My Prayer for You
from Cardinal Tobin
“Immaculate Mary, pray for us sinners. Show us the way to your Son, Jesus. Help us to be faithful Pilgrims of Hope who are committed to pastoral conversion and missionary discipleship. Amen.”
from Cardinal Tobin
“Immaculate Mary, pray for us sinners. Show us the way to your Son, Jesus. Help us to be faithful Pilgrims of Hope who are committed to pastoral conversion and missionary discipleship. Amen.”
Vol. 6. No.11
My dear sisters and brothers in Christ,
Last month, when I announced our new pastoral planning initiative, We Are His Witnesses, I described my vision for the Archdiocese of Newark in these words:
If you asked me today what my vision is for the Church in northern New Jersey, I would make my own the Holy Father’s words from Evangelii Gaudium:
I hope that all communities will devote the necessary effort to advancing along the path of a pastoral and missionary conversion which cannot leave things as they presently are (EG #25).
What is this “path” of pastoral conversion and missionary discipleship that we are called to follow as the People of God here in northern New Jersey? Jesus tells us that He Himself is the way, the truth, and the life (Jn 14:6). He invites us to repent, to change the way we live, and to follow Him. What’s more, He invites us to be His witnesses and to share His love and His truth with everyone we encounter.
Pastoral conversion and missionary discipleship are not new concepts. They have been integral to our Church’s life and ministry since the earliest days of Christian history. As recorded in the Acts of the Apostles, many prominent figures, especially Saints Peter and Paul, have guided our Church’s efforts in synodal processes designed to adapt and change the Christian community’s approaches to proclaiming the Gospel to all nations and peoples.
In many ways, the Blessed Virgin Mary is the model for everything that the Church does as a community of believers following in the footsteps of our Redeemer and advancing along the paths of holiness and missionary zeal under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
Mary was a true woman of Israel. She believed with all her heart and soul that God leads his people “in joy by the light of his glory, with mercy and justice for company” (Bar 5:9). Mary knew that the journey she was called to undertake would include much sorrow, but she also believed that God’s Providence would ultimately lead to everlasting joy. Mary’s confidence in the grace of God has served as an inspiration to her daughters and sons from the Church’s earliest days.
Mary was the first Christian, the first disciple of her son. Throughout her life, the Holy Spirit guided her, and after her Son’s resurrection and ascension into heaven, she was able to reach out to others—especially the weak and fearful disciples who struggled to follow their Lord in the face of grave obstacles. God’s grace allowed Mary to become what she has been throughout Christian history: a source of comfort, encouragement and strength for all who seek to follow Jesus, live holy and blameless lives, and proclaim His Gospel of Joy to the whole world.
Pope Francis has said that his favorite image of the Church is “mother.” This is “the face of the Church,” the pope says. It is an image he would like the Church to display more often.
The Church is a mother who teaches, guides and helps us to grow. She is an alma mater (a nourishing mother) as opposed to a cold and indifferent teacher who seeks to impose ideas on us.
A nourishing mother possesses infinite patience and mercy—no matter what mistakes her children make. Instead of giving up on her children, a mother has the patience to continue to accompany her children. Even when we make mistakes—sometimes serious ones—our loving mother stands with us. “She is animated by the strength of love,” the Holy Father says, “and she always finds a way of understanding us, to help us.”
The Church is a merciful mother. With Mary as her model, the Church “never closes the doors of her house” to those of us who have lost our way. “She does not judge,” the pope says, “but rather offers God’s forgiveness; she offers her love to invite her children to return to the right path even when they have fallen into the deepest abyss. The Church is not afraid to enter into the darkest night with them in order to give them hope.” As Mary witnesses to us, her children, mercy and hope are given to us always—even when we are surrounded by darkness!
Perhaps the most astonishing thing the Lord ever did was to become a man and be born of a woman. As an infant, he was totally dependent on his mother. As a man dying on the cross for our sake, he handed over his mother to us, and she then became the Mother of the Church.
