This page is named in honor of Father Thomas Craig,
a dedicated pastor, missionary, and Director of Mission in the Diocese of Fort Worth, Texas
USCMA provides faith leaders opportunities for formation through an extensive library of recorded webinars, study series and documents. Some topics are focused on needs of missionaries and faith leaders while others look at the current social context and signs of the times. Popular series include explorations of the writings of Pope Francis and intercultural living.
To learn more about Fr. Tom's life of mission, visit our Cloud of Witnesses.
During his 2021 homily for the Solemnity of Pentecost, Pope Francis reflected:
We too are called to testify in the Holy Spirit, to become paracletes, comforters. The Spirit is asking us to embody the comfort he brings. How can we do this? Not by making great speeches, but by drawing near to others. Not with trite words, but with prayer and closeness. Let us remember that closeness, compassion and tenderness are God’s “trademark”, always. The Paraclete is telling the Church that today is the time for comforting. It is more the time for joyfully proclaiming the Gospel than for combatting paganism. It is the time for bringing the joy of the Risen Lord, not for lamenting the drama of secularization. It is the time for pouring out love upon the world, yet not embracing worldliness. It is more the time for testifying to mercy, than for inculcating rules and regulations. It is the time of the Paraclete! It is the time of freedom of heart, in the Paraclete.
Holy Spirit, Paraclete Spirit, comfort our hearts. Make us missionaries of your comfort, paracletes of your mercy before the world. Our Advocate, sweet counsellor of the soul, make us witnesses of the “today” of God, prophets of unity for the Church and humanity, and apostles grounded in your grace, which creates and renews all things. Amen.