Bishop, Diocesan Director to Address Criminal Justice Reform
WASHINGTON — The Catholic Criminal Justice Reform Network will host its inaugural conference on Thursday, April 28, and Friday, April 29, at the Georgetown Law Center in Washington, D.C.
Bishop Robert McElroy of San Diego and Robert Ehnow, PhD, director of the Diocese of San Diego’s Office for Life, Peace and Justice, will deliver the keynote address on April 28. The bishop will also celebrate Mass the same day.
Two formerly incarcerated women and one formerly incarcerated man, each of whom has the lived experience of having been sentenced to life in prison, followed by parole and reintegration back into the community, will be accompanying Bishop McElroy and Ehnow to the conference.
The Catholic Criminal Justice Reform Network is an initiative of the Lumen Christi Institute (https://www.lumenchristi.org/).
The conference is being co-hosted by the Catholic Mobilizing Network and more than a dozen Catholic law schools. Its purpose is to collaborate with lawyers, judges, parole/probation officials, legal scholars, clergy, and the formerly incarcerated to advocate and influence legislation to make meaningful, impactful change to the current punitive system of justice.
USD Partners with Catholic Charities
SAN DIEGO — The University of San Diego has announced a new partnership with Catholic Charities USA (CCUSA) to provide a new professional certificate in nonprofit executive management.
The creation of the professional certification began when CCUSA reached out to Interim Dean Joi Spencer at USD’s School of Leadership and Education Sciences. The Department of Leadership Studies was awarded the contract through a competitive bidding process with other prominent universities to provide training to 170 Catholic Charities CEOs from across the United States.
The partnership is being funded through a private donor to CCUSA who has a vision that all the organization’s executives would receive nonprofit management training to expand their business skills and strengthen community impact.
The Department of Leadership studies will launch a pilot program in October 2022. The first-round cohort will be comprised of 25 executives who will complete their training by January 2023.
Participants will attend three six-week online modules, focusing on leading contemporary nonprofits, financial leadership and resource development. At the end of the program, the cohorts will attend a four-day leadership seminar in-person at USD.
Retreat Offered for Post-Abortive Women
SAN DIEGO — Rachel’s Hope is hosting a healing retreat for Catholic and Catholic-friendly women seeking to overcome the grief and pain of a past abortion.
The professionally led retreat will be held May 13 to 15 at the diocesan Pastoral Center. It will include a closing Mass.
Group size is limited, and confidentiality will be maintained. The cost to attend is $60, but partial scholarships are available. Limited housing is also available.
For more information, visit RachelsHope.org. For more details or to register, call (858) 581-3022, text (858) 752-9378 or email rachels_hope@juno.com.
Magnificat Holding Women’s Breakfast
SAN DIEGO — North County Magnificat, a ministry to Catholic women, is holding its next quarterly breakfast on Saturday, May 21.
The event will take place from 9 a.m. to noon in St. Mary’s new parish hall, located at 1170 S. Broadway, Escondido 92025. It will be preceded by an 8 a.m. Mass.
The guest speaker will be Christy Wilkins. A baptized Catholic, Wilkins was raised Baptist and attended a Mormon seminary before returning to the Catholic faith in 2000 when she and her husband decided to start a family.
Tickets are $25/person via mail or $26 via Paypal or credit card when ordered by Saturday, May 14. After that, the ticket price increases to $28. Registration is required.
For more information or to RSVP, call (760) 271-7743.
Diocese to Raise Awareness of Mental Health
RANCHO SANTA FE — The diocesan Office for Family Life and Spirituality, with the San Diego Diocesan Mental Health Ministry Network, has organized a Mental Health Awareness Mass.
Auxiliary Bishop John Dolan will celebrate the Mass at 5 p.m. on Saturday, May 14, at Church of the Nativity in Rancho Santa Fe. (May 15 is the feast day of St. Dymphna, the patron saint of mental illness.) The liturgy will be followed at 6 p.m. by a mental health resource fair and a short talk by Paula Baker, a mother who will share her family’s journey from fear to hope with a loved one’s mental illness.
In the United States, May is observed as Mental Health Month.
For more information, contact the Office for Family Life and Spirituality at (858) 490-8299.
Whispering Winds to Host Women’s Retreat
JULIAN — Whispering Winds Women’s Auxiliary will hold its Spring 2022 retreat from May 13 to 15 at Whispering Winds Catholic Camp and Conference Center in Julian.
The theme will be “Jesus Approaches.” Liz Kelly, author of 10 books, including “Reasons I Love Being Catholic,” will lead the retreat. It will focus on what today’s women can learn about healing, freedom and joy from the women of the New Testament.
The cost to attend is $195/person, which includes lodging, seven meals, four talks by Kelly and a question-and-answer session with her. Participants will also be able to enjoy the camp’s zipline and other activities, as well as to participate in a social Friday night, a prayer service Saturday night, and a Sunday morning Mass. Financial aid is available.
Register online at www.whisperingwinds.org/camps-retreats/womens-retreat. For more information, contact Judy Lemm at (619) 507-1152 or judylemm@cox.net.
Special Mass Celebrated for Foster Families
SAN DIEGO — All foster families, kinship families, and those interested in foster care are invited to a Foster Care Awareness Mass at St. Brigid Parish in Pacific Beach.
The liturgy will be celebrated at 11 a.m., Sunday, May 22.
