O.F.L. NEWS FEBRUARY 2021 - Office of Family & Life DIOCESE OF EVANSVILLE - All Saints Parish
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O.F.L. NEWS
DIOCESE OF
EVANSVILLE
Office of Family & Life Est. 1944
FEBRUARY 2021
The OFL News is a monthly newsletter to highlight initiatives, projects, programs, and events specific to the Office of Family & Life
1|Page
O.F.L. NEWS
DIOCESE OF
EVANSVILLE
Office of Family & Life Est. 1944
FEBRUARY 2021
The OFL News is a monthly newsletter to highlight initiatives, projects, programs, and events specific to the Office of Family & Life
IN THIS ISSUE:
Priest and Deacon Summary
National Marriage Week USA: February 7-14
Project Rachel
Diaper Drive
Diocesan Family/Life Rosary
Scripture Resources
A Year of St. Joseph
USCCB Statements
3 Articles regarding Vaccination
In other news
For Your Marriage
Natural Family Planning resource
2|Page
O.F.L. NEWS
DIOCESE OF
EVANSVILLE
Office of Family & Life Est. 1944
FEBRUARY 2021
The OFL News is a monthly newsletter to highlight initiatives, projects, programs, and events specific to the Office of Family & Life
A QUICK SUMMARY TO PRIESTS AND DEACONS:
Dear Priests and Deacons,
I hope this note finds you all well. Just a couple of quick updates to
be aware of as we move fully into 2021. Also included is summary data
from 2020 for your review.
The use of the FOCCUS pre-marriage inventory continued to
gradually increase at the parish level until 2020, which marked a
sharp decline. Inventory credits can be transferred to you by
emailing me at egirten@evdio.org and will be charged at a decreased
rate of $11.00 per credit. If you currently do not utilize the FOCCUS
inventory in your parish, please note that I can walk you or your staff
through the setup process. FOCCUS credits that were transferred to
parishes by me in 2020 was at 29.9% of total diocesan marriages for
the year. (Usage was at 47.5% in 2019.)
400
370
350 352 347
325
300 310
297
281
250
200 CREDITS
176 TRANSFERRED
150 162
138 138 141
TOTAL
100 111
84 MARRIAGES
50
0
2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020
3|Page
O.F.L. NEWS
DIOCESE OF
EVANSVILLE
Office of Family & Life Est. 1944
FEBRUARY 2021
The OFL News is a monthly newsletter to highlight initiatives, projects, programs, and events specific to the Office of Family & Life
Parish level Sponsor Couple programs are a good resource for
marriage preparation at the parish level.
Six parishes currently use the Joy Filled Marriage program.
Five parishes currently use the For Better Forever program.
Twelve parishes do not currently have a Sponsor Couple
program.
There is no information from 23 parishes.
The February UNVEILED marriage preparation retreat has been
cancelled and given the continuing COVID climate, I will be
cancelling the March retreat as well. The September retreat is still
active currently. The ONLINE Unveiled retreat option can be
accessed here… http://unveiled.learnpointlms.com/. In 2020, 42
engaged couples, or 14.9% of the total diocesan marriages, utilized the
Unveiled program.
450
400
350
300 TOTAL MARRIAGES
250
TOTAL UNVEILED
200 347 281
297 PARTICIPANTS
150 ONLINE
100
50 42
34 38 22
0
2018 2019 2020
4|Page
O.F.L. NEWS
DIOCESE OF
EVANSVILLE
Office of Family & Life Est. 1944
FEBRUARY 2021
The OFL News is a monthly newsletter to highlight initiatives, projects, programs, and events specific to the Office of Family & Life
PROJECT RACHEL post abortion healing program restarted in
January. Packets were sent to all parishes with flyers, tear-off sheets,
information cards and instructions. An email with these resources in
digital form were sent on December 16 (2:02pm ct). It is very
important that these resources and awareness reach the parishioners
given that the data suggests that a quarter of the population has been
touched by abortion.
