Mustard Seed Mission

‘SPIRIT-INSPIRED’  Jim and Coleen Caulfield of St. Peter the Apostle Parish, Parsippany, two years ago started Mustard Seed Mission, which offers presentations on a variety of religious topics by using a mix of Scripture, prayer, music, poetry, humor, stories, personal reflections and visual art.

PARSIPPANY  From the start two years ago, it was clear to Jim and Coleen Caulfield of St. Peter the Apostle Parish here that their new Mustard Seed Mission was taking root in the hearts and minds of many Catholics in the New Jersey parishes that they were visiting.

Since then, the countless “positive reactions” that audience members have given to the Caulfields to their presentations on religious topics by using an engaging mix of Scripture, prayer, music, poetry, humor, stories, personal reflections and visual art, confirmed their decision to found Mustard Seed Mission in the spring of 2015 as a ministry to help deepen the faith of local Catholics. But a story that the married couple heard after their Communion Breakfast talk about “Feed Your Spirit” in the fall of 2015 to the Rosary Altar Society of St. Rose of Lima Parish, East Hanover, demonstrated that the power of their faith-based messages lasts well beyond each hour-long presentation. The Caulfields were delighted to hear that several men from St. Rose’s, who attended “Feed Your Spirit,” talked about it on the golf course the next day, they said.

“We are fellow travelers who know the joys — and challenges — of working and raising a family and of striving to live a faith-filled life, which is not always easy,” said Coleen Caulfield, who, was inspired to establish Mustard Seed Mission with her husband after she earned a Diocesan Certificate in Catholic Evangelization (CCE) in 2014. She was part of the first graduating class at St. Paul Inside the Walls: the Diocesan Center for Evangelization at Bayley-Ellard, Madison. “We are excited to share God’s love through our presentations, which include various areas of the arts from around the world, as well as personal reflections and Scripture, enabling the Holy Spirit to touch both minds and hearts,” she told The Beacon.

Any one of six presentations on religious topics that the Caulfields have assembled so far find Coleen, a media specialist in the Livingston Public School District, reading Scripture, prayers, her original poetry; giving her spiritual insights; and performing music, including original songs, by singing or playing guitar or flute. During these talks, Jim, a music teacher in the Parsippany School District, also delivers his insights; reads Scripture, prayers, stories or jokes; and plays piano and sings. Usually, the couple presents in front of established ministries and events in the host parishes, such as Rosary Societies or Communion Breakfasts. They gave their first talk at St. Paul’s in the spring of 2015, said Coleen Caulfield.

So far, the Caulfields, who have four grown children, have crafted presentations on the following topics and have delivered them to parishes around New Jersey:

• “Feed Your Spirit”: reflections on how not judging, offering forgiveness and practicing gratitude can provide nourishment for your soul.

• “Meditations on Mercy”: reflections on the infinite mercy of God, as it is manifested through the relieving of misery, the releasing of burdens, the building of bridges and the acceptance of the love God wants to share with us.

• “Celebrating Mary”: reflections on four mysteries of the Rosary (one Joyous, one Luminous, one Sorrowful and one Glorious) and how understanding them can bring us closer to Mary who will, in turn, bring us closer to Jesus.

• “Signs of the Sacred”: reflections on the sacredness of The Word, other people and The Eucharist at Mass, as well as the sacredness in the ordinary. Understanding the importance of reverence, and a reminder that the presence of God is all around us; we just need to notice.

• “Holy Spirit”: reflections on the power of The Holy Spirit and allowing the spirit to fill us, surround us, and lead us where God wants us to be.

• “Mary, Undoer of Knots”: reflections on how imitating Mary — by saying “yes,” simply living our ordinary lives, holding on to God in darkness, and going forth in joy — can help us undo the “knots” in our lives.

The Caulfields, both professional musicians, have presented at St. Paul’s and St. Rose’s, as well as many parishes in the Diocese, including St. Vincent Martyr, Madison; St. Lawrence the Martyr, Chester; St. Mark the Evangelist, Long Valley; and St. Jude, Budd Lake. They also have presented at parishes outside the diocese, they said.

“We tailor talks to the parish’s needs, to the seasons of the Liturgical Year or to a special year, such the Year of Mercy, which Pope Francis concluded last year,” said Jim Caulfield, who described Mustard Seed Mission presentations as filled with “lighthearted” and “humorous” moments. “We talk to groups in parishes that are focused on mission. We are ministering to the ministers,” Jim Caulfield said.

Inspiring the Caulfields’ decision to establish Mustard Seed Mission — named after Jesus’ parable about growth of the Church from small beginnings — was CCE, a unique three-year program. It seeks to transform Catholics into effective evangelists, equipping them to bring the Good News of Jesus Christ to their homes, parishes, and local communities. Graduates of the program then determine the best way for them to evangelize, which led to the Caulfields to develop Mustard Seed Mission in consultation with Father Paul Manning, St. Paul’s executive director and diocesan vicar for evangelization. They originally named the ministry, “Roamin’ Catholics,” they said.

“The CCE program encouraged us to explore new ways to evangelize to reach more people,” said Coleen Caulfield, who met Jim, while they were students at Montclair State University. They have been married for 33 years.

For many years, the Caulfields had participated in the music ministry at St. Peter the Apostle Parish here and its Baptism preparation programs. They now serve their home parish as Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion, she said.

Last year, the Caulfields presented a special evening at St. Peter’s for four or five couples of the Pre Cana marriage preparation program, said Deacon Louis Chiocco.

“It was an enriching experience. It was a spiritual night. We got a lot of good feedback,” Deacon Chiocco said. “The Caulfields are so personable and down to earth. They are a gift to our parish,” he said.

Mustard Seed Mission provides its own materials and equipment, including musical instruments, public-address system and projection equipment. A free-will offering is taken to be used to advance ministry; no money is used for private use.

[Information: https://sites.google.com/site/caulfieldmission/home; (973) 900-0913 or [email protected].]