Mission Matters: May 9, 2017

This week’s “Parish Table Talk”: CRS Parish Ambassador Updates; Celebrating Fatima; Formation for Ministry with Young Adults; Young Adult Ministers Facebook Group; NACFLM conference discount; Camp GLOW; plus this Thursday’s blog post.

Watch for this Thursday’s post:

Once Upon A Time by Stacy Golden, Coordinator of Pastoral Care, Project Rachel and Chastity Formation, Respect Life Office

Parish Table Talk

•  CRS Parish Ambassador Updates: We had our 2nd retreat training day with our new Parish Ambassadors, who are participating in the Catholic Relief Services (CRS) Parish Ambassador Corps initiative. This is an opportunity that the Archdiocese of Baltimore and CRS have partnered this year in order to form global missionary disciples in solidarity with our brothers and sisters around the world. The retreat training day consisted of prayer, learning more about CRS’s work around the world, and engaging in advocacy through letter writing to public officials. All of this training is to equip these parish ambassadors to engage their parishes in global discipleship.

For this CRS-AOB partnership, we are looking to fill the Parish Animator position. This person would act as a liaison between the Archdiocese, CRS, and the parish ambassadors. This is a paid position by a stipend and would require about 8 hours of work per week. The position would be a primarily work from home position. Bilingual (English and Spanish) preferred but not required. Please see this job description for more details.

•  Celebrating Fatima: In celebration of the 100^th anniversary of the first apparition at Fatima, Portugal of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Pope Francis will canonize the Church’s youngest non-martyred saints, Francisco and Jacinta Marto (ages 11 and 10 when they died, respectively). The events of Fatima have had a significant impact on our Church and our world. Take some time to read this article about the heroic virtues practiced by these young saints who will be canonized this Saturday, May 13^th and get to know more about Our Lady of Fatima.

•  Formation for Ministry with Young Adults: Where are our young adults? Not as far away as you’d think. Join us on Tuesday nights May 16 & 30 for a two-part training workshop for pastoral leaders and volunteers interested in connecting and acquiring ministry skills with, for and to men and women in their late teens, twenties, and thirties. We are excited to have two nationally known speakers Paul Jarzembowski, USCCB, and Jonathan Lewis, Archdiocese of Washington, sharing with us their wisdom and insight on ministry with young adults. It takes less than 3 minutes to register here. We hope you will join us!

•  Are you a Leader in young adult or college ministry? We have created an online closed Facebook group for leaders such as yourself. Here we will discuss best practices in college and young adult ministry as well as share events, resources, and answer questions that you bring up. Interested in joining the conversation? Click the link, ask to join the group, and email Sarah Jarzembowski that you are interested in participating in the group and what parish, organization, or ministry you are working with. It may take 48 hours to be approved by an administrator.

•  NACFLM Summer Conference Discount: NACFLM (National Association of Catholic Family Life Ministers)  is offering a special rate to the Archdiocese of Baltimore for their summer conference.  The conference theme is “The Missionary Impulse Within Our Families: Intersections with Catholic Social Teaching.” Registration forms are available here in English and in Spanish. More information about the conference can be found on their website.

•  Camp GLOW Companions: Are there people in your parish who might be called to serve those with special needs?  Extend an invitation to be a companion (age 18 and older) at Camp GLOW, a week-long residential camp for persons with disabilities sponsored by the Archdiocese of Baltimore. Companions spend the week accompanying camp participants as they enjoy a wonderful week of spiritual fulfillment and social interaction. More information and application forms are available here or by contacting Bill Fleming at 410-547-5410 or bfleming@archbalt.org

Questions? Feedback? Please leave a comment below.