2021-08-30 Priest and Deacon Edition Family & Life Monthly e-News September 2021
OFFICE OF FAMILY & LIFE eNEWS
September 2021
PRIEST & DEACON EDITION
REGISTER SOON FOR THE 2021 RESPECT LIFE CELEBRATION. TICKETS ARE $20 FOR ADULTS (18 AND OLDER) AND ONLY $5 FOR YOUTH (17 AND UNDER). http://www.evdio.org/events1.html
Join us on Tuesday, September 21 at 6pm at Reitz Memorial High School for the 3rd annual 40 Days for Life kickoff Prayer and Procession. Bishop Joseph Siegel will provide the prayer, followed by a peaceful procession to the Planned Parenthood. No reservation required.
ENTERING CANAAN DAY OF HEALING FOR WOMEN WHO HAVE HAD AN ABORTION. OCTOBER 2. CALL THE PROJECT RACHEL LINE AT 812-483-7812 FOR MORE INFORMATION.
PRIEST/DEACON SURVEY
A survey regarding this monthly newsletter was recently sent out to 35 random priests and deacons. The results are below. Of the 35 surveys, 10 were completed (28.5%). If you were not one of the random 35 initially surveyed and would like to respond, the link is below. With the current results, a quarterly newsletter is preferred, so barring additional survey results to the contrary, the newsletter will be sent quarterly. https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/VTNKDB7
IN-PERSON MARRIAGE PREP RETREAT:
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 25
CATHOLIC CENTER IN EVANSVILLE.
ONE DAY RETREAT.
2022 FEBRUARY AND APRIL RETREAT DATES ARE SET and can be accessed at the above link.
THE ONLINE UNVEILED RESOURCE WILL CONTINUE TO BE AVAILABLE ONLY THROUGH THE END OF 2021
THE TRUTH ABOUT NFP
IS BACK TO IN-PERSON
REQUIRED FOR MARRIAGE PREPARATION IN THE DIOCESE OF EVANSVILLE
A FREE, 45 minute Introduction to Catholic teaching on fertility and Natural Family Planning models
* Denotes presentation offered within Unveiled Marriage Prep retreat
September 26, 2021 (Evansville)
October 17, 2021 (Jasper)
November 7, 2021 (TBD)
December 19, 2021 (Vincennes)
Holy Family Center for Life Fertility Care Center
918 W. Mill Rd., Evansville, IN. 47705
812-421-2030 | HFCLsignup@gmail.com
OFFICE OF FAMILY& LIFE WORKSHOP RECORDINGS
MINISTERING TO THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN TOUCHED BY ABORTION
TENTATIVELY SCHEDULED FOR
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 7 AT 10PM CT
MORE INFORMATION WILL BE SENT WHEN CONFIRMED
As a new school year begins, we pray especially for Catholic school teachers, staff, and administrators, as well as students, parents, and the broader school communities.
We also just want to quickly let you know about the resources available to help you celebrate Respect Life Month in October.
Our Catholic education toolkit features suggestions for using the new resources in Catholic educational settings.
All the resources are downloadable, and the poster and prayer card can also be purchased in print. The poster has English on one side and Spanish on the other, and the prayer card can be purchased in either English or Spanish.
Diocesan Pro-Life Directors, State Catholic Conference Directors
USCCB Secretariat of Pro-Life Activities
August 12, 2021
U.S. Bishop Chairmen Speak Out on U.S. Department of Justice Dismissal of a Case Involving Conscience Law
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Justice has announced that it is voluntarily dismissing a case against the University of Vermont Medical Center (UVMC) that it had brought after the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office for Civil Rights found that UVMC forced a nurse to participate in an elective abortion against the nurse’s religious beliefs.
The Church Amendment, enacted in 1973, prohibits recipients of various federal health program funding from discriminating against health care personnel because of their religious beliefs or moral convictions about abortions. In the UVMC case, HHS found that UVMC not only engages in such discrimination, but on one occasion even deliberately deceived and coerced a nurse into assisting in an abortion.
Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan of New York, chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB) Committee for Religious Liberty, and Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann of Kansas City in Kansas, chairman of the USCCB’s, issued the following statement:
“The U.S. Department of Justice is acting in dereliction of its duty to enforce the plain meaning of federal law. It is hard to imagine a more horrific civil rights violation than being forced to take an innocent human life. HHS found that the University of Vermont Medical Center forced a nurse, against her known religious beliefs, to do just that. This is not only deeply wrong, but a violation of federal law. We call on the Administration to stand up for the basic dignity of our nation’s health care workers by reopening this case, and on Congress to pass the Conscience Protection Act so that doctors and nurses can defend their own rights in court.”
Unveiled Marriage Preparation Retreat Facilitator Couples
1 Facilitator Couples needed
There are always 2 Facilitator Couples per retreat
Weekend food and lodging expenses are covered
The UNVEILED marriage preparation program is a clearly defined step by step process agenda.
Parish Level Sponsor Couples
Parish level sponsor couple programs are opportunities for parishes to wrap around and celebrate their young adults as they prepare for the Sacrament of Marriage.
Natural Family Planning Presenter Couples: Married couples who are trained or are using Natural Family Planning are needed to tell their stories and impart the NFP message to High School students and engaged couples.
(NEW) Facilitators for Life Giving Wounds (Support for Adult Children of Divorce): This program is beginning in 2022. A group of 5 persons, who are themselves adult children of divorce, and a chaplain is needed to help bring other adult children of divorce the healing peace of Christ in their lives.
Respect Life Coordinators are needed at about 1/2 of the parishes in our Diocese.
(NEW) Steering Committee for Married Couple activities (lunches, speakers, TOT, date nights). A group of five persons preferred.
(NEW) Leaders from each of our four deaneries to work with the larger team to plan and implement the Love Ed program across the diocese.
(NEW) A diocesan team to evaluate the benefit of a diocesan wide prison ministry/jail outreach
One or two volunteers working specifically with the WALKING WITH MOMS IN NEED initiative
Exploration committee (of 5 persons) to review the possibility of an annual diocesan Family Night
Steering/Planning Committee of 5 persons to coordinate an annual Peace in the Mourning Widow Retreat
Contact me at egirten@evdio.org if you have questions about any of the above or are interested in volunteering for any of these ministries
