We've moved Quick Links to a new page to shorten our newsletter and make it easier for you to scroll through. To access links to the USCCB Conformity List, Our Google Drive, CASE lessons and more, click on the title above!

PLUS, use the Table of the Contents, to the left, to get you to the information you want, right away!

There has been a lot of enthusiasm lately about attending the National Eucharistic Congress and people would like to be in touch with others who are going. If you have members of your parish planning to attend, please contact Leslie in the Office of E and C, so that we can network our group!

Don't forget that scholarship money is available from the National Committee and there are now one day passes available as well as youth group discounts! Click on the button below to learn more!

PLEASE BE REMINDED THAT TODAY IS THE LAST DAY FOR THE 10% discount on passes.

Some popular speaker's breakout sessions are also close to filling up so now is the time to act!

Each year the USCCB sets the week leading up to Valentine’s Day aside as National Marriage week. You can find resources to share with your parish and coworkers at https://oec.dor.org/national-marriage-week/.

This is a good week to highlight the Sacrament of Matrimony with your families and celebrate the marriages in your community!

For Pastoral Associates, Catechetical Leaders, Youth Ministers and other staff in those areas. Click on the photo to learn more and register!

All who work in the realm of Pastoral Ministry, be it with Baptism Prep, Early Childhood Education, Youth Ministry, Family faith or Bereavement ministry, are welcome to join our regional gatherings for fellowship, faith sharing and further learning. Meetings this month will be held at the following locations:

February 7: FL gathering St. Mary's church/St. Francis and St. Clare Parish/Waterloo 10:00 am-12:00 PM

February 8: Monroe West gathering St. Lawrence 10:00 am -12:00 pm

February 8: Monroe East gathering St. Joseph's 9:00 am - 11:30 am

Please invite your catechists to join our third virtual catechist training of the year. Catechists need only attend one session. These are free classes, open to catechists, catechetical professionals, and parents, and are offered in a class setting so that participants can engage and ask questions. Please click on the photos below to register for your desired session. Those who attend in person, will receive a special file of resources made available only to live participants!

These sessions involve two zoom presentations, a community forum for conversation and online resources. Courses start this month and include opportunities on prayer practices, leadership skills for Catechetical Leaders, Intercultural competence and Catechist recruitment. If you are new to ministry or need to complete your 10 annual hours of professional development and like the convenience of online learning, check these out!

Find out more through the link below:

Do you know about these free resources to support your ministry?

These resources connect well to service projects you may be planning in connection with World Day of the Sick on Feb. 11.

Camp Stella Maris
(Livonia)

A weekend for high school youth (grades 9-12) to learn how to be leaders in their faith. Youth LEAD will share practical skills and a clear vision of leadership that will allow youth to follow the call of our Church to be the Body of Christ in the world. This is a great follow up to NCYC 2023 and a great way to prepare for NCYC 2025! More information will be shared in the coming months.

April 12-14, 2024

Saint John Paul II Youth Retreat Center

Kearny, NJ

Continuing the Journey is a weekend conference for all those that minister, work, volunteer and most importantly walk with young people on their faith journey! Catechetical leaders, catechists, campus ministers, and youth ministers in the Diocese of Rochester are invited to this great action packed weekend of talks from nationally known speakers in the field of Youth Ministry and Catechesis (including Bishop Michael Saporito, Mike Patin, Katherine Angulo, and Roy Pettifils to name just a few , great music from John Angotti and Tony Melendez, prayer experiences, workshops, exhibits, resources, faith formation, networking opportunities, great food and more! Ministers from the Diocese of Rochester who have attended this conference in the past have been greatly enriched by the opportunity. Watch the video above or check out the information below to learn more! If you plan on participating, please email Mark here.

April 27-28, 2024

St. Joseph’s Seminary

Yonkers, NY

New York Catholic Youth Day is an opportunity, sponsored by the Archdiocese of New York, that allows middle school and high school youth to experience the universal church. The opportunity includes Mass, keynote speakers, prayer, service, and food. Speakers include:

Bishop Joseph Espaillat, Joe Melendrez and Sr. Elfie, MFA “The Happy Nun”

For more information, check out the information below or email Mark at Mark.Capellazzi@dor.org.

Learn more about many of the various issues impacting young adult Black Catholics! The webinar centers around issues such as: - What it means to be Black and Catholic in today's world - The realities that Black Catholic Young Adults face - What the Church is doing correctly and incorrectly to connect with young adult Black Catholics - A call to action for the Church as a whole, - A call to the Black Catholic Community to address Black Catholic Youth and Young Adults’ increasing disaffiliation from the Catholic Church - The members' passion for a Church where Black Catholic Young Adults are genuinely welcomed and accepted as their authentic selves. Facilitators include Dr. Ansel Augustine, James Conway, Rudy Dehaney, Ali Mumbach, and Christian Bentley. Click the button below to learn more about the webinar and watch it on-demand.

