News
3 August 2020
Bishop’s messages
Thank you to the parishes for meeting the deadline of Aug. 1 to submit your parish pastoral plan. Along with our Diocesan Pastoral Council, I will be using these plans to create a diocesan pastoral plan. Please continue to pray for the work of all involved in making our communities of faith Better Together.
Support for Medicaid expansion
The Missouri Catholic Conference (MCC), in an effort to uphold the dignity of the human person in accord with Catholic social teaching, supports Amendment 2, a ballot initiative which would expand Missouri’s Medicaid program to provide health insurance coverage to low-income Missouri citizens currently living without it. Missourians will vote on Medicaid expansion on Aug. 4. Please find on the MCC website resources you can provide to parishioners, including a statement by the Missouri bishops.
Solemnity of the Assumption not a holy day of obligation this year
The Solemnity of the Assumption on Saturday, Aug. 15 is NOT a holy day of obligation this year. The Saturday evening anticipated Masses for Sunday and Sunday itself are celebrated as the Twentieth Sunday of Ordinary Time with the Sunday readings and prayers. For ongoing reference, the USCCB publishes a liturgical calendar each year at usccb.org. The calendars for 2020 and 2021 are now available.
Order envelopes and posters for Catholic Stewardship Appeal 2021
The Catholic Stewardship Appeal will kick off in October. In preparation for this annual event, we are requesting parishes notify the Development Office with the quantities needed of in-pew English and Spanish envelopes. Each parish will receive one “thermometer poster;” if you would like additional please let us know. Contact Carla McDaniel at cmcdaniel@diojeffcity.org or 573-635-9127.
Mailing address for diocesan offices
The Chancery offices in the Alphonse J. Schwartze Memorial Catholic Center have a new mailing address. We are no longer using any Post Office boxes, including P.O. Box 104900. Please address all correspondence to the street address 2207 W. Main St., Jefferson City, MO 65109-0914. Please begin using the street address immediately. The post office has ceased forwarding mail from the old addresses.
COVID-19 Resources
REVISED Protocol for positive COVID-19 test
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. REVISED protocols are attached for your consideration: note that not just staff, but also students and volunteers are affected by these.
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.
Singing during Mass
The Diocesan Liturgical Commission is offering options for best practices in allowing congregational or choral singing during Mass. Details are available at this link.
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
Preventing text and email scams
Our standing post, which can be used as a bulletin announcement, now includes a handout on “A Scammer’s Toolkit.” Consider taking five minutes to read this document so you can better understand scammers, the tools they use to manipulate people, and how you can safeguard yourself and your parish.
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.
This 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.
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.
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!