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Salt & Light Newsletter September 2025
September 2025 Edition
Happy Catechist Sunday this coming weekend!
We are so incredibly grateful for all of the catechists throughout our diocese.
This year's Catechetical Sunday theme is “Always be ready to give an explanation…for a reason for your hope” 1 Pet 3:15.
This scripture verse encourages us to be prepared to share Christ, and the hope he provides us with for our journey. In the same manner that Saint Peter encouraged the believers of his time, the Scripture reminds us, the sharing should be done with gentleness and respect. Please know of our gratitude and prayers for all of you who accompany our young people and their families on their faith journey!
Finally, We've got lots going on this fall and more continually being added for 2025-2026. If you haven't had a chance yet, make sure to join our newly established GroupMe! Also, Below lists the new additions for each section of the newsletter with easy buttons to access the sections quickly!
September 2025
Youth Office Contact
Director of Youth Ministry
Maureen Quinn
573-635-9127, ext. 233
Assistant Director of Catechetical Formation
Mary Madelyn Mertes
573-635-9127, ext. 228
Administrative Assistant
Abby Thompson
573-635-9127, ext. 237
Moderator of Youth and
Young Adult Ministry
Fr. Joseph Luzindana
660-665-2466
Alphonse J. Schwartze
Memorial Catholic Center
2207 West Main St
Jefferson City, MO 65109-0914
IT IS NOT TOO LATE to sign up for the workshop this week! This workshop is being sponsored by both womens ministry and Religious Ed, Youth and Young Adult Ministry but is inteded for ANY parish leader.
The day is no cost, you have 2 options, lunch is provided, and great company!
One Event - Two Locations
This year, we're trying a new event format where we have a one day event in multiple locations.
All parish leaders, employees, and volunteers are invited to join us for an evangelization workshop September 19-20.
Friday, September 19th we'll be at Sacred Heart in Columbia.
Saturday, September 20th we'll be at the Proto-Cathedral of St. Peter in Jefferson City.
Domestic Church Resource
Youth Culture Resource for Catechists and Parents
This month's featured ministry resource is the Culture Translator from Axis. Each Friday their team sends out an email helping you stay up to date on youth culture- slang terms, popular memes, music, and media trends. If you've ever been confused by a kid saying "6 7", this is the weekly email for you! Click here to read past editions and sign up for the emails. It's Mary Madelyn's favorite way to keep up with what our young people are talking about.
This resource can be used by catechists, youth leaders, small group leaders, parents or even grandparents and others.
Join the Dio Jeff City DREYM Team on GroupMe
This is a new(er) resource for our office that we are going to start using more with DREYM Team. This is a way for us to share resources, get quick feedback from others, share successes, add calendar invites, send out reminders. It functions much like text messages but is its own app (which can be accessed on your phone or a desktop computer) with more features such as events, polls or document sharing.
Event Calendar: We will be using the calendar feature which allows people to easily get the info, reminders, express interest and add things to your personal calendar.
Polls: We will use polls especially when needing quick feedback from people.
Topics: If this grows into something that is used often, then we will add topics that individuals can choose to join. For example there could be a topic on Jubilee year where people could share ideas they are doing in their individual parishes or there could be one for an event we are hosting that those who are going could join and share info throughout the event.
Religious Education of Youth 2025-2026 Form:
Includes Confirmation Scheduling Form & PSR Program Data Form is Now Open
This Form has a 2 fold purpose:
- Confirmation Scheduling Form: This is in response to the news of Bishop O'Donnell and the memo that came out from Monsignor Kurwicki about Confirmation. It is vital that every parish completes this form so we know who has scheduled a confirmation already in the parish, who needs delegation, who desires to have Bishop Elect be present, and who needs confirmation scheduled. If you are not scheduling a confirmation until 2027, you still must complete the form and inform us.
- PSR Program Data Form: We are hoping to get stats on PSR as a whole and have a better understanding of what is going on throughout our diocese. Finding trends and common resources is helpful to us to better serve our parishes.
This form can be filled out by 2 separate people in a parish, allowing the person who completes the form to only complete one section. For example if one person in the parish oversees confirmation and another oversees PSR, both individuals can complete the applicable section and submit the form separately.
To ensure information that is submitted is accurate, please communicate with all involved parties before the form is completed. This could include but is not limited to the Pastor, DRE, Youth Minister, Principal, school teacher for confirmation age, PSR coordinator, PSR teachers, etc.
Fall 2025 Calendar
September 19-20
One-day Evangelization Workshop
September 19- Columbia
September 20- Jefferson City
November 7-8
OCIA Seminar
November 7- Jefferson City
November 8- Columbia
November 20-22
NCYC
December 8
Way of the Star Advent program with the Vigil Project, Jefferson City
2026 Calendar
January 31
Summer Camp Registration opens
February 28
Missouri Catholic College Conference, Jefferson City
(more info in the next issue)
April 22-30
End-of-year Deanery Gatherings
Ongoing Formation
OCIA Seminar
November 7-8
November 7- Jefferson City
November 8- Columbia
This intensive workshop serves as a first step in renewing the vision of Christian Imitation in our diocese. Participants will receive an overview of the four stages of initiation and the accompanying rituals. Additionally, we will examine the pastoral principles associated with this ministry, as well as the role of the baptized faithful.
Anyone involved in OCIA is invited to attend.
This even is free thanks to the Knights of Columbus RIB Grant.
DREYM Team Chat Survey
We are exploring options for DREYM Team Chats for 2025-2026 that best fit the needs of our parish leaders. Please consider filling out the following survey to help give us feedback.
For those who are not aware, DREYM Team Chats have been a way for us to check in with one another on a regular basis. We want to keep this resource but are exploring what is most needed by our DREs and Youth Ministers.