COMMUNITY
tvc.dsj.org | October 24, 2017
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Diocese of San Jose Hosts DACA Prayer Service
With about 100 people assembled,
the Diocese of San Jose and its De-
partment for Evangelization hosted
a Migration Week Prayer Service on
Oct. 9 at Our Lady of Refuge Church.
In heeding the words of Saint Paul
and responding to this issue, the Dio-
cese with Bishop Patrick J. McGrath
and Vicar for Evangelization, Father
John Hurley CSP, led a Night of Prayer
in Solidarity with DACA Youth &
Families.
The Deferred Action for Childhood
Arrivals (DACA) is an immigration
policy in the United States that allows
some individuals who entered the
country as minors, and had either
entered or remained in the country
illegally, to receive a renewable two-
Bishop McGrath greets attendees at the Mi-
gration Week Prayer Service on Oct. 9 at Our
Lady of Refuge Parish.
year period of deferred action from
deportation and to be eligible for a
work permit. As of 2017, approximate-
ly 800,000 individuals – referred to as
Dreamers after the DREAM Act bill –
were enrolled in the program created
by DACA. The policy was established
by the Obama administration in June
2012 and rescinded by the Trump
administration in September.
“Our coming together tonight is
a reaffirmation of our care for im-
migrants. And we realize that the
overwhelming majority of those who
live in this valley, our state and even
our nation are themselves immigrants
or the children or grandchildre n of
immigrants. It is immoral to withhold
from people today the very welcome
that we ourselves and our relatives
once experienced,” said the Bishop.
“Pope Francis recently commented
upon the Pro-Life movement, asking
how anyone who favors life could, at
the very same time, oppose DACA.
Encouraging President Trump along
these lines, the Pope said: ‘If he is a
good pro-life believer he must under-
stand that family is the cradle of life
and one must defend its unity.’
Bishop McGrath added, “We have
been called by the Pope to ‘Share the
Journey,’ as pilgrims, brothers, sisters
and friends. And we will do so. My
friends, our message tonight is simple
and clear: ‘We are with you.’ We will
work together for you; we will pray
for you; we will always welcome you
as the members of our family that you
are. May God watch over and keep
you and your families always in his
love and care.”
There is Still Time to Register for 2017 Santa Clara Faith Formation Conference
By Liz Sullivan
T h e 2 017 S a n t a C l a r a Fa i t h
Formation Conference (SCFFC) – God
is Always With Us; Dios Siempre Esta
Con Nosotros; Chúa Luôn ở Cù ng Ta
will take place Nov. 3-4 at the Santa
Clara Convention Center. The Dioceses
of Monterey and San Jose are happy to
join together to sponsor the conference
in partnership with the Leadership
Roundtable and in collaboration with
the Archdiocese of San Francisco and
the Dioceses of Stockton and Oakland.
Registration is $58 for one day, $75
for both days.
Workshops in English, Spanish,
Vietnamese and Mandarin will focus
on the Word, Worship and Witness as
key components to our ongoing faith
formation.
Learn about the latest news from
the conference by downloading the
“MyParish” app and click ing on
t he Santa Clara Fait h Format ion
Conference. Check out the more than
50 booths that are reserved in the
resource center (formerly the Exhibit
Hall). There will be a wide variety of
products from book publishers and
resource materials to jewelry, t-shirts
and gifts. Plus, stay connected during
the SCFFC and throughout the year.
Receive important notifi cations and
updates about events and changes.
Also, fi nd out what is going on next
and where you will need to be during
the conference. Plus, there are many
more great features.
It is available for download in the
App Store and the Android App on
Google play.
NEW t h is year! The Resource
Center has designated an area for 11
tables for these featured organizations:
BUSINESS DIRECTORY
For more information contact Karen Levesque at (408) 983-0262.
Benedict XVI, Archdiocese of San
Francisco, DSJ Vocations, DSJ Natural
Family Planning, DSJ Mental Health
M i n i s t r y Ne t work , D SJ Glo ba l
Sol ida r it y Tea m, DSJ T he Valle y
Catholic/Office of Communications,
DSJ Offi ce for Protection of Children
and Vulnerable Adults, DSJ Tribunal,
C at hol ic C a mpa ig n for Hu m a n
Development–DSJ ministry and 40
Days for Life.
In addition, the conference is still
looking for volunteers for: Liturgy,
Hospitality and Registration and to
introduce presenters. If interested, email
[email protected] or you can
modify your registration online by
going to: https://www.gfwebservices.
com/ff c/get-registration and use your
email address and confi rmation code.
Registration and other pertinent
information are available online at
www.SCFFC.org.
O ne c h a nge i s t her e w i l l b e
no billing of parishes for on-site
registration. If parishes are covering
cer ta i n pa r ish ioners, t hey must
register their parishioners and staff
prior to Nov. 3. On-site registration
will on be available for cash, check or
credit card. Conference brochures are
available at the parish or online.
We look forward to seeing you at
#SCFFC2017.