The Catholic Connection
August 2017

In This Issue
Archbishop's Tweets

Do you follow Archbishop Kurtz on twitter? Here is a sampling of his tweets this month:

August 6
@ArchbishopKurtz:
Wonderful family reunion in Ocean City, Md last week!
pic.twitter

July 29
@ArchbishopKurtz retweeted
@josephdant:
@ArchbishopKurtz
and his 110'th best deacon
pic.twitter

July 28
@ArchbishopKurtz retweeted @GoodStewardNews:
An awesome special edition of The Criterion tells the story of ArchIndy's new shepherd and the people and places that formed him in faith.
pic.twitter

July 27
@ArchbishopKurtz:
Contact Your Senators to Insist on Changes to the Proposed Health Care Replacement
votervoice.net

July 19
@ArchbishopKurtz:
IN PERSON: Archbishop Kurtz works to bring message of unity to the issues facing his parishes bizjournals.com
@BFLouisville


July 11
@ArchbishopKurtz:
In July's Catholic Connection, see how we can answer our call to the peripheries in @ArchLouKY & beyond
click here



Archlou Happenings:

Be low is a list of upcoming
archdiocesan events: 

8/9/17 5:30 p.m.
Catholic Charities Volunteer Orientation
(See link for registration)

8/11/17 9:30 a.m.
Opening Event for Catholic School Educators

8/22/17 7:00 p.m.

Communion Minister Formation Update Session
(See link for registration)

8/31/17 7:00 p.m.
Communion Minister Formation Update Session
(See link for registration)

9/1/17 7:00 p.m.
Conversations with Archbishop Kurtz

9/6/17 7:00 p.m.
Communion Minister Formation Update Session
(See link for registration)

9/8/17 12:15 p.m.
Red Mass

9/12/17 11:30 a.m.
Catholic Charities Lunch & Learn
(See link for registration)



Commitment to Serve
The Red Mass
By Judge David P. Bowles 

On Friday, September 8, 2017, Archbishop Joseph Kurtz will preside at the Red Mass in the Cathedral of Assumption at 12:15 p.m.

What, you ask, is a "Red Mass?"
           
Back in The Middle Ages, the earliest recorded Red Mass was celebrated in the Cathedral of Paris in 1245 in honor of Saint Ives, the Patron Saint of lawyers. The red vestments worn by priests and bishops at the Mass symbolize the Holy Spirit and the gifts of wisdom, understanding, counsel, and fortitude for leaders in the legal profession.

In modern times, the Red Mass is celebrated annually at the Cathedral of Saint Matthew the Apostle in Washington, D.C. on the Sunday before the first Monday in October, immediately prior to the beginning of the United States Supreme Court annual term. Most years, a number of United States Supreme Court Justices attend the Red Mass. It is open to all members of the judiciary and the bar, regardless of religious affiliation.
           
The Roman Catholic Church has a long history of acknowledging and spiritually supporting lawyers and judges. The most well-known Catholic lawyer is Saint Thomas More. During the reign of King Henry VIII of England, Thomas More served as Lord High Chancellor of England, the most prominent lawyer in the land. A close confidante and friend of Henry VIII, More's most significant act as Lord High Chancellor was his refusal to sign a letter asking Pope Clement VII to annul Henry's marriage to Catherine of Aragon. Henry VIII eventually imprisoned More in the Tower of London and, upon More's steadfast refusal to support the annulment, had him beheaded for high treason. He famously declared, "the king's good servant, but God's first" immediately before his execution. Saint Thomas More was canonized in 1935, and Pope John Paul II declared him the Patron Saint of Statesmen and Politicians in 2000.
           
Here in the Archdiocese of Louisville, the Red Mass is in its infancy, but there is no shortage of men and women devoted to conscientious service to the law and to God. Each and every day, lawyers and judges in Louisville serve our community with compassion and skill while practicing Gospel values. This year, Kentucky Supreme Court Chief Justice John D. Minton, Jr. will lead the procession of judges and lawyers into our Cathedral to ask God's blessing on our work.
           
We would be honored to have you join us at this special Mass.

 
Pastoral Center Opens in September
By Dr. Brian B. Reynolds, Chancellor

In his pastoral letter, Your Parish: The Body of Christ Alive in Our Midst, Archbishop Kurtz wrote about the centrality of parish vitality and health to our mission to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ. He also frequently reminds us on the archdiocesan staff that we are a family of 110 parishes and that vibrant parishes make a healthy local Church.  With the completion of the new Pastoral Center, located on the campus of Holy Family Church, the Archdiocese is making a concrete statement of its primary commitment to serve parishes.  We are very excited about this development.    

The new Pastoral Center is almost ready!  We expect the archdiocesan offices now at the Chancery to move to the new Pastoral Center over the Labor Day weekend, and the Office of Catholic Schools will move in mid-September. We will have the same phone numbers (502/585-3291) and email addresses, but the mailing address (to replace P.O. Box 1073 and the address at Flaget) will be 3940 Poplar Level Road, Louisville, KY 40213-1463.  There will be new post office boxes for the Finance Office and the Catholic Services Appeal.  

We will be announcing the details for a formal dedication and open house, likely sometime in October. Stay tuned!

First Steps on the Journey of a Lifetime
By Leisa Schulz, Superintendent of Schools for the Archdiocese of Louisville


"A journey starts with the first step," and more than 19,500 students will take their first steps into our Catholic schools as the 2017-18 school year begins.  As with any journey, the first steps are filled with excitement and a bit of apprehension.  Some students in kindergarten and preschool will be entering school for the first time, and students in grades 8 and 12 will be stepping into their last years at particular schools.  All students are experiencing new beginnings with grade-level changes and new teachers.

Our Catholic schools are welcoming faith communities that provide our students safe and exciting learning environments where students are challenged academically through high expectations and real-world learning.  During their time in Catholic schools, our students achieve academically in elementary schools whose test scores rank in the top 15% in the country, and they graduate from high schools where 97% of students go on to college or other post-secondary study.  Our students are formed in the Catholic faith where they develop relationships with Jesus Christ in communities focused on prayer, learning, and stewardship.

During the 2017-18 school year, we welcome kindergarten students who are older as they turned five by August 1 instead of the previous date of October 1.  Our students will experience the excitement of a solar eclipse within the first weeks of school.  Many schools are planning activities and curriculum to coincide with this real-world opportunity.  Curriculum in social studies, physical education, and technology are revised and reflect the latest content information and teaching techniques.  

In social studies, the new inquiry-based curriculum utilizes practices of gathering and using...Read More

The Blog Spot

This section will feature local and national blogs that will inspire, teach, and call to action. Featured this month is " FaithFoley Yours" a blog by Brooke and Tim Foley for the website For Your Marriage, published by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.

Being Intentional about our Time as Newlyweds

By Brooke Foley

Tim and I are happy to be back on the blog, now officially as Mr. and Mrs. Foley! So much in our lives has changed since we last wrote, and so much of our lives are in a time of transition still, that it feels as if new introductions are in order! We two high school sweethearts have finally entered into the sacrament we've been preparing so long for, we moved to a new city and into our home together, Tim started a new job as a government consultant as soon as we got back from our honeymoon, and I am about to begin my new job as a high school religion teacher. As you can probably imagine, we've been pretty busy with all of these transitions, and we realized when we got home from our honeymoon that settling well into married life was going to take some intentionality on our part so that we don't miss the beauty and uniqueness of our days as newlyweds!

This time immediately following our entering into the sacrament is so special and sacred. By God's grace we... Read More 

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