National Catholic Forester

National Catholic Forester 24 DIOCESE NEWS Spring will be here soon, and with spring comes Diocesan Association Meetings! Be prepared and start planning now. Remember, NCSF matches the funds our courts raise (up to $1,000) for the ReLiEF Award. Do something wonderful for someone in your area who is studying for religious life and hold a fundraiser that can be included in the matching funds. Dubuque Archdiocesan Association, MN Courts 233, 567, 1056, 632, 769, and 815 gathered for the 56th Annual Archdiocese of Dubuque Association meeting last fall. The host court was Court 815. The ReLiEF Award (above) was presented by Patti Cejka to Fr. Craig Steimel on behalf of the Archbishop. Attending as guest speaker was Board Chair Margaret Schmitt; she talked about the business, the Holy Mother, and fielded questions. Each court told of the Benevolence, Charity, and Love which help throughout the communities. A memorial service was held for the deceased of the court. Just Around the Corner! DIOCESE OF GARY'S NEW WEBSITE National Catholic Society of Foresters selected the Youth and Young Adult Ministry Office of the Diocese of Gary, Indiana to receive a communication grant worth $1,500 in 2017. Since 2003, the Office for Youth and Young Adults has utilized its website (garyoyya.org) almost daily for ministry purposes. However, it has become increasingly outdated as technology has advanced. Further, the website recently suffered an attack from a hacker, causing it to become blocked for many ministry leaders. Statistically, youth and young adult ministry web pages rank among the most-accessed of all ministry pages in the Diocese of Gary. As a tool of the New Evangelization, a modern website will energize and inspire young Catholics and leaders who may become frustrated by an outdated web presentation. The NCSF Diocesan Communication Grant will help pay for the design and hosting of an updated, mobile-friendly website for youth and young adults, as well as to receive the necessary training to maintain it. The new website will launch in Spring 2018, we cannot wait to see it! May 1st is the target date, but it could be sooner. PHOTO CREDIT: ANTHONY D. ALONZO/NORTHWEST INDIANA CATHOLIC Pictured l-r: Bishop, Most Reverend Donald J. Hying, Court 513 President Rita Schneider, Kevin Driscoll, Coordinator of the Diocese of Gary Office for Youth and Young adults, Charlette Keilman, and Court 865 Secretary Lorrie Nelson

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