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Proclaim the Good News

The Diocese of Fresno's Weekly Newsletter, published every Monday morning.

October 9, 2023

Office of the Bishop

Seminarian Fund Second Collection: To Serve, Bless and Strengthen


The priesthood calls men to Serve, Bless and Strengthen our souls, our communities and our church. To ensure we have Priests to serve, bless and strengthen future generations, we must invest in our Seminarians. We all need Christ, especially our youth, which means we all need Priests to make Christ present. 


We ask for your generosity during the Seminarian Fund Second Collection on November 11th and 12th at your parish.

Support our Seminarians

Bishop Brennan celebrates

Fr. Iván's Installation Mass at

the Shrine of St. Thérèse


Bishop Brennan celebrated Fr. Iván Hernandez-Melchor's Installation Mass to Pastor of the Shrine of St. Thérèse in Fresno.


We happily welcome Fr. Iván to the Shrine of St. Thérèse! Congratulations Fr. Iván!

October is Respect Life Month:

Radical Solidarity


In October, the Catholic Church in the United States celebrates Respect Life Month.


The USCCB calls for radical solidarity with mothers in need and their children.


Please view the following resources provided to help Catholics understand and value the gift of human life and help build a culture that cherishes and protects it.

Respect Life Month Resources


The Annual White Mass is this Week!


Bishop Brennan invites all to attend the Annual White Mass on Friday, October 13, 2023 at 12:10pm at St. John’s Cathedral in Fresno.


The White Mass is for all who work in the healthcare profession or support individuals in the medical field. This liturgy will include a blessing of the hands for those who care for the sick and infirmed.


We especially encourage all caregivers to attend this Mass.


The Mass will be followed by a light lunch in Singleton Hall.

Bishop Brennan wishes his Diocesan Staff a Happy Birthday

Permanent Diaconate

Bishop Brennan Congratulates our Deacons on their Anniversaries


The Diocese of Fresno congratulates our Permanent Deacons who were ordained on October 5, 2019. Stay tuned throughout the month of October for additional diaconate anniversaries.

Office of Catholic Education

Beautify Fresno

San Joaquin Memorial High School, Fresno


Students from the Beautify Fresno Club volunteered two hours of their Saturday to plant 7 trees on SJM's campus. Additionally, these students cleaned up the football stadium after the football game the night before, filling 10 large trash bags. Our first event of the season was a great success!


Way to go Beautify Fresno Club!

Courtesy of Cinda deCordova, APUSH, Civics & Economics Instructor, SJM

Blessing of the Animals

Our parishes and Catholic schools throughout the Diocese of Fresno held the Blessing of the Animals in honor of St. Francis of Assisi's Feast Day


Parishioners and students brought their pets varying from dogs, turtles, birds and more to get a special blessing!

St. John's Cathedral, Fresno

St. Anne's School, Porterville

St. La Salle School, Reedley

St. Anthony School, Atwater

St. Anthony of Padua, Fresno

Courtesy of Ray Young, Director of Ministries, St. Anthony of Padua Church, Fresno

St. Mary Queen of Apostles, Fresno

Parish Focus



Gran Kermes Food Sale

Our Lady of Guadalupe, Mendota



Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church in Mendota invites you to their Gran Kermes Food Sale


Join them on October 15, 2023 from

8:00 am to 6:00 pm for delicious food, dance, music and more!

Learn More!




Praise & Prayer Concert

St. Joseph Church, Bakersfield


Join St. Joseph Church in Bakersfield for a concert filled with praise and prayer with Catholic singer, Ge'La!


The Praise & Prayer Concert will be on Friday, November 3rd from 6:00pm to 9:00pm.


Tickets are $20!

America Needs Fatima

Annual Rosary Rally


Help us spread the Fatima Message and devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary by participating at the Annual Rosary Rally on October 14, 2023. The Holy Rosary is the most powerful, most effective and most accessible spiritual weapon in our arsenal of prayers.

Courtesy of Mary V. Harguindeguy, Rally Captain

Catechetical Ministry

The Catechetical Corner

A Mission filled Ministry


Brothers and Sisters in Christ, our Diocesan Congress is right around the corner, October 13 and 14 with Youth Day taking place October 15. Even though online registrations are closed as of now, you can still go onto the Diocese of Fresno Congress Website and view the sessions if you plan on attending, that way you will know what sessions you want to take beforehand if you decide to go and register onsite.


I pray that each one of you attending this annual gathering may receive that specific message, through the Holy Spirit, that you are seeking to find. For those that will be there and serve in the ministry of catechesis or any ministry in which the faith is shared, we thank you for the efforts which you have made to achieve Basic Catechist Certification. Our Bishop will be offering a special blessing to those who have accomplished this diocesan requirement.


I thank those that are striving to complete this requirement, but most importantly, I wish to express my deepest gratitude to those that have chosen to grow in their journey of faith and seek formation and growth within their ministries in service of the Lord’s people.


Article by Roman Flores, Catechetical Ministry Coordinator

Read More (ENG/ESP)

Health & Nursing Ministry

Transforming Relationships and Lives

Caring for the Whole Person

Kaweah Health Hospice Foundation invites you to engage with a fantastic speaker and one of the best national voices on palliative and hospice care on the evening of Oct. 25th, in Visalia.


