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News to Use from Our Pastoral Offices

Adult Faith Formation: FORMED: The Search

As you may remember in the past I have recommended the FORMED online platform for continued faith formation for the adults in your parish. This Fall and upcoming Advent I would like to also recommend using the new kerygmatic video series, The Search, for your parish. It is a captivating video series for anyone and everyone seeking the answers to universal questions such as “Why a God?”, “What’s the meaning of life?”, “Who is Jesus?”, “What’s our story?”, and “Why a Church?”.  As you may know the Catherine of Siena Institute has worked with parishes across the United States and have found that only 5% of Catholics are missionary disciples. Only 5% have truly embraced the kerygma.  This series may be suited for many of the souls in our pews.

The video series has an accompanying coordinator manual to assist with using the videos for small groups, large groups or retreats. I encourage its use for small group sharing either in-person or online. Especially during this time when people desire community more than ever, let us invite them into a community where they can get to know our Lord.

As you know each year we provide a renewal application process for the next year’s subscription for our parishes. We hope you have seen the benefits of using FORMED as a great tool for all your parish ministries. 

Adult Faith Formation RCIA: Adult Confirmation Program

The Archdiocesan Adult Confirmation Program is designed for practicing adult (18+) Catholics seeking the sacrament of Confirmation, who have been baptized, have received their first Holy Communion, and have been educated in the Catholic faith through Catholic Schools or religious education programs.

The Archdiocesan Adult Confirmation Program will present an overview of the essentials of the Catholic faith. Through presentations, group discussion, reflection and prayer, the sessions will cover Sacred Scripture and Tradition, the Creed, prayer and spirituality, the Church, Catholic social teaching and the meaning of the sacrament of Confirmation.

Development: 75th Annual Alfred E. Smith Memorial Foundation Dinner

On October 1, 2020, His Eminence was joined by Vice Chair Mary Erdoes to host the 75th Annual Alfred E. Smith Memorial Foundation Dinner at the residence. Our first virtual Dinner was a smashing success.

The program was enjoyed live by 628 viewers on our exclusive donor portal and by 9,583 on our website. Social media posts about the event reached a cumulative 157,919 people on Cardinal Dolan’s (142,689) and the archdiocesan’s (15,000) Twitter and Facebook pages.

The virtual format included a pre-event with videos highlighting the history of the Dinner and past honorees and speakers. The featured event included a breathtaking national anthem from St. Patrick’s Cathedral by Nadine Sierra followed by remarks from Cardinal Dolan and Mary Erdoes who flawlessly balanced the gravitas of COVID-19 with the hallmark humor of the occasion. We paid homage to frontline workers, including you, our pastors, in a video highlighting the valiant efforts within the Archdiocese of New York to combat the virus. In presidential election year tradition, our honored speakers were the Democratic and Republican presidential candidates. Vice President Biden and President Trump delivered messages via video. It is my pleasure to share with you the full recording of our pre-event and program here.

Family Life: Marriage Prep Booklets

Because we have a larger inventory than normal of the 2020 booklets [due to Covid], and because the 2020 booklets are still valid for 2021, we are asking you to continue giving out and using the 2020 booklets with your couples even into 2021.

Sometime during the new year – once we’ve depleted our 2020 inventory – we will be printing/distributing new booklets. Further, beginning in 2021, the Marriage Prep booklets will now be generic, i.e., not “year-specific”.

Please be assured that the MP booklets are available for you and your couples, and we want to get you as many as you need! At any time, if/when you need more booklets, simply email/call the Family Life Office and we will mail you more booklets, filling requests first from the 2020 supply before sending new versions. Also, early in 2021, we will again do an archdiocesan-wide mailing of 2021 booklets to all parishes so you will continue to receive your annual shipment of booklets.

To order more booklets:
Call: 646-794-3188

Email: [email protected]
If you have any questions in the meantime, please contact Suzanne Hammill, Assistant Director, at [email protected], or 646-794-3183.

Family Life: Longest Married Couple Search

The search begins for the Longest Married Couple in the Archdiocese of New York!

To enter: Couples must be sacramentally married for a minimum of 65 years and reside in the Archdiocese of New York. 

The longest married couples will receive commemorative certificates signed by His Eminence, Timothy Cardinal Dolan.  The winning couple will be interviewed and featured in an article in Catholic New York. Winners are determined by how long the couple has been married as of World Marriage Day, February 14th, 2021.

For further information, or to submit an entry, contact Kathleen Crayne at the Family Life Office at [email protected] (preferred method) or 646-794-3182.  

The deadline for entries is Sunday, January 17, 2021.

Family Life: National Family Week

National Family Week

The week of Thanksgiving has been proclaimed National Family Week.

