Mandeville/Owensboro Sister Diocese Committee Meeting

Catholic Pastoral Center Owensboro, KY

Minutes

August 16, 2009

Meeting was opened with a prayer.

The minutes from the 4-19-09 meeting were reviewed and approved

1. Ash Wednesday 2009 Collection Results & Planning for 2010:  The Collection totaled $77,494.02.  This was down from last year.  The possible reasons listed were that it was the result of the economic downturn and the increased unemployment rate in the region.

     A letter to the Diocese of Owensboro was received from Most Rev. Neil Tiedemann, Bishop of the Diocese of Mandeville.  He thanked the Diocese of Owensboro for all it has done to support the Mandeville Diocese.  He expressed the great needs that exist in the Diocese of Mandeville of education for the young and the care of the elderly.  The committee suggested a WKC story to report this to the Diocese of Owensboro.

     The committee addressed the issue of making sure all parishes have the opportunity to hear a personal testimony on the Sunday before the Ash Wednesday collection. It was suggested that the committee sent out a survey and see how many parishes participated with a talk or read the letter sent to them or did nothing. The committee would like to help those parishes who need help with personal testimonies. Richard Murphy agreed to send out the survey.      

2. Mission Immersion Trips Report:  There were two trips planned in the early fall 2009. From September 20 to 26, 2009 a group from St. Ann’s Parish in Morganfield had a trip scheduled. In this group were two dentists and their spouses that would provide free dental care at a number of sites in the Mandeville diocese. From October 6-12, 2009 Christ the King Parish in Madisonville was scheduled for a mission immersion trip in the Mandeville diocese. Eleven people were slated to be part of this trip.

     There were two trips planned for 2010.  In June 2010, a group from St. Thomas More Parish from Paducah was working on scheduling a trip, and the Diocese of Owensboro would be scheduling a trip on October 12-18, 2010.

3. Report on Pilgrims of Hope Lay Association:  The group meets on the second Saturday of each month in Madisonville at Christ the King Parish.  There currently are 10-12 members in the group.
4. Shipment of Goods-Future Planning:  The committee was unable to initiate a collection of goods this calendar year.  Plans are being made to attempt a collection in October 2010.
5. Presbyteral Convocation Follow Up on Priorities for Diocesan Effort:  The current status of goals were reviewed and progress was slow.  A seminarian, Steve Holman served this past summer in the Mandeville Diocese.
6. St. Pius X VBS Donation 8-14-09:  The summer Vacation Bible School class at St. Pius X Parish donated $1109 to children’s needs at the St. Margaret Mary Basic School in Lionel Town in the Mandeville Diocese.  Richard agreed to get a story in the Western Kentucky Catholic about the donation.
7. Other Business Committee Members May Wish to Raise:  There were no other issues raised by the committee.

The Meeting closed with a prayer and then was adjourned.

The next scheduled meeting was set for 10-25-09.