God walks with us through every part of life 
At the Department for Pastoral Ministries, we are united in prayer for you, for our Archdiocese, and for the whole world, as we all face the COVID-19 pandemic.

We are in the process of adapting our plans and daily activities to address the new needs of the parishes we serve. 

Consistent with the recommendations of the local, state and federal government— as well as public health officials— regarding gatherings, we are postponing and in some cases canceling activities hosted by the Department for Pastoral Ministries through the end of April and perhaps beyond. If you are unsure if or how this affects you or your parish, contact us by calling 210-734-1952 or emailing us for information.
In these challenging times, we are all called to discover creative new ways to minister to our communities. It is our goal during this unprecedented time to be able to provide accurate information and sound resources to face the spiritual, sacramental and material needs that we will encounter in the future. 

One way for parish leadership to accompany their parishioners is by calling to check on them, requesting their prayer intentions, and seeing if there is anything else they need. A recent article from Our Sunday Visitor , available here , features these types of efforts.

One of the recent measures taken by Archbishop Gustavo is the decree regarding the dispensation of Catholics in the Archdiocese from their Sunday Mass obligation. Read the entire decree here . 

Archbishop Gustavo is prayerfully accompanying us and shared some words of comfort and wisdom:
Learning about your immediate needs and best practices
Our staff is reaching out to each parish to learn more about the specific spiritual , sacramental , and material needs of your communities; to ensure that we are providing responses to the critical needs of your parishes. In addition, we also want to learn about the things that you are doing that would be good for other parishes to know during this time. We will also be reaching out more frequently through this newsletter.

Catholic Charities of San Antonio remains open to serve all people. Visit their website for more information about their programs and resources. As we all search for ways to care for the most vulnerable, it is a good time to actively participate in Catholic Charities’ annual food drive, 40 Cans for Lent , by donating non-perishable food to feed the hungry and isolated. Food donations can be dropped off at the headquarters of Catholic Charities at 202 West French Place from Monday through Friday during their business hours of 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Can’t drop off food? Make a donation here . If you are in need, call 210-226-6178 to be screened to receive basic needs.

God walks with us through every part of life. His plan, while not always understood, is always in action. The Department for Pastoral Ministries is here to accompany you and your parish as we navigate through this difficult time, united as one in Christ.


God bless you ,
Joan Martinez
Department for Pastoral Ministries
A Prayer for those Suffering due to the Coronavirus Pandemic
Archbishop Gustavo has invited us to pray:
How Can We Help You?
Department for Pastoral Ministries
210-734-1952 | Email Us