NATURAL FAMILY PLANNING awareness continues to grow in
the diocese. The below chart shows the number of educational
contacts provided by the Holy Family Center for Life (HFCL) over
the past six years. The HFCL is a local not for profit group of
practitioners who are trained in NFP methods. You can go here for
more information and resources regarding NFP…
http://www.evdio.org/natural-family-planning.html
500
450 449
400 392
350
300
250
200
150 135
100
50 47
29
0 9
2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020
5|Page
O.F.L. NEWS
DIOCESE OF
EVANSVILLE
Office of Family & Life Est. 1944
FEBRUARY 2021
The OFL News is a monthly newsletter to highlight initiatives, projects, programs, and events specific to the Office of Family & Life
DIVORCE INTERVENTION AND SUPPORT resources for couples
can be found here…http://www.evdio.org/divorce-prevention-and-
support.html
WALKING WITH MOMS IN NEED is a national project that
encourages dioceses and parishes to evaluate and gather resources
available for moms and families with children who need assistance.
More information regarding the Diocese of Evansville can be found
here (please note that this is a continued work in progress to gather
information for your parishes to utilize). Please pass this
information on to your social concerns committees and give them my
contact information if they would like to work together to evaluate
and discuss your parish area specifically.
http://www.evdio.org/walking-with-moms-in-need.html
6|Page
O.F.L. NEWS
DIOCESE OF
EVANSVILLE
Office of Family & Life Est. 1944
FEBRUARY 2021
The OFL News is a monthly newsletter to highlight initiatives, projects, programs, and events specific to the Office of Family & Life
NATIONAL MARRIAGE WEEK
7|Page
O.F.L. NEWS
DIOCESE OF
EVANSVILLE
Office of Family & Life Est. 1944
FEBRUARY 2021
The OFL News is a monthly newsletter to highlight initiatives, projects, programs, and events specific to the Office of Family & Life
“Project Rachel is a ministry of the Catholic Church in
the U.S. to those who have been involved in abortion. It is
a diocesan-based network of specially trained priests,
religious, counselors, and laypersons who provide a team
response of care for those suffering in the aftermath of
abortion. In addition to referring for Sacramental Reconciliation, the
ministry provides an integrated network of services, including pastoral
counseling, support groups, retreats and referrals to licensed mental health
professionals.” — USCCB
The Diocese of Evansville now offers this healing ministry in Southwest
Indiana. A unique Project Rachel phone number (812-483-7812) and
email address (projectrachel@ evdio.org) have been created specifically for
persons whose lives have been touched by abortion.
To speak with a Project Rachel associate, call the number above or send an
email, and someone will respond. The first step down the path of healing is
often the most difficult. Project Rachel associates are here to help make it
easier. Calls and emails are confidential. If you or someone you know
carries the weight of abortion related grief, please pray about contacting
the Project Rachel ministry.
There are many ways that Project Rachel can help: You can speak with
one of the Project Rachel phone ministers, find spiritual healing through
the Sacrament of Reconciliation, speak with a Project Rachel counselor,
receive literature and resources to help you get started or continue on your
8|Page
O.F.L. NEWS
DIOCESE OF
EVANSVILLE
Office of Family & Life Est. 1944
FEBRUARY 2021
The OFL News is a monthly newsletter to highlight initiatives, projects, programs, and events specific to the Office of Family & Life
path toward healing, get information on the nearest post-abortion healing
retreats, find information regarding Days of Healing, be placed
(confidentially) on the Project Rachel prayer team list, and become a part
of the Project Rachel community.
Many women and men who have sought healing after abortion speak about
guilt, anxiety, depression, the inability to forgive, the impact on
relationships; and they speak of the feelings of peace, comfort, joy and love
after having taken that first step toward healing. Take the step. Call 812-
483-7812 or email projectrachel@evdio.org.
~Taken from the MESSAGE 1-21-21 issue.
9|Page
O.F.L. NEWS
DIOCESE OF
EVANSVILLE
Office of Family & Life Est. 1944
FEBRUARY 2021
The OFL News is a monthly newsletter to highlight initiatives, projects, programs, and events specific to the Office of Family & Life
10 | P a g eO.F.L. NEWS
DIOCESE OF
EVANSVILLE
Office of Family & Life Est. 1944
FEBRUARY 2021
The OFL News is a monthly newsletter to highlight initiatives, projects, programs, and events specific to the Office of Family & Life
DIOCESAN ROSARY
The Office of Family & Life wishes to invite individuals,
parishes, and the Diocesan community to pray the rosary
together monthly (starting in October, 2020) until the
following October, similar to Saint John Paul II’s Year of
the Rosary in 2002.
