January 8, 2010
Worth Mentioning
Legislative coverage in the Message
The Message begins coverage this week of another legislative session, with the first in a series of stories by Brigid Curtis Ayer. Stories are planned each week during the short legislative session, to present state news from a Catholic perspective.
Legislative coverage has been arranged through the cooperative efforts of the five Catholic diocesan newspapers in Indiana and the Indiana Catholic Conference.
The legislature reconvened on Jan. 5. Feb. 1 is the “crossover” deadline for House and Senate bills to pass the first chamber. March 14 is the adjournment deadline for the 2010 session.
The ICC is the statewide coordinating body for the five Catholic dioceses in Indiana. Its basic purpose is to serve the spiritual, moral and material well-being of the people of the state
- by serving as the official spokesperson for the bishops and Catholic faithful regarding state and national matters;
- by representing the Church and developing cooperative relationships where common public policy interests exist with religious and civic, social and governmental units;
- by serving as liaison between the Catho-lic Church in Indiana and national Catholic groups in areas of common public policy in-terests.
Hospitality series for congregations
The Center for Congregations in Evansville will present a luncheon series about hospitality and welcoming in congregations.
The three sessions are on Wednesdays from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Central time, Jan. 20, Feb. 3 and March 3.
The speakers and their topics include the following:
- Benedictine Sisters Barbara Schmitz and Kathy Huber, “Learning Hospitality from the Benedictines,” Jan. 20;
- Pat Koch of Holiday World, “Welcoming from the Heart,” Feb. 3;
- Janet Brown from St. Mark’s United Methodist Church in Carmel, Ind., “From First Visit through First Year,” March 3.
Cost is $25 for all three sessions or $10 each. Sessions are held at First Presbyterian Church, 609 Southeast Second Street, Evansville.
See www.centerforcongregations.org or call (812) 618-2012.
Celebrating 80 years as Sister of Providence
Sister Grace Stewart, a native of Indianapolis, recently celebrated 80 years as a Sister of Providence. She currently ministers in prayer at St. Mary-of-the-Woods.
Sister Grace entered the Sisters of Providence Aug. 20, 1929, from St. John Parish in Indianapolis. She professed perpetual vows Aug. 15, 1937.
She graduated from St. Mary-of-the-Woods College with a bachelor’s degree in education. She received a master’s degree in education from Catholic University of America.
Her ministry included teaching at Holy Trinity School in New Albany (1956-1957) and teaching at St. Joseph School in Jasper (1961-1964).
Web Resources for Indiana Catholics
The Indiana Catholic Conference web page is www.indianacc.org.
Visitors to the site may click on a menu item, “Legislative Action Center,” which will connect the visitor to a site providing names and contact information for elected officials.
Visitors may join the Indiana Catholic Action Network (I-CAN) by clicking on the menu item, “Join I-CAN Network.”
To read the text of “Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship: A Call to Political Responsibility from the Catholic Bishops of the United States,” visit the website of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops at www.faithfulcitizenship.org.
On the Calendar
- National Migration Week began Jan. 3 and continues through Jan. 9.
- National Vocations Awareness Week, Jan. 10-16.
- Installation of Bishop Kevin C. Rhoades as bishop of Fort Wayne-South Bend, Ind., Fort Wayne, Ind., Jan. 13.
- Annual conference of National Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty, Louisville, Ky., Jan. 14-17.
- Martin Luther King Jr. Day observed, Jan. 18. (Catholic Center in Evansville will be closed.)
- Annual Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, Jan. 18-25.
- March for Life, Washington, Jan. 22.
- Catholic Schools Week, Jan. 31-Feb. 6.