Monsignor Kenneth Lasch believes that his is not the only voice that should be heard in the parish bulletin every Sunday. He invites the deacons, ministry leaders, and various parishioners to take turns writing the weekly front-page reflection.

Jean and Jerry Jabbour, a recently married couple, were invited to share their insights into the early years of marriage. In their article, “Marriage Is for Keeps,” they wrote, “We have found that being proactive in our faith and church community has brought us closer together as a couple by giving us precious time together, while working as a team to benefit others.” They reflected on how difficult it is for young couples to find time to nurture a relationship, and how they treasured the “couple time” their work with the religious education team and the youth group provided, especially leading teens on a winter camp weekend. Even the assignment to write an article for the parish bulletin helped them build their identity as a couple and deepened their relationship. “Writing down our thoughts gave us an opportunity to reflect on how we’re doing together, and on how significant our marriage commitment really is,” Jerry says.

Kevin MacKinnon, a fifth-grade religious education teacher, reflected on the gifts of the Holy Spirit, tying in his classroom experience with the Scripture readings for that particular Sunday. Mark and Deb Servodidio reflected on the “new beginnings” they’ve experienced since the birth of their fourth child. “Our new beginning has helped us identify what matters most, which ultimately is time—time with each other and time with the Lord.”

In his article “From Feast to Feast,” Nick D’Amato reflected on the ways the Holy Spirit motivates so many people to work together for the success of the annual parish party on the Feast of St. Joseph. Nick describes himself as a “nuts-and-bolts person” but in writing the reflection, he says he began to understand that “something else—the Holy Spirit” was behind all preparations. “How else can you explain the enthusiasm and dedication demonstrated year after year by a variety of folks?”

Monsignor Lasch selects appropriate topics and gives participants plenty of time to think, to pray, and then to write their reflection. He asks for written texts a week or so before the final bulletin deadline so he has time to read them before publication. And he reserves a few weeks in each year for sharing his own thoughts with the community at St. Joseph’s.

Parishioners believe they are far richer for having heard many voices speaking through their Sunday bulletin. Each week a copy of the bulletin goes to the bishop and he has been known to write a note of appreciation for a particular reflection.

Click here for five ways to encourage other voices to contribute to your Sunday bulletin.