Those who wish to participate are encouraged to pray the rosary
on the 1st Saturday of each month. However, if this is not possible,
please don’t let that stop you.
First Saturday
What better time to encourage family and Dates:
community prayer in the rosary? Fr. Patrick
Peyton’s message of “a family that prays together October 3
stays together” still rings true, not only for our November 7
individual families but also for our parish December 5
families and our diocesan family. January 2
Go here to be counted in this diocesan-wide call to February 6
prayer by entering your parish name. Our Rosary March 6
Map will be updated weekly to show those April 3
participating! http://www.evdio.org/the- May 1
rosary.html June 5
July 3
August 7
September 4
11 | P a g eO.F.L. NEWS
DIOCESE OF
EVANSVILLE
Office of Family & Life Est. 1944
FEBRUARY 2021
The OFL News is a monthly newsletter to highlight initiatives, projects, programs, and events specific to the Office of Family & Life
SCRIPTURE:
The BIBLE IN A
YEAR podcast
with Fr. Mike
The BIBLE
Project
12 | P a g eO.F.L. NEWS
DIOCESE OF
EVANSVILLE
Office of Family & Life Est. 1944
FEBRUARY 2021
The OFL News is a monthly newsletter to highlight initiatives, projects, programs, and events specific to the Office of Family & Life
THE FAMILY BIBLE
CHALLENGE
13 | P a g eO.F.L. NEWS
DIOCESE OF
EVANSVILLE
Office of Family & Life Est. 1944
FEBRUARY 2021
The OFL News is a monthly newsletter to highlight initiatives, projects, programs, and events specific to the Office of Family & Life
A YEAR OF ST. JOSEPH
14 | P a g eO.F.L. NEWS
DIOCESE OF
EVANSVILLE
Office of Family & Life Est. 1944
FEBRUARY 2021
The OFL News is a monthly newsletter to highlight initiatives, projects, programs, and events specific to the Office of Family & Life
Statement on the Inauguration of Joseph R. Biden, Jr., as 46th President
of the United States of America
Most Reverend José H. Gomez
Archbishop of Los Angeles,
President, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
January 20, 2021
My prayers are with our new President and his family today.
I am praying that God grant him wisdom and courage to lead this great
nation and that God help him to meet the tests of these times, to heal the
wounds caused by this pandemic, to ease our intense political and cultural
divisions, and to bring people together with renewed dedication to
America’s founding purposes, to be one nation under God committed to
liberty and equality for all.
Catholic bishops are not partisan players in our nation’s politics. We are
pastors responsible for the souls of millions of Americans and we are
advocates for the needs of all our neighbors. In every community across the
country, Catholic parishes, schools, hospitals, and ministries form an
essential culture of compassion and care, serving women, children, and the
elderly, the poor and sick, the imprisoned, the migrant, and the
marginalized, no matter what their race or religion.
15 | P a g eO.F.L. NEWS
DIOCESE OF
EVANSVILLE
Office of Family & Life Est. 1944
FEBRUARY 2021
The OFL News is a monthly newsletter to highlight initiatives, projects, programs, and events specific to the Office of Family & Life
When we speak on issues in American public life, we try to guide
consciences, and we offer principles. These principles are rooted in the
Gospel of Jesus Christ and the social teachings of his Church. Jesus Christ
revealed God’s plan of love for creation and revealed the truth about the
human person, who is created in God’s image, endowed with God-given
dignity, rights and responsibilities, and called to a transcendent destiny.
Based on these truths, which are reflected in the Declaration of
Independence and Bill of Rights, the bishops and Catholic faithful carry
out Christ’s commandment to love God and love our neighbors by working
for an America that protects human dignity, expands equality and
opportunities for every person, and is open-hearted towards the suffering
and weak.
