Take Up Your Cross and Follow Christ

Taking up our cross and following Christ is not only for the Lenten season. It is the everyday life of a missionary disciple of Christ. We follow Christ and are sent by him into the world. The weight of our cross may be burdensome, but we are not alone. We are together with the community of faith, other followers of Christ who accompany us in prayerful solidarity.

This is missionary discipleship. This is apostleship. We are sent by Christ to others, even while carrying our cross, accompanying them into his infinite love and mercy.

Over the last weekend, members of the Catholic Apostolate Center team focused on missionary discipleship and accompaniment during presentations at the Archdiocese of Los Angeles Religious Education Congress. It is one of the largest Catholic gatherings in the United States with around 20,000 attendees of various ages and cultures, deeply committed to their Catholic faith and desiring to witness Christ in their lives. While there, we met collaborators and friends of the Center, and came to know new ones. It was a beautiful and uplifting experience.

As you continue on your Lenten journey, may it be one of taking up your cross, following Christ, and going forth on mission for him!

May the Charity of Christ urge us on!

In God, the Infinite Love,



Fr. Frank

Lenten Resources

During this season of Lent, our focus turns toward prayer, fasting, and almsgiving.

The Church provides us with many beautiful practices during this Lent and we encourage you to learn more about them through our Lenten Resource Page. This resource page includes many different reflections, guides to the Sacrament of Penance, meditations on the Stations of the Cross, and more, making it a helpful tool for the Lenten season.

Our special e-book, Lent and Easter, features reflections from the Catholic Apostolate Center's Ad Infinitum Blog that coincide with Lent and Easter. This resource is intended to aid you on your spiritual journey throughout Lent. We hope that those who read it and share it will reflect on and strengthen their relationship with God.



We also invite you to view our resource, An Introduction to Lent: A Time to Draw Closer to our Crucified and Risen Lord. This printable document is for anyone who wants a reflection on the season of Lent that helps them better understand the liturgical importance of the season, why we make sacrifices during Lent, and what practices can make the Lenten season more spiritually fruitful.

Additionally, you can visit our resource on Lent Activities for Youth and Young Adults. This document, aimed at teachers and formators of youth and young adults provides lessons and suggestions for age-appropriate materials for this Lenten season. Additionally, there are references to additional materials and suggestions on best practices for educators of the faith to use to promote various elements of the Lenten season.

Visit our Lenten Resource page by clicking here and be sure to share it with your family, friends, parishioners, and colleagues.

Synod on Synodality Resources

We invite you to visit our resource page that contains useful materials regarding the Synod on Synodality. 

This page features resources from the Vatican and Catholic organizations that review the full synodal process, background, and outcomes for the Church during this synod. In addition, we have included a timeline of the synodal process as well as key papal documents from Pope Francis that highlight the importance of this synod for the Church.

On our Synod on Synodality resource page, you will find webinars, podcasts, and numerous other resources to help guide the faithful through the synodal process. This process, currently in the Interim Phase between the two Synod sessions of 2023 and 2024, takes place over a three-year long process and aims to guide the Church in walking together with the faithful from all around the world.

Recent Center Events

Last weekend, Center Founding Director Fr. Frank Donio, S.A.C. and Resource Coordinator Fatima Monterrubio Cruess presented at the Religious Education Conference in Anaheim, CA hosted by the Archdiocese of Los Angeles.

Fr. Frank gave a presentation on the topic of missionary discipleship, accompaniment, and evangelization. Fatima presented in Spanish about the experience of catechesis. She also presented in English on the topic of the accompaniment of migrants.

Fr. Frank and Fatima were also asked to participate in discussions with catechetical leaders.

If you are interested in learning more about our consulting services or having a member of our team present to your diocese or organization, please click here.

From Practicing Catholics to Apostles on Mission Course in Spanish

From Practicing Catholics to Apostles on Mission is a formation program created by the Catholic Apostolate Center that will form Catholics in pastoral and theological training in order to answer the call to be missionary disciples in the work of the New Evangelization. From the liturgy and sacraments to vocational discernment and parish ministry, Apostles on Mission equips Catholics with the tools to go deeper in their faith and live out their mission within the world today.

We are pleased to announce the fully asynchronous online Spanish language version of the course is now available. With similar content and structure to the course in English, Center Spanish-language collaborators have additionally developed original content and videos appropriate for the Spanish language audience. We hope these resources can be utilized in your community as a way of forming apostles.

If you are interested in sharing this with a group of people, please reach out to us so that we can work with you on providing a discounted rate for groups of 10 or more.

To register for the course in Spanish or to contact us about the course in Spanish, please click on the links below.

Are You in Need of a Group Meeting Space in the Washington, D.C. Metro Area?

If so, Green Hill, the events facility for the Catholic Apostolate Center and home to the Pallottine Fathers and Brothers, is available and accepting reservations for day events hosted by Catholic groups and organizations. Green Hill is perfect for all your meetings and day-retreat needs.

Located in West Hyattsville, Maryland, on fourteen landscaped acres, Green Hill features outdoor and indoor spaces for prayer, meditation, and collaboration with your group. The historic and recently renovated space offers groups (fewer than thirty-five) a unique place for refreshment, peace, and tranquility. 

Along with our events space, Green Hill is also equipped with a fully-functioning studio for all your audio and visual needs. Here, you can record podcasts, film videos, and even host webinars. The space includes a teleprompter, lighting, microphones, and other items you may need. You can reserve the studio for your use here.

To learn more about the facility, please click here or contact Sarah Harrigan, Center Assistant Director of Administration, at [email protected].

Living as Missionary Disciples Resources

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops' (USCCB) document Living as Missionary Disciples: A Resource for Evangelization is a key document on the formation of missionary disciples.

Now available for free as a PDF document to print and share, this document explores the fourfold methodology of missionary discipleship and six dimensions of pastoral planning.

In addition, the Catholic Apostolate Center has developed resources including free videos and webinars from leaders in the field to discuss each of these topics as part of discussion in the renewal of parishes in evangelization.

Catholic Apostolate Center Online Store

We invite you to visit our online store where the Catholic Apostolate Center and the Immaculate Conception Province of the Society of the Catholic Apostolate are offering various physical resources (books, prayer cards, catechetical resources, and more), which are available for a small donation online.

Click here to view our online store.

Preparing for Lent

By Sarah Harrigan

Lent is one of the holiest times for our Church: the forty days of waiting for the Death and eventual Resurrection of Jesus. Beginning with Ash Wednesday, these forty days can sometimes seem to some like a blur, but to others, they can be filled with anxiety and anticipation. Throughout this season, there are many different ways in which you can prepare for this holy celebration.

Some people choose to give something up, a way to imitate and participate in Jesus’ sacrifice when he went into the desert to pray and fast for forty days before later dying on the cross. Typically, you would give up something that you enjoy as a self-sacrifice or challenge. I try to give up one of my favorite treats, Diet Coke, every year and call upon the Lord for strength when I am tempted to break my challenge. But I always remind myself that it is okay if I do not succeed the whole forty days. Jesus showed extreme strength and self-discipline during his forty days in the desert—something most of us could not bear. While giving up my soda is not the same caliber of difficulty, it is just supposed to be a goal that I hope to achieve.