Open to young adults in all parishes!

Friday, February 16 | 6:00 p.m.

St. Paul of the Cross

(Honeoye Falls)

The new young adult ministry forming at St. Agnes, St. Paul of the Cross, & St. Rose in Avon/Honeoye Falls/Lima is hosting Eucharistic Adoration followed by a social hour over meatless pizza. For more information about this opportunity and this new young adult ministry, email Meghan here!

Follow us!

Boy Scouts of America- Sunday, February 4, 2024

Girl Scouts of the USA- Sunday, March 10, 2024

If any boy or girl in Scouting would like to receive a blessing from Bishop Matano during a Sunday Mass at Sacred Heart Cathedral around Scout Sunday, please email Mark at Mark.Capellazzi@dor.org.

This month, as we prepare for Lent and the last preparations for adult baptisms, Don provides an overview of the full Adult Initiation process.

The FINAL schedule has been circulated to Confirmation Coordinators and published in Diocesan Updates. If you have families with conflicts, please reach out to Don A.S.A.P. to find an alternate celebration. They are very full, so your patience is appreciated.

Retreat Opportunities

Do you have a candidate who is unable to make your parish retreat? Parishes are invited to offer the following opportunities to anyone in Year One or Year Two:

• Saturday, March 9 from 10am to 5pm at Camp Stella Maris in Livonia
  
• Sunday, March 10 from 1pm to 8:00pm at Camp Stella Maris in Livonia

Cost: $35 per retreat, includes a meal (lunch on Saturday; dinner on Sunday) and Mass that families are invited to join.

Parishes are asked to register their young people as a group – just email Don at donald.smith@dor.org with the information below. Parishes are additionally asked to send a CASE trained adult to help with the logistics of the day. Because these retreats are meant to supplement parish retreats, offer an alternative for those unable to attend their own, parishes are asked to not overpower the whole retreat group by limiting their numbers at either retreat.

Registration Information (emailed to donald.smith@dor.org)

• Candidate Name(s) [up to 5]:
• Candidate parents & contact information:
• CASE Trained Adult:

When you register, you will receive an email with the following attachments:

• health forms that must be brought to the retreat
• youth code of conduct that must be brought to the retreat
• invoice for billing

Please note, we understand the frustration of the group size limit. This is in place to ensure that a single group does not overwhelm the retreat experience for others. We are willing to work with you to make sure your group has its needs met. Just give Don a call!

Please be sure to let Don know how many candidates and catechumens to expect at the Rite of Election and Call to Continuing Conversion in Lent. You can register at https://conta.cc/47xcEgD

Register Here: https://conta.cc/47xcEgD

The Federation of Diocesan Liturgical Commissions has prepared a collection of free resources to assist your parish preparations for Lent in both English and Spanish! You can download and share them here:

https://fdlc.org/2024/01/liturgical-preparation-aid-for-lent-the-sacred-paschal-triduum-and-the-easter-season-2024-year-b/

This Liturgical Preparation Aid includes:

• The Order for Reconciling Several Penitents with Individual Confession and Absolution (Readings, Sample Penances, Music Suggestions)
• Frequently Asked Questions
• A Liturgical Calendar for Lent, Triduum, and the Easter Season
• The Lectionary for Mass – Year B
• Preparation Sheets for the Rites belonging to the Period of Purification and Enlightenment
• Preparation Sheet for Palm Sunday
• Preparation Sheets for the Sacred Paschal Triduum

Since 1970, the Federation of Diocesan Liturgical Commissions has served the clergy and faithful of the dioceses of the United States by providing leadership, scholarship, and resources to aid in the authentic implementation and celebration of the liturgy.

We offer a warm welcome to our new leaders in Faith Formation ministry around the Diocese:

Sebastian Gonzalez (St Louis Church in Pittsford)

Sr. Anne Saphara and Christie Blaisdell (Sts. Mary & Martha and St. Mary's in Auburn)

Carolyn Robinson (St. Patrick's in Victor)

Leslie Barkin, Diocesan Director of the Office of Evangelization and Catechesis x1244

Contact for information on all newsletters, evangelization, training, consultation

Mark Capellazzi, Project Coordinator of Youth and Young Adult Ministry x1375

Contact for youth ministry/young adult or Catholic scouting consultation/website questions, Certification process

Don Smith, Coordinator of Sacramental Catechesis and Family Life x1243

Contact for Sacramental information, Fully Engaged, and DOR.Training questions

Website: oec.dor.org
Location: 1150 Buffalo Road, Rochester, NY, USA
Phone: 585-328-3228