Mission Matters: Dec. 15th, 2015

This week’s “Parish Table Talk”: Eight Holy Doors; Jubilee Celebrations; Guadalupe Documentary; Amazing Parish Webinar; MAC Spanish program and Transitions: We are happy to announce a new Director of Marriage and Family Life; plus this Thursday’s Blog post.

Watch for this Thursday’s Post:

A Last-minute Thought for Your Christmas Wish List by Carlos Castaneda, Coordinator of Hispanic Pastoral Formation

Parish Table Talk

Fr. Chervenak at Ss. Peter & Paul, Cumberland. Photo by Greg Larry/Special to The Catholic Review.

• Eight Holy Doors were opened this past weekend across our Archdiocese from the Cathedral to St. John in Frederick, to Ss. Peter and Paul in Cumberland as we began the Jubilee Year of Mercy.  Throughout the year, pilgrims are invited to visit these churches and post their pictures at #AOByom.  Archbishop Lori opened the doors at the Basilica and Cathedral and gave a Homily for the start of Year of Mercy about this year of mercy.  What is your parish doing to open the door to those in your community this coming year?

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  Archbishop Lori at the Cathedral of Mary Our Queen. Photo by Olivia Obineme/Special to The Catholic Review

  Jubilee Celebrations are scheduled in Rome throughout the Year of Mercy.  Some of these could be adapted locally for your parishes.  On the feast of the Holy Family, December 27th, is the Jubilee for Families.  Are you planning on celebrating any of these jubilees?  What are you planning on doing?

  • Amazing Parish has posted their latest webinar on Hospitality, During the Holidays and Beyond
  • Guadalupe: The Miracle and the Message offers original insights into the details, story and impact of the 16th century apparition of Our Lady of Guadalupe — one of the most recognizable religious icons in the American hemisphere.  There is a schedule available so you can watch this movie over the next two weeks.

Do you have Hispanic parishioners and volunteers?  Check out the full schedule for the Spanish track at the Mid Atlantic Congress February 5th and 6th.

 Transitions

We are happy to announce that Edward Herrera will join our team in the Department of Evangelization on January 14, 2016 as Director of the Office of Marriage and Family Life. A father of two, Edward comes to us from St. Michael Catholic Church in Houston, Texas, a parish of almost 5,000 families, where he served as Director of Adult Faith Formation. Prior to this, he served as an adjunct professor of theology at the University of St. Thomas, and as Director of the Rev. William J. Young Social Justice Institute. Having earned his BA at the University of St. Thomas in 2004, Edward went on to earn his Masters and begin doctoral work at the Pontifical John Paul II Institute for Studies on Marriage and Family at the Catholic University of America in Washington, DC. It is certainly a time of profound challenges, as well as exciting opportunities, in marriage and family ministry. Edward brings with him not only theological expertise and pastoral experience, but also a passion, vision, and creative approach to family-focused evangelization in the 21st-century. Please join us in welcoming him and his family in the new year.

Questions? Feedback? Please leave a comment below.