Mission Matters: June 28, 2016

This week’s “Parish Table Talk”: The feast of St. Mary Magdalene; Blessed Is She website; Top films for the Jubilee of Mercy; Faith formation resources for men; plus this Thursday’s blog post.

Watch for this Thursday’s Post: Parish Survey Series #11

At the Heart of Worship by Ximena DeBroeck, Associate Professor of Sacred Scripture at Saint Mary’s Seminary and University.

• A “true and authentic evangelizer”: The July 22 memorial of St. Mary Magdalene is now a feast on the Church’s liturgical calendar.  In an article for the Vatican newspaper, Archbishop Arthur Roche, secretary of the congregation, wrote that St. Mary Magdalene’s feast day is a call for all Christians to “reflect more deeply on the dignity of women, the new evangelization, and the greatness of the mystery of divine mercy.”

•  An online women-oriented ministry: Blessed Is She is a website aiming to foster community among women by delivering daily devotions straight to their inbox. With a modern design and a fresh approach, the women authors share their spiritual experiences while encouraging others to “seek support in their relationship with the Lord.” If your parish has a dynamic group of women, consider sharing this information. Maybe your parish could become the first “Blessed Church” in Maryland!

• Evangelization through cinema:  Thinking about doing a summer movie night at the parish? Check out this list of the top 25 films on mercy as we continue to celebrate this Jubilee Year. If none of these films strike your fancy, maybe head over to Decent Films to see if there’s another that would make for a fun parish night. Sr. Rose Pacatte is also a great resource for current films including using film to contemplate religious life.  Besides watching the movie together, what else could you plan to make movie night an opportunity for parish growth and evangelization?

• Resources for men’s faith formation: Looking for some material focused on adult faith formation for men only? Check out Bishop Olmsted’s exhortation Into the Breach, with the accompanying video promo and audio. This could be a great document for study and discussion in men’s small groups.

Questions? Feedback? Please leave a comment below