Dr. Ira Byock will speak with the community on issues which dovetail nicely with Caring for the Whole Person. Through stories drawn from years of working with critically ill persons and their families, as well as from his own personal life, Dr. Byock’s message that emotional and relational health are just as important as our physical health will challenge and deepen your appreciation for open and honest communication between persons, families, and health care providers.


Dr. Byock illustrates how four simple statements – Please forgive me. I forgive you. Thank you. I love you. – can transform relationships and lives. These powerful expressions of love, reconciliation, and gratitude are integral to a holistic approach which is encompassed by Caring for the Whole Person, an initiative that Bishop Brennan and the Diocesan Health and Nursing Ministry are launching this year.  


The lecture, at the Visalia Wyndham hotel, 6:30-7:30pm, is free to the public and will include live translation in Spanish and book signing by the author.


Article by Michelle Ducey, President of Kaweah Health Hospice Foundation

View the Flyer!

Prayer of the Week

Events

Event Name

Location

Time

More Info

The Diocese of Fresno's Annual

White Mass

St. John's Cathedral, Fresno

October 13, 2023 12:10 PM

View the Flyer

Diocesan Congress and Youth Day

Visalia Convention Center, Visalia

October 13 - 15, 2023

Visit Website

St. Anthony's School Carnival

St. Anthony's School, Fresno

October 13, 2023

5:00 PM - 9:00 PM

Learn More

America Needs Fatima: Rosary Rally

Corner of First and Huntington, Fresno

October 14, 2023

12:00 PM

View the Flyer

Gran Kermes:

Food Sale

Our Lady of Guadalupe, Mendota

October 15, 2023

8:00 AM - 6:00 PM

View the Flyer

Knights of Columbus 4th Degree Fr. Dade Assembly Annual BBQ Retreat

St. Anthony Retreat Center, Three Rivers

October 15, 2023

2:00 PM

View the Flyer

The Diocese of Fresno's Annual

Red Mass

St. John's Cathedral, Fresno

October 20, 2023 12:10 PM

View the Flyer

Doggie Fashion Show: A Benefit for St. Francis Homeless Project, inc.

Tesoro Viejo Amphitheater, Madera

October 21, 2023 1:00 PM - 5:00 PM

View the Flyer

Man & Woman of the Year Dinner Dance

Shrine of Our

Lady of Guadalupe, Bakersfield

October 21, 2023 5:30 PM - 10:00 PM

View the Flyer

Couples Retreat

View Flyer for Details

October 21, 2023

8:00AM - 4:00 PM

View the Flyer

Knights of Columbus Pancake Breakfast

Mary Immaculate Queen School's O'Doherty Hall, Lemoore

October 22, 2023

7:00 AM - 12:00 PM

View the Flyer

Dr. Byock's "The Surprising Potential for Wellbeing Through the End of Life"

Valley Oak Ballroom, Wyndham Visalia

October 25, 2023

6:30 PM - 7:30 PM *Public lecture, book signing to follow*

View the Flyer

29th Annual

Marian Eucharistic Conference

Clovis Veterans Memorial District, Clovis

October 27 - 29,

2023

View the Flyer

Adoremus

St. Ann Church, Ridgecrest

October 28, 2023 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM

View the Flyer

International Exhibition: The Eucharistic Miracles of the World

Hayes Hall,

Our Lady of Victory Church, Fresno

October 28 - 29, 2023

View the Flyer

Annual All Souls

Day Mass

St. Peter's Catholic Cemetery, Fresno

November 2, 2023

10:00 AM

View the Flyer

The Hour of the Laity: A Lay Catholic Conference

Christ Cathedral Campus, Garden Grove

November 2 - 5, 2023

Learn More

Praise and Prayer Concert

St. Joseph Church, Bakersfield

November 3, 2023

6:00 PM - 9:00 PM

View the Flyer

Shrine of OLG's Annual Parish Festival

Shrine of Our

Lady of Guadalupe, Bakersfield

November 4, 2023

2:00 PM - 9:00 PM

View the Flyer

Come Away Retreat

St. Anthony Retreat Center, Three Rivers

November 28 - 30, 2023

View the Flyer

Advent Family Retreat

St. Anthony Retreat Center, Three Rivers

December 10, 2023

8:00 AM - 4:00PM

View the Flyer

Have Something Special to Share?

We want to know! Share what's happening around our Diocese.


Contact Samantha Mejia, Promotion & Marketing Specialist at smejia@dioceseoffresno.org

MISSION STATEMENT / DECLARACIÓN DE LA MISIÓN



"As God's beloved people we are called in and through the Spirit to live in unity and love and to proclaim the


Good News of Jesus, especially amongst the poor and marginal of our society."



“Como pueblo amado de Dios estamos llamados en y a través del Espíritu Santo a vivir en unidad y amor, y para anunciar la Buena Nueva de Jesús, especialmente entre los pobres y los marginados de nuestra sociedad.”

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Address


1550 North Fresno Street

Fresno, CA 93703-3788


Phone: (559) 488-7400

Fax: (559) 488-7464

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