Newsletter |January 9, 2020 | Issue 177
Living the Baptismal Call to Holiness
Baptismal Call and Discernment

On Sunday, January 12, we celebrate the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord. As baptized Catholics, we are cleansed from original sin and called to holiness. We are also called to witness holiness to our friends, family, and others around us. We are invited by the Holy Spirit to discern the best way to serve the Lord which comes in different ways for each person.

The Catholic Apostolate Center invites you watch our webinar on Pope Francis’ Apostolic Exhortation on holiness, Gaudete et Exsultate entitled “Explaining Holiness Today: Gaudete et Exsultate.” Center Director Fr. Frank Donio, S.A.C. presents on the Apostolic Exhortation and explains the importance of this document in our daily lives.
 
We also invite you to read our blog posts focused on the call to holiness and review our resource page on Gaudete et Exsultate . The blog posts are written by different staff members and collaborators of the Center that are passionate about the journey we are called upon. Additionally, we invite you to listen to our discernment podcast with Center Director Fr. Frank Donio, S.A.C. , Center Senior Consultant Chris Pierno , and other additional guest speakers.
Webinar: Discerning God's Call: What is Vocation?
On Thursday, January 27 at 6:00pm EST, Center Director  Fr. Frank Donio, S.A.C.  and Program Coordinator  Brian Rhude  will present a webinar titled:  Discerning God’s Call: What is Vocation?

When the Church uses the word “vocation,” what does it mean? How does the term live in the life of the Church? This webinar, the first of a multi-part series, will examine the Church’s understanding of “vocation,” how it is lived out, and how we accompany one another in our vocational discernment .
St. Vincent Pallotti and the Call to Holiness

The Center is joyfully anticipating the feast day of our patron,  St. Vincent Pallotti,  on January 22.  

Vincent Pallotti, son of Pietro Pallotti and Magdalena De Rossi, was born on April 21, 1795, in Rome. His parents were the decisive religious influence during his youth. After his ordination to the priesthood in 1818, he committed himself to keeping the Christian faith alive in the people of Rome. His pastoral presence on all fronts urged him on to become a proponent of collaboration among clergy, religious, and laity.
After celebrating Mass on January 9, 1835, St. Vincent was inspired to found the  Union of Catholic Apostolate , an association committed to reviving faith and rekindling charity among Catholics and propagate the faith to all. He believed that all - clergy, religious, and laity alike - are called to be apostles of Jesus Christ and collaborate in the important work of evangelization. He also founded the Society of the Catholic Apostolate (Pallottine Fathers and Brothers) and the Pallottine Sisters. The Sisters that he founded are now two communities: the Congregation of Sisters of the Catholic Apostolate and the Congregation of Missionary Sisters of the Catholic Apostolate.

The Catholic Apostolate Center seeks to serve the universal Church by following in the footsteps of St. Vincent's missionary spirit. The Center is a ministry of the  Society of the Catholic Apostolate - Immaculate Conception Province . Learn more about the Society of the Catholic Apostolate by clicking  here .

For more information on the Union of Catholic Apostolate visit our resource page by  clicking here . 
Updated Resources on Week of Prayer for Christian Unity
January 18 to 25 marks the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. "The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity has a history of over 100 years in which Christians around the world have taken part in an octave of prayer for visible Christian unity. By annually observing the WPCU, Christians move toward the fulfillment of Jesus' prayer at the Last Supper "that they all may be one."' (cf. John 17:21)  (Cf., USCCB)

The Catholic Apostolate Center has been working with Dr. Marie Nuar on updating and developing new resources related to Christian Unity . Her expertise has helped us more fully provide context and resources from trusted sources on Christian Unity and its importance in our world and Church. Please share these resources as a way to celebrate the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity .

We invite you to visit our Christian Unity resource page where you will find additional documents, videos, articles, and so much more.
Webinar in Spanish: Caminando para Unir a Todos Nuestros
Hermanos y Hermanas para Formar Una Sola Comunidad
On Tuesday, January 9 at 3pm ET, the Center will be hosting a webinar in Spanish entitled:  Walking to Unite All Our Brother and Sister to Make One Community ,  presented by Javier Bustamante , Director of the Center for Cultural Engagement at The Catholic University of America .

According to a recent  Pew Survey , Hispanic Catholics in the U.S. are leaving the Church faster than other ethnic groups. This webinar will unpack this data and look at current signs that offer hope. We will explore some options for accompanying those who are struggling with their faith and how to create a community that welcomes and provides a home for Hispanic Catholics.

