Did you know that 70% of Catholics who stopped going to church did so not because of a lack of belief or a bad experience but for more mundane and practical reasons, such as a move or a change in life circumstances?
Did you know that 70% of Catholics who stopped going to church did so not because of a lack of belief or a bad experience but for more mundane and practical reasons, such as a move or a change in life circumstances? A personal invitation back to Mass may be all it takes to encourage disengaged Catholics to return to regular attendance at Mass.
For families of parishes looking to enhance their hospitality and welcoming culture, I encourage you to participate in Together Sunday. The Archdiocese has developed Together Sunday resources and training for inviting and welcoming disengaged Catholics back to weekly participation in the Mass.
This year, parishes are encouraged to celebrate Together Sunday on November 24, the Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe as an ideal rallying point leading into Advent. Archbishop Schnurr has written a letter, which you can read on the resource page. Pastors, Directors of Evangelization, Worship, and Communication, and other parish leaders: Join us for a Leader Launch on Sept 26 or Oct from 1:30p-2:45p to learn more.
Sean Ater Director, Center for the New Evangelization
sater@catholicaoc.org
Each year the Center for the New Evangelization celebrates the inspiring work of evangelists across the Archdiocese with the Radiate Christ Awards.
One of our 2024 Radiate Christ award winners is featured above: Eulalia from St. Leo Parish. Click the play button above to learn more about Eulalia's story. Please take some time to check out our Radiate Christ Awards page and consider making a nomination.
All Marriage & Family evangelists, priests, deacons, and NFP instructors are invited to our annual Marriage & Family In-Service on Tuesday, September 24, 2024 at St. Mary of the Assumption, Springboro, from 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. This event is annually hosted by the Marriage & Family Evangelization team to provide ongoing formation and fellowship. Resources and lunch will be provided, and the cost is $5 per person. Please RSVP bySeptember 20, 2024. For more information and to register, click the button below:
Our online meeting for OCIA Coordinators and other initiation ministry leaders to discuss the new translation and the new National Statutes will be on Tues., Sept. 24, from 1:30 – 2:45 p.m. Fr. Jason Williams will be discussing changes to archdiocesan policy and sacramental record-keeping, and Jeremy Helmes and Nicholas Hardesty will be presenting the changes to the OCIA and the formation plan for the coming months.
Click here to register for the online meeting (scroll down to “MTG FOR INITIATION COORDINATORS”) – and please forward this to the initiation ministry leaders in your Family of Parishes!
As we continue our journey through Beacons of Light, the Center for the New Evangelization continuously evaluates our own initiatives, programs, and roles as we seek to better evangelize our archdiocese. We know that you are working tirelessly for your Families of Parishes, and we hope that the resources and tools we provide are helping in your mission to evangelize. To this end, the Center for the New Evangelization, with consultation and approval from the Archbishop, has discontinued ACRE testing in favor of the Assessment of Religious Knowledge (ARK). ARK provides "clear, actionable insights that enable you to ensure a robust Catholic foundation" for students in grades 2-12 and their catechists. ARK is required for all parishes in the Archdiocese of Cincinnati. Your Director of Evangelization has received logistical information regarding preparing for ARK, how to administer ARK, and how to use results from ARK. This includes a series of webinars, formation opportunities, and in-person consulting for every Family of Parishes. If you have not yet identified a Director of Evangelization, your pastor received that email. Please see that email for details regarding the first steps.
St. Gerard Mass of Hope For the
Blessing of Children
All married couples, family, and friends are invited to our annual St. Gerard Mass of Hope for the Blessing of Children on Wednesday, October 16, 2024 at St. Peter in Chains Cathedral Basilica, Cincinnati at 7:00 p.m. This free event is an opportunity to pray for all married couples who are struggling with primary or secondary infertility, or grieving the loss of their infant through miscarriage or stillbirth. This event is hosted by the Marriage & Family Evangelization Team. No RSVP is needed. For more information, click the button below.
Disciples Radiate Christ is a new training series that will help form parish leaders in discipleship and radiating the love of Christ to the world. We will accomplish this through four sessions that combine prayer, video, and your team interactions.
