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Office for Divine Worship and Sacraments
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Do you remember how it felt to be together?
As more and more faithful return to Mass, TOGETHER – a new initiative in the archdiocese - will assist parish leaders in encouraging parishioners and catechizing them on the importance of Mass, the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist, the value of Sunday, our obligation to worship and the advantage of being together physically rather than virtually.
For pastors, catechists, teachers, and other parish leaders
- Liturgical catechesis resources
- Homily helps
- Questions for reflection and discussion
- Social media posts, bulletin articles, and much more!
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FROM THE DIRECTOR
Dear friends and colleagues,
It’s always a joyful sign of hope to see our church buildings so wonderfully decorated for Eastertide. We are also filled with hope in this season of sacraments as we welcome children to the Table of the Lord for the first time, as young people are sealed with the gift of the Holy Spirit, as men are ordained deacons and priests, and as God’s presence is experienced in Word & Sacrament. Thanks for everything you do in your faith communities to celebrate the presence of Christ and to lead the faithful to recognize the Risen Lord among them.
In the praenotanda below, you’ll find info on our spring Initiate sessions for RCIA team members, grants for parish ministry, formation opportunities for music ministers, and much more!
I’m excited to share our new initiative TOGETHER, with liturgical catechesis resources to support you as you encourage your parishioners and students to return to in-person worship. As our seating capacity grows in the coming months and the pandemic (hopefully) continues to wane, TOGETHER will also feature resources and strategies to encourage and invite your community back to the house of the Church, the house of the Lord.
You can always find the latest Covid-related guidance on our Worship Together Safely page and don’t forget you can shop the ODWS online, now tax-free for parishes, schools, and other non-tax entities.
As always, if there’s anything that Matt, Monica, or I can do to assist you in your worship and sacramental ministries, please let us know.
Jeremy Helmes
ODWS Director
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FROM THE MUSIC DIRECTOR
It’s time to begin thinking about some continuing education and formation opportunities for music ministers this summer.
On the ODWS website, you'll find information about the NPM convention and new SkillBuilders events, a Sacred Music Workshop at our own Mt. St. Mary's Seminary and School of Theology, the Hymn Society's annual meeting, formation for children's choir directors, handbells ringers, ensemble musicians, and more!
Hopefully music ministry leaders and those involved in choirs and ensembles, as cantors, psalmists, and instrumentalists can all find something to help us grow in our ministry and as artists.
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Soli Deo Gloria,
Matthew J. Geerlings
Music Director
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Liturgical Note for May 31, 2021
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Since Monday, May 31 (Feast of the Visitation of the BVM) is also observed in the USA as Memorial Day, Archbishop Schnurr has given permission that the Mass for the Preservation of Peace and Justice may be celebrated. (cf. GIRM 374)
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Parish Grants from OCP
The OCP Parish Grants Program was established as a means of providing Catholic churches with financial support for religious, educational and charitable purposes. Grants are awarded annually, and the number and amounts given vary from year to year. Deadline is May 31.
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If you don’t have an already-established annual date for commissioning Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion (EMHC), consider the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body & Blood of Christ, celebrated this year on June 6. You’ll find an order of commissioning (in English and in Spanish), as well as other resources for the formation and training of Communion ministers on the ODWS website.
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Join fellow RCIA ministers – veteran and novice – for our free virtual workshop series, Initiate.
In just 90 minutes:
- Dialogue with your colleagues about best practices for initiation ministry.
- Explore some new ideas from experts in the field.
- Discover new approaches to Christian Initiation, all from the comfort of your own tablet or computer!
Initiate will be held from 1:30 – 3:00 PM on Thursdays, May 6 and May 20
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The Post-Covid Parish:
Parishes as Beacons
in the Autumn and Beyond
Parishes are at an important juncture in the life of our archdiocese. We have hope that with increased vaccination it will be possible to return to in-person ministry more readily in the autumn. Now is the perfect time to assess what is currently happening (while keeping in mind what was in place before Covid) and to point ourselves toward parish vitality, leading us to radiate Christ as beacons of light. Join us as we take to heart the vision of the parish as a beacon, explore the six principles of Beacons of Light, and consider the implications for our parishes now and into the future.
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Mental Health Awareness Month
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Did you know that one in five adults suffer from mental illness? It is not often addressed by the Catholic Church, but we are called by Jesus to recognize those who are suffering in our midst and to accompany them on their journey. May is Mental Health Awareness Month and this provides us with a wonderful opportunity to work towards eliminating the stigma that prevents people from feeling fully welcomed into their faith communities.
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Celebrating the Bicentennial
in Parishes
In addition to the celebration at the Cathedral Basilica on Saturday June 19, you’ll find suggestions for parish celebrations of the Bicentennial on Sunday June 20 on the ODWS website, including choices of orations and readings, sample Universal Prayer, connection points to Radiate Christ and Beacons of Light, our bicentennial hymn Christ Our Light, and more.
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You can easily purchase our archdiocesan publications to assist in preparing wedding liturgies, funeral liturgies (for families as well as bereavement ministers),forming and training EMsHC, Catholic teaching on cremation, and more!
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Photos Needed:
Parishes at Prayer
We’d like to feature a photo of one of our parishes at prayer at the top of each new monthly news email. If you can share a photo of your faith community celebrating the liturgy, please email the ODWS with a photo attached. Some basic guidelines:
- Landscape, not portrait
- Hi-res (at least 2MB)
- Focus more on the people than the building
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Q. Why is the Ascension celebrated on Sunday in some parts of the world?
A. With permission from Rome, the Catholic bishops of Ohio (along with other states and provinces) decided to move the yearly celebration of the Feast of the Ascension of the Lord from Thursday of the Sixth Week of Easter to the Seventh Sunday of Easter. This change has been in effect since the first celebration on June 4, 2000. While the culture in some parts of the world includes civic holidays on holy days enabling the faithful to participate in Mass, in the United States days such as the Ascension are not typically days off work. Thus the bishops chose to transfer this feast (and others) to a Sunday so more people can celebrate this important mystery of faith.
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