We are all joined together as members of the universal Church, founded by Christ and united by the power of the Holy Spirit, spread to every part of the world, embracing all. Jesus tells us, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you” (Jn 20:21). Jesus has sent us on a mission to reach all souls in our archdiocese, following the mission begun many years ago by St. Junípero Serra.
Coming together in our homes, parishes, and schools for worship and prayer, guided by the Holy Father, we carry out that mission to evangelize the world and, in particular, the Archdiocese of Los Angeles. With our spiritual and financial support, we carry the message of our faith and the Gospel as missionary disciples and children of God to those who are waiting to hear God’s word in our workplaces and parishes.
Pope Francis tells us to experience the joy of the Gospel and to nourish our faith so that it can be a luminous source for our lives and the world (Evangelii Gaudium, 1). He asks us to embark upon a new understanding and direct participation in evangelization and to renew our personal encounter with Christ (Evangelii Gaudium, 1). Pope Francis reminds us that the archdiocese, under the leadership of our archbishop, “is likewise called to missionary conversion” where the archbishop can “foster this missionary communion” and where the community of the faithful and the hierarchy join in the common pastoral commitment (Evangelii Gaudium, 30–31 and 33).
This Administrative Handbook allows the faithful to have common access to the history, resources, and policies of the archdiocese and its parishes and other operations. It facilitates matters that must be addressed in the organized Church: in the community of the faithful carrying out its ministries, its stewardship and mission efforts, the education of the faithful, the management of temporal goods, and the coordination of programs and personnel. The resources and matters in the Administrative Handbook place core information in one place. The Administrative Handbook aims to foster communications and common goals and to provide essential operating guidelines so that the clergy, staff, and faithful may fulfill well the practical needs and requirements and be left free to live their mission and share the power and beauty of our Church through the Gospel.
7-21-2022