Healing and Hope in Jesus

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Greetings in the Lord! On Christmas Day 2022, I promulgated my Pastoral Letter, The Dawn from on High Shall Break Upon Us: Healing, Hope, and Joy in Jesus. The Pastoral Letter enlightens the Mission given to our Diocese by the Holy Spirit: As disciples of Jesus, we will intentionally help one another to grow closer to the healing, hope, and joy of Jesus, no matter where we are in the journey of faith.

The Pastoral Letter also identifies three Mission initiatives, each with its own emphasis. Presently, there is an emphasis on Healing. Over the past year, we have been encouraging people who are hurting to be healed through our healing ministries, sacraments, prayers, support groups, healing services, and relational reconciliations. There is convicting evidence that the Holy Spirit has been anointing so many in our diocese with the healing power we can only find in Jesus.

As we continued to heal the hurts in our personal lives, families, parishes, and the communities where we live, there is also evidence of an emerging sense of hope. As we experience the healing and hope we can only find in Jesus, we are beginning to embrace and embody the second mission emphasis of experiencing the healing and hope of Jesus in the Sacred Scriptures and Holy Eucharist (with an emphasis on Eucharistic Revival).

In my video presentation, I am calling us to continue our mission of healing (mission emphasis one), as well as leading people through the Scriptures and the Eucharist to the healing and hope (Paschal Mystery) that we can only experience in the Real Presence of Jesus (mission emphasis two).

I truly believe that the mission of bringing all people closer to the healing, hope, and joy of Jesus is entrusted to us by the Holy Spirit. I believe that the impact and fruition of blessings that we will receive as a result of bringing our mission alive will be bountiful — because in the end, our mission is not about us, but what the Holy Spirit wants to do in and through us, in the power of Jesus.

In the healing, hope and joy of Jesus,

Bishop Daniel J. Felton
Diocese of Duluth