Mary is the model of motherhood that the Church seeks to imitate. She is the perfect teacher, the Mother of Mercy, and the one who constantly intercedes for us to our Father in heaven. In Mary, we see fulfilled the promise of our redemption.
Mary was the first person to be redeemed by Christ. This singular act of mercy came before she accepted the vocation that God intended for her. Mary was a perfect steward of God’s gift of self. In her womb, the one who was destined to be our Redeemer was nurtured and formed by God’s grace.
Mary was granted this merciful redemption in advance and, therefore, was strengthened by God’s grace in the face of every challenging situation in her life. Mary is, therefore, the supreme example of pastoral conversion. She is what our Church is called to be: ready, willing, and able to follow Jesus by making whatever changes are necessary in our personal lives and in the structures we use to support our mission.
Mary’s life shows that she struggled mightily to accept situations she couldn’t possibly understand. She needed the help of God’s grace—as we all do—to handle life’s most challenging moments and to say “yes” to God’s will, even when it seems to promise only pain and sorrow.
In his encyclical Dilexit Nos (see selection below), Pope Francis writes that “[Mary] was able to dialogue with the things she experienced by pondering them in her heart, treasuring their memory and viewing them in a greater perspective.” This is the form of discernment that must guide our planning efforts. Let’s ask our Blessed Mother to accompany us, to guide us, and to become more like her as we trust in God’s Providence.
As our Archdiocese continues to discern God’s will for our future, let us look to Mary, Mother of the Church, as the model for our commitment to pastoral conversion and missionary discipleship. Through her intercession, may we grow in holiness and in love for God and one another.
As we anticipate and prepare to meet the needs of our people for many years to come, may our Local Church truly be a nurturing mother.
Sincerely yours in Christ the Redeemer,
Cardinal Joseph W. Tobin, C.Ss.R.
Archbishop of Newark
My dear sisters and brothers in Christ,
Last month, when I announced our new pastoral planning initiative, We Are His Witnesses, I described my vision for the Archdiocese of Newark in these words:
If you asked me today what my vision is for the Church in northern New Jersey, I would make my own the Holy Father’s words from Evangelii Gaudium:
I hope that all communities will devote the necessary effort to advancing along the path of a pastoral and missionary conversion which cannot leave things as they presently are (EG #25).
What is this “path” of pastoral conversion and missionary discipleship that we are called to follow as the People of God here in northern New Jersey? Jesus tells us that He Himself is the way, the truth, and the life (Jn 14:6). He invites us to repent, to change the way we live, and to follow Him. What’s more, He invites us to be His witnesses and to share His love and His truth with everyone we encounter.
Pastoral conversion and missionary discipleship are not new concepts. They have been integral to our Church’s life and ministry since the earliest days of Christian history. As recorded in the Acts of the Apostles, many prominent figures, especially Saints Peter and Paul, have guided our Church’s efforts in synodal processes designed to adapt and change the Christian community’s approaches to proclaiming the Gospel to all nations and peoples.
In many ways, the Blessed Virgin Mary is the model for everything that the Church does as a community of believers following in the footsteps of our Redeemer and advancing along the paths of holiness and missionary zeal under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
Mary was a true woman of Israel. She believed with all her heart and soul that God leads his people “in joy by the light of his glory, with mercy and justice for company” (Bar 5:9). Mary knew that the journey she was called to undertake would include much sorrow, but she also believed that God’s Providence would ultimately lead to everlasting joy. Mary’s confidence in the grace of God has served as an inspiration to her daughters and sons from the Church’s earliest days.
Mary was the first Christian, the first disciple of her son. Throughout her life, the Holy Spirit guided her, and after her Son’s resurrection and ascension into heaven, she was able to reach out to others—especially the weak and fearful disciples who struggled to follow their Lord in the face of grave obstacles. God’s grace allowed Mary to become what she has been throughout Christian history: a source of comfort, encouragement and strength for all who seek to follow Jesus, live holy and blameless lives, and proclaim His Gospel of Joy to the whole world.
