Diocesan Faith Formation Opportunities

Parish Leadership Convocation

I am pleased that our Diocesan Secretariat for the New Evangelization is offering a Parish Leadership Convocation next month. It is set for Saturday, September 10, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., at St. John Neumann Parish in East Freetown. It is open to all who exercise a role of leadership in a parish, priests, staff, and volunteers.
During the last 50-plus years, following the Second Vatican Council, one of the things that has become prominent in the teaching of the Church, and has been clearly stated in many post-conciliar documents, is the recognition that all Christians, from their baptism, are called to be missionary disciples. That means we are called to follow Jesus and are entrusted with the responsibility to be witnesses to our faith in modern society. In countless documents in the last half century, the Church has recognized and emphasized the important role of the laity in the mission of the Church.
In order to be able to exercise this call to be witnesses to their faith and to be missionary disciples, we need to have more formation in the faith. The September 10th convocation of leaders is an excellent opportunity for all our faithful to come together to reflect, pray, and engage in the discovery and embrace of that call of their baptism to be instruments of evangelization right here in our midst.

The Diocese is pleased to offer this event at no cost to all Diocese of Fall River registrants; however, the deadline for the free registration is this Friday, August 19. After that, the cost will be $20. (The fee is $30 for non-diocesan registrants.) The program will include a keynote presentation by Deacon Bob Rice (see more on Deacon Bob above), my presentation, resources and materials, exclusive early access to a new platform, refreshments, and lunch.
 To register, visit https://form.jotform.com/yyafamily/parish-leader-convocation.
 

Catholic Youth Day 2022

Also upcoming on the diocesan calendar is Catholic Youth Day 2022. It will be held on Saturday, October 1st, from 10 AM – 5 PM on the grounds of Cathedral Camp. The day will feature a concert, speaker, food, games, Mass, and adoration. Catholic Youth Day is open to students in grades 6-12. For questions, please email Oscar Rivera and click here to register.

World Youth Day 2023

Finally, I pray you will consider joining me, Pope Francis, and a delegation from the Diocese of Fall River next year at World Youth Day in Lisbon, Portugal, from July 28 – August 9, 2023! 
World Youth Day (WYD) is a gathering with the Pope and young people from all over the world. It is also a pilgrimage, a celebration of youth, an expression of the universal Church, and an intense moment of evangelization for the youth world. For more information, click here.
 

This past weekend, I was invited to preside at the International Pilgrimage at the Shrine in Fatima, Portugal. As part of that, I led the August 12th vigil prayer service and candle procession, which included a procession and a blessing of pilgrims with lighted candles. On August 13th, I presided at the Mass outside the Shrine, where tens of thousands of pilgrims were in attendance. It was an incredible experience. The August pilgrimage at the Shrine each year is focused on the challenges of migrants and refugees. I will share details and photos in next week’s blog.
Yours in Christ,
Bishop da Cunha

The Most Reverend Edgar M. da Cunha, S.D.V., D.D.

The Bishop of Fall River