Category: Other items

Catholic Family Sharing Appeal update

Thank you to all for your wonderful support of the 2024 Catholic Family Sharing Appeal. Parishioners have responded with great generosity toward the many ministries supported by the appeal. To date, we have received 10,843 pledges totaling $5,051,000. Over half of the parishes have raised over and above the amount shared with the diocese, providing an additional $415,000 to stay in the respective parish and be used where the need is greatest.

If you have remaining pledges to send in and enter into the ParishSoft Offering Module, please do so as soon as possible as we prepare for follow-up this fall. The follow-up is a great opportunity to connect with parishioners, so if you are planning to do this at the parish level, please let us know so we do not duplicate efforts.

Thank you again for your support as the success of the Catholic Family Sharing Appeal is dependent upon the great efforts of those at all of the parishes throughout the diocese.

Children’s Choir open to all

The St. Joseph Cathedral Children’s Choir (SJCCC) provides a space for students to learn and participate in the sacred liturgy through the musical tradition of the Catholic Church. The SJCCC choral program is available to students within driving distance of the Cathedral. The choir will meet for one rehearsal weekly in preparation for weekday solemnity Masses throughout the liturgical year, and the choir schedule is created to not interfere with home parish involvement on weekends. For more information or if you have a child interested in participating in the choir, please contact Nicole Gerdes at ngerdes@sfcatholic.org.

A message from the National Eucharistic Congress

For information purposes:

We look forward to welcoming you to the 10th National Eucharistic Congress in a few short months! As we prepare for the Congress, we want to be sure you are aware of the Safe Environment policies that are in place for the safety and security of minors at the event.

All participants must click here to indicate whether or not they will be accompanying minors to the event.

Please read below for important information about our Safe Environment policies and ensure that you and all members of your group are compliant with them.

Safety & Security of Minors

  • Minors (anyone under the age of 18) must be accompanied at all times by either a parent/legal guardian or a Safe Environment cleared chaperone.
  • Minors should not wander the Indiana Convention Center, Lucas Oil Stadium, or any other event spaces unaccompanied by an adult.
  • Minors must be accompanied by an adult at all sessions (including family and/or youth sessions). The minors and the accompanying adult(s) must be registered to attend sessions together.
  • Minors may attend any session with an adult, not just sessions specifically noted for families or youth.

Safe Environment Requirements

  • Parents and legal guardians attending with just their own child(ren) do not need to have safe environment clearance.
  • Any adult accompanying minors who are not their own children are considered chaperones and must meet the following requirements:
        • All chaperones must be age 21 or older.
        • All chaperones must be safe environment compliant within their (arch)diocese. This compliance must include current safe environment training and a fully cleared background check. Proof of this must be readily available to be shown on site upon request.
        • Older siblings may serve as a chaperone for younger siblings only if they are age 21 or older and are safe environment compliant.
        • Parents may serve as a chaperone for children/youth unrelated to them only if they are age 21 or older and are safe environment compliant.
        • The required chaperone to youth ratio is 1 chaperone for up to every 8 youth.
        • Outside of families, adults with minors must always maintain groups of 3 or more (i.e. a minimum of 1 adult chaperone with 2 youth or 2 adult chaperones with 1 youth). An adult should never be alone with a minor that is not their own child.

Click here to respond!

Did you Sign the Abortion Petition?

We’ve heard many stories of people who signed the abortion petition but didn’t understand that it will allow abortion up to birth in our state. Now they wish they hadn’t signed it. Help others who may have signed the abortion petition circulating the state to remove their name. They can visit takeoffmyname.com and follow the instructions. Hurry! Time is running out!

Summer RCIA program

St. Michael Parish is offering a “Summer RCIA” program beginning May 8 at 7 p.m. No pre-registration is necessary, just come to Entrance F on the east side of the St. Michael School building. The program goes through August 14, with Confirmation following.

“Take off my name” campaign

As the deadline approaches to turn in the petition to put abortion on our state constitution, it is looking more and more likely it will succeed in getting the required number of signatures. Based on the accounts of Life Defense Fund volunteers who were present while petitioners were collecting signatures, deceptive practices were sometimes used to convince people to sign. Many of those who signed may now want to have their name removed.

Thankfully, our South Dakota Legislature recently passed a bill that will allow people to fill out a form to have their name removed. Find below a bulletin blurb you can include in your weekend bulletins and a flier that could be inserted. Help us keep this bill off the ballot!

Bulletin Blurb: Did you sign the abortion petition being circulated in South Dakota? Do you now wish you hadn’t signed it and wish you could remove your name? A recently passed law now makes it possible for you to remove your name from this petition, which could keep it from getting onto the ballot this November. Keep South Dakota’s babies safe by giving them the dignity and life they deserve as children of God. Visit www.takeoffmyname.com to learn more.

take off my name flier

 

 

Pro-life information

Stay informed and be engaged in the South Dakota legislative pro-life process. Every issue dealt with during session is a “moral issue” that affects the everyday lives of our families and friends. Sign-up TODAY to receive SD Right to Life’s weekly “Legislative Pro-Life Report” email by going to www.sdRightToLife.org. Current pro-life information is also available by clicking on the tab “Legislative Information.”

Bishop Hoch Deanery Scholarship Applications Available

The Diocese of Sioux Falls awards a $1,000 scholarship in each of the six deaneries to enable a student to attend Mount Marty University. The scholarships are available to new students, students already in college and non-traditional students interested in attending or already attending Mount Marty University, Yankton.

To obtain an application, contact your pastor or the Financial Aid Office at Mount Marty University. Applications must be returned to the Office of Catholic Schools, 523 North Duluth Avenue, Sioux Falls, SD 57104-2714. Applications are due March 15.

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