Mission Matters: May 3, 2016

This week’s “Parish Table Talk”: An important update from Youth and Young Adult Ministry; The Revised Rite of Marriage; Spring Confirmations at the Cathedral; Christ in the City (video); Celebrating Mass in the absence of a priest; plus this Thursday’s blog post.

Watch for this Thursday’s Post: Parish Survey Series #3

The Ants Go Marching: Children’s Faith Formation by Abby Kibler, Coordinator of Discipleship Formation.

• An Important Update in the Division of Youth and Young Adult Ministry.

• Event Cancellation: The 5th Lecture for Legal Professionals, which was to take place this Thursday May 5, 2016 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at St. Mary’s Seminary, has been cancelled.

• Regional workshop on the Order of Celebrating Matrimony:  Last February, Archbishop Kurtz from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) issued a Decree of Publication for the Order of Celebrating Matrimony. Its use in Liturgy will be mandatory as of December 30, 2016. Therefore, the Federation of Diocesan Liturgical Commissions (FDLC) along with the Archdiocese of Baltimore are offering this formation opportunity for priests, deacons, parish musicians, and diocesan leaders who actively prepare couples for marriage and for the celebration of Matrimony. The workshop will take place at the Church of Resurrection in Ellicott City, MD on Wednesday, July 20, 2016 . Online registration and more information available on the Federation’s website.  For more information, please contact the Office of Marriage and Family Life at (410) 547-5406 or e-mail cmahaley@archbalt.org.

• Pentecost Sunday Confirmations: On May 15, Archbishop Lori will celebrate Mass at the Cathedral of Mary Our Queen at 3:00 p.m. and confer the Sacrament of Confirmation to adult baptized Catholics. If your parish has candidates who would like to be confirmed, please be sure to register them online by Friday, May 6, 2015 and send copies of their baptismal certificates to the Office of Worship and Sacramental Formation either by email (alexandra.danter@archbalt.org) or fax: (410) 625-8481. When you contact candidates, please ask them to be at the Cathedral by 2:00 p.m. Candidates, their sponsors, and families will have reserved pews.  For more information – or if candidates have more than twelve guests – please contact Alexandra Danter at (410) 547-5403 or email alexandra.danter@archbalt.org.

• On a mission to serve the homeless: Christ in the City is a Catholic non-profit dedicated to “forming missionaries, volunteers and communities in knowing, loving, and serving the poor.” Consider visiting their website and take a look at their blog  featuring articles like “Tips for Encountering the Homeless at a Stop Light.” This organization partners with local parishes and donors to make its ministries and programs possible. Can you see this model of serving the poor being successful in your parish or region?

• Sunday celebrations in the absence of a priest:  What should you do when a priest is not available to celebrate Mass in your parish? This workshop presented by Ximena DeBroeck, Assistant Professor of Scripture at St. Mary’s Seminary, will guide you through Eucharist, the rite itself, and its difference from Mass.  It will take place May 14 at St. Mark’s, Catonsville, from 8 A.M. to 11 A.M.

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