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The Friday E-Pistle
September 25, 2020
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A Message from Bishop Vásquez
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175th anniversary of Society of St. Vincent de Paul
I congratulate the Society of St. Vincent de Paul Diocesan Council of Austin on the 175th anniversary of the Society’s establishment in the U.S. Through 40 conferences, the Society continues to provide person-to-person services to the most vulnerable throughout Central Texas. Please pray for the work of the Vincentian family as they help our neighbors in need. I am grateful for the vital work they do. In honor of this milestone, I will celebrate Mass on Sept. 30 at 6 p.m. at St. Mary Cathedral in Austin. The Mass will be livestreamed and may be viewed from the Cathedral’s website or Facebook page.
Special Collection: Peter’s Pence (Oct. 3-4)
Every year the Peter’s Pence Collection is taken up in the diocese to support the most disadvantaged around the world – victims of war, oppression, natural disasters and others in need of emergency assistance. This year, due to the coronavirus which prohibited gatherings in our churches, the traditional Peter’s Pence Collection was postponed and will now be taken up on the weekend of Oct. 3-4. Click here for more information.
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The Red Mass will be celebrated Oct. 1 at 6 p.m. at St. Mary Cathedral in Austin. The Red Mass is a tradition of the Church dating back to the 13th century that officially inaugurates the annual term of the court system. The celebration derives its name from the color of the Mass vestments worn by priests and deacons, as well as the scarlet robes originally worn by the attending government officials. Bishop Joe S. Vásquez will celebrate the Mass, and the homilist will be Deacon Michael Forbes, who serves as a judge in the diocesan Tribunal. Join the Mass in person or via livestream. Click here for more information.
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The Catholic Healthcare Guild of Central Texas invites doctors, nurses and health care workers to the 19th annual White Mass Oct. 15 at 6 p.m. at St. Theresa Parish in Austin. Bishop Joe S. Vásquez will be the principal celebrant of this Mass honoring doctors, nurses, administrators, emergency responders and all who work in health care. The Mass is open to the public and will be livestreamed. Those who plan to attend in person are asked to register at this link. Those who plan to join the Mass online may find it at this link.
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The Communications Office has compiled resources (content calendars, helpful tools, social media packages, etc.) into the new Social Media Hub to better serve the social media initiatives of parishes. Parish employees or volunteers who facilitate parish communication efforts are asked to complete this form so that the Communications Office can be in contact and share resources on a timely basis.
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Catholic Services Appeal (CSA)
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Training and materials
CSA training will be offered virtually this year and material pickup will be available at the Pastoral Center and various locations throughout the diocese. Register here for virtual training and material pickup.
Priests, parish secretaries, business administrators, CSA coordinators and stewardship and development coordinators are strongly encouraged to attend one of the virtual training sessions.
Priest luncheon
The CSA priest luncheon will be a virtual event this year. Very Reverend James Misko will host the CSA virtual webinar on Oct. 15 from noon to 1 p.m. entitled "How to Conduct a Successful In-Pew Weekend During a Pandemic." Priests who attend the webinar will earn one ticket for the 2020-2021 parish incentive grant program. Priests may use this link to join the webinar on Oct. 15.
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Registration is open for the remaining 2020 PDS training sessions. These sessions are free. The next virtual training on the Church Office Sacramental Certificates will be held Oct. 1 from 10 to 11 a.m. Click here to register and to view upcoming virtual training sessions. For more information, contact Lauryn Filip at (512) 949-2440.
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Project Miriam, a discernment event for single young women up to 35 years of age, will be held Oct. 17 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at St. Mary Cathedral in Austin. This is an opportunity to encounter joyful sisters from various religious communities, hear their discernment stories and learn about their communities. Their sharing and guidance will shed light on each participant’s discernment journey. Mass will be celebrated and there will be time spent in prayer and adoration. Adjustments to the format may be made due to changing circumstances related to COVID-19. Visit the Austin Vocations website for more information and registration or contact the Vocation Office at (512) 949-2430.
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Life, Charity and Justice
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Marriage prep in Spanish
The Office of Life, Marriage and Family will provide Spanish training sessions for marriage preparation leaders during October and November. In the October sessions, participants will discuss how to build the ministry in their parishes and implement the "Together in God’s Love" curriculum. In the November sessions, participants will learn about the "Fully Engaged" couple's inventory. Register here. Contact Luisa de Poo via email or call (512) 949-2487 for more information.
Webinars
The Secretariat of Life, Charity and Justice of the Diocese of Austin is hosting a webinar series designed to explore the challenges of evangelization in contemporary society, lay leadership, poverty, injustice and the promotion of human life and dignity. Webinars (offered in English and Spanish) will be held on Thursdays from 7 to 8 p.m. For more information or to register visit the Christ Our Hope page (English) or Cristo Nuestra Esperanza (Spanish) on the diocesan website.
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Cedarbrake Catholic Retreat Center
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Cedarbrake Catholic Retreat Center in Temple will offer a virtual retreat entitled “The Saying Yes Retreat” Oct. 3 from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Franciscan Father Albert Haase will explore practical ways to grow in a deeper relationship with God by learning how He speaks in our everyday lives. The retreat is based on his book, “Saying Yes: Discovering and Responding to God’s Will in Your Life.” Father Haase is a popular preacher, teacher, spiritual director and chaplain at Cedarbrake. The cost for the day is $40. This retreat will be recorded for those who wish to sign up and watch it after Oct. 3. Visit this page to register or call (254) 780-2436. For more retreat opportunities, visit the Cedarbrake website.
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Ethics and Integrity in Ministry (EIM)
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The pandemic in no way lessens the sacred obligation of those who serve in ministry, both virtual and in-person, to make the Church safe for all. The EIM Office reminds all persons who are due to update their EIM compliance to complete the Temporary Online EIM Training [En Español]. New employees and new volunteers currently active in ministry should submit an EIM Application and check with their parish/school EIM site administrator regarding the availability of an EIM Workshop.
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