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Catechetical Sunday - The celebration of Catechetical Sunday is September 18. The 2022 theme is “This is my body given for you.” The purpose of Catechetical Sunday is to call forth catechists to be commissioned for their ministry. Catechetical Sunday is also a wonderful opportunity to reflect on the role that each person plays, by virtue of Baptism, in handing on the faith and being a witness to the Gospel. The celebration is a rededication of ourselves to the mission of passing on the faith as a parish community. A prayer service for Catechetical Sunday is available at https://oldsite.dio.org/catechesis/recognition-of-catechists.html.
Resources for Catechist Formation - The University of Dayton’s Virtual Learning Community for Faith Formation (VLCFF) offers a variety of online formation courses to help with catechist formation and general ongoing adult formation and enrichment. Registration for Cycle 6 of the VLCFF is now open. This cycle runs from September 5 – October 9, 2022. You do not have to wait until Cycle 1 to start – courses can be taken at any time. Deadline to register is August 31. Visit https://oldsite.dio.org/catechesis/approved-formation-programs.htm for more information about VLCFF and how courses align with the Diocesan Catechist Formation Process. As a member diocese of the VLCFF program, session fees are reduced to $50 per course or $40 per seminar. Spanish language courses are available. And VLCFF has several certificate programs, too.
Catholic Committee on Scouting - Planning for the upcoming school year includes a webinar on religious awards for members of Girl Scouts USA and Boy Scouts of America units. Please join us at 7 PM on Sunday, August 14 to learn more. Contact Kyle Holtgrave at to learn more.
Pictures of your monstrance - We'd like to share pictures on social media and in Catholic Times of different monstrances in the diocese with the launch of the Eucharistic Revival. Take a look at this picture as an example. Could your parish take a similar photo with the Blessed Sacrament in the monstrance? Also, is there any interesting history associated with the monstrance or interesting artwork on the monstrance? Please send a photo and this information (including the parish) to Andrew Hansen: . Thanks! (I'd like to get at least 26 photos as 26 pictures allows me to put one in 26 editions of Catholic Times during our diocese wide Year of the Eucharist starting later this year.)
SDCCW convention - The Springfield Diocesan Council of Catholic Women (SDCCW) are inviting all women of the diocese to their 93rd annual convention called “Women of the Bible” on Wed. Sept. 28 at Immaculate Conception Parish in Mattoon. Parishes are asked to promote the event (go to bulletin annoucements to copy and paste) and put this registration form in public areas.
LTP Orders: The order form for ordering publications from Liturgy Training Publications through the Office for Divine Worship and the Catechumenate has been updated and is available at https://oldsite.dio.org/worship/book-sales.html. If ordering through the ODWC, please submit orders to .
Apostolic Letter on Liturgical Formation: The Holy Father Pope Francis published Desiderio desideravi, an Apostolic Letter on the Liturgical Formation of the People of God. The official English translation of the Apostolic Letter may be read here: https://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/apost_letters/documents/20220629-lettera-ap-desiderio-desideravi.html.
New Employee Sexual Harassment Awareness Training - Beginning July 1, this training will be transitioning from VIRTUS’ Anti-Harassment Training to Catholic Mutual Group’s (CMG) Sexual Harassment Awareness Training. This training is mandatory per Illinois law to be completed annually by all paid employees. This training will be housed in the same database as the new Safe Environment programs, CMG Connect. There was a slight delay in the program, but it will be up and running by mid-July. For more questions, please contact Erin Danaher at .
Mass Stipends for Missionaries - Do you have more Mass intentions than you are able to celebrate Mass? Consider sending the extra Mass intentions to the Office for the Missions. Mass intentions and stipends given to the Office for the Missions are shared with missionary priests to celebrate in their home country. The Office for the Missions is very appreciative of the ways in which parishes support missionary priests, dioceses, and orders. Missionary priests are happy to help their brother priests to celebrate Mass intentions and grateful to receive Mass stipends.
Your parish database - The Office of Parish Vitality and Mission Advancement (PVMA) recently sent out a survey via Survey Monkey to all business managers asking for information about the parishioner databases used across the diocese. This will help the PVMA office enhance the resources we provide to parishes. We would like to receive responses by Friday, August 5. If your business manager did not get the email, or there is someone else at your parish that should also have access to the survey, please use this link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/3P87T7H Questions can be directed to Rachel Langdon () or Katie Price ().
Ameren Lighting Incentives - Ameren Illinois, through approved contractors, is offering lighting upgrades with incentives. They will come to your facility, assess your current lighting, and provide you with a proposal showing incentives and payback period for your part of the project. We have been able to benefit from this program in our Catholic Charities offices throughout the diocese and in some of our parishes. If you would like to find out more, please contact the person at the bottom of the flyer. Please let me know if you have any questions. Greg Fleck, Director for Property, Buildings and Cemeteries: 217-321-1195
Ameren program replaces fluorescents to LED at no charge - An Ameren incentive program is available for churches and schools that involves receiving LED tubes to replace fluorescent bulbs in ceiling fixtures, some outdoor lights, and gymnasium lights. This program provides light bulbs and fixtures only, at no charge, but someone else must install the bulbs. For more information and to order the lights, please click here.
Anti-Racism Training - You are invited to participate in a virtual anti-racism training event for religious leaders. The Illinois Christians Encountering Racism (Illinois Conference of Churches), is hosting the training event, which takes place on Tuesday, August 16, 10 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. This event is free but registration is required. All participants who register by August 1 will be sent the book “Awkward Silence” to be used during the training. Those who register after August 1 are asked to obtain the book on their own.
Our Lady of the Snows Conference - The Shrine of Our Lady of the Snows is hosting their annual conference - When Mental Illness Hits Home. The theme for this year’s conference is “Living in the Now: Moving from Anxiety and Depression to Recovery and Peace.” The conference is Friday, August 26, from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.They are offering 5 CEUs for counselors, social workers, and nurses (APRN, RN, LPN, LCSW, and LCPC). For more information and to register go to: When Mental Illness Hits Home Conference – Our Lady of the Snows.
New adult safe environment awareness training - Beginning July 1, the adult safe environment awareness training will be transitioning from VIRTUS’ Protecting God’s Children to Catholic Mutual Group’s (CMG) Safe Haven. This training, offered on a fully virtual platform, allows the user to complete the course on their own time and provides more engaging content than past trainings. The virtual platform will also allow for background checks to be completed electronically. The results of training and background checks will all be housed in one database, CMG Connect. Fingerprint processes will be unchanged, but results will be housed in the database as well. As of July 1, only the new training and background checks will be accepted. Instruction on these new programs were held on June 15 and 22 for pastors, principals, and parish Safe Environment Coordinators. If you missed these webinars, please contact Alison Smith at .