Our Mission

Mission Statement

Proclaiming the Gospel, Nurturing Faith, Serving All

"We, the community of St. John the Baptist Roman Catholic Church, are called to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ with joy, celebrate the sacraments with reverence and devotion, nurture the faith of every person entrusted to our care, and extend the compassion of Christ to all — especially the most vulnerable in our rural communities and beyond." Mission Statement — St. John the Baptist Parish, Hadashville

At the heart of our parish life is a simple yet profound commitment: to be a community that makes the living God known and loved in the world. Drawing from the rich tradition of the Roman Catholic Church and animated by the Holy Spirit, we strive each day to fulfil the great commission — to go and make disciples, to baptize in the name of the Trinity, and to teach all that Christ has commanded.

Parishioners gathered for worship and faith formation — Our parish community gathered for celebration and formation.

The Four Pillars of Our Mission

Our mission is expressed through four interconnected pillars, each essential to the full life of the parish community:

Kerygma — Proclamation

We proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ — his life, death, and resurrection — as the foundation of all that we do. Through Sunday homilies, adult formation programs, and pastoral outreach, we share the transforming message of the Gospel with confidence and joy.

Leitourgia — Worship

The celebration of the Holy Eucharist and the seven sacraments stands at the centre of our parish life. Through the sacred liturgy, we encounter the living God, draw strength for our journey of faith, and are sent forth to love and serve the world.

Koinonia — Community

We are called to be one body in Christ — a genuine community of love, mutual support, and shared purpose. Through parish gatherings, small groups, and the bonds of friendship formed in faith, we build the kind of community that reflects God's own love.

Diakonia — Service

Following the example of Christ who came not to be served but to serve, our parish is committed to compassionate outreach. We serve the poor, comfort the sorrowful, welcome the stranger, and work for the common good of our entire regional community.

Mission in the Context of Rural Manitoba

Our mission takes on a particular character shaped by the rural context of Hadashville and southeastern Manitoba. The land, the seasons, the rhythms of agricultural life, and the close-knit nature of small rural communities all inform how we live out the Gospel. We are a parish that knows its neighbours, that shows up in times of crisis, and that understands the particular spiritual and material needs of those who make their lives on the Canadian prairie and at the edge of the boreal forest.

Our commitment to mission in this context means reaching beyond the walls of our church building — visiting the homebound and elderly, accompanying the grieving, supporting families in difficulty, and being a visible presence of Christ's love in the wider community throughout the year.

"Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me." Matthew 25:40

Living the Mission Daily

Mission is not an occasional activity for our parish — it is the very shape of our daily life together. Every act of welcome offered to a newcomer, every prayer offered for the sick, every hour of service given freely, and every word of encouragement shared among neighbours is an expression of our mission. We are the Body of Christ at work in the world, and we take that calling seriously.

We invite every person who is part of the St. John the Baptist community — whether long-established parishioner or first-time visitor — to share in this mission and to discover the joy that comes from living it fully.