DIOCESE OF QUINCY: Come and see!
You’re invited to come and see how God is moving within the Diocese of Quincy. Come and see what life is like following Jesus’s teachings and example. Come and see how God is adding new works, new clergy, new peoples, and even new languages to our diocese. Come and see how our deep roots in strong theology & tradition meet with our outward-focused energy for mission. We are ROOTED, MISSIONAL AND COMPASSIONATE. |
Bishop's Lenten Message
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My dear brothers and sisters:
PAX! Each year we begin the season of Lent with the imposition of ashes on Ash Wednesday. When the priest imposes the ashes on the faithful he uses any one of these words: “Remember that you are dust and to dust you shall return”, or “Turn away from sin and be faithful to Christ” or “Repent and believe in the Gospel”. Remembering that we are dust brings us back to creation when God made man and woman from clay and breathed on them the breath of life. It reminds us that we are not invincible. It reminds us that we are mortal. It reminds us of the temporary nature of life. It reminds us that although we were born from our mother’s womb, ultimately God gave us life and to God we shall return. Remembering can have a marked effect in our life. Remembering can change the way we view life, the way we live life and the way we give meaning to life. Change is what “turning away from sin” and “repent” are about. The Greek word for repent is “metanonia”. This is a word that means more than just feeling sorry for our sins. It literally means after thought, whereby, the person has a change of mind, a change of heart which leads to a change of how a person thinks. The Lord began his preaching with the expression: "Repent and believe in the Gospel" (Mk 1, 15). We hear these words repeated every Lent. Yes, we constantly need that exhortation because we will never be fully converted. There are aspects of our life that need to be reviewed, purified, renewed. We always need to return to God, change course, face Him and not give Him our backs, because our mentality is almost imperceptibly seduced by behaviors that take us away from the Gospel. So, we need that change of heart. Often at the beginning of Lent we resolve to be a better person by changing our negative behaviors. This is fine, but we need to get to the bottom of the matter. And it is not enough to settle for compliance with the rules without questioning how our relationship with God is. Authentic conversion places us before the goodness and mercy of God, our Father. We need to reestablish our father-child relationship, recognizing that God has loved us first (Cf. I Jn 4:19), to the point of giving ourselves to his Son, Jesus Christ, dead and risen for us. If we become aware of this great and endearing love - “As a father feels tenderness for his children, the Lord feels tenderness for his faithful ones” (Ps 103, 13) - then we will feel the need to reciprocate His love, with the love of children who seek to please God in everything, without remaining in the cold and superficial fulfillment of his mandates. The filial relationship with God the Father will open our eyes to our fellow men to recognize them as brothers and sisters and to reestablish with them more authentic relationships that lead us to forgiveness, mercy and mutual help. With this perspective, the Lenten practices that the Church proposes to us will acquire their full meaning: prayer, almsgiving and fasting. Prayer will help us to meet God in order to taste and see how good the Lord is (cf. Ps 34, 9). Almsgiving will open our brotherly hearts to share our goods with those who need it most. Fasting will allow us to renounce our attachments and selfishness that take away time from God and generosity with the most vulnerable. These three practices are interrelated and will be full of authenticity if we live them from their deepest sense. Let us take advantage, dear brothers and sisters, of this Lenten season and let us move forward on this path of conversion that helps us to identify more with Jesus, our Master, in order to be more faithful disciples every day. Let us please all stay safe and healthy and let us not forget to keep praying for each other. In Christ Jesus, The Rt. Rev. J. Alberto Morales, OSB, DD Quincy IX |
Mis queridos hermanos:
¡PAX! Cada año comenzamos la Cuaresma con la imposición de cenizas el Miércoles de Ceniza. Cuando el sacerdote impone las cenizas a los fieles usa cualquiera de estas palabras: “Recuerda que eres polvo y al polvo volverás”, o “Apártate del pecado y sé fiel a Cristo” o “Arrepiéntete y cree en la Evangelio". Recordar que somos polvo nos remite a la creación cuando Dios hizo al hombre y a la mujer de barro y sopló sobre ellos el aliento de vida. Nos recuerda que no somos invencibles. Nos recuerda que somos mortales. Nos recuerda la naturaleza temporal de la vida. Nos recuerda que aunque nacimos del vientre de nuestra madre, fue Dios quien nos dio la vida y a Dios regresaremos. Recordar puede tener un efecto marcado en nuestra vida. Recordar puede cambiar la forma en que vemos la vida, la forma en que vivimos la vida y la forma en que le damos sentido. Cambio es lo que significa "apartarse del pecado" y "arrepentirse". La palabra griega para arrepentirse es "metanonia". Esta es una palabra que significa más que simplemente sentir pena por nuestros pecados. Literalmente significa después del pensamiento, por lo que la persona tiene un cambio de forma de pensar, un cambio de corazón. El Señor inició su predicación con la expresión: “Convertíos y creed en el Evangelio” (Mc 1, 15). Estas palabras las escucharemos el miércoles de Ceniza, aplicadas a cada uno de nosotros: conviértete. Sí, necesitamos constantemente esa exhortación porque nunca estaremos convertidos del todo. Hay aspectos de nuestra vida que necesitan ser revisados, purificados, renovados. Siempre necesitamos volver a Dios, cambiar de rumbo, darle la cara y no la espalda, porque de manera casi imperceptible nuestra mentalidad se deja seducir por comportamientos que nos alejan del Evangelio. Necesitamos, pues, esa conversión permanente. Con frecuencia, al inicio de la Cuaresma hacemos el propósito de ser mejores personas cambiando nuestros comportamientos negativos. Esto está bien, pero necesitamos ir más al fondo de la cuestión. Y es que no es suficiente conformarse con el cumplimiento de las normas sin cuestionarnos cómo está nuestra relación con Dios. La auténtica conversión nos sitúa ante la bondad y la misericordia de Dios, nuestro Padre. Necesitamos restablecer nuestra relación paterno-filial, reconociendo que Dios nos ha amado primero (Cf. I Jn 4, 19), hasta el punto de entregarnos a su Hijo Jesucristo, muerto y resucitado por nosotros. Si tomamos conciencia de este amor tan grande y entrañable -“Como un padre siente ternura por sus hijos, siente el Señor ternura por sus fieles” (Sal 103, 13)- entonces sentiremos la necesidad de corresponder a su amor, con amor de hijos que buscan agradar a Dios en todo, sin quedarse en el cumplimiento frío y superficial de sus mandatos. La relación filial con Dios Padre nos abrirá los ojos ante nuestros semejantes para reconocerlos como hermanos y restablecer con ellos unas relaciones más auténticas que nos lleven al perdón, a la misericordia y a la ayuda mutua. Con esta perspectiva adquirirán todo su sentido las prácticas cuaresmales que la Iglesia nos propone: la oración, la limosna y el ayuno. La oración nos ayudará a encontrarnos con Dios para gustar y ver qué bueno es el Señor (Cf. Sal 34, 9). La limosna abrirá nuestro corazón de hermano para compartir nuestros bienes con aquellos que más lo necesitan. El ayuno nos permitirá renunciar a nuestros apegos y egoísmos que nos restan tiempo para Dios y generosidad con los más vulnerables. Estas tres prácticas están interrelacionadas y estarán llenas de autenticidad si las vivimos desde su más profundo sentido. Aprovechemos, queridos hermanos, este tiempo de Cuaresma y no nos detengamos en este camino de conversión que nos ayuda a identificarnos más con Jesús, nuestro Maestro, para ser discípulos cada día más fieles. Por favor, mantengámonos a salvo y en salud y orando siempre unos por otros. En Cristo Jesús, The Rt. Rev. J. Alberto Morales, OSB, DD Quincy IX |
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The Diocese of Quincy is a diocese of affinity that welcomes churches and clergy, regardless of geographical location, seeking a diocese with a long history of commitment to the faith handed down from the apostles.
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OUR MISSION
The Diocese of Quincy is a member of the Anglican Church in North America. We are from generations of Anglican families, and we’re “first generation” Anglicans growing deeper through the rich traditions of the church. We are catholic, evangelical, missional, and charismatic all at the same time, because the faith handed down to us encompasses all of these things.The Diocese of Quincy is committed to making disciples.
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FIND A CHURCH
The Diocese of Quincy has congregations in California, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New York, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin and Ontario, Canada.
There is one just right for you! |
OUR MINISTRIES
The Diocese of Quincy participates in a wide range of ministries, including in Myanmar (Burma). The Province of Myanmar invited Bishop Morales and the Diocese of Quincy into a sister diocese relationship with of the Province of Myanmar, a member of the Anglican Communion. Our Diocese also has Karen churches, Hispanic churches, a vibrant Youth Camp and supports our local Anglican Charities.
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Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
Matthew 28:19-20
