Welcome to 
Catechist Cafe
RESOURCES & IDEAS
FOR EVANGELIZATION & ​FAITH FORMATION

from the Catholic Diocese of Youngstown
Office of Faith Formation and Lay Ecclesial Ministry
225 Elm Street, Youngstown, Ohio 44503
(330) 744-8451
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        ALLELUIA! 
      HE IS RISEN!!!

      For activities, lesson plans, ideas,  recipes,
                and more to celebrate this most
                        joyful season of the year,  
                                    click here

How will YOU be celebrating all 50 days of the season at your parish ​and in your home? 
​
​                    For ASCENSION, PENTECOST & HOLY TRINITY,  click here 

 DISABILITY MINISTRY TRAINING
 FREE registration in nearby Brunswick, May 7 & 8
The National Catholic Partnership on Disability (NCPD) will present two days of FREE training at St. Ambrose Parish, 929 Pearl Rd, Brunswick, OH 44212 , with the Diocese of Cleveland Catholic Charities Disability Services and Ministries.  The trainings are open to all  clergy, parish and diocesan staff, and ministry volunteers. They will take place 8:30 am to 4:30 pm on May 7 and 8. You may register for either day or both days, and is available in English or Spanish:
  • Day One, Thursday, May 7, will cover parish accessibility, adaptive catechesis, resource utilization, language guidelines, and conducting parish assessments.
  • Day Two, Friday, May 8,  will address mental health topics, including accompaniment, stigma, trauma‑informed care, and suicide. (Similar to our February 10th In-Service day, so would be perfect for those who missed that opportunity!)
A continental breakfast and lunch are included each day. This may be an easy commute for many of you, but there are also several area hotels available. 
Register by April 29, and find more information, on the event page:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfZRgxOXR7sBJBxcm4dQkN_bCPVPc-nsUvYWiPe748XrnMF1w/viewform

​Completion of the two-day program can be submitted for up to 11 general hours towards Catechist Certification through the diocesan Office of Faith Formation and Lay Ecclesial Ministry 

Earth Day is April 22.


​“If the simple fact of being human moves people to care for the environment of which they are a part, Christians in their turn realize that their responsibility within creation, and their duty towards nature and the Creator, are an essential part of their faith.”
(Paragraph 64 of Laudato Si (On Care for Our Common Home),  Pope Francis, 2015)


"Care for Creation"
Action Plan for the
​Diocese of Youngstown
Click here to learn more about it on our Care for Creation page, under the Justice and Peace page
of the "Praying & Serving" menu drop down!  There is so much to explore! 

Click here to see the full document on doy.org 
​
Click here for more on Laudato Si' Week  (ISN Campaign)
We celebrated its 10th anniversary and the legacy of Pope Francis - May 24-31, 2025.  

​Click here to learn about Pilgrimages of Hope For Creation.
Encounter Christ in Creation and renew your relationships with God, the Earth,
and one another through these Jubilee Year pilgrimage opportunities.
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​Adult Faith Formation
Opportunities

The courses are open to anyone wanting to grow deeper
in their faith and learn something new.
​These opportunities are not limited to teachers or catechists,
​although they do lead towards the possibility of  earning
Diocesan Catechist Certification and recertification
for those interested.  

​Look for the Spring & Summer course booklet
to be mailed out in April after Easter begins.
You can also look at the listing and register online at: 
catechistcafe.weebly.com/catechist-courses.html

Contact Margie Hynes at [email protected]
             ​or 330-744-8451 for more information.
APOSTOLIC EXHORTATION  DILEXI TE
 OF THE HOLY FATHER LEO XIV
 TO ALL CHRISTIANS  ON LOVE FOR THE POOR
("I Have Loved You"  -  October 4, 2025) ​
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Image from Vatican News
This exhortation is an invitation to contemplate Christ’s love, that we may be inspired to become attentive to the suffering and needs of others, and to share in the work of liberation that flows from his love (no. 2).
Click here for resources curated by the U.S. Bishops regarding Dilexi Te

Click here for resources from the Vatican, including the infographics below

Click here to read a Vatican News article: Cardinal Blase Cupich on 'Dilexi te':
the Liturgy as a place of solidarity with the poor

Click here to read an article by William T. Vollmann "Among the discarded of the world:                                               
​Some Thoughts on and Around 'Dilexi Te'  

"Take Heart! Do Not Lose Heart!
Behold the Sacred Heart!"

A Pastoral Letter by Bishop David J. Bonnar
SACRED HEART PRAYER 
O most Sacred Heart of Jesus, fountain of every blessing, I adore You, I love You, and with a lively sorrow for my sins, I offer You this poor heart of mine. Make me humble, patient, pure, and wholly obedient to Your will. Grant, good Jesus, that I may live in You and for You. Protect me in the midst of danger; comfort me in my afflictions; give me health of body, assistance in my temporal needs, Your blessings on all that I do, and the grace of a holy death. Amen.
                         Promises of the Sacred Heart of Jesus
                                 (Made to Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque)
          
  •  I will give them all the graces necessary for their state of life.         
  •  I will give peace in their families         
  •  I will console them in all their troubles         
  •  I will be their refuge in life and especially in death           
  •  I will abundantly bless all their undertakings.           
  •  Sinners shall find in my Heart the source and infinite ocean of mercy.           
  •  Tepid souls shall become fervent.           
  •  Fervent souls shall rise speedily to great perfection.           
  •  I will bless those places wherein the image of My Sacred Heart shall be exposed and venerated.         
  •  I will give to priests the power to touch the most hardened hearts.

                             (Included in the Appendix of the Pastoral Letter)
For Reflection:
  1. What did you learn about the Sacred Heart of Jesus?
  2. What did you learn about Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque?
  3. What will take place in the Diocese of Youngstown in September 2025?
    How might  you/your family grow in devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus?           ​​

Let us not be afraid to tell the world about our experience with this most precious heart and the life-giving friendship we share with Jesus. (p. 15)  

"The Church is in a permanent
state of mission"

                                                                         - (Pontifical) Directory for Catechesis, 2020

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