News
13 July 2020
Bishop’s messages
Response to positive COVID-19 tests
As the number of cases of COVID-19 continue to rise, we have established a protocol for how our parishes and schools respond when someone is tested positive for COVID-19. Those protocols are attached for your consideration. We have already worked with more than a half dozen situations in our parishes and schools in which someone has received a positive test, and have found these protocols to ensure we are acting quickly and responsibly. If you have any questions or concerns about them, please contact Father Jason Doke, moderator of the curia, Dr. Erin Vader, superintendent, or Helen Osman, communication director, by email or at 573-635-9127.
Response to news items on PPP loans
On Friday, the Associated Press published an article insinuating the Catholic Church’s parishes, charities and schools were being duplicitous in receiving loans through the Paycheck Protection Program. If you receive questions about the article, please review an article published in The Catholic Missourian and a statement from Archbishop Paul S. Coakley of Oklahoma City, chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB) Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development. You may also refer inquiries to Helen Osman, our communication director, at 512-785-3006.
Preventing text and email scams
Recently we’ve been notified of another texting scam, using our priests’ phone numbers. Please consider posting the information in the blog post above in your communication to parishioners.
Diocesan Mission Collection
The annual Diocesan Mission Collection, held this year the weekend of July 18-19, helps share the mercy of God with hundreds of hungry children and thousands in need of health care. It helps maintain mission parishes in Peru and establish new ones in the tribal lands of India. It allows us to share our resources with poorer foreign dioceses who are sharing their priests with us. Together, through the Diocesan Mission Collection, we are the Good Samaritan, loving our God by loving our neighbor. Please use the resources on our website in your parish communications so that Catholics may support this important collection.
We have received about 15% of the parish pastoral plans and are reviewing and responding on a weekly basis. Thank you to all who are working on these. In a recent issue of The Catholic Missourian I have written about the concept of co-responsibility, which is one of the three pillars of our pastoral planning process, “Better Together.”
<a href=” https://diojeffcity.org/public-health/”><img src=“URL OF THE IMAGE ON OUR SITE”></a>
On June 15, I issued a decree with updated instructions for parishes effective Tuesday, June 16, after Gov. Mike Parson lifted statewide regulations on June 15, leaving the determination of public health requirements to local governments. Important safety measures will continue to help protect congregants from infection and slow the spread of the coronavirus.
The decree is on our website, in English and Spanish. Also, we’ve updated the resources on our public health page. As always, please let us know of other ways we can be of assistance.
Confirmation 2021
Scheduling for confirmation 2021 is now open. Parishes must submit their forms online now. Please visit www.diojeffcity.org/confirmation to schedule confirmation before Monday, Aug. 31 and to download our new policy and practices as well as liturgical forms. Contact John DeLaporte, director of Youth Ministry and Religious Education, if you have questions.
If you intend to come to the Chancery office in person, you must have an appointment in advance with the person you intend to meet. Please note the Chancery will be screening all guests with a health questionnaire and temperature check. This is for the safety of all.
To share in bulletins, emails, social media, and websites
Towards a Kerygmatic Catechesis
Towards a Kerygmatic Catechesis, an afternoon seminar for priests, deacons and parish life collaborators, will be offered Aug. 13, noon to 4 p.m. at St. Joseph Cathedral Undercroft in Jefferson City. Lunch will be served at noon, with seminar to follow. This workshop will examine the fundamental role that the kerygma plays in our efforts to catechize and evangelize within our parishes. Participants will also learn how the new Franciscan at Home online learning platform can assist them in forming parish catechists in a kerygmatic catechesis in their own parish programs. Dr. Bill Keimig, assistant director of the Catechetical Institute of Franciscan University, will be our featured presenter. Click here for online registration, flyer and full details of the day.
Mentored in Christ
Mentored in Christ, a full-day workshop for anyone serving a catechetical role in parish or Catholic school ministry, will be offered Aug. 14, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., at St. Joseph Cathedral Undercroft in Jefferson City. Light breakfast and full lunch are provided and there is no cost to participate.
his workshop will examine the power of mentored formation in catechetical ministry. Participants will explore the vital role that relationship and mentoring play in catechetical formation, and explore how the new Franciscan at Home online learning platform can help foster mentored formation using online learning and local mentoring. This seminar is open to anyone serving in a catechetical role: DREs, catechists, Catholic school teachers or administrators, youth ministers, RCIA leaders, clergy, and parents! Click here for online registration, flyer and full details of the day.
