Monday Message, May 8, 2023

Patrick Donovan

KNOW

As communicated on Friday, the faith formation community lost a giant with the passing of Joan Kelly – a pioneer in faith formation, theological presentations, retreats, and more. Arrangements will be on the diocesan home page once they are finalized.

Updates in LEAD that are now live include:

Ability for local leader to see who at their parish is attending an in-person event
Multi-language support (go to profile and select language)
Updates to information that shows when you download your team members
Group managers approving assignments for their group (EMHC leaders get EMHC assignments, etc.)
Secure assignments so we can upload passport information (foreign priests) and SSN (background checks for mentors)

Need help with LEAD? Join Carmela every Wednesday at 2 pm. Spreadsheets went out to priests on Thursday and to you on Friday. Before you throw up your hands in exasperation, please read the key to the spreadsheet. It will save you time.

Save the date for a meeting with Bishop Caggiano and Parish Catechetical Leaders on Saturday, September 16th from 9 am to 2 pm.

Ministry Day is September 30, 2023. If you have requests for workshops or special tracks, send us an email.

Have you checked out this new web app, created by our partners in LEAD? It combines artificial intelligence and the Catechism of the Catholic Church. See it here – and read about it here.

UPDATED RESOURCES

In the past few weeks, a couple of parishes have realized that the resources they “have always used” might be out of touch with today’s reality of loneliness, anxiety, sexual awareness, and sensitivity of parents.

Bishop Caggiano has agreed that the following Examinations of Conscience are the only ones to be used for the immediate future. There are two – primary grades and middle school (in English and Spanish), compliments of RCL-Benziger. For high school students, you can continue to use what you have but you are encouraged to review your resources to make sure you are not raising issues that might trigger young people or cause consternation among the parents.

REFLECT

Promises are meaningless unless the assurances are followed by deeds. We’ve all known people who talk a good game but never produce results. We ourselves must admit to times of making commitments, only to default when payment was due. Sunday’s readings challenge our commitment to Christ. Christianity is a way of life in which actions speak louder than words.

Luke, in the passage from Acts, offers an example of how the painful reality of discrimination can become the occasion for community growth. The discrimination resulted from the unfair distribution of food between the Hellenist widows and the Hebrew widows. The two groups were separated not only by language but also by cultural and religious differences. The apostles, with community approval, chose seven assistants to solve the problem.

The second reading opens with an invitation to come to the Lord, a living stone. The Christians are called “living stones.” The community is a temple and, as such, is required to lead a life of service. The result of their holiness must not be their departure to a sacred place but their involvement in action. Verse 9 describes the royal and priestly status of Christians: “a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people….”

Maturity in faith is much more demanding than simply mouthing the words of our baptismal promises. To reject Satan, to believe in the forgiveness of sins and life everlasting — these vows demand action. The gospel passage from John provides the course we are to follow: “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6).

May your week be blessed.

LAUGH

Bishop

LEAD

Ministry Day

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