Proclaim the Good News

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

April 10, 2023

Office of the Bishop

Happy Birthday Bishop Emeritus Ochoa!

Join Bishop Brennan and the Diocese of Fresno in wishing a Happy Birthday to Bishop Emeritus Armando Ochoa, whose birthday landed on Easter Sunday! Thank you for your continuous service to the Diocese of Fresno along with your joyful and comforting spirit. We hope you had a wonderful and blessed birthday yesterday!

Bishop Brennan Celebrates the Sacrament of Confirmation

at Our Lady of Victory Church in Fresno

Bishop Brennan Congratulates All Clergy Who Celebrate Anniversaries

in the Month of April

Human Resources

JOB OPPORTUNITY!

St. John's Cathedral in Fresno is looking for a Music & Liturgy Director! Establish a successful ministry program and minister talents through sacred song at St. John's Cathedral.

APPLY TODAY by visiting dioceseoffresno.org/employment

NOW HIRING!

The Diocese of Fresno's Office of Communications is now hiring a Communications Coordinator!

Join the team and apply today at dioceseoffresno.org/employment

Eucharistic Revival

Shrine Pilgrimage

Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima, Laton

Join us at the Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima in Laton for the Shrine Pilgrimage! Be part of the Eucharistic Revival and receive a plenary indulgence as part of the pilgrimage.

To learn more about the plenary indulgence and to view the schedule, please visit dioceseoffresno.org/shrine-pilgrimage!

View Schedule

Office of Catholic Education

Stations of the Cross

St. Aloysius School, Tulare

The fourth graders at St. Aloysius School in Tulare held a beautiful live presentation of the Stations of the Cross.

Courtesy of Joan E. Bouchard, Superintendent of Catholic Schools

Parish Focus

Lenten Companion

Holy Spirit Church, Fresno

Parishioners of Holy Spirit Fresno participated in a 6-week Lenten Companion with a guided journey from Ascension Press. Reflection, music and fellowship were enjoyed by all participants.

Congratulations to the Confirmands!

St. Patrick Church, Kerman

We would like to thank Bishop Armando Ochoa for being present and granting the Sacrament of Confirmation. Also in attendance were Fr. Marcelinus and Deacon Mike.

God bless our Youth!

Congratulations to our sister communities: St. Paul, Tranquillity and St. Vincent De Paul, San Joaquin!

Also, congratulations to the Migrant Campesino Ministry, Biola and Rancho, San Jose. Thank you Sister Martha for all you do for our Migrant Campesino CCD program.

Courtesy of Patricia Casillas, Bulletin Editor

at St. Patrick Church, Kerman

Annual Lenten Penance Service and Holy Week

St. Anthony of Padua Church, Fresno

St. Anthony of Padua Church in Fresno, with the help of several Diocesan priests, 7 in total, were able to hear over 400 Confessions during our Annual Lenten Penance Service on Monday, April 3rd.

The Penance Service began at 7:00 p.m. and lasted until the last Confession was heard around 10:15 p.m. What a fitting way to begin Holy Week with an opportunity for Confession and the practice love of neighbor, patience and long suffering. St. Anthony continued their Holy Week schedule with Holy Thursday Service at 7:00 p.m. which included Eucharistic Adoration in the Our Lady of Guadalupe Chapel until Midnight, providing the faithful an opportunity to pray with Our Lord.

Good Friday at St. Anthony was spirit and faith filled with Stations of the Cross, The Passion of the Lord, Veneration of the Cross by the Faithful and Via Crucis.

On Holy Saturday, we welcomed 12 new Catholics to the parish at the Easter Vigil Service! On Easter Sunday, St. Anthony welcomed parishioners and visitors to one of five Masses in English and Spanish. Truly a Holy Week and blessing to all.

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

First Holy Communions

Our Lady of Victory Church, Fresno

Our Lady of Victory Church in Fresno recently celebrated First Holy Communion! Congratulations on your First Communion!