After Mass, foster families will share their stories, and attendees will learn how to support families in their area. Breakfast burritos and children’s games also will be available after Mass.
For more information or to RSVP, contact Kaylin Burt at kaylinburt523@gmail.com.
Birthline Launches Mother’s Day Campaign
SAN DIEGO — “Love Another Mother,” a spring fundraising campaign by Birthline of San Diego County, Inc., gives San Diegans the opportunity to honor all mothers, especially the most vulnerable.
Founded more than 40 years ago, Birthline provides free diapers, children’s clothing, food and more, as well as referrals for various services, to pregnant women and families with children age 6 and younger. Many of its clients live below the poverty line.
Supporters of the “Love Another Mother” campaign can honor their own mother or a special mother in their life simply by making a donation to Birthline this Mother’s Day.
Each donation will sponsor a Mother’s Day gift bag that will include: a Walmart gift card, a Mother’s Day plant for their home, and an indulgence care package of soaps, toiletries and cosmetics to help them feel special this Mother’s Day.
For more information, visit birthlineofsandiego.org or call (858) 270-2491.
Liturgical Composer to Perform in Concert
OCEANSIDE — Liturgical singer-songwriter Jesse Manibusan will perform at Mission San Luis Rey Parish in Oceanside.
The concert will take place at 6:30 p.m., Friday, April 29, in the parish’s Serra Center.
Manibusan, whose music is published by Oregon Catholic Press (OCP), was the recipient in 2014 of the National Catholic Youth Award, in the Presenter/Artist category, from the National Federation for Catholic Youth Ministries, Inc.
The upcoming evening will include songs, stories, laughter and inspiration.
Adult tickets (ages 13 and up) are $20 in advance or $25 at the door. Child tickets (ages 7 to 12) are $10. For children age 6 and under, there is no cost to attend.
Mission San Luis Rey Parish is located at 4070 Mission Ave., Oceanside 92057.
For more information, contact the parish at (760) 757‐3250 or office@sanluisreyparish.org.
Bishop Dolan to Address Mental Health Conference
LOS ALTOS, Calif. — Auxiliary Bishop John Dolan and Oblate Father Ron Rolheiser, of the Oblate School of Theology in San Antonio, Texas, will be among the main presenters at the inaugural Mental Health Ministry Conference.
The theme for the event, which will be held from May 19 to 21 at the Jesuit Retreat Center in Los Altos, is “Building a Culture of Community: Equipping Leaders for Mental Health Ministry.” The conference is co-sponsored by the Association of Catholic Mental Health Ministers, the National Catholic Partnership on Disability, and the California Catholic Conference.
Participants will be able to connect with others in ministry from around the country, hear from experts, and share resources and best practices.
A virtual option is available for individuals who are unable to be onsite. This option will include access to keynotes and panel presentations, but not breakout sessions.
For more information, including ticket prices, and to register, visit https://bit.ly/MHCONF2022.
Notre Dame Club Hosts Events Yearlong
SAN DIEGO — The Notre Dame Club of San Diego’s history spans as far back as 1948.
Since then, the alumni club has expanded to include alumni, their family, friends, and fans of the University of Notre Dame – all 4,715 of them from San Diego.
Like the other 266 Notre Dame Clubs around the world overseen by their Alumni Association, the San Diego Club’s mission revolves around the “6 C’s”: camaraderie, community service, Catholic mission, current students, continuing education, and career connections.
Every year, the club hosts a slew of events in the local community with the goal of being a “Force for Good.” Its whole fall season revolves around its “Season of Service,” with community partners such as Nativity Prep Academy, Casa de los Pobres, Father Joe’s Villages, Operation Dress Code, and the Camp Pendleton Warrior Warehouse.
More information about the Notre Dame Club and its year-round programming can be found on its website, sandiego.undclub.org, and Facebook page, facebook.com/ndsandiego.
Women’s Prayer Group Seeking New Members
SAN DIEGO — 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.
For more information, call (619) 955-3985.
Catholics Can ‘Encounter’ Jesus Throughout 2022
SAN DIEGO — “Encounter,” a Spirit-filled evening of inspiring music, prayer and Eucharistic adoration, is held on the second Friday of each month at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Parish in Rancho Penasquitos.
Sponsored by the parish’s Hearts of Fire Ministry, the event runs from 7 to 8:30 p.m.
The May 13 “Encounter” has been canceled. Upcoming dates in 2022 include: June 10, July 8, Aug. 12, Sept. 9, Oct. 14, Nov. 11 and Dec. 9.
For more information, email olmcheartsoffire@gmail.com.
Are You a Catholic Mom Who Likes Catholic Books?
SAN DIEGO — The Moms’ Catholic Book Study, formerly known as the Moms’ Bible Study, has been going strong for more than 25 years.
In addition to spiritual reading, the group also offers fellowship and has produced long-lasting friendships.
The group meets at 10 a.m., every Wednesday during the school year, at St. Mary Magdalene Parish.
For more information, visit https://momscatholicbookstudy.weebly.com.
Street Evangelization Brings Gospel to Public Square
SAN DIEGO — 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 streetevangelization.com, call (619) 515-3267 or email scb@procopio.com.
The preceding briefs have been updated to reflect the correct date for the upcoming Mass for foster families (May 22, not May 11) and to acknowledge the cancellation of the May 13 installment of “Encounter.”
