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Virtual Learning Community for Faith Formation - Registration for the next cycle for online courses through the University of Dayton’s VLCFF program is now open. Certificate programs are available for catechesis, leadership in ministry, youth ministry and more! As a diocesan partner, you can register for courses at a discounted cost of $50 for 5-week sessions and $40 for 3-week seminars. All courses in the VLCFF can be used to help with the Catechist Formation Process. Visit oldsite.dio.org/catechesis/vlcff.html for more information. Or contact Kyle Holtgrave at (217) 698-8500, ext. 154.
Counselor Training - An online Counselor Training session for Scout leaders in the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois will be held as part of the Greater St. Louis Area Council BSA’s University of Scouting event on Sunday, January 31 at 1 PM. The purpose of Counselor Training is to familiarize adult leaders with program requirements for the Ad Altare Dei and Pope Pius XII Catholic religious emblems for Scouts. To register, please click here. If you would like to host training in your area of the diocese, please contact Kyle Holtgrave at (217) 698-8500, ext. 154 or email .
Issues with U.S. Postal Service – Catholic Times is aware of several locations in our diocese that have not received their Catholic Times recently or have been getting the magazine late. Unfortunately, it is out of our control as the U.S. Postal Service is responsible for mailing our magazine. You can always read the latest edition of Catholic Times for free by visiting ct.dio.org. The online version flips just like a magazine. You can also subscribe to receive the online edition of Catholic Times to your inbox for free by going to: ct.dio.org/subscribe.
Dive Deep - From fear to feminine genius. Join Dive Deep, the official podcast of the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois, as we plunge into our fears. This four-part series in January dives deep into the pillars of fear: pain, regret, failure, and comparison. Subscribe to listen at dio.org/podcast.
Click here to download a graphic to include in your bulletins
We want to share your great photos! – Got a great photo? Whether it’s of school life, parish life, or home life, the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois is wanting to promote Catholic life in action. Through Catholic Times, social media, videos, or marketing materials, the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois wants to share your great photo to spread the joy diocesan-wide. Submit your photo or photos by going to oldsite.dio.org/submitphoto.
Bulletin Shorts for Ordinary Time (Winter) –Year B can be found at oldsite.dio.org/worship/liturgical-year.html
Collection for the Church in Latin America - Please inform parishioners about the upcoming collection for the Church in Latin America. Gifts help fellow Catholics in Latin America and the Caribbean who are rich in spirit, but lacking in material resources, to participate more fully in the life of the Church. Collection proceeds support training for seminarians and religious men and women; pastoral care of the sick; formation for lay leaders; family and youth ministries; and religious education for all age groups. For more information, please visit www.usccb.org/latin-america.
9 Days for Life Novena - 9 Days for Life (January 21-29, 2021) is a novena for the protection of human life. Participants can receive novena prayers each day by downloading the free 9 Days for Life app, or by subscribing to daily emails or text messages at: 9 Days for Life . Each day there is a daily intention accompanied by a short reflection and suggested action to help build a culture of life. Please promote this novena in your parish.
DCJH Grant Opportunity - The Diocesan Campaign for Justice and Hope (DCJH) is accepting applications for the 2020-2021 funding cycle. Organizations and projects that focus on changing and improving the conditions of low-income people within the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois are eligible to apply for a DCJH grant. The deadline for submitting a grant application is February 22, 2021. Early submission is encouraged so any deficiencies on the application can be corrected prior to this deadline. Details about the grant is located at: oldsite.dio.org/dcjh/home.html. Or interested applicants can call the Office for Pro-Life, Missions, and Special Ministries 217-321-1161.
Short Tidbit from Project Rachel: The Diocese: Project Rachel and Related Programs: – How to Begin (or Strengthen) a Project Rachel Ministry in Your Diocese: First Step: It is not necessary to provide twenty-four-hour telephone coverage. Taking calls at home can lead to staff or volunteer burnout, can be disruptive to family life, and may cause pain to the caller if they can hear the voices of children or other distractions in the background. There is sometimes a question about whether a ministry should provide twenty-four hour hotline service via cell phone. Unless an extraordinary public outreach has been undertaken, this should generally not be done. The goal of ministry is to provide referral care, not emergency care. Emergency care information, such as a suicide prevention hotline or emergency room contact, can be provided in the after-hours recorded message. (PR Manual pp 56-57)
March for Life - Due to Covid-19, the March for Life pilgrimage will look a little different this year. Tony Cerveny (Director of Youth and Sports Ministry) and Sister M. Veritas Wilks, FSGM (Director of Youth and Women's Ministry) from the Office of Ministry and Evangelization will be heading to Washington, D.C. for the March for Life. Teens accompanied by parents/guardians and other family members are invited to join us. We will be there to greet you, feed you, organize prayer and programming, and provide a place for the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois to gather. Sister M. Karolyn, FSGM (Vocations Director for the Sisters of St. Francis of the Martyr St. George, in Alton, IL) will be there to speak and lead us in games, prayer, and music. Father Michael Berndt will be there to celebrate Mass, march, and participate in all programming with us. For those of you unable to travel, we encourage you to "Mirror the March" in your own home, or as part of your school/parish.
Please visit benotafraid.dio.org/experience to learn more and to register.