Author: rkranz

Request for prayers and penances to defeat Amendment G

Bishop DeGrood is encouraging all clergy and lay faithful to pray after Sunday Mass for the defeat of Amendment G. This can be done either formally as a parish or individually in private prayer after Mass. A suggestion would be to pray the Our Father, Hail Mary and Glory Be or the St. Michael prayer. In addition, because every Friday is a day of penance, he is also encouraging all Catholics to offer their penance for the defeat of Amendment G.

Need some ideas for what to offer as a penance? Give up meat for the day, stay off social media, leave the TV off, use the stairs instead of the elevator, or forgo a favorite beverage. Any penance is a powerful act of love.

Pastors have already received this request through the Clergy Only Bulletin Board, so please consult with your pastor if needed before general requests of the faithful in your parishes are made. Thank you for your help in this critically important time.

As one diocese, let us storm heaven with prayers for the defeat of Amendment G!

Fiat Dinner for women discerning God’s call

Do you know a young woman discerning God’s call in her life? The Sioux Falls women’s discernment group, Ecce Ancilla Domini, is hosting a Fiat Dinner for young women seeking God’s call. The dinner will be held on Sunday, May 5 from 4-8 p.m. at the Mater Ecclesiae Monastery (707 W 4th St.) in Sioux Falls. The evening will feature Mass, dinner and talks with Bishop DeGrood and the PES Sisters. To RSVP, visit sfwomensdiscernment.org.

 

April is Child Abuse Prevention Month

Providing a healthy and safe environment in our parishes and schools is a ministry to which we are all called. To foster our common diocesan vision of Lifelong Catholic Missionary Discipleship Through God’s Love, the diocese will be marking Child Abuse Prevention Month in April. Please note and share with your parish, school or ministry the following events.

This year, 8.5″ x 11″ full color posters are being mailed to your location in April.  These posters explain how to report abuse and show information on the Catholic Church’s efforts nation wide to protect children and the vulnerable. Please post them and send in a picture of it posted at your location to Alison in the Safe Environment Office: aconemac@sfcatholic.org.

The Rosary for Healing this year is a beautiful video recording of one of our diocesan families (the Hofflander family) leading the Glorious Mysteries of the Rosary for Healing. The Rosary video will be posted to our SFDiocese YouTube channel and will be linked on the diocesan website Safe Environment homepage. Please join us in prayer this month!

April 6 (Saturday) 4:00 p.m. – Live-streamed Mass with Bishop DeGrood will be prayed for healing of victims/survivors and all affected by abuse.

Attached is a Rosary for Healing booklet and a novena for healing that can be provided to groups (especially prayer groups) in your parish. See attached Novena for Protection and Healing from Abuse to be used to post or insert into your bulletins.

Diocese of Sioux Falls Novena for Healing 2024

Rosary-for-Healing

Media to post on your website or share on social media, along with a date for a live streamed Rosary for Healing, will be forthcoming.

All parishes are encouraged to include an introduction/announcement in their bulletin in the month of April introducing the local coordinator at your parish, school or ministry.

Please plan to participate with us in prayer for the safety and wellbeing of all children, that they may flourish as healthy, happy and holy Catholics within our communities. Contact Safe Environment Coordinator Alison Conemac (aconemac@sfcatholic.org) with your questions.

Chancery Updates

  • The USCCB recently sent out a link to their Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship resources on their website. It might helpful to many parishes as we approach Election Day in November. You can find many helpful resources here: https://www.usccb.org/offices/justice-peace-human-development/forming-consciences-faithful-citizenship.
  • If you are part of a parish/pastorate staff and find the Ministry Forum helpful, please check with others on staff to make sure they are getting it. It’s always helpful when everyone has all the same information! If there is someone who wants to be added, please have them reach out to me at rkranz@sfcatholic.org.
  • Are you an RCIA instructor who knows someone with a compelling conversion story? Or do you just know someone whose faith story really resonates with others? If you do and you think they might be interested in telling their story in the Bishop’s Bulletin or on the Catholic Views podcast, please share their name! Check with them first to make sure they’re okay with being considered for an interview. Then email me (Renae) at rkranz@sfcatholic.org with your thoughts and their contact information.

Chancery Updates

  • If you are part of a parish/pastorate staff and find the Ministry Forum helpful, please check with others on staff to make sure they are getting it. It’s always helpful when everyone has all the same information! If there is someone who wants to be added, please have them reach out to me at rkranz@sfcatholic.org.
  • Are you an RCIA instructor who knows someone with a compelling conversion story? Or do you just know someone whose faith story really resonates with others? If you do and you think they might be interested in telling their story in the Bishop’s Bulletin or on the Catholic Views podcast, please share their name! Check with them first to make sure they’re okay with being considered for an interview. Then email me (Renae) at rkranz@sfcatholic.org with your thoughts and their contact information.

Chancery Updates

  • If you are part of a parish/pastorate staff and find the Ministry Forum helpful, please check with others on staff to make sure they are getting it. It’s always helpful when everyone has all the same information! If there is someone who wants to be added, please have them reach out to me at rkranz@sfcatholic.org.
  • Are you an RCIA instructor who knows someone with a compelling conversion story? Or do you just know someone whose faith story really resonates with others? If you do and you think they might be interested in telling their story in the Bishop’s Bulletin or on the Catholic Views podcast, please share their name! Check with them first to make sure they’re okay with being considered for an interview. Then email me (Renae) at rkranz@sfcatholic.org with your thoughts and their contact information.

Upcoming Events

 

  • Institution of Acolyte for Permanent Diaconate Candidates – November 5, 11 a.m. at Cathedral of Saint Joseph
  • Priest Council – November 9
  • Diocesan Finance Council – December 7
  • Christmas at the Cathedral – December 14-17

Chancery Updates

  • If you are part of a parish/pastorate staff and find the Ministry Forum helpful, please check with others on staff to make sure they are getting it. It’s always helpful when everyone has all the same information! If there is someone who wants to be added, please have them reach out to me at rkranz@sfcatholic.org.
  • Continue to keep your new pastors and all priests in your prayers as they settle into their new assignments. And pray that the Holy Spirit will fill us all with a spirit of openness and courage.

Evangelization materials from EWTN

Are you looking for evangelization materials to use in your parish? EWTN has FREE materials for parishes that can be shipped to you in large quantities. Here are just some of the things available:

      • How Do I Go To Confession pamphlet (English and Spanish)
      • How to Pray the Rosary (English and Spanish)
      • Popular prayers and selected teachings of the Church pamphlet (English and Spanish)
      • Mother Angelica’s Prayer Before the Blessed Sacrament
      • Ability to embed EWTN live stream of their television lineup on your website
      • EWTN Kids programming with safe, dependable and appropriate shows for your kids
      • Programming for men and women

If you have questions about what is available and how to get materials sent to your parish, contact Elena Rodriguez (our regional EWTN representative) at 205-915-6445 or erodriguez@ewtn.com

40 Days for Life rally

Join us for the 40 Days for Life fall kickoff rally
Sunday, October 8 at 7:00 p.m.
Sioux Falls First Church
6300 W 41st Street
Guest speaker is Rebecca Kiessling, an international pro-life speaker and attorney conceived in rape. She is also the founder of Save the 1.