website and others have participated in our
DVD retreat or have taken advantage of the opportunities we have offered to deepen their relationship
with Jesus Christ. On Pentecost, we all renewed our commitment to ongoing growth in our relationship
as we
look forward to the next phase of our diocesan renewal.
As we move into the second season dedicated to deepening our knowledge and love of Scripture, I want to ask you as pastoral leaders to take an active role by offering opportunities
for people to nurture their relationship with Jesus through the Word.
Therefore I ask each parish and faith community to:
I am aware that many of you already have Bible Study in place in your parishes. I urge you to consider
expanding your study of the Bible during this season of our renewal. If your parish does not currently
offer Bible study, please consider sponsoring at least one in the coming year. As you prepare to
implement Bible Study in every parish, I ask you to be especially aware of our Holy Father’s declaration of
the Year of Paul that the Church celebrates from June 28, 2008-June 29, 2009. Materials will be
available to help you choose the best experience for your own parish.
The Spirit Alive! committee is preparing materials and models to assist you in these undertakings. I include
an attachment from the committee to bring you up to date on materials that will be available to you.
I know that the success of our diocesan spiritual renewal relies on your good work. I also know that
tending to our own spiritual journey is important for all pastoral ministers. Therefore, I ask that all pastoral
ministers seriously consider participating in Called to Holiness, a day-long retreat that has been
specifically developed for you. Information about this experience is included in this mailing.
Thank you for your continued support of Spirit Alive!
With every good wish, I remain
Your brother in Christ,
+Matthew H. Clark
Bishop of Rochester
