Vicars Office Newsletter - Draft

LETTER TO MAJOR SUPERIORS

March 2023

Dear Sister/Brother;

We began the month of February with the Church’s celebration of the International Day for Consecrated Life. Of course, this celebration is not limited to one day; celebrations continue throughout the month here in various deaneries of the Archdiocese of New York.

In commemoration of this day, the Vatican Dicastery for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life sent all those in Consecrated Life a moving message quoting Pope Francis. I now share an excerpt with you.

We unite ourselves with all the communities of consecrated life scattered throughout world, pilgrims in the same land that sustains us and in which we live this history that challenges us. God continues to call us to consecrate our lives in the different forms that complement and enrich each other, and that above all are a gift to the Church.

“Widening the tent” is an attitude at the heart of missionary action. Mission leads us to the fullness of our Christian vocation; it gives us the opportunity to return to God’s style that is “closeness, compassion and tenderness which is expressed in words, presence, and bonds of friendship. We cannot separate ourselves from life; it is necessary for someone to care for the “frailties and poverties of our time, healing wounds and healing broken hearts with the balm of God.”

No matter where we are, if God’s love is in our hearts, we are living our consecrated mission. This mission enlarges the space of our tent and

teaches us to grow in sincere harmony, strengthening bonds, walking together, with Mary’s solicitude and deep joy.

Thank you for all the ways you and your Sisters/Brothers continue to bring “the balm of God” to many within our archdiocese. You have no idea of the difference you and your Sisters/Brothers have made and continue to make in the lives of countless children, youth and adults by your witness and living out our mission.

LENTEN SCRIPTURE SERIES WITH SR. CAROL PERRY, SU

Many who participated in the Advent series asked for Sr. Carol to be invited again. We have heard your request. We are happy to announce that Sr. Carol Perry, SU, who gave us a superb Advent series, will be with us again during Lent. Please see the attachment to this email for a description of her Lenten series and for registration information.

ARCHNY.ORG

Please note the following message from Sr. Teresita Morse, RJM, who oversees the registration and Zoom presentations of the Scripture series:

We learned from the Advent series that it was convenient for religious communities to gather several religious around the “registered computer.” That’s great. Please feel free to gather as many Sisters/Brothers around the same computer as are comfortable for you. Our Zoom program currently allows a limited number of computer registrations. However, the number participating per computer is entirely up to you. We only ask you to remember that the Lenten series is only for Religious and not for groups of laity even if they are associated with your community. Thanks for your cooperation and understanding.

HOW TO REACH THE GOOD NEWSROOM

Steven Schwankert, Digital Editor, has already sent you the following information on How to Reach The Good Newsroom. I encourage you to access this if you have not yet done so. You will find many interesting items and, going forward, this is where the obituaries you send me will be posted. For your convenience we are repeating his instructions here.

• On the web browser for your computer or phone, type in www.thegoodnewsroom.org. Please make sure it is .org and not .com.

• All of our latest news stories appear on our homepage in the order that they were published.

• Download our app to your phone.

Apple users can go to: apps.apple.com/us/app/thegood-newsroom/id1662869728

Android phone users can go to: play.google.com/store/ apps/details?id=com.Thegoodnewsroom.android

Please let us know if you have any questions. Thank you for your support of The Good Newsroom!

IMPORTANT REQUEST TO SHARE THIS LETTER WITH YOUR LOCAL COMMUNITIES

Please share this letter with all the Sisters/Brothers of your congregation who live and /or minister within the archdiocese. We count on you to get the word out to them especially about the upcoming Lenten series. Thank you.

Be assured of our ongoing prayerful support of you personally and of all your Sisters/Brothers. Together may you continue, as Pope Francis has urged us, to “heal wounds and heal broken hearts with the balm of God.”

REMEMBERING OUR DECEASED SISTERS/ BROTHERS

Going forward, we would like every religious congregation to have the opportunity to share with the people of the Archdiocese, the obituaries of your deceased Sisters/Brothers. In past years this was done by publishing their obituaries in Catholic New York. We certainly want to continue to honor these consecrated women and men who have given their lives for the service of the people of God.

When a Sister/Brother who has served in the archdiocese dies and you would like us to let people know, please send their picture and obituary to sr.joan.curtin@archny.org

I will see that the staff of The Good Newsroom receives the picture and obituary and it will be posted.

Union of prayer, Sr. Joan Curtin CND, Vicar for Religious Sr. Teresita Morse, RJM, Associate to the Vicar

LETTER TO MAJOR SUPERIORS 2 MARCH 2023