Pope Francis has said that his favorite image of the Church is “mother.” This is “the face of the Church,” the pope says. It is an image he would like the Church to display more often.
The Church is a mother who teaches, guides and helps us to grow. She is an alma mater (a nourishing mother) as opposed to a cold and indifferent teacher who seeks to impose ideas on us.
A nourishing mother possesses infinite patience and mercy—no matter what mistakes her children make. Instead of giving up on her children, a mother has the patience to continue to accompany her children. Even when we make mistakes—sometimes serious ones—our loving mother stands with us. “She is animated by the strength of love,” the Holy Father says, “and she always finds a way of understanding us, to help us.”
The Church is a merciful mother. With Mary as her model, the Church “never closes the doors of her house” to those of us who have lost our way. “She does not judge,” the pope says, “but rather offers God’s forgiveness; she offers her love to invite her children to return to the right path even when they have fallen into the deepest abyss. The Church is not afraid to enter into the darkest night with them in order to give them hope.” As Mary witnesses to us, her children, mercy and hope are given to us always—even when we are surrounded by darkness!
Perhaps the most astonishing thing the Lord ever did was to become a man and be born of a woman. As an infant, he was totally dependent on his mother. As a man dying on the cross for our sake, he handed over his mother to us, and she then became the Mother of the Church.
Mary is the model of motherhood that the Church seeks to imitate. She is the perfect teacher, the Mother of Mercy, and the one who constantly intercedes for us to our Father in heaven. In Mary, we see fulfilled the promise of our redemption.
Mary was the first person to be redeemed by Christ. This singular act of mercy came before she accepted the vocation that God intended for her. Mary was a perfect steward of God’s gift of self. In her womb, the one who was destined to be our Redeemer was nurtured and formed by God’s grace.
Mary was granted this merciful redemption in advance and, therefore, was strengthened by God’s grace in the face of every challenging situation in her life. Mary is, therefore, the supreme example of pastoral conversion. She is what our Church is called to be: ready, willing, and able to follow Jesus by making whatever changes are necessary in our personal lives and in the structures we use to support our mission.
Mary’s life shows that she struggled mightily to accept situations she couldn’t possibly understand. She needed the help of God’s grace—as we all do—to handle life’s most challenging moments and to say “yes” to God’s will, even when it seems to promise only pain and sorrow.
In his encyclical Dilexit Nos (see selection below), Pope Francis writes that “[Mary] was able to dialogue with the things she experienced by pondering them in her heart, treasuring their memory and viewing them in a greater perspective.” This is the form of discernment that must guide our planning efforts. Let’s ask our Blessed Mother to accompany us, to guide us, and to become more like her as we trust in God’s Providence.
As our Archdiocese continues to discern God’s will for our future, let us look to Mary, Mother of the Church, as the model for our commitment to pastoral conversion and missionary discipleship. Through her intercession, may we grow in holiness and in love for God and one another.
As we anticipate and prepare to meet the needs of our people for many years to come, may our Local Church truly be a nurturing mother.
Sincerely yours in Christ the Redeemer,
Cardinal Joseph W. Tobin, C.Ss.R.
Archbishop of Newark
We Are His Witnesses: A Pastoral Letter from Cardinal Tobin
Cardinal Tobin invites all Catholics in the Archdiocese of Newark to read We Are His Witnesses, his pastoral letter outlining new pathways for the future of the Archdiocese. Rooted in Pope Francis’ call for pastoral conversion, missionary discipleship, and synodality, the letter reflects on our shared journey of faith and calls us to embrace renewal, collaboration and missionary outreach. This multi-year initiative will guide us in shaping a vibrant, hopeful future for our Church community. Read We Are His Witnesses and join this journey of faith as we respond to Christ’s call to be His witnesses in the world. Click on the red link above or copy and paste the url below:
https://rcan.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/We-are-His-Witnesses_Jan-6-2025-FINAL.pdf