BY DR. JEFF ANDRINI, OFFICE OF EVANGELIZATION AND DISCIPLESHIP

All 78 parishes and 17 schools are invited to a special event for all parish ministry leaders, catechists, teachers and volunteers. The event is titled, “Living a Eucharistic Life as Missionary Disciples” and it will be held on Saturday, Oct. 22, 2022 at the Owensboro Convention Center. Several afternoon breakout sessions will be held at Brescia University and the event will include English and Spanish-speaking sessions.

The event is from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. and begins with a bilingual Mass at 9 a.m. celebrated by Bishop Medley. The focus will be to draw attention to the Eucharistic Revival and present a roadmap for growing disciples of Jesus Christ.

Jesus invited a small group of followers to live in community, journey with him on his mission and formed them in the kingdom of God. As followers of Jesus, they would spend time with him daily and see firsthand what he did and how he responded to people in need. They would hear him interact with others and learned from his parables, stories and dialogue. We know they were slow to understand and often failed, but they eventually got it and their lives were transformed. Through the Holy Spirit they became like their master, went on mission, and started what has become the world’s largest religion.

Two thousand years later and Jesus’ mission continues. And this mission is the very purpose of the New Evangelization within the Catholic Church! After Jesus’ resurrection, the early Church received the Spirit and sent out leaders to proclaim the Gospel message. These fear-filled simple folks were transformed through their relationship with God and they lived the mission of Jesus in word and deed.

Our keynote presenters for our fall conference will help us understand how to live the mission of Jesus today! Special guests are Sherry Weddell, author of Forming Intentional Disciples; and Dr. Gerardo Salazar and Dr. Dora Tobar, our Spanish presenters. They, along with other several other ministry experts, will lead us in a day of community, leadership development and vision that will energize all of us! Please join us and invite other members from your parish.

For more information, visit owensborodiocese.org/evangelization or email [email protected] or [email protected].

Summer blessings to you and yours!

Sincerely,

Jeff

Dr. Jeff Andrini is the director of the Office of Evangelization and Discipleship and can be reached at (270) 683-1545, ext. 360. He is available to support parishes in a variety of ways and is currently booking fall and winter dates in a parish or parish clusters for the Encounter Love/Encounter Jesus events. Email him with any questions, ideas or for further information on any upcoming events at [email protected].

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Originally printed in the August 2022 issue of The Western Kentucky Catholic.