Courtesy of Enya Oceguera, Our Lady of Victory Church, Fresno

Catechetical Ministries

Catechetical Ministries in Motion

Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Fresno

Last Saturday, I was at the parish of Our Lady of Mount Carmel providing a retreat for their First Communion program. I want to thank Adriana Figueroa, the Coordinator of the program, along with her catechism team that were present and organized this event and their warm hospitality along with Fr. Carlos Serrano.

My focus was going over the Sacraments of Baptism and Reconciliation and of course Holy Communion along with moments of interaction with the students through various means, methods and activities. I also reviewed what happens after their First Communion. Just like when I provide Confirmation retreats, I want the students that receive First Holy Communion to be aware of the fact that there is a mission that awaits them afterwards. In the case of Confirmation students, I focus on their continuing journey into Young Adulthood as they begin to mature ever more fully in the faith and the potential moments of ministry service that awaits them.

With children that are making their First Communion, I speak to them of their continued attendance to Holy Mass and the reception of the Body of Christ. How even in their young lives they can begin to recognize their ministry either at their parish through events in which they can participate or within their households as they share what they learned throughout their two years in the catechism program.

Article by Roman Flores, Catechetical Coordinator

Health & Nursing Ministry

Honoring Hanna Chrzanowska

Beatified Lay Nurse

Hanna Chrzanowska is a Lay Nurse who was beatified on April 28, 2018. It will mark 5 years since her beatification.

Polish Nurse, Hanna Chrzanowska of Cracow Poland, organized Parish Nursing home care for the chronically ill in “Extremely degrading human dignity” circumstances. Over the years of 1957-75, she worked closely with the priest, and later a bishop, archbishop and cardinal Karol Wojtyla, a future pope, St. John Paul II. As her spiritual advisor, he helped her discover “the greatest of all secrets of her soul."

I am inspired to and strengthened by her story to persevere in my desire to be the most faithful Catholic woman possible and live the virtue of charity ever more in providing a safe space of hospitality in all aspects of my life, especially my profession as a Faith Community nurse.

I invite you to learn about Blessed Hanna as told on the Catholic Nurse Association web site. May her story inspire you to new heights in your spiritual journey with the aid of the Holy Spirit.

Please pray for those who need healing through her intercessory prayer found on the website. May the gifts of the Holy Spirit profoundly call you to seek god’s holy will for you.

Courtesy of Roxanna Stevens, R.N., Faith Community Nurse, Coordinator of Health Ministry

Prayer of the Week

Events

Event Name	Location	Time	More Info
Shrine Pilgrimage	Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima, Laton	April 16 - 23,2023	View the Flyer
Duruflé Requiem	St. Charles Borromeo Church, Visalia	April 30, 2023 4:30 PM	View the Flyer
Shrine Pilgrimage	Shrine of Our Lady of Miracles, Gustine	May 14 - 21, 2023	View the Flyer
33rd Annual Blessing of the Bikes	St. Helen's Church, Fresno	May 20, 2023	View the Flyer
St. Rita's Dedication Mass	St. Rita's Catholic Church, Tulare	May 22, 2023 2:00 PM	View the Flyer
Come Away Retreat	St. Anthony Retreat Center, Three Rivers	May 23 - 25, 2023	View the Flyer
6-Day Silent Directed Retreat	St. Anthony Retreat Center, Three Rivers	June 11 - 17, 2023	View the Flyer
Catholic Night at the Park	Chukchansi Park, Fresno	June 11, 2023 5:05 pm	View the Flyer
Healing Retreat for Victims of Crime	St. Anthony Retreat Center, Three Rivers	June 24, 2023 8:00 AM-5:00 PM	View the Flyer
Women's Retreat	St. Anthony Retreat Center, Three Rivers	September 22 - 24, 2023	View the Flyer

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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.”

Address

1550 North Fresno Street

Fresno, CA 93703-3788

Phone: (559) 488-7400

Fax: (559) 488-7464

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