For many years now, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops has
tried to help Catholics and others of good will in their reflections on
political issues through a publication we call Forming Consciences for
Faithful Citizenship. The most recent edition addresses a wide range of
concerns. Among them: abortion, euthanasia, the death penalty,
immigration, racism, poverty, care for the environment, criminal justice
reform, economic development, and international peace.
On these and other issues, our duty to love and our moral principles lead
us to prudential judgments and positions that do not align neatly with the
political categories of left or right or the platforms of our two major
political parties. We work with every President and every Congress. On
some issues we find ourselves more on the side of Democrats, while on
others we find ourselves standing with Republicans. Our priorities are
16 | P a g eO.F.L. NEWS
DIOCESE OF
EVANSVILLE
Office of Family & Life Est. 1944
FEBRUARY 2021
The OFL News is a monthly newsletter to highlight initiatives, projects, programs, and events specific to the Office of Family & Life
never partisan. We are Catholics first, seeking only to follow Jesus Christ
faithfully and to advance his vision for human fraternity and community.
I look forward to working with President Biden and his administration,
and the new Congress. As with every administration, there will be areas
where we agree and work closely together and areas where we will have
principled disagreement and strong opposition.
Working with President Biden will be unique, however, as he is our first
president in 60 years to profess the Catholic faith. In a time of growing
and aggressive secularism in American culture, when religious believers
face many challenges, it will be refreshing to engage with a President who
clearly understands, in a deep and personal way, the importance of
religious faith and institutions. Mr. Biden’s piety and personal story, his
moving witness to how his faith has brought him solace in times of
darkness and tragedy, his longstanding commitment to the Gospel’s
priority for the poor — all of this I find hopeful and inspiring.
At the same time, as pastors, the nation’s bishops are given the duty of
proclaiming the Gospel in all its truth and power, in season and out of
season, even when that teaching is inconvenient or when the Gospel’s
truths run contrary to the directions of the wider society and culture. So, I
must point out that our new President has pledged to pursue certain
policies that would advance moral evils and threaten human life and
dignity, most seriously in the areas of abortion, contraception, marriage,
and gender. Of deep concern is the liberty of the Church and the freedom
of believers to live according to their consciences.
17 | P a g eO.F.L. NEWS
DIOCESE OF
EVANSVILLE
Office of Family & Life Est. 1944
FEBRUARY 2021
The OFL News is a monthly newsletter to highlight initiatives, projects, programs, and events specific to the Office of Family & Life
Our commitments on issues of human sexuality and the family, as with
our commitments in every other area — such as abolishing the death
penalty or seeking a health care system and economy that truly serves the
human person — are guided by Christ’s great commandment to love and to
stand in solidarity with our brothers and sisters, especially the most
vulnerable.
For the nation’s bishops, the continued injustice of abortion remains the
“preeminent priority.” Preeminent does not mean “only.” We have deep
concerns about many threats to human life and dignity in our society. But
as Pope Francis teaches, we cannot stay silent when nearly a million
unborn lives are being cast aside in our country year after year through
abortion.
Abortion is a direct attack on life that also wounds the woman and
undermines the family. It is not only a private matter, it raises troubling
and fundamental questions of fraternity, solidarity, and inclusion in the
human community. It is also a matter of social justice. We cannot ignore
the reality that abortion rates are much higher among the poor and
minorities, and that the procedure is regularly used to eliminate children
who would be born with disabilities.
Rather than impose further expansions of abortion and contraception, as
he has promised, I am hopeful that the new President and his
administration will work with the Church and others of good will. My
hope is that we can begin a dialogue to address the complicated cultural
and economic factors that are driving abortion and discouraging families.
My hope, too, is that we can work together to finally put in place a
coherent family policy in this country, one that acknowledges the crucial
18 | P a g eO.F.L. NEWS
DIOCESE OF
EVANSVILLE
Office of Family & Life Est. 1944
FEBRUARY 2021
The OFL News is a monthly newsletter to highlight initiatives, projects, programs, and events specific to the Office of Family & Life
importance of strong marriages and parenting to the well-being of children
and the stability of communities. If the President, with full respect for the
Church’s religious freedom, were to engage in this conversation, it would
go a long way toward restoring the civil balance and healing our country’s
needs.
