Each parish in our diocese is responsible for sharing YEARLY Safe Environment lessons to every age group in grade school. This is a yearly requirement of YOUR CURRICULUM. Please be sure to follow our diocesan requirements. More information can always be found in our policies and procedures portal:

Manna.eucharisticcongress.org provides both free and subscription-based content from this summer's Eucharistic Congress. You can find the available content by clicking on the button below:

Join Leslie Barkin for the third Catechist formation of the programming year for a look at how to share the scriptures with children of all ages.

2:00 PM Session: Please click on the photo where it says "click here to register"

7:00 PM Session: Please click on "click here to register" in the image below to REGISTER

Barbara Quinn, in Auburn, sent us this terrific resource she found online! Just in case you are seeking new resources for sacramental prep or other areas of faith formation! Click the paragraph below to check out their menu of resources!

February

• Tuesday, Feb 4 at 2:00pm – Theology of the Body: Shining a Light on the Challenge of Gender Issues – Katrina Zeno, Founder, TOB for Everyone! Apostolate

Click here to register

• Tuesday, Feb 11 at 2:00pm – Lifting the Veil on Sacred Music: An Introduction to Sacred Music as an Aid to Prayer – Dr. Alessandra Pompili, Concert Pianist, Associated Academic at the University of Bonn, Germany

Click here to register

• Tuesday, Feb 18 at 2:00pm – Building a Culture of Prayer in Your Parish: Practical Tips and Strategies – Joshua Danis, Head of Parish and Diocesan Partnerships, Hallow

Click here to register

• Tuesday, Feb 25 at 2:00pm – In Spanish: Cómo acompañar a jóvenes con disforia de género // How to Accompany Youth with Gender Dysphoria – Dr. Maria Claudia Arboleda Piedrahita, Profesora de Teología, Universidad Católica de Murcia, España

Click here to register

There is an additional wealth of information, free to you, on Franciscan at Home. Click on the Catechetical Review heading under the RESOURCES tab found to the right of the "MY DASHBOARD" tab once you are logged in. There you will locate the newest issues of the Catechetical Review like this one below, focused on the Jubilee Year of Hope! Once you are at the page that says CATECHETICAL REVIEW, click on the blue link that ends with /issues.

Our Professional Development Day will kick off with a workshop on Parish Soft. We are seeking your questions, so that presenter, Michael Mascitti, can tailor his presentation to your needs. Please send your questions to leslie.barkin@dor.org

• Monday, Feb. 3, 2025 (6:00 p.m.): St. Mary Our Mother Parish, 816 W. Broad St., Horseheads
• Tuesday, Feb. 4, 2025 (7:00 p.m.): Sacred Heart Cathedral, 296 Flower City Park, Rochester
• Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2025 (7:00 p.m.): Sacred Heart Cathedral, 296 Flower City Park, Rochester

The Hands of Christ Award is a recognition given to high school seniors in the Diocese of Rochester who have demonstrated a life of service, faith and Christian example in their parish, home, and school communities. Recipients and their guests are invited to attend the ceremony that is most convenient for them. For planning purposes, we just kindly ask that recipients RSVP for the ceremony they plan to attend. You can find the RSVP by clicking the button below. PLEASE NOTE THAT, DUE TO SCHEDULING NEEDS, THE CEREMONY in HORSEHEADS WILL BEGIN 1 HOUR EARLIER THAN THE CEREMONIES IN ROCHESTER!

Parents of this year's Hands of Christ class are welcome to tag the Catholic Courier (@catholiccourier) in photos of their teen that they post to social media, and the Catholic Courier will do their best to re-share them on their social media accounts!

As of January 27, 2025, seven parish groups have registered 75 pilgrims for NCYC 2025! Registrations at the early bird registration rate ($1,250 per person) will continue to be accepted through January 31, 2025. From February 1-March 31, registrations will be accepted at the regular rate ($1,300 per person). The number of registrations may be limited! For more information, resources, and other helpful tips visit the NCYC 2025 portal by clicking the button below. If you have questions, contact Mark at Mark.Capellazzi@dor.org.

