South Dakota Right to Life and Pierre Area Right to Life are sponsoring two right to life events in Pierre on January 29.
50th Annual Hour of Reflection – 2 p.m. at the State Capitol Rotunda in Pierre. Speakers include Governor Kristi Noem and Carol Tobias from National Right to Life Washington, D.C.
50th Walk for Life – 12-1 p.m. at the State Capitol. South Dakota pregnancy resource centers are the Grand Marshalls.
For more information, visit www.sdRightToLife.org or call 605-220-8678.
Last Collar Standing
January 15, 4 p.m. (online)
Confirmation Retreats
February 4 – Holy Name, Watertown
Eucharistic Revival Evening of Prayer
March 23 – Aberdeen, SD
March 29 – Watertown, SD
Going Deeper Retreats
March 31 – April 2, Abbey of the Hills
D-Camp 2023
June 18-21, Broom Tree (High School)
July 9-12, Broom Tree (High School)
July 13-16, Broom Tree (Junior High)
Power Hour
Tuesdays at 1 p.m. over Zoom
Hector Bautista’s Arrival
The Office of Discipleship and Evangelization is very pleased to welcome Hector Bautista to the team. He started as the director of mission engagement on December 1. The director of mission engagement has the primary responsibility of coming to know what gifts God is raising up in people across the diocese, and matching those gifts to needs at the local, regional and diocesan level to advance Lifelong Catholic Missionary Discipleship Through God’s Love. Hector will be reaching out to pastors and parish catechetical leaders to get to know you all in the coming weeks. Please offer him a warm South Dakota welcome as he and his family settle into life in the Midwest.
Lumen Christi
Lumen Christi, our very own diocesan missionary program, seeks to send out formed young adults to effectively engage and evangelize young people in various ways. From week-long summer camps to real one-on-one relational ministry, these missionaries provide strong support for parish leaders in building Lifelong Catholic Missionary Disciples Through God’s Love. The Discipleship and Evangelization Office is planning to form, equip and send out 20 missionaries for our summer program for 2023. We are inviting you to partner with us in these recruiting efforts by identifying some exceptional candidates to apply for this upcoming season. If you know of someone who is of college age, loves their faith, and desires to be an active missionary disciple, please encourage them to apply now! To learn more and to submit an application, please visit our webpage at www.sfcatholic.org/lc
We are still taking requests for Lumen Christi teams for the summer of 2023. To find out more about Lumen Christi and to request a team for next summer, please visit sfcatholic.org/lumenchristi/
Last Collar Standing
Last call! Plan your watch party today. Our 4th Annual Last Collar Standing event will be live on our YouTube page. Pick a priest to sponsor and help them win advantages in the games! Visit www.sfcatholic.org/lcs for more information. Text LASTCOLLAR to 84576 for updates.
Bulletin Blurb: Last Collar Standing will be January 15 at 4 p.m. Pick a priest to root for and help him win advantages! www.sfcatholic.org/lcs
Bulletin Blurb: Last Collar Standing will be January 15 at 4 p.m. Text LASTCOLLAR to 84576 to stay up to date and be involved in the voting.
Confirmation Retreat
In collaboration with the diocese, Holy Name Parish in Watertown is providing a Confirmation Retreat on February 4. This will be open to all parishes. As with October’s retreat, all registrations are done through your parish, and the parish is required to send adult helpers with their youth to assist with small groups (one adult for every five youth). Note: the parish is responsible for ensuring these adults have all met the Safe Environment requirements laid out by the diocese. The registration form for this retreat can be found on our webpage at: www.sfcatholic.org/youth/for-youth-leaders/. Parishes, please send in your completed registration forms by the dates listed on the form. More details can be found here: www.sfcatholic.org/youth/confirmation-retreats/
Bulletin Blurb: The diocese is offering a confirmation retreat at Holy Name Parish in Watertown February 4. Talk to your parish to get registered today!
Going Deeper Retreat – Spiritus
This retreat is focused on providing a fundamental teaching and theology on the Holy Spirit and his role in our everyday life. Youth grades 9-12 who are active in the parish and looking to go deeper in their faith are invited to attend. For more information, visit www.sfcatholic.org/deeper.
Bulletin Blurb: The spring Going Deeper retreat, Spiritus, is accepting registrations and will fill up fast. Register today to reserve your spot! www.sfcatholic.org/deeper
D-Camp 2023
D-Camp 2023 registrations are filling up fast and early bird prices are only offered through January! If your parish would like to support youth financially in attending camp, please let us know. We can create a discount code for your youth to register, and then we will bill the parish after camp. There are only about 100 spots available for each camp, so encourage your youth to register ASAP. The link can be found on our website: https://www.sfcatholic.org/youth/d-camp/
Bulletin Blurb: D-Camp 2023 registrations are now open. Register today to reserve your spot! https://www.sfcatholic.org/youth/d-camp/
Power Hours
For a couple of years now, we have been holding weekly Zoom calls supporting Parish Catechetical Leaders (PCL) from around our diocese by offering an opportunity for growth in both spiritual and professional development and to have a space to bounce ideas off one another and inspire and encourage one another in our shared mission (PCLs include priests, deacons, DREs, YMs, discipleship coordinators, RCIA coordinators, etc.). Power Hours are held at 1 p.m. on Tuesdays approximately every other week. Zoom invitations are sent to the PCL email list weekly.
PCL Email List
If you are new or newly diving into our offerings, we invite you to join the PCL email list. You can sign up on the diocesan For Parish Leaders webpage.
Attention priests and deacons: “Priests for an Apostolic Age” Conference – Dallas, TX January 24-26
From Father Scott Traynor- Vicar for Lay and Clergy Formation
Dear Priests and Deacons: I want to draw your attention to this upcoming conference organized by Evangelical Catholic. I am familiar with the speakers and think this conference will be an excellent resource for any priest or deacon who can attend. I find the focus of this conference and their planned topics especially timely as we look ahead to the implementation of Set Ablaze. I will be attending and hope some of you will be able to come as well.
Full details available here: https://www.evangelicalcatholic.org/events/
Conference schedule here: https://www.evangelicalcatholic.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Event-Schedule-PDF.pdf
From the organizers:
The Evangelical Catholic is a non-profit organization dedicated to transforming lay people into intentional disciple makers who are excited and equipped to go out and evangelize their communities in the context of trusting friendships. They are excited to announce their first-ever conference experience designed just for priests and deacons to give them the skills and tools they need to activate their parishioners as effective Catholic missionaries in their own communities. “Priests for an Apostolic Age” is a three-day conference that will provide clergy with the opportunity to gather with others who share similar convictions on evangelization, learn how an outdated understanding of the parish could be holding them back, and how to leverage their influence to activate a movement of missionary disciples. The event is set to take place January 24-26 in Dallas, TX.
Do you know of a man who might be called to the Permanent Diaconate? Have them contact Deacon John Devlin for more information: dcnjohndevlin@sfcatholic.org
PIERRE, S.D. – The South Dakota Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources (DANR) will host Suicide Prevention Trainings for Faith Leaders in Sioux Falls on April 25, 2023, and in Rapid City on April 27, 2023. Thanks to contributions by Avera Health and Monument Health, the events will be hosted at the Washington Pavilion and The Monument.
The trainings are free to attend. DANR encourages clergy, spiritual and faith leaders including chaplains, elders, deacons, sisters, youth pastors, parish nurses, church board members, church staff, and congregational suicide prevention advocates to consider participating. Pre-registration is required. To learn more, visit https://danr.sd.gov/AboutDANR/SuicidePrevention.aspx.
“Faith and agriculture are the foundation of South Dakota, and our faith leaders know the hearts and minds of our producers better than anyone,” said DANR Secretary Hunter Roberts. These trainings will equip faith leaders with the resources they need to prevent suicide and effectively minister to their congregations.”
The trainings will:
DANR is looking for partners to help promote these trainings to faith leaders around the state. If you are interested in promotional materials and sharing information about the events, please contact Brian Pontious at brian.pontious@state.sd.us. The agenda will be identical for both locations. This event is funded with support by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture.
Walk for Life & Hour of Reflection
South Dakota Right to Life Event
January 28, 2024 – Pierre
Confirmation Retreat – Watertown
January 27, 2024 – Holy Name Parish, Watertown
Last Collar Standing
February 4, 2024 – Online
D-Camp 2024 – Broom Tree
June 16-19, 2024 (High School)
July 7-10, 2024 (High School)
July 11-14, 2024 (Junior High)
National Eucharistic Congress
July 17-21, 2024 – Indianapolis
Walk for Life & Hour of Reflection
South Dakota Right to Life is hosting its annual Walk for Life and Hour of Reflection. Join SD Rep. John Hansen and SD Pregnancy Resource Centers for a walk around the state capitol grounds 12 – 1 PM. Then gather at the Capitol Rotunda for the Hour of Reflection featuring keynote speaker Bishop Donald DeGrood at 2 PM. For more info call 605-220-8678 or visit the SD Right to Life webpage.
Last Chance – Confirmation Retreat
Holy Name Parish in Watertown has partnered with us to offer a Confirmation retreat Saturday, January 27, 2024 that will be open to any youth in the diocese in need of a Confirmation Retreat. Registration for this retreat is now open and can be found on our Confirmation webpage .
As a reminder, every parish sending youth to this retreat must also send Safe Environment compliant adults to assist with small group facilitation. There is a specific (free) ticket type for them on the registration page.
D-Camp 2024 – Early Bird Discount Ends Soon
Save $50 if you register by January 31!
Discipleship Camp is a transformative experience for the youth in the Diocese of Sioux Falls. It is designed to help teens deepen their prayer life, grow in their understanding of who God is, and meet other teens who are engaged in their faith from throughout the Diocese.
If your parish would like to sponsor your youth to attend D-Camp, please reach out to our office at discipleship@sfcatholic.org and we can set up a discount code for your parishioners to use when they register.
For more information please visit our D-Camp webpage.
Last Collar Standing – Plan Your Watch Party!
Our 5th Annual Last Collar Standing event will be on February 4th live on our Youtube page. Mark your calendars and start planning your watch parties now! Keep an eye on our social media for updates, announcements of the contestants and promotional opportunities. Pick a priest to sponsor and help them win advantages in the games! Visit www.sfcatholic.org/lcs for more information. Text LASTCOLLAR to 84576 to join our text/email list for updates.
Bulletin Blurb: Last Collar Standing will be February 4th at 4pm. Pick a priest to root for and help him win advantages! www.sfcatholic.org/lcs
Bulletin Blurb: Last Collar Standing will be February at 4pm. Text LASTCOLLAR to 84576 to stay up to date and be involved in the voting.
Lenten Small Group Resources – Eucharistic Revival
During the year of the parish, the USCCB is encouraging each parish to host small groups using their new seven week study, Jesus and the Eucharist. They have made it so easy! There is an online training for planning the small group, parish implementation and table facilitators. They give you the curriculum, videos, slide show presentations, handouts and more. Many parishes are considering this for a Lenten study.
If you are interested, please connect with your Eucharistic Revival Parish Point Person or check out the resource webpage for more information.
Discount Tickets for National Eucharistic Congress – Now open to Families
The Congress has changed its ticket pricing to help families attend. Children 12 and under are now free. Teens 13-18 are $250 and parents are $299. If you get your tickets from the diocese they are only $200 for teens or adults and still free for children. We only 15 discounted tickets left while supplies last.
School of Missionary Discipleship for ADULTS – Registration Closing Soon
The School of Missionary Discipleship will be launching a 12 week course on prayer and registrations are closing January 30! This course is a prerequisite for any future courses in the School of Missionary Discipleship and is only offered every couple of years.
This course will consist of formation in Christian prayer and virtue which will provide a great foundation to help those new to personal prayer, as well as those well experienced in personal prayer, to enter more deeply into their daily relationship with God.
The course design is a series of weekly videos in conjunction with Q/A sessions and small group meetings via Zoom on Thursday evenings. For more information about the school and to enroll today, please visit the School of Missionary Discipleship webpage.
Lumen Christi Summer 2024 Team Requests Are Open
Requests for Lumen Christi 2024 summer teams are open! Your request helps inform our hiring process. If you would like a team, please submit your request at the Lumen Christi webpage.
We will do our best to accommodate your preferences. You will receive a confirmation email as soon as the 2024 Lumen Christi missionaries have been hired and the calendar has been finalized. This will probably be around March 2024.
Do you know a great Lumen Christi recruit?
We are about half way through the recruiting season for Lumen Christi Summer 2024, and we are still looking for passionate and dedicated college-aged young adults who have a burning desire to share their faith with youth throughout our diocese. If you know someone from your pastorate who has a deep desire to evangelize and catechize, we invite you to encourage him/her to apply to be a missionary. For more information, please visit the Lumen Christi webpage.
PCL Email List
If you are new or newly diving into our offerings, we invite you to join the PCL email list. You can sign up on the diocesan For Parish Leaders webpage.
Weekly “Power Hour” for Formation Leaders – Tuesdays at 1 p.m.
Each week during the academic year we hold a zoom call for Parish Catechetical Leaders (PCL) from around our diocese. The goal is to offer an opportunity for growth in both spiritual and professional development and to have a space to bounce ideas off one another and inspire and encourage one another in our shared mission. Power Hours are held from 1:00 to 2:00 p.m. on Tuesdays. Zoom invitations are sent to the PCL email list weekly.
Silent Retreats:
Women’s: February 2-5, March 2-5, April 20-23
Men’s: February 16-19, March 16-19
Day of Recollection: Broom Tree Days of Recollection begin at 10 a.m. and include conferences, time for adoration, Mass, and an opportunity for the Sacrament of Reconciliation. The day ends in mid-afternoon. Because lunch is served, we ask that you please register. A prayerful donation is requested.
2023 Days of Recollection
January 17
February 14
March 21
April 11
May 9 – “Power from on High,” directed by Dr. Chris Burgwald
June 20
Couples Retreats
April 14-16
During this retreat, couples will have the blessed opportunity to spend time together receiving from the very heart of God. The environment at Broom Tree makes for a perfect couples get-away: no TV, no radio, no phones or computers, just beautiful, peaceful surroundings, good food, and all the time and good direction you need to experience renewal in your marriage. Register early.
Healing Retreats
February 24-26
October 13-15
Directed by Fr. Scott Traynor
Camp Sydney – The Lourdes Center will be offering a Grief Camp for youth and their families at Broom Tree Retreat Center, beginning at 6:00 p.m. June 9 until 11:00 a.m. June 11. This two-day camp will include fun activities, discussion and support. The Grief Camp is offered free of charge.
Registration will begin January 15. Call The Lourdes Center at 605-988-3775 for more information.
Grief Bible Study—Seasons of Hope. This will run for six weeks starting Tuesday, January 17, from 9-10:30 a.m. (20 available spots). Please call 605-988-3775 to register.
Held Grief Series presented by The Lourdes Center. This eight-week grief series will begin Tuesday, February 