President Biden’s call for national healing and unity is welcome on all
levels. It is urgently needed as we confront the trauma in our country
caused by the coronavirus pandemic and the social isolation that has only
worsened the intense and long-simmering divisions among our fellow
citizens.
As believers, we understand that healing is a gift that we can only receive
from the hand of God. We know, too, that real reconciliation requires
patient listening to those who disagree with us and a willingness to forgive
and move beyond desires for reprisal. Christian love calls us to love our
enemies and bless those who oppose us, and to treat others with the same
compassion that we want for ourselves.
We are all under the watchful eye of God, who alone knows and can judge
the intentions of our hearts. I pray that God will give our new President,
and all of us, the grace to seek the common good with all sincerity.
I entrust all our hopes and anxieties in this new moment to the tender
heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the mother of Christ and the patroness
of this exceptional nation. May she guide us in the ways of peace and
obtain for us wisdom and the grace of a true patriotism and love of
country.
19 | P a g eO.F.L. NEWS
DIOCESE OF
EVANSVILLE
Office of Family & Life Est. 1944
FEBRUARY 2021
The OFL News is a monthly newsletter to highlight initiatives, projects, programs, and events specific to the Office of Family & Life
WASHINGTON – On January 16, the United States celebrates Religious
Freedom Day. Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan of New York, chairman of the
U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee for Religious Liberty, has
issued a statement:
“The right to religious freedom is rooted in the dignity of the human
person, who has a duty to seek the truth. Yet our country is riven by
political and cultural factionalism, where competing groups seek not truth
but rather mere power. Appeals to objective truth are treated as attempts to
oppress. Narrative and spin are the weapons of choice.
“Recent popes have rejected this cynical view. Truth, not power, is the basis
of our law and politics, even in a pluralistic society. In his recent
encyclical, Fratelli tutti, Pope Francis says, ‘If society is to have a future,
it must respect the truth of our human dignity and submit to that truth.’
And he adds, ‘In a pluralistic society, dialogue is the best way to realize
what ought always to be affirmed and respected apart from any ephemeral
consensus.’
“Religious freedom opens up space for that dialogue by allowing
communities to live in accordance with their convictions and thus
contribute to the larger society. When that space for dialogue is
constricted, the broader society suffers.
20 | P a g eO.F.L. NEWS
DIOCESE OF
EVANSVILLE
Office of Family & Life Est. 1944
FEBRUARY 2021
The OFL News is a monthly newsletter to highlight initiatives, projects, programs, and events specific to the Office of Family & Life
“On this National Religious Freedom Day, may American Catholics and
all people of good will commit themselves to nurturing our country’s great
legacy of religious liberty for all.”
WASHINGTON — Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan of New York, chairman
of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB) Committee for
Religious Liberty; Archbishop Paul S. Coakley of Oklahoma City,
chairman of the Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development;
Bishop Michael C. Barber, S.J., of Oakland, chairman of the Committee
on Catholic Education; Bishop Shelton J. Fabre of Houma-Thibodaux,
chairman of the Ad Hoc Committee Against Racism; and Bishop David A.
Konderla of Tulsa, chairman of the Subcommittee for the Promotion and
Defense of Marriage, issued a statement responding to President Biden’s
executive order of January 20 that addressed last year’s U.S. Supreme Court
decision, Bostock v. Clayton County, Ga.
Their joint statement follows:
“Every person has a right to gainful employment, education, and basic
human services free of unjust discrimination. That right should be
protected. The Supreme Court’s Bostock decision, however, needlessly
ignored the integrity of God’s creation of the two complementary sexes,
male and female, with reasoning that treated them as devoid of meaning.
21 | P a g eO.F.L. NEWS
DIOCESE OF
EVANSVILLE
Office of Family & Life Est. 1944
FEBRUARY 2021
The OFL News is a monthly newsletter to highlight initiatives, projects, programs, and events specific to the Office of Family & Life
“Wednesday’s executive order on ‘sex’ discrimination exceeds the Court’s
decision. It threatens to infringe the rights of people who recognize the
truth of sexual difference or who uphold the institution of lifelong
marriage between one man and one woman. This may manifest in
mandates that, for example, erode health care conscience rights or needed
and time-honored sex-specific spaces and activities. In addition, the Court
had taken care to note that Bostock did not address its clear implications
for religious freedom. Yesterday’s executive order exercises no such
caution.
