At a recent Mass for students at St. Robert Bellarmine School, Father Lawrence Signey, the parish pastor, closed Mass with a simple, "Go with God."

It is a message, says school principal Dr. June Rosena, that really expresses the mission of the school and parish. "That simple admonition calls everyone to take the liturgy and carry it forth from church into daily lives and relationships with others," she says, "and to follow that Christian call to do for others."

The experience affected her so much that Dr. Rosena found herself extending "Go with God" into her school as she and the faculty worked on their mission statement and planning activities for the school year.

This experience of carrying the liturgy into the community is no small accident at St. Robert Bellarmine Parish, but is the result of conscious planning, coordination and investment of time and money. And it begins with Sunday liturgy, which at St. Robert Bellarmine is at the core of the Catholic community.

"We do really strive to have a good liturgy and that shows itself," says Dale Ross, parish administrator. "Our liturgist and music director work hand in hand. A lot of parishes cannot afford to have a liturgist. But we have been blessed with one. We decided that it is important to us."

For the last 18 years, St. Robert Bellarmine's director of liturgy has been Cherie Sprosty, who says she loves her job "because it comes right to the heart of what people's lives are centered on, to the heart of what our community is about: their prayer, praising and worshipping God. Everything in the parish really does flow from the liturgy."

Sprosty notes that the people who are involved in Christian initiation or confirmation or finance council or the women's group are all connected in some way to the liturgy.

"A lot of them are Communion ministers or hospitality ministers, so their service tends to flow out from that experience in the church," she says. "What your experience at Mass makes you do after you leave the church concerns me more than what you do before Mass. It all comes down to 'Go out with God' and take it to the world."

Outreach to the local community springs forth from the liturgy. The parish supports Loaves and Fishes I in Glendale, the building of a new church for Guardian Angel Parish in Pacoima, a guest chefs program that provides meals for the elderly, sick and homeless, and countless other efforts in the area. Father Signey is proud of the outreach shown by his parish and the spirit with which the parish accepts others.

"Everyone tells me that when they walk into the church they have a sense of the welcome and warmth," he says. "It tells you something about the people who attend."