September 2001 Call to Action News

Working Parish Snapshot
(With Liturgy and Justice for All)

Name: Pax Christi

Location: Eden Prairie, Minn., a southwest suburb of the Twin Cities.

History: Established in 1981 after local Catholics petitioned for two years for a parish dedicated to the goals of Vatican II. Even before its official founding, it had an educational council and a core of leaders.

Membership: A genuine megachurch with some 4,000 households, a regular weekend attendance of 5,000 and a fulltime staff of 30 plus an equal number of part timers. Parishioners are largely white and fairly affluent; they represent considerable diversity in theology and come from all over the metro area, some from as far as 25 miles away.

Masses: 5 p.m. (Saturday); 9, 9:30 and 11 a.m, and 6 p.m (Sunday).

Liturgical Assets: Lay preaching once a month under the direction of skilled parish members (who have also trained preachers in other parishes); two fulltime musical directors; several choirs; wide involvement in planning liturgies; seating on three sides of the altar; a screen projection of music and words so no one has to hold a book, and an emphasis on "the assembly as celebrant."

Justice Assets: The parish has six ministry areas, one devoted exclusively to justice. One tenth of all income is allocated for justice work, including a Justice Grant Board which allocates about $280,000 yearly (like a local Campaign for Human Development) to shelters, housing advocacy, migrant worker and other social action group efforts (Catholic and otherwise) in the metro area. Parish members are also directly involved in soup kitchens, food banks, home building and justice education forums.

Vision: Creating an atmosphere that gives a lot of leeway, is welcoming to all regardless of where they're from and does not check credentials.

Recent initiative: The nine-member Parish Council is extending its decision-making authority to Ministry Area Councils, so that more people are involved in every aspect of parish life. The Leaven Center, connected to Pax Christi, oversees discussions with creative pastors all over the country and is helping build 200 parishes nationwide on the Pax Christi model.

Quote: "Vatican II ideas are woven into everything we do here. My job is to encourage and nurture - and get out of the way." Fr. Tim Power, technically the pastor but better known as the parish spiritual director and (only) "fulltime presbyter."

Contact: 952-941-3150