Another way to think of the parish is that it is a “school”. Naturally, we think of schools as places of learning, education, growth and change. In schools we are equipped with skills and information to be effective in the world. In the best sense of “school”, we are trained to be successful. The parish is a kind of school whereby we learn the ways of the Lord so we may grow in the likeness of Jesus Christ. Our goal is to become like Jesus. Our textbook is the Bible. We learn the Bible not as simply an accumulation of facts, but we learn the Bible to be changed and transformed by it. “For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the first-born among many brethren” (Romans 8:29).The Father’s number one priority is to make us like the Son. As Catholics, we understand the Bible in the context of the Church’s teaching tradition handed down over 2000 years. So we teach and understand the Bible in this context. What we learn and reflect on in the Scriptures is to lead us to personal encounter with the risen Christ. The parish is a “school” whereby we are trained and equipped to serve in His name and be conformed to His likeness. For example, we “learn” to pray by learning about prayer but also by praying. We pray privately, with others in groups and at liturgical gatherings such at Mass. In all this, we learn by doing. The parish is a school, a training ground of holiness and spiritual maturity.
