Monday Message, March 24, 2025
KNOW
This afternoon, all pastors will receive this memo from the bishop. It references a quick survey Erin Neil is asking all parish faith formation leaders to email to parents. The survey is in English and Spanish and, if you need to, can be printed and distributed. The entire survey is just a few questions. Here is the background: All the children in Catholic schools receive some formation for safe environments. Public schools receive similar formation as per directives from the state of Connecticut. Many public school parents do not know this and so the auditors and diocesan leaders thought it would be helpful for parents to acknowledge what is taught in Connecticut public schools as well as get a glimpse of what happens in Catholic schools.
Please use this text to send out the emails this week to all your parents. That’s all you have to do – click the link, copy the text, and email all your parents (blind carbon copy please).
Mass counts for faith formation students are due by April 15th please. Use the task in LEAD or email Carmela.
Reminder: Don’t forget to submit your JPII Fund for Faith Formation Grant Application by April 6th! For details and instructions, please visit this page or contact Carol Incarnacao-Schirm. Download the flyer here.
Parish Leader Check In tomorrow at 11 am. Find the link here.
Re: New Confirmation Requests – The bishop’s offices indicates that only 25 parishes have submitted requests. Yes, the original deadline was April 1st, but I would strongly suggest you get your request in this week! I have it on good authority that parishes that do not submit will not have confirmation celebrated in their parish during the 25-26 school year. Find the form here and the original memo from the bishop here.
If you have not yet put May 1st on your calendar and invited your pastor, you really should. All parish catechectical leaders and pastors will attend an Evangelization Summit to discuss how we can engage parents in the formation of their children. An invitation with request for RSVP will go out this week.
REFLECT
Tomorrow is the Solemnity of the Annunciation. It is one of those rare feasts that still appears on the liturgical calendar even if it falls in Lent. It is also the day that reminds me most of this wonderful poem by Ruth Mary Fox, describing the journey of Mary to Elizabeth, just after she gives her fiat to her God.
Into the hillside country Mary went
Carrying Christ.
And all along the road the Christ she carried
Generously bestowed His grace on those she met.
But she had not meant to tell she carried Christ
She was content to hide His love for her.
But about her glowed such joy that into stony hearts
Love flowed
And even to the unborn John, Christ’s love was sent.
Christ, in the sacrament of love each day, dwells in my soul
A little space.
So as I walk life’s crowded highways
Jostling men who seldom think of God
To these, I pray, that I may carry Christ
For it may be
Some may not know of him
Except through me.
LAUGH