This year, National Family Week will be celebrated November 22-28, 2020. The USCCB Marriage and Family Life Ministries endorses National Family Week because it honors and celebrates the important role that family plays in our society and advocates for the protection of families in our nation.  Families shape our values, develop our character, and teach us to love, forgive, and become productive citizens and responsible members of society. During this week, we vow always to cherish, honor, protect, and respect the incredible gift of family, and renew our commitment to strengthening and celebrating all of our nation’s families.

Please consider including National Family Week in your bulletins and your social media posts. You may also want to visit the National Family Week Facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/National-Family-Week-Foundation-622932147748489/

Hispanic Ministry: Cursillo

Message from Fr. John J. Higgins – Spiritual Director for the Cursillo movement:

The Cursillo Movement  (Spanish) of the Archdioceses of New York continues to move forward despite the pandemic. Although there have been no retreats (Cursillos) since March, The School of Leaders have been meeting virtually since the late spring and now in recent weeks, blended for those who are able to come to Holy Mass and the Formation Classes which follow (all socially distanced).  Many participate at home through Zoom.

Though most of our larger events have been cancelled (Banquete de Colores, National Cursillo, etc.) many Ultreyas have been meeting on a parish basis through Zoom and other platforms (and several in person, practicing social distancing) .

There does not seem to be much hope of any Cursillo retreats before mid winter, the Cursillistas are still united in prayer and solidarity looking forward to a great flourishing once the pandemic is over.”

Hispanic Ministry: Sunday Mass on Univision

Si usted o alguien a quien ama está enfermo o lesionado y no puede ir a una iglesia para la misa del domingo, especialmente durante estos tiempos inciertos debido a la pandemia, la Oficina del Ministerio Hispano de la Arquidiócesis de Nueva York lo invita a participar en la liturgia desde su casa viendo la misa en televisión. ¡Celebre con nosotros!

Liturgy: Contemporary Questions about Anointing of the Sick Webinar

Saturday, November 21 10:00AM – 11:30AM

During the current COVID-19 pandemic the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick has taken on a renewed focus amongst Catholics. New questions concerning the manner of celebrating the Sacrament have arisen as Catholics look for opportunities to receive God’s sacramental healing in a time marked by illness and worry. This webinar will review the Catholic teaching on the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick and discuss recent developments and clarifications concerning its celebration

Visit anointingwebinar.eventbrite.com for more information and to register.

Respect Life: March for Life

March for Life – UPDATE Msgr. LaMorte will be sending out detailed information regarding the 48th Annual March for Life 2021.  Please feel free to call the Respect Life Office with any questions – 646-689-2613

Christ the King The Solemnity of Christ the King is an opportunity to pray for and speak about religious liberty. The USCCB’s Religious Freedom committee has compiled excellent materials for parishes to use on the Solemnity of Christ the King(November 22, 2020). Let us pray that Christians may freely and boldly witness to the Gospel of Life in every time, place, and circumstance.

Walking with Moms in Need The USCCB is inviting parishes to join a nationwide effort entitled: “Walking with Moms in Need: A Year of Service.” The goal of the initiative is to help parishes better serve moms in need, to communicate the help that is available to pregnant women, and to engage more parishioners in pro-life work. 

  • The Respect Life Office would be happy to offer a presentation on the Walking with Moms initiative to your parish community or pro-life group. Sr. Virginia Joy and Sr. Charity can give an overview of the initiative and offer a variety of creative ideas to get you started.
  • If you would like to schedule a parish presentation, please contact Sr. Virginia Joy: (646) 689-2613; [email protected].
  • You can also learn more about Walking with Moms by visiting the USCCB website or by reading Archbishop Naumann’s statement on this initiative in light of the 25th anniversary of The Gospel of Life.

Respect Life Week Curriculum Education on the sanctity of human life is of critical importance. Consider implementing the Respect Life Week curriculum in your school and/or CCD program. The curriculum is available for free online with lesson plans on a wide-range of life issues including abortion, assisted suicide, immigration, and marriage. The material is presented at an age-appropriate level for all grades (PK-12). You can access the curriculum on the Respect Life Office website.


Young Adult Outreach: Young Adult Mass with Cardinal Dolan

Tuesday, December 8, 7:30 p.m. St. Patrick’s Cathedral

Join us for a Young Adult Mass celebrated by His Eminence, Timothy Cardinal Dolan. Adoration with praise and worship and Confessions will be available from 6:30-7:30 p.m. Mass begins at 7:30 p.m. Musician TBA

The Young Adult Mass will be livestreamed via Facebook Live for those that cannot be physically present. Masks must be worn over the nose and mouth for the duration of Mass and social distancing measures will be in place. RSVP is required.

Search “December 8th YA Mass with Cardinal Dolan” on Facebook or email [email protected] for more information.

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