Javier Bustamante  is the Director of the  Center for Cultural Engagement  at  The Catholic University of America.  He is responsible for implementing, coordinating and supporting a comprehensive program of social, cultural, intellectual, spiritual, governance and community service programs that complement the academic mission of the university. He serves as a management leader and educator for Intercultural programs and services; serves as a resource for staff and students; supports and promotes the mission and vision of the university. He coordinates and develops intentional programmatic initiatives and services that positively affect the recruitment, retention and enrichment of students; emphasizing the retention of sub-populations including students of color and international students.
CEUs by Catholic Apostolate Center offered through
St. Joseph's College of Maine
The  Catholic Apostolate Center   is continuing our collaboration with  Saint Joseph's College of Maine   to provide a variety of courses offered as Continuing Education Units (CEU) for this spring (Feb.1 - April 30, 2020). Each course utilizes Center resources and is instructed by Marianne Green, a   collaborator of the Center .  Students will be able to learn at their own pace in collaboration with their peers and the instructor through online learning using videos, discussion boards, and assessments.  A CEU allows someone in active ministry to stay sharp, learn best practices, and adapt to modern times and technology .

Some topics for the spring include:
  • TH 14 Catholic Political Responsibility
  • TH 33 Laity and Call to Joyful Witness
  • TH 34 Pope Francis and Evangelization
  • TH 36 Suffering: How to Accompany Others with Dignity
  • TH 37 Intentional Black Catholic Ministry

For more information, please see the Saint Joseph's College of Maine's catalog information  here .
Prayer and Catechesis Resources in Celebration of Word of God Sunday
Word of God Sunday will be on January 26.  On September 30, Pope Francis issued an Apostolic Letter  motu proprio  called  Aperuit Illis .   In it, he declared that the Third Sunday in Ordinary Time "is to be devoted to the celebration, study and dissemination of the word of God." ( Aperuit Illis , 3 ) He invites everyone to come together and read sacred Scripture to “enable us to believe that His death and resurrection are not myth but history, and are central to the faith of His disciples” ( Vatican News ). 

Join the Catholic Apostolate Center in this celebration by visiting our   Prayer and Catechesis Resource Page  to find many resources, videos, webinars, podcasts, and documents for your spiritual and ministerial needs." On our Prayer and Catechesis resource page, you will find many resources on the Bible and on prayer. Our prayer resources comes from various organizations such as the  USCCB ,  Salt and Light Television ,  The Liturgical Institut e ,  Word Among Us , and many others. We also offer videos, webinars, podcasts, and many documents to help enrich your prayer and Bible study time.
Reliving the 2019 World Youth Day
The World Youth Day USA Office of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops and the Catholic Apostolate Center have produced a video of remembrances of World Youth Day 2019 in Panama and Stateside. It offers an opportunity to reflect on how WYD assists in growth in holiness for those who participate in this meaningful experience for Catholic young people.
9 Days for Life  is a digital pilgrimage novena sponsored by the  United States Conference of Catholic Bishops  to pray for the respect and protection of every human being. It will take place from January 21-29.On Thursday, January 23, thousands of Catholics will gather together at the  Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception   in Washington, DC for the  annual Vigil Mass for Life . It is a great witness to the power that prayer has in the promotion and defense of the life and dignity of each and every human person. Mass will begin at 5:30pm. Be sure to get there very early to get a seat! You can view the Vigil for Life Mass on TV via  EWTN , Catholic TV , and  Salt+Light .

The March for Life in the United States will occur on Friday, January 24 in Washington D.C. and is anticipated to be the largest March for Life to date. Visit the March for Life website for more information by clicking  here .
Upcoming Presentation
Fr. Frank Donio, S.A.C. Presenting at the
Diocese of Birmingham

Center Director Fr. Frank Donio, S.A.C. will be presenting to diocesan leaders from the Diocese of Birmingham on January 9 - 10. He will be presenting on the USCCB document, Living as Missionary Disciples , and the importance of it in the life of the Church today. The Center was involved in the development of the document.
ON THE BLOG
by Mary DePuglio

Though we may not all have encountered saints, many of us can point to people striving to live authentic lives. These people are often unrelenting. Uninterested in frivolities, they are interested in your soul. They want to get to the real you - the you that God made. The you without all the defenses, insecurities, wounds, and fears. But if they find those things, authentic people are also gentle in dealing with them.
 
This is why a saint or an authentic person might make us uncomfortable. Truly authentic Christians allow the light of Christ to shine through them. And Christ is in the business of loving people. So when you are around these people, you are facing Christ through them and, all of a sudden, your real self—the one you have been avoiding and hiding—comes to the forefront. And there is a reckoning. 
Baptism of the Lord
This year on January 12, the church celebrates the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord. This feast marks the end of the Christmas season for the Church. Though Jesus did not need to be baptized, in submitting himself to be baptized by John the Baptist, He provided an example to us. If even Christ should be baptized, how much more thankful should we be for the Sacrament of Baptism, which frees us from sin and welcomes us into the Church? “It happened in those days that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized in the Jordan by John. On coming up out of the water he saw the heavens being torn open and the Spirit, like a dove, descending upon him. And a voice came from the heavens, ‘You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.’” (Mark 1:9-11)
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