The following article was written by Fr. Joseph G. Healey, M.M. for the November-December 1999 issue of World Parish, published by Maryknoll. Since the article is an effort to explain in a print medium what can be illustrated more easily on the actual website, most of the graphics on this page will not appear in printed versions. We give permission to any Catholic publication or website to freely reprint the following material, provided that proper credit is given to the author and Maryknoll.
Have you heard of "Doctors Without Borders" (the French is "Medecin Sans Frontieres")? It is a catchy title for an international organization of doctors and nurses who go around the world to people and places where they are really needed. How about "Reporters Without Borders?" Same idea, but this time it is journalists and writers who go to the far corners of our global village. You may not be a doctor or a reporter but you can do the same thing through a new Internet Website called "Parish Without Borders (PWB)" which promotes global solidarity. You can find it by going to the URL:
http://parish-without-borders.net
Let's turn on our computers, connect with the Internet and take a trip to this "Parish Without Borders" Website. On the Home Page we see a striking logo and then the following description:
"A network of Catholic communities joined in mission and outreach"
"The purpose of 'Parish Without Borders' is to explore and use the Internet wisely to interconnect the resources and needs of Catholic communities worldwide in the full spirit of Gospel teaching. We try to help parishes in their outreach to developing communities. In turn, these parishes become enriched by the depth of faith and hope they discover in the people to whom they reach out. Also, we try to give practical tools to both parishes and individual people committed to action on issues of social justice."
On the left-hand side vertical column of the Home Page are the "Contents" of the PWB website:
|
NEWS
OF THE WORLD |
| Social Justice ACTION ALERTS |
| U.S. Parishes: Called to Global Solidarity |
| Opportunities in Mission |
| Catholic Relief Services |
| Parish Twinning Opportunities and SCC's: Small Christian Communities |
| Jubilee Year 2000 |
 FREE CLIP ART! |
| Free Teaching Aids |
| Recommended Resources |
| Related Sites (Links) |
COMMUNICATE!
| Discussion Lists |
| Your Comments |
| Contact Us |
| About this Site |
If we click on the Areas of the World we can visit the regional (continental) pages for links and stories of outreach to Africa, The Americas and Asia.
A special feature is the How U.S. Parishes are Responding Page which describes case studies and practical examples of outreach (Parish Action Profiles of "what one American parish can do") such as:
The website has a free E-Mail Discussion List called "Global2000" which presently has 54 subscribers. This is a participatory discussion list for U.S. parish and diocesan leaders and missioners worldwide about the challenges and practical implementation of the U.S. Bishops' November, 1997 statement on Global Solidarity.
Other practical and pastoral features are:
1. "Daily News Ticker" provided by Catholic World News
2. Free teaching aids on "Social Justice and Parish
Ministry" and other recommended resources including recent church documents.
3. Links to publications such as the Catholic News Service (CNS) Daily News Summary, MISNA (Missionary Service News Agency), National Catholic Reporter (NCR) Online Edition and other global concerns resources.
4. Recommended books on mission and outreach with a direct link to "amazon.com" for online ordering of books.
The inspiration for this website is the document "Called to Global Solidarity: International Challenges for U.S. Parishes" published by the Office of Social Development & World Peace of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops/United States Catholic Conference on November 12, 1997. This bishops' statement seeks to bridge the geographical, knowledge and awareness gaps between much of the U.S. church and the church overseas. It tries to create awareness and opportunities for action at the grassroots of the U.S. church, that is, at the parish level.
This "Parish Without Borders" Website is sponsored by Pastoral Arts Associates of North America with assistance from mission-spirited benefactors. It is coordinated by:
Onley says: "My commitment to the 'Parish Without Borders (PWB)' Website is to make it the best first visit on the Internet for parishes facing these nagging questions of 'What can we as a parish really DO about our responsibilities for mission, outreach, social justice? HOW do we get started? How do we get our people to care? How do we find and reach out to a community who needs our care?'
"There already are many excellent mission and social justice resources on the Internet. We study them carefully. PWB seeks to make access to these resources as helpful and organized as possible. When any parish is ready to make mission and justice a serious priority, the PWB menu of resource options is ready for you!"
The PWB website can help U.S. parishes and communities to become aware of, and involved with, the church around the world and to understand at both the theory and practical levels that we truly are one family, one body, one church. Hopefully "aware" US parishes and communities will start clicking on this website and find ideas that challenge them and opportunities for involving their parishioners and community members. Everyone can participate in this task of becoming a world church.