Deacons Newsletter

Diocese of Lake Charles

 

May-June  2009 newsletter

Actual date: 30 April  2009

 

 

Edited by George Carr,

Deacon Council President

 

Retreat Reminder

 

As you know, this June 19-21 we participate in our “big” retreat. Fr Whitney Miller will be our retreat master. His sister, Gwin, will also participate in part of the retreat! We have been blessed to have had good retreat experiences the last few years and I have no doubt that this one will be equally as beneficial to us in our spiritual journeys!

 

You should have received your registration card for the retreat. Please return your registrations as soon as possible to retreat chairman, Deacon Bud Wagner.

 

Your pastor received a letter from Bishop Provost, asking that you be excused from ministerial duties that weekend and to pay your (and your wife’s if appropriate) retreat fees.

 

I’m confident you also received your letter from Bishop Provost reminding you of the significance of our communal retreat.

 

Please make every effort to participate.

 

NOTE: On the bishop’s calendar distributed in the May Clergy bulletin packet, it incorrectly shows a deacon workshop on May 23 at Saint Charles Center. 

 

St. Lawrence Day

 

Msgr Ronald Groth has once again graciously invited us to participate in the Saint Lawrence Day mass and celebrations in his parish. The date is Monday, August 10. You will recall that last year, Msgr agreed to move the mass to 6:30 to accommodate travel to Raymond. Please mark your calendar now for that event.

Web Site:

 

Here is a link to the Diocese of Lexington website for the Permanent Diaconate. Worth a look. Maybe someone in our diocese has the time and skills to do something for us?

 

http://diaconate.cdlex.org/

 

 

 

The Catholic Church in the United States At A Glance

(Figures Represent the U.S. Catholic Church Through 2007 Unless Otherwise Indicated)

 

Priests4
There are 41,406 diocesan and religious-order priests in the United States.

·      28,067 diocesan priests

·      13,339 religious-order priests (Jesuits, Dominicans, Franciscans, etc.)

Seminarians5
There are 5,029 seminarians enrolled in the United States.

·      3,248 enrolled in diocesan seminaries

·      1,781 enrolled in religious-order seminaries

Permanent Deacons6
There are 16,408 men who are ordained as permanent deacons in the United States. A permanent deacon is a man, either married or single, who is ordained to the order of deacons, the first of three ranks in ordained ministry. They assist priests in administrative and pastoral roles.

Vowed Religious7

·      Sisters: 63,032

·      Brothers: 5,040

                                          4,5,6,7: The Official Catholic Directory 2008