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About Us

VISION STATEMENT

Saint Joseph Catholic Church will be the spiritual, moral, and social heart of Eldersburg/ Sykesville through encounters with Jesus Christ.

 

MISSION STATEMENT

We encounter Jesus through:

  • Celebrating the Sacraments
  • Proclaiming the Gospel
  • Reflecting God’s love through Service

SJCC PARISH PASTORAL PLAN

In January 2015, Archbishop Lori issued his vision for pastoral planning in the Archdiocese, “ Be Missionary Disciples.” Later that summer, he presented his pastoral letter “A Light Brightly Visible: Lighting the Path to Missionary Disciples.” In an effort to build parishes/pastorates intentionally focused on carrying out the mission of the Church, he presented core mission priorities, defined in his pastoral plan as “the foundational areas of focus toward which evangelizing parishes and pastorates direct the majority of their efforts.” They emphasize the formation of disciples who are mission ready and actively engaged in personal and pastoral missionary conversion. The core mission priorities are: Liturgy, Welcome, Encounter, Accompaniment, Sending and Mission Support.

The Six Core Mission Priorities

Liturgy

  • The Good News is proclaimed and understood
  • Music is inspiring and participatory
  • Homilies are a source of conversion, renewal and growth
  • Parishioners are more fully engaged

Welcome

  • Outsiders are prioritized
  • Disenfranchised and strangers are sought out and welcomed
  • All feel they belong and value community life through groups, activities and events

Encounter

  • New people are visible in the community
  • Sharing of faith is common and encouraged

Accompaniment

  • Growing number of adults active in faith formation, engaged in service
  • Ongoing conversion is experienced
  • The domestic church is sustained and enriched
  • Young people remain engaged in the parish

Sending

  • Spiritual friendships are formed
  • Priestly vocations are promoted
  • Families are equipped and empowered as missionary disciples
  • The vulnerable, grieving and neglected receive care
  • The poor are prioritized and served

Mission Support

  • Financial support for the mission is predictable and stable
  • Support for the mission occurs at many levels
  • Priests and their staff are healthy, happy and holy
  • Mission-ready facilities are safe, welcoming, attractive, accessible and right-sized.

A New Parish Pastoral Plan Coming Soon!

A Discipleship Pathway at SJCC:  A Framework for Growing as Missionary Disciples

A discipleship pathway is a flexible, structured approach to helping individuals grow in their relationship with Jesus Christ and become active missionary disciples. It’s not a rigid program, but rather a guiding framework that encourages ongoing spiritual development and deeper engagement within the Church.

1. Focus on Growth

The primary aim of a discipleship pathway is to deepen faith, gain a more comprehensive understanding of the Gospel, and foster a more substantial commitment to living according to Jesus’ teachings.

2. Stages of Growth

Faith is a journey, not a destination. Many pathways outline progressive stages of discipleship, such as:

3. Community and Support

Discipleship flourishes in community. The pathway emphasizes the role of small groups, mentorship, parish involvement, and sacramental life in supporting and nurturing faith.

4. Missionary Disciples

The ultimate goal is to form missionary disciples—people who live out their faith daily and are empowered to evangelize, serve, and witness to the Gospel in their families, workplaces, and communities.

5. Flexibility and Personalization

Every journey is unique. The pathway respects each person’s pace, background, and spiritual gifts, encouraging personalized engagement that allows the Holy Spirit to guide growth.