Made for More will be held Sept. 15, 7-9:30 p.m. in the Cathedral. Tickets are limited due to social distancing. Purchase tickets at http://corproject.com/jeffersoncity/; contact Julie Gramlich at julie.g@cathedraljc.org or 573-635-7991 for more information.
Gathering Girlfriends for Grace
Women’s Ministry is offering a series of online book club discussions this summer. Please consider promoting these wonderful opportunities to be inspired and to grow friendships!
How to Find Your Soulmate without Losing Your Soul, led by Erin Boeckmann, will be offered on Tuesdays at 7:30 pm, June 23 – July 22. More information and registration are available at https://diojeffcity.org/blog/2020/05/15/how-to-find-your-soulmate-without-losing-your-soul/
All In: Why Belonging to the Catholic Church Matters will be led by Denise Barnes on (Wednesdays at 6:30 pm, June 24 – July 22. More information and registration are available at https://diojeffcity.org/blog/2020/05/18/all-in-why-belonging-to-the-catholic-church-matters/.
The Catholic Woman’s Guide to Making and Keeping Fabulous, Faith-filled Friends will be led by Whitney Lammers on Wednesdays at 7:30 pm, July 8 – Aug. 8. More information and registration are available at https://diojeffcity.org/blog/2020/05/18/the-friendship-project-the-catholic-womans-guide-to-making-and-keeping-fabulous-faith-filled-friends/.
Connect your college-bound seniors with a Newman Center next year!
Newman Connection is an online resource to help high school seniors connect to the Newman Center serving their college campus. Newman Centers rely heavily on their affiliation with Newman Connection for support in evangelizing to the incoming class of students. Click here for digital materials for parishes and schools to use to help connect your seniors to a Newman Center next year. Or, share this sign-up page with your high school seniors and they can sign themselves up to connect with a Newman Center at their college or university.
Stay-at-Home FertilityCare Instruction
FertilityCare Instruction continues to be offered by Zoom. The Introductory Session is always complimentary and follow-up fees have been waived until June 1. This class is of interest for marriage preparation, infertility, medical applications, regular or irregular cycles, breastfeeding and fertility appreciation from adolescence to menopause. Contact FerilityCare of Columbia, Phyllis A. White, CFCE 816-550-8789 or FertilityCare.CoMo@gmail.com
Employment opportunities
Our Lady of Lourdes Parish in Columbia is accepting applications for the position of Director of Adult Faith Formation. Commitment to the Catholic faith and faithful Mass attendance required. Some experience in religious education leadership preferred. Strong interpersonal skills, organizational skills, and willingness to work as a member of a team important. The core of the position is directing the RCIA process, with the coordination of Scripture studies, faith sharing and other smalls groups, and other aspects of adult faith formation included. Contact Father Chris Cordes at frchris@ourladyoflourdes.org or 573-445-7915 if interested.
An administrative assistant position is available at the Chancery and there are several openings in our Catholic schools. Please promote these openings.
Annunciation Parish in California is seeking a director of religious education and youth ministry. For more information, visit https://diojeffcity.org/california-dre-youth-job-opening
Parishes are asked to use this form to send any updates of their parishioners: address changes, marriages, divorces, death, etc.
- As of April 27, the Chancery is no longer using PO Box 104900. Please address all correspondence to the street address 2207 W. Main, Jefferson City, MO 65109. The Post Office will forward mail from the PO box to the street address for up to one year, but the forwarding process will slow your delivery. Please begin using the street address immediately.
- Parishes are asked to publish in their bulletins the need for relief parents at St. Nicholas Academy. You can find the listing here.
- Please consider posting this helpful information for your parishioners on how to identify email and text scams.
- In the interest of time and accuracy, The Catholic Missourian has moved to a simple online process for submitting events for the Things to Do page. To have an event considered for publication in Things to Do and in the diocesan online events calendar, go to diojeffcity.org/event-listing and follow the directions. The process is straightforward and user-friendly. Events submitted for display advertising will be automatically included in Things to Do, as will items that have been previously submitted.
Please feel free to disseminate the information in the “Monday Morning Memo” to a broader audience, such as parishioners and school families! Is there someone else who should receive this Weekly Memo? Please encourage them to sign up here!