Bishop’s Book Named ‘Resource of the Year’
BALTIMORE, Md. — “Responding to Suicide: A Pastoral Handbook for Catholic Leaders,” authored by Association of Catholic Mental Health Ministers and edited by Auxiliary Bishop John Dolan of San Diego and Deacon Ed Shoener is the Association of Catholic Publishers’ 2021 “Resource of the Year.”
One judge emphasized that one of the strengths of this book was that it focuses on a timely topic and is presented in an accessible way. Another noted that the helpful guide explores the psycho-social-spiritual aspects of suicide in a balanced and pastoral way that makes this book a necessary resource for those in parish ministry.
A five-person panel evaluated the first-place winners of the association’s Excellence in Publishing Award based on criteria that included audience appeal, potential impact on Catholic thinking, action, and faith/spirituality, and whether it would be a Catholic “classic” or best-seller. “Responding to Suicide” was the first-place winner in the “Resources for Ministry” category, announced earlier this year.
Bishops to Celebrate ‘Family Masses’
A special Family Mass will be celebrated on Saturday, Oct. 23, to commemorate the five-year anniversary of “Amoris Laetitia” (“The Joy of Love”).
“Amoris Laetitia” is the apostolic exhortation that Pope Francis wrote after the Synods on the Family in 2014 and 2015. It included his reflections on how the Church could accompany 21st-century families.
Separate Masses for San Diego and Imperial counties, both celebrated at 11 a.m., will mark the occasion. Bishop Robert McElroy will celebrate the Mass at St. Gregory the Great Parish, 11451 Blue Cypress Dr., San Diego 92131. Auxiliary Bishop Ramón Bejarano will celebrate the Mass at Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish, 153 E. Brighton Ave., El Centro 92243.
For more information, contact the diocesan Office for Family Life and Spirituality at (858) 490-8299.
All Faithful Invited to Mass to Honor St. Teresa
San Diego’s Indian Catholic Community invites all faithful to its third annual Mass to pay tribute to St. Teresa of Calcutta on Saturday, Sept. 25, at 10:30 a.m., at Good Shepherd Church. Auxiliary Bishop Ramón Bejarano will celebrate the Mass.
The Mass honors the life of St. Teresa, the legendary founder of the Missionaries of Charity, who tend to the most vulnerable across the globe. They have a strong presence in the San Diego-Tijuana region and many of their members attend this Mass.
Good Shepherd Church is located at 8200 Gold Coast Drive, in Mira Mesa. More information is available on the San Diego Indian Catholic Community’s Facebook page.
Women’s Prayer Group Seeking New Members
Women seeking to grow closer to God and deepen their relationship with the Bible are invited to join a women’s prayer/Bible study group conducted via Zoom.
The group, which meets virtually at 6 p.m. every Thursday, offers fellowship and prayerful reading of the books of the Bible. It is currently reflecting on Luke’s Gospel and will follow that next with the Acts of the Apostles and then with the Book of Revelation.
For more information, call Linda Emathinger at (619) 955-3985.
RCIA Classes to Be Held for Chinese-Speakers
The San Diego Chinese Catholic Community will be hosting Chinese RCIA at St. Therese of Carmel Catholic Church.
Classes will be held from 3 to 4:30 p.m. every Sunday, from Sept.12 to April 17, 2022, and facilitated by a Chinese priest and members of the laity. All are welcome to participate in the Chinese-language Mass celebrated from 2 to 3 p.m., before the RCIA classes.
St. Therese of Carmel Parish is located at 4355 Del Mar Trails Road, San Diego 92130. For more information, call Teresa at (858) 837-4949 or Luke at (858) 666-5064.
Marriage Encounter to Host In-Person Weekend
San Diego Marriage Encounter will hold its next in-person weekend experience Sept. 17 to 19 at the St. Charles Retreat Center in Imperial Beach.
The weekend begins at 8 p.m. on Friday and ends at 4 p.m. on Sunday.
Worldwide Marriage Encounter is an enrichment experience designed to allow husbands and wives to reconnect and rekindle their relationship privately. During the experience, three married couples and a priest provide tools, using examples from their own lives, to help couples work through important areas in a spirit of love and understanding.
Spouses will learn tools for keeping their relationship a priority, a powerful method to communicate from the heart and grow intimacy, and how to realize their potential as a couple.
During the pandemic, Worldwide Marriage Encounter continued its mission and ministry to married couples and priests by presenting online experiences in various formats.
For more information or to register for the upcoming in-person Marriage Encounter weekend, visit www.wwme-sandiego.org or call (760) 659-9102.
Catholics Invited to ‘Encounter’ Jesus
On the second Friday of every month, Catholics are invited to “Encounter,” a Spirit-filled evening of inspiring music, prayer and Eucharistic adoration.
It is held at 7 p.m. at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Parish in Rancho Peñasquitos. The remaining dates for 2021 include Sept. 10, Nov. 12 and Dec. 10.
In October, “The Good Life Retreat” scheduled for Oct. 8 (6:45-10 p.m.) and Oct. 9 (8:30 a.m.-5 p.m.) will take the place of that month’s Encounter. The retreat will include six multimedia presentations on how Jesus fulfills the deepest desires of the human heart and how one can enjoy a close relationship with Him. There will also be testimonies from people whose lives have been changed by Jesus, small group discussions, Eucharistic adoration, and more. The cost to attend the retreat is $25 per person.
Encounter is sponsored by Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Parish’s Hearts of Fire Ministry.
Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Parish is located at 13541 Stoney Creek Rd., San Diego 92129. For more information, call (858) 484-1070.
Street Evangelization Brings Gospel to Public Square
St. Paul Street Evangelization is a grassroots, nonprofit organization dedicated to taking the Gospel message to the streets.
Participants in the ministry do this in a non-confrontational way, allowing the Holy Spirit to move in the hearts of those who witness their public Catholic presence.
For more information or to get involved, visit www.StreetEvangelization.com, call (619) 515-3267 or email scb@procopio.com.
