PASTORAL FORMATION MONTHLY UPDATE
What's buzzin' in Pastoral Formation?
Dear Friends:
As some of you may know, I took our Diocesan Formation Program to the Diocese of Raleigh, North Carolina this month. Sacred Heart Catholic Church located in Pinehurst, NC invited me to share our program with their parish staff and key ministers. It was another collaborative experience with people of good faith that truly was joy filled and enriching.
Year IV of Formation will concentrate on Human Formation, as we will be using the Meyers-Briggs Type Indicator (hereafter MBTI) to understand ourselves better and those with whom we minister. I ask each parish to register your office staff by emailing Cathy Roche at cathy@charlestondiocese.org or call her at 843.261.0504 a week before so that we have correct numbers of inventories, workbooks and also inform the host parishes for food preparations.
To summarize the MBTI, we will be exploring the types of some of our famous Catholic saints, as well as a few not-so-familiar Anglican saints. Also, if you are not coming once you have signed up, please let us know that also. I especially want to thank those parishes who host us annually, as they have the facilities to do so. Your graciousness and kindness to the needs of Pastoral Formation is so appreciated.
In this Buzz News, I want to encourage you to be prayerful, faithful and even joyous, as we continue to deal with many issues in the church that may have us feeling sad, angry and even questioning some aspects of our faith. As has been the case, we’ll look at global, national and local issues of the church.
Peace and all good,
Sister Kathy Adamski, OSF
GLOBAL NEWS
Pope Francis Calls for Synod
During the month of October, 2018, Pope Francis has called for a Synod entitled "Young People, the Faith, and Vocational Discernment." The Synod will be held in Rome, Italy from October 3-28, 2018.
What is the Synod of Bishops?
The Synod of Bishops is a permanent institution of the Catholic Church. It was established by Pope Paul VI in 1965, shortly after the close of the Second Vatican Council, to continue the spirit of collegiality and communion that was present at the Council. The Synod is an assembly of bishops from around the world who assist the Holy Father by providing counsel on important questions facing the Church in a manner that preserves the Church's teaching. Learn more about this wonderful Synod by copying the following link into your web browser:
http://www.usccb.org/about/bishops-and-dioceses/synod-of-bishops/synod-2018/index.cfm
The United States Conference of Bishops offer Catholics a wonderful website to review so many different topics on the church. I hope at your convenience that you take the opportunity to review some of the topics.
Who represents the USA at the Synod?
The United States will be represented by bishop delegates and ordained and lay leaders from across the United States. The bishop delegates are:
· Cardinal Daniel N. DiNardo, Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston, President of the USCCB
· Archbishop José H. Gomez, Archdiocese of Los Angeles, Vice President of the USCCB
· Archbishop Charles J. Chaput, O.F.M. Cap., Archdiocese of Philadelphia, Chairman of the USCCB Committee on Laity, Marriage, Family Life and Youth
· Bishop Frank J. Caggiano, Diocese of Bridgeport, member of the USCCB Committee on Laity, Marriage, Family Life and Youth
· Auxiliary Bishop Robert E. Barron, Archdiocese of Los Angeles, Chairman of the USCCB Committee on Evangelization and Catechesis
Ordained and lay leaders will also be present at the Synod as auditors, observers, and in supporting roles.
Pope Francis greets cardinals at the Synod of Bishops on Young People (CNS Photo/Vatican Media)
NATIONAL NEWS
From the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops...
We are a nation of immigrants, struggling to address the challenges of many new immigrants in our midst. We are a society built on the strength of our families, called to defend marriage and offer moral and economic supports for family life. We are a powerful nation in a violent world, confronting terror and trying to build a safer, more just, more peaceful world. We are an affluent society where too many live in poverty and lack health care and other necessities of life. We are part of a global community facing urgent threats to the environment that must sustain us. These challenges are at the heart of public life and at the center of the pursuit of the common good.
As Catholics, we are part of a community with a rich heritage that helps us consider the challenges in public life and contribute to greater justice and peace for all people. As Catholics, we are part of a community with a rich heritage that helps us consider the challenges in public life and contribute to greater justice and peace for all people. Part of that rich heritage on faithful citizenship is the teaching of Vatican Council II's Declaration on Religious Liberty (Dignitatis Humanae). It says that"society itself may enjoy the benefits of justice and peace, which result from [people's] faithfulness to God and his holy will" (no. 6). The work for justice requires that the mind and the heart of Catholics be educated and formed.
Are You Ready For The March For Life?
Theme announced: “Unique From Day One: Pro-Life is Pro-Science,”
Science is inherently pro-life, President Jeanne Mancini shared
Recently. Science has continued to “reaffirm the scientific fact, and the truth, that life begins at fertilization/conception.”
“Our DNA is present at the moment of fertilization, and no fingerprint, ever—past, present, fture—is like yours. And that’s what it means to be unique from day one,” said Mancini.
Read more: CNA, October 19, 2018
Crowds at the March for Life in Washington, D.C., Jan. 27, 2017. Credit: Jeff Bruno/CNA
LOCAL NEWS
Congratulations Kelly Kaminski!
Our very own Kelly Kaminski, LSW, Director of Disaster Relief Services in our Diocese, was recognized this week in the national Jesuit periodical, America, magazine for her work in South Carolina.
SC Cathlics in Action Conference Held in Columbia
The South Carolina Catholics in Action Conference, held Saturday, October 13, 2018, was a huge success as over 800 Catholics gathered at Cardinal Newman School in Columbia. Each was challenged to hear the call from one’s baptism to be missionary disciples. We must put our faith into action if we want to be credible witnesses to the Good News of Jesus' love, compassion and mercy.
Testimonies from those who attended were very positive. Prayers were awesome, speakers engaging and the sending-forth liturgy presided over by our Bishop was inspiring. Breakout sessions were inspiring and thought provoking.
I Look forward to the next state-wide conference where Catholics come together and get excited once again about putting our faith into action.
Photo Courtesy of Christina Lee Knauss/The Catholic Miscellany
Spiritual Formation
St. Patrick Catholic Church Women’s Guild sponsored a retreat at Mepkin Abbey at the beginning of the month. I was privileged to serve as Retreat Facilitator. Since the feast day of the Archangels and Guardian Angels fell during the week of the retreat, I thought the theme of “Angels and Spiritual Warfare” might be appropriate. Since the retreat was only a few hours, the topic of Angelology could not be dealt with extensively, but it was fun to recall those childhood and, yes, even, adult experiences of angels in our lives.
BOOK OF THE MONTH CLUB
God Isn’t Finished With Me Yet by Barbara Lee, Loyola Press. 136 p. $12.95
Sometimes people think that those over age 50 are not spiritual seekers, nothing is
farther from the truth. No matter how long or short our lifespan, Lee states, “we live our spiritual life in the present.”
FACTOID
Poverty in America
Those who live in poverty in America—40.6 million, according to a 2016 Census Bureau study is catastrophic. The poverty threshold is broadly defined as any single individual younger than 65 earning less than $12,316 annually and any single individual 65 or older living on less than $11,354 annually. For two people under the age of 65 living together is $15,934, and two over the age of 65 living together is $14,326. For a family of three…one child, two adults, the amount is $19,055. For a family of one adult and two children, the amount is $19,073.
Office of Pastoral Formation
Email: kadamski@charlestondiocese.org
Website: www.charlestondiocese.org
Location: 901 Orange Grove Road, Charleston, SC, USA
Phone: 843.261.0498