Each summer, the University of Notre Dame invites high school students from across the country to spend a week on Notre Dame’s campus. Participants spend Monday through Friday exploring how God calls us in our lives and how we might respond. During the week at Notre Dame, participants will share in dynamic large group experiences, interactive small group time, profound liturgies, and excellent music. Notre Dame students lead this program. This year one of those students is from Blessed Sacrament Church in the Diocese of Rochester. Participants get to experience student life by eating in the dining halls, staying in the dorms, and enjoying the beautiful campus. This year's sessions run from June 23-27 and July 7-11. Registration is open now! For more information on this program and the program for campus/youth ministers that runs during the same time period, click the buttons below.

With the support of the National Federation for Catholic Youth Ministry (NFCYM), the New York State Community of Catholic Youth Ministry is a platform for those involved in youth ministry within New York State to collaborate with/support one another and engage in the work of NFCYM. NFCYM is recognized as the largest youth ministry organization in the United States and is the foundation for synodal dialogue about the needs and concerns of those who minister to youth. ALL THOSE WHO MINISTER TO/WITH YOUTH IN THE DIOCESE OF ROCHESTER ARE STRONGLY ENCOURAGED TO JOIN THE COMMUNITY'S FACEBOOK GROUP BELOW. For more information, email Mark here.

SEEK is an invitation to explore life’s bigger questions: who we are, where we’re going and what we seek along the journey. As (the Fellowship of Catholic University Students) FOCUS’ national conference, SEEK encourages everyone to come explore what they truly seek: to learn about the faith, to share in friendship, to be encouraged in their unique vocation — and to experience the love, hope and very real presence of Jesus Christ through His Church.

SEEK gathers thousands together from all across the country for a time of prayer, fellowship, engaging talks, inspiring entertainment — and, most importantly, a chance to encounter Christ in a life-changing way. This 5-day extended weekend trip is open to ALL ages, not just College or college-aged students.

SEEK will be hosted in three locations in 2026. Converge Young Adult Ministry is planning to bring a group of young adults to the Columbus, Ohio gathering (January 1-5th, 2026)! The experience costs about $575 to attend (fundraising opportunities may be pursued to lower this cost). Any interested young adults can contact Converge Young Adult Ministry or visit the SEEK website by clicking the buttons below.

Connect with us!

Congratulations to Natalia Carlson and James Tacci for earning the Mary, the First Disciple Pope Pius XII religious emblem medal. Natalia and James, members of the Scouting America program in the Diocese of Rochester, will be presented with the emblem during Sunday Mass at their parish in February.

Pope Francis declared 2025 a Jubilee Year in 2022 after the COVID pandemic. He wanted to give us hope for the future: “We must fan the flame of hope that has been given us and help everyone to gain new strength and certainty by looking to the future with an open spirit, a trusting heart and far-sighted vision. The forthcoming Jubilee can contribute greatly to restoring a climate of hope and trust as a prelude to the renewal and rebirth that we so urgently desire..."

The new activity asks participants to pray the Jubilee Prayer, learn about the logo and also learn what a Jubilee Year is and how often it can be proclaimed and other requirements. The activity patch will only be available until January 6, 2026, when the Jubilee Year ends. In addition to the activity patch, Scouts and Scouters are encouraged to find out if their local diocese/archdiocese or eparchy is holding any special Jubilee activities throughout the year. To learn more about this activity, click the button below.

Retreats Update

The Diocese will have a make-up retreat limited to 7 youth per parish (or a conversation with Don). Each parish is asked to send an adult to be with their candidates during the retreat. The retreat will be at Camp Stella Maris on Saturday, February 22 from 10am to 4pm. Parishes (not individual families) need to email Don to register a candidate(s) for this retreat. The cost is $35 per candidate (adult chaperones free).

Please share your Confirmation retreat information with us! You can email the date, time, cost, and any other information to Don at donald.smith@dor.org. I will only share the information with Confirmation Coordinators who are looking for retreats. All requests for an alternate retreat to the parish offering should come from you, not parents.

Schedule Update

A Draft schedule was circulated last week to Confirmation Coordinators and is being reviewed. If you did not receive the draft, please contact Don ASAP! The schedule will be finalized at the end of this week and circulated to Confirmation Coordinators and Pastors, as well as published on Diocesan Updates on Tuesday.

Numbers/Registrations

The Rite of Election and Calling to Continuing Conversion will be celebrated at Sacred Heart Cathedral on February 9 (First Sunday of Lent) at 2pm.

