The Friday E-Pistle

A message from Bishop Vásquez

Pastoral Plan Implementation

• St. Louis Parish in Austin will host an English presentation on the Pastoral Plan by Bishop Daniel Garcia on Sept. 20 from 7 to 9 p.m. This is a wonderful opportunity for dialogue and reflection about the Pastoral Plan. These fliers can be used to advertise these upcoming events.
• Goal 3, Initiative 3 of the plan calls for us to "strengthen outreach and engagement with those at the periphery of society." A growing population at the periphery is the elderly, senior members of our parish communities. During the data collection phase of the Pastoral Plan we received letters from senior members, often home bound, who felt abandoned by the parish communities they helped to found mnay years ago. St. Theresa Parish in Austin has a remarkable Senior Adult Ministry program that offers care and support. For information about this ministry and how to incorporate the ideas in your own parish, contact Sister Ann Pennington.
• Be sure to check out the new microsite for the Pastoral Plan. It can be accessed directly at www.austindioceseplan.org or through a link on the main diocesan site at www.austindiocese.org. The site is updated every week with new information and links containing ideas and recommendations to implement the Plan. 

Reflection question

Gospel meditation

Consider using the following meditation for the 27th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Oct. 2):

• “Increase our faith.” Jesus urges us to become faithful servants. As such, we must strive to do all that God asks of us. Faith is God’s gift which allows us to enter into a loving relationship with Him. When we do as God asks, it is an act of faith. God always gives us the strength to do what is right. Are there times when I am not the faithful servant I should be? When have I been a faithful servant?
• "Incrementa nuestra fe". Jesús nos urge a convertirnos en siervos fieles. Como tales, debemos de hacer todo lo que Dios nos pide. La fe es el don de Dios que nos permite entrar en una relación amorosa con Él. Cuando hacemos lo que Dios desea, eso es un acto de fe. Dios siempre nos da la fuerza para hacer lo correcto ¿Hay momentos en los que no soy el siervo fiel que debería de ser? ¿Cuándo he sido un siervo fiel?

Youth Office

Middle School Rally

The annual diocesan Middle School Rally will take place Oct. 15. This is an opportunity for youth in sixth through eighth grades to come together in a conference format for a fun day of dynamic keynote presentations, prayer and sharing in fellowship. Workshops will help the youth grow in faith. The keynote speaker is Sammy Argumaniz, who with his energetic, engaging presentation style will take the youth through the theme Restless, and what it means to live faithfully in a relativistic culture. The rally will take place at San José Parish in Austin. More information can be found here, or by contacting Jennifer Kodysz, (512) 949-2467.

Office for Religious

Fall Retreat

Religious priests, sisters and brothers serving in the Diocese of Austin are invited to attend a Fall Retreat on Oct. 8 at the diocesan Pastoral Center in Austin. The theme of the retreat will be the Jubilee Year of Mercy, with an emphasis on “transformation.” Check-in will begin at 9 a.m. and opening prayer begins at 9:30 a.m. Lunch will be provided. The retreat will conclude at 3 p.m. RSVP by Sept. 30 to Janice Ingram at (512) 949-2401.

Stewardship and Development

CSA Trainings

Trainings for the 2016-2017 Catholic Services Appeal will be held next week. Topics covered will include raising awareness, how to use parish materials, the CSA case statement, conducting the appeal and return procedures. Parish CSA materials will be distributed during these trainings.

Training Sessions for next week:

• Sept. 20 from 10 to 11:30 a.m. at Austin – Diocese of Austin Pastoral Center
• Sept. 20 from 1:30 to 3 p.m. at Austin – Diocese of Austin Pastoral Center
• Sept. 21 from 10 to 11:30 a.m. at Austin – Diocese of Austin Pastoral Center
• Sept. 21 from 1:30 to 3 p.m. at Austin – Diocese of Austin Pastoral Center
• Sept. 22 from 9 to 10:30 a.m. at Waco – St. Jerome Parish, Jordan Hall

Weekly notes

Bishop Vásquez’ prayer request

Please consider Bishop Vásquez’ prayer request for the 27th Sunday in Ordinary (Oct. 2):

• As persons of faith, may we strive to make God known in our workplace, school, market or home …
• Por que, como personas de fe, luchemos por dar a conocer a Dios en nuestro lugar de trabajo, escuela, mercado u hogar...

Blessings and congratulations to …

The following priests on the anniversary of their ordination during the month of October:

• Rev. John Kelley, Oct. 15, 1991
• Rev. Johnson Nellissery, ISP, Oct. 18, 1997
• Rev. Samuel Hose, Oct. 19, 1991

Ethics and Integrity in Ministry

EIM Workshop

Click here to login to your EIM account in order to find the workshop schedule and Sign Up for a Workshop (bottom right of your account page). Instructions are provided in case you do not recall how to login to your EIM account. Please contact your parish or Catholic school EIM site administrator if you need assistance or if you do not have Internet access. For general information about EIM workshops, please click here.

EIM Workshops are scheduled by the EIM Office, coordinating with the EIM site administrator at parishes, schools and other diocesan agencies. Staff of any site wishing to host a workshop should coordinate with their EIM site administrator. If the site administrator has arranged workshop details with a facilitator, then an email to the EIM office with those details is sufficient to request a workshop; otherwise workshop requests should be made by the site administrator using the Workshop Request Table. EIM site administrators may direct inquiries about EIM workshop scheduling to Emily Hurlimann in the EIM Office at (512) 949-2447.