October 14, 2026

By Father William Muench
NCC columnist

First off, I was totally impressed with last week’s NCC issue – Priest’s Appreciation. It was so great to have parishes recognize their pastor – many priests were acknowledged. Our parishes are alive and well and united with their pastors. Again, I appreciate all our priests.

Recently, I have noticed that the Gospel readings proclaimed at Sunday Masses focused our attention on Church. So, today, I would like to think about our being Church – you and I, members of the Church, the Catholic Church. So, I read again the document of the Second Vatican Council on Church, the Dogmatic Constitution on the Church (Lumen Gentium). One of the ways this Council speaks of Church is “The People of God.”

The People of God – God has chosen to enter a unique relationship with a people, not merely with isolated individuals. As you know, we believe God’s action began in Old Testament time with God calling Israel, his people. However, when Jesus came, he taught us that God called all people, his people. In the New Testament Book, the Acts of the Apostles, we read of the efforts of St. Paul and the Apostles in Jerusalem that the Christian Church welcomes all, Jew and Gentile. Jesus and the message of Jesus is for all people. We are all called to be members of the new People of God, accepting the Sacrament of Baptism. Every Catholic Church can place the same banner on their front doors – “All are Welcome here.”

The Catholic Church is not primarily a building, an institution, or even a gathering of people. The Church is a people called by God, gathered and sent. The Christian faith is not simply “God and me.” We are brothers and sisters in Christ. So, when you and I gather at Mass, we should look around in prayer; this is our people, this is our Church. We are united before the Lord and with the Lord. The first thing for us to do is to pray for each other.
As Church, we are people on a journey. We are pilgrims, learning to trust God. We are not a perfect community; we have not arrived yet. We have so much more to do. We have a mission. God gathers us together not simply for our salvation but now to make this world of ours a better place by being witnesses to Our Savior, Jesus in this world.

Every baptized person has dignity and a role. The Church is not only priests, bishops or religious. All the baptized share in the life and the mission of the Church. Our Lord, Jesus, remains at the center of all that we are and that we do; we belong to Christ. The Church does not exist for itself; the Church exists to continue Christ’s presence and works to this world.

“People of God” means that no one in the Church is merely a spectator. Each baptize person belongs, matters, and has something to contribute to the life and the mission of the Catholic Church.