On Thursday , March 8 , the Catholic Committee on Scouting for the Diocese of San Jose hosted a late-afternoon “ meet and greet ” reception at Saint Frances Cabrini Parish . Bishop Patrick J . McGrath and committee members greeted scout leaders , religious program counselors and parents from Girl Scout Troops , American Heritage Girls Troops , Cub Scout Packs , Boy Scout Troops , Venture Crews , and Troops of St . George that are associated with many of the parishes of the Diocese . Also present were Father Michael Hendrickson , pastor of St . Frances Cabrini Parish , representatives from the local Girl Scout and Boy Scout councils as well as Steve Do , Director of Youth and Young Adult Ministry for the Diocese , and Annie Bui , Y & YAM administrative |
assistant . The reception was an opportunity for Bishop McGrath and the Catholic Committee on Scouting to recognize and thank these adults who give hours of dedicated service in ministry to many of the youth of the Diocese .
Guests not only chatted with Bishop McGrath and one another but also had the opportunity to view display tables highlighting the religious programs available to Catholic scouts . Also on display were examples of a variety of other religious activities designed to promote the spiritual growth of scouts .
Bishop McGrath addressed reception guests acknowledging their roles in serving the youth of the Diocese through scouting programs and thanked them for their dedication to
|
Bishop McGrath is presented with the Quality Diocese Award by committee chairperson Ann Resch .
this particular ministry . He stated that scouting encompasses all three of the critical issues of the Diocesan Pastoral Plan – engaging youth and young adults in the life and leadership of the Church , developing leaders , and living
|
out Catholic social justice teaching .
The reception also included the presentation by the committee of the Quality Diocese Award certificate and patch for year 2017 to Bishop McGrath . The Quality Diocese Award is a recognition of the National Catholic Committee on Scouting and bestowed on outstanding Catholic scouting committees . To qualify for the award , a Catholic scouting committee must achieve a number of objectives related to providing support to Catholic chartered Boy Scout units and to all Catholic scouts within the diocese .
For more information on programs and activities available to Catholic scouts , please visit www . dsj . org / youth / programs / catholic-scouting or contact Ann Resch at a . resch @ att . net .
|
|
Many Catholics in our diocese wish to participate in parish activities and at Mass but because of illness or infirmity are unable to do so . Providing opportunities to the hospitalized , the homebound and those in nursing homes and other health-care institutions for pastoral visitation and Holy Communion is an important responsibility of the Church as a whole as well as for individuals within each parish .
The Ministry to the Sick & Homebound
|
depends on faith , compassion and prayerful presence . It becomes more effective when there is understanding , effective communication , and familiarity with good pastoral care practices . Participants in this training series will engage in opportunities to learn , share and practice elements of this ministry to enhance |
their skills and resources .
This training series is designed for parish ministers who currently work with or are interested in working with the sick and or homebound in their parish . New material will also be included in this series so it will be a good refresher for those who attended previous sessions .
|
Dates : Saturdays , June 16 & 23 Time : 9 a . m . - noon Location : O ’ Connor Hospital Chapel - 2105 Forest Avenue , San Jose , CA Cost : FREE ( a $ 100 fee is charged for registration that will be returned at the completion of the training series after both sessions are attended ).
Please register by contacting Candee Lucas at CandeeLucas @ verity . org or ( 408 ) 947-2500 x4400 by June 11 . Please bring a check made payable to Diocese of San Jose for the fee .
|
|
Since 1949 , May has been known as mental health awareness month across the United States . During the month , organizations and individuals work to raise awareness of mental health issues through fighting stigma , providing support , educating the public , and advocating for policies that support people and families struggling with mental illness . According to the Surgeon General , one in every five Americans experiences a mental disorder in any given year and half of all Americans have such disorders at some time in their lives . These illnesses of the brain affect all of us , regardless of age , gender , economic status or ethnicity . Nearly every person sitting in the pews has been touched in some way by mental illness .
At the state level , the California Conference of Catholic Bishops released a pastoral letter on May 2 titled , “ Hope and Healing : A Pastoral Letter from the Bishops of California on Caring for those who Suffer from Mental Illness Addressed to All Catholics and People of
|
Goodwill , which details a number of scientific and medical studies in an effort to “ build bridges between science and religion , health care and pastoral care .” With the publication of the letter , the California Catholic Conference joins just three other Catholic state conferences who have issued pastoral statements on mental health : New York , West Virginia , and Nebraska . Saint Christopher Parish youth minister and co-chair of the Mental Health Ministry Network , Mr . Chris Miller , served on the consulting team for the letter . Miller states “ it was a great experience to work with a number of experts in the field of mental health . I applaud the Bishops in the state , including our own Bishop McGrath , for their support and commitment to those struggling with mental health challenges .”
Here in the Diocese of San Jose , the Mental Health Ministry Network hosted a three-part series on mental health . Titled Shalom Sundays , the events were held at Santa Teresa Parish , and included speakers from NAMI , the
|
Holding a photo montage of her son Christian , Lisa Ayala LMFT and member of Holy Spirit Church , speaks on suicide prevention and intervention at Mental Health Ministry Network workshop May 6 at Santa Teresa Church . Entitling her talk “ Blindsided , then I saw ,” Ayala shared how her faith carries her and her faith community accompanies her , as she seeks to make sense of Christian ’ s tragic death by suicide , March 26 , 2015 .
mental health community , the County of Santa Clara , and from the Diocese of San Jose , and was funded by a generous grant from the Catholic Community
|
Foundation of Santa Clara County .
The first event brought together Ruth Ann Auten , private practitioner , and Kathy Forward , Executive Director of NAMI ( National Alliance on Mental Illness ) who both spoke about mental health 101 and the services that are available to family members , care takes , and those struggling with mental illness .
The second event brought together Santa Teresa parishioner Rich Berryessa and Mego Lien from Santa Clara County Behavioral Health Department . Rich Berryessa spoke about finding God in all things , even mental illness . Lien provided a QPR gatekeeper training , teaching attendees how to Question , Persuade , and Refer in support of someone who may be suicidal .
The third and final event brought together Holy Spirit parishioner Lisa Ayala and Saint Christopher parish youth minister Chris Miller , who both spoke of their first-hand experiences of fear , faith , and finding hope in mental illness .
|