More than 800 leaders of parishes and schools from throughout the Diocese of Lansing gathered on Feb. 24 for the “Made for Mission” conference at the Crystal Gardens Banquet Center in Howell to learn more about plans for implementing the Realign Resources for Mission initiative under way in the diocese. The one-day event provided participants an opportunity to pray together and discuss how to best use its resources to better evangelize the 1.8 million people who live in the 10 counties served by the Diocese of Lansing.

“The goal of Made for Mission is to get the whole diocese on board with breaking out of a ‘maintenance mind-set’ and actually flowing into a ‘mission mindset’ and then, once we get those people into the pews, helping them to grow in that relationship with Jesus,” said co-host Father Jim Rolph. Craig Pohl, director of new evangelization, co-hosted the event and gave an overview of the recent history of the diocese leading up to Realign Resources for Mission.

Bishop Earl Boyea outlined his own thoughts prior to engaging in a Q&A with Father Joe Krupp, pastor of Holy Family in Grand Blanc and St. Mark in Goodrich.

Bishop Boyea then took questions from the floor before Deb Amato, of the Office of Implementation for Realign Resources for Mission, presented an update on the roll-out process across the diocese. Popular Catholic speaker and writer Pete Burak of  Renewal Ministries presented closing remarks to conclude the business part of the day.

The one-day conference concluded with Mass, with Bishop Boyea as principal celebrant and homilist.