The parish community – the foundation of the church
Bishop Murphy strongly believed in the foundational importance of the parish to the local community, the diocese and the universal church. He offered the following thoughts on the parish community in his column in the May 20, 1980 edition of the Montana Catholic Register, “The parish is at the heart of our identity as a church. It is the parish community which brings people together to celebrate their faith and to share the significant moments of their lives with others whether through baptism, First communion, marriage, confirmation, and the celebration of the funeral liturgy. Our worship celebrates who we are not only on a weekend, but gives us the nourishment and strength to live out our identity as Catholics throughout the week.