“We are very grateful for the new administration’s actions on immigration
and the climate, as well as for another executive order, ‘On Advancing
Racial Equity,’ which is nobly aimed at identifying and remedying racism
and its impact on society and in government. It is unfortunate that the
goal of racial equality is partially conflated with the imposition of new
attitudes and false theories on human sexuality which can produce social
harms.
“We share the goal of ending unjust discrimination and supporting the
dignity of every human, and we therefore regret the misguided approach of
Wednesday’s order addressing Bostock.”
WASHINGTON—On January 20, 2021, President Biden issued
a Proclamation reversing the Trump Administration’s policy prohibiting
22 | P a g eO.F.L. NEWS
DIOCESE OF
EVANSVILLE
Office of Family & Life Est. 1944
FEBRUARY 2021
The OFL News is a monthly newsletter to highlight initiatives, projects, programs, and events specific to the Office of Family & Life
immigrants and refugees from several Muslim-majority and African
countries. In response, Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan of New York,
chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishop’s (USCCB) Committee
for Religious Liberty, and Bishop Mario E. Dorsonville, auxiliary bishop
of Washington and chairman of the USCCB’s Committee on Migration,
issued the following statement:
“We welcome yesterday’s Proclamation, which will help ensure that those
fleeing persecution and seeking refuge or seeking to reunify with family in
the United States will not be turned away because of what country they are
from or what religion they practice. This policy reversal signifies the
United States’ renewed commitment to our vulnerable brothers and sisters
around the world who are in need. It is important to remember that the
United States has welcomed the newcomer and those suffering violence
and religious persecution for more than 240 years. We look forward to
working with this new Administration in accompanying immigrants and
refugees and continuing the welcoming tradition, which has helped make
the United States the diverse and prosperous nation it is today.”
For more information on the work of the USCCB’s Migration and Refugee
Services in assisting immigrants and refugees, please
visit https://www.usccb.org/committees/migration/resettlement-services.
23 | P a g eO.F.L. NEWS
DIOCESE OF
EVANSVILLE
Office of Family & Life Est. 1944
FEBRUARY 2021
The OFL News is a monthly newsletter to highlight initiatives, projects, programs, and events specific to the Office of Family & Life
ARTICLES RELATED TO VACCINATIONS
December 4, 2020, issue:
https://evdiomessage.org/bishops-say-use-of-pfizer-moderna-covid-19-
vaccines-is-morally-acceptable/
December 17, 2020, issue:
https://evdiomessage.org/bishops-say-getting-covid-19-vaccine-is-act-of-
charity/
January 8, 2021, issue:
https://evdiomessage.org/vatican-covid-19-vaccines-morally-acceptable-
when-no-alternatives-are-available/
24 | P a g eO.F.L. NEWS
DIOCESE OF
EVANSVILLE
Office of Family & Life Est. 1944
FEBRUARY 2021
The OFL News is a monthly newsletter to highlight initiatives, projects, programs, and events specific to the Office of Family & Life
IN OTHER NEWS
ONLINE safety
https://safeatlast.co/blog/kids-online-safety/#gref
The Catholic faith of Tommy Lasorda
https://www.osvnews.com/2021/01/08/tommy-lasorda-baseball-lifer-and-
hall-of-fame-manager-dies-at-93/
~Biden rescinds Mexico City policy
https://www.catholicnews.com/pro-life-leaders-decry-biden-decision-to-
rescind-mexico-city-policy/
25 | P a g eO.F.L. NEWS
DIOCESE OF
EVANSVILLE
Office of Family & Life Est. 1944
FEBRUARY 2021
The OFL News is a monthly newsletter to highlight initiatives, projects, programs, and events specific to the Office of Family & Life
26 | P a g eO.F.L. NEWS
DIOCESE OF
EVANSVILLE
Office of Family & Life Est. 1944
FEBRUARY 2021
The OFL News is a monthly newsletter to highlight initiatives, projects, programs, and events specific to the Office of Family & Life
NATURAL FAMILY
PLANNING
27 | P a g eYou can also read