Please provide us with your registration information for the Rite of Election and Calling to Continuing Conversion. As in years past, we are gathering names and information for the Rites as well as delegation letters for the Easter Vigil. Please use the form at https://forms.gle/dsLBYmhsADoSca9a7 to register your parish and candidates/catechumens.

Registration Information is needed NO LATER than Ash Wednesday (March 5) and is appreciated as soon as possible.

It has been 10 years since the Policies for the Administration of the Sacraments were promulgated by Bishop Matano. Over the next few months, we will look at key highlights from the policies that can help shape our ministries.

From “General Principles for Catechetical Instruction/Sacramental Preparation” (p. 7-8)

• Similar to all other religious education programs, sacramental preparation programs of Baptism, First Penance, First Communion, and Confirmation are parish-based and should make use of textbooks that are listed in the USCCB Conformity Listing of Catechetical Texts and Series as being in keeping with the teachings contained in the Catechism of the Catholic Church.

…

• Parishes should take every opportunity to provide ongoing faith formation for adults by means of instructional series, bulletin inserts, Penance services with individual confession and absolution, retreat experiences, family programs for Advent and Lent, parent meetings, and all other means of helping the adults grow in faith as they lead their children into a deeper relationship with God and the Church.

Let’s explore that…

The first bullet deals with two major points – that Sacramental Preparation (at least for Baptism, First Penance, First Communion, and Confirmation) is parish-based and what resources should be used when preparing for a Sacrament.

The fact that Sacramental Preparation is parish-based reaffirms that parishes are the ‘definite community of the Christian faithful established on a stable basis.” (CCC 2179). This means that parishes are the place where the Church gathers in an area and is meant to be a stable (or lasting) presence. Where we graduate from school, which certainly is a community, we do not graduate from parish life. Because of this, parishes rather than schools are where we prepare for Sacraments. This means our families that attend Catholic Schools should be reminded when registrations and preparation is happening and encouraged to join the parish group preparing.

By requiring that resources for the preparation of Sacraments are on the USCCB Conformity List, we can be sure that what we use is not only Catholic in its approach, but complete in what it has in it. Certainly other materials can be used to supplement, and the method of passing on the materials will vary catechist to catechist, using their gifts, but the content comes from a resource on that list.

The second bullet moves beyond Sacramental Preparation and into Sacramental Living. We know that often when individuals have “completed” their Sacraments they approach life in the Church as a Sunday and Holy Day Obligation. The truth is that we are all called to continued growth and formation. This bullet reminds us that we have an obligation to reach out and provide formation to the adults in our parish – both informational and spiritual. We have a particular opportunity to do this in Sacramental Preparation for their children.

Each month watch here for what is coming up in the Jubilee. Resources and news will be here, along with any ideas that you share. Speaking of - what are you doing for the Jubilee? Share it with us so we can share it out.

Please visit our Diocesan page for the Jubilee: https://oec.dor.org/jubilee-2025/

Throughout the year, Pope Francis has invited specific groups to gather in Rome for the Jubilee. In February, he has invited:

February 8-9 - Jubilee of Armed Forces, Police, & Security Personnel

All members of the armed forces and police, municipal police, security operators, veterans, military associations, military academies, chaplaincies and military ordinariates.

https://www.iubilaeum2025.va/en/pellegrinaggio/calendario-giubileo/GrandiEventi/Giubileo-delle-Forze-Armate-Polizia-Sicurezza.html

February 16-18 - Jubilee of Artists and the World of Culture

All those involved in the arts and culture.

https://www.iubilaeum2025.va/en/pellegrinaggio/calendario-giubileo/GrandiEventi/Giubileo-degli-Artisti.html

February 21-23 - Jubilee of Deacons

Permanent Deacons, together with their families.

https://www.iubilaeum2025.va/en/pellegrinaggio/calendario-giubileo/GrandiEventi/Giubileo-dei-Diaconi.html

Here are some Jubilee lesson ideas from Jared Dees at Religionteacher.com:

Don has been working (and will continue to work) on short blurbs that can go in your bulletin each week. They relate the Sunday Gospel to one of three themes: Jubilee, Hope, or Pilgrimage. They also give a "ponder point" for parishioners to consider over the week. This will be updated as he finishes more weeks.

We wish Michelle Schultheis all the best as she moves on to new opportunities.

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 and Fully Engaged

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