Ministries and Services Supported by Catholic Family Sharing Appeal

Ministries

Ministries are direct programs for lay people and parishes in the diocese.

Evangelization/discipleship

  • Discipleship support for youth and adults
  • Sacramental preparation support programs—baptism, Eucharist, confirmation, marriage
  • Religious education support
  • Resources for enhancement of family life
  • Special needs
  • Catechesis of the Good Shepherd training
  • Weekly in-service for parish catechetical leaders
  • School of Missionary Discipleship—formation program for adult lay missionary discipleship
  • Discipleship camps
  • Youth conferences
  • Going Deeper and other retreats
  • Lumen Christi—children and youth program
  • Respect Life activities
  • Marriage enrichment tools
  • Supporting vocations discernment initiatives

The Lourdes Center

  • Grief groups and other loss support programs
  • Family and individual counseling
  • Vocations support ongoing programs related to healing
  • Single day programs in parishes around the diocese

Communications

  • The Bishop’s Bulletin monthly to every household
  • Sunday TV Mass broadcast and streamed each week
  • Audio/video production including weekly radio programs, podcasts and videos
  • Diocesan website—www.sfcatholic.org
  • Social media communicating the Good News
  • Weekly email newsletter – Against the Current

Catholic education/Newman Centers

  • Newman Centers and campus ministry in five locations
  • Office of Catholic Schools: supporting 22 Catholic schools on behalf of 27 parishes in 15 communities in the diocese

Specialized ministry services

  • Stewardship
  • Marriage Tribunal
  • Chaplaincy support for hospitals, prisons and other human service facilities

Outreach ministries

  • Marriage, family and respect life initiatives
  • Catholic outreach beyond the diocese (World Missions collection for example)

As well as coordinated support for these separate works:

  • Support of feeding and shelter ministries serving people from across the diocese
  • Assistance and support to military families (such as St. Raphael Fund)
  • Mother Teresa Fund supporting pregnant women
  • St. Joseph Catholic Housing with more than 1,000 units around the diocese

Government relations

  • South Dakota Catholic Conference

Parish and Clergy Support

  • Technology and ParishSOFT support
  • Personnel resources through benefits administration, human resource consulting, safe environment programs and more
  • Financial administrative services, including parish accounting and census and risk management
  • The Bishop’s ministry, including parish and school visits and confirmations
  • Cemeteries
  • Priest continuing education and sabbaticals
  • Priest/religious retirement
  • Support for pastoral and finance councils, other parish structural needs

Seminary Education

  • Vocations recruitment and promotion
  • Opportunities for permanent diaconate training and formation
  • Seminarian education and formation – including the Propaedeutic House