Mission Matters: Apr. 5, 2016

This week’s “Parish Table Talk”:  Release of post-synodal Exhortation – Amoris Laetitia; The trends of religiosity in the US; Faith and citizenship; A film about the original image of Divine Mercy;  Jason Evert on chastity for youth and parents of youth; plus this Thursday’s blog post.

Watch for this Thursday’s Post:

Religious Educators: Who’s On the Team? by Abby Kibler, Coordinator of Discipleship Formation

• Amoris Laetitia, The Joy of Love: Pope Francis’s Exhortation on love in the family  will be released on Friday, April 8, at 11:30 a.m. (Rome time). The Apostolic Exhortation is the conclusion of a two-year synod process discussing both the beauty and challenges of family life today. You can live-stream the press conference or download it after the event.

• America’s road to secularization: Accompanied by conclusive statistics, this new study by Duke University and University College London shows how generational differences are responsible for a steady decline in the “American devotion to religion.”

• The treacherous journey of St. Faustina’s mystical vision: As a way to observe and enlighten the Year of Mercy, the Archdiocese of Vilnus, Lithuania, has produced a film about the mysterious case of the original image of the Merciful Jesus, a painting that survived the Anti-Catholic occupation of Lithuania in the 1940s. Parishes can request a screening of the film by filling out this simple form.

• Prayerful reflection for well-reasoned political judgement: As Maryland voters prepare for primary elections, you may consider sharing USCCB’s resources from “Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship” with your parishioners. The Maryland Catholic Conference also offers survey results and bulletin inserts  showing candidates’ positions on key issues for Catholics.

• Jason Evert on “Parenting for Purity” and “What’s Love?“: The Catholic author will bring his message of chastity to Sacred Heart of Glyndon on April 14.  In these two talks, parents will hear about proven strategies to empower their children’s education and youth will get straight answers about dating, relationships, and sexual purity.

 Questions? Feedback? Please leave a comment below.