Mission Statement of the Diocese of Owensboro

We know that Jesus left the faith community – called Church – to carry on His mission into time.  Jesus sent the Spirit into the Church on that first Pentecost.

Since that day, the Church has been busy evangelizing the world.  We take the mission of Jesus from Luke’s Gospel, chapter 4, verse 38 ff.  Jesus clearly states in Luke that He must go to the world (other towns) to announce the Good News of the reign (love) of God.  Jesus says, “For that is why I was sent.”

Jesus then sends for the apostles and disciples to continue announcing that Good News – to continue to evangelize the world.

Jesus carried out His mission basically by proclaiming and celebrating the Good News of God’s love and by acting out that love in His healing mission.

We, as the Church in Western Kentucky, must carry on this mission in these thirty-two counties to nearly 800,000 people of western Kentucky.  We approach our command to go forth in three primary ways:  by proclaiming the Good News, by celebrating God’s love and by reaching out to all of God’s children, especially those who have special needs, e.g., the homeless, lonely, sick, hungry, etc.

We are aware that this mission is first carried out in our families – the domestic Church.  Thus, all ministry is, in one way or another, geared to impact family life.

While the three areas of ministry (Education, Worship and Social Concerns) are essential to carry out the mission of the Church, there are two essential support ministries – namely, administration and personnel – that must also be exercised in any church.

It is the development of these areas of ministry that will enable this Church to effectively evangelize the world in which we live.

Pope Paul VI in his letter on evangelization says that any faith community by its very nature is an evangelizing community – a community that indeed is carrying on the mission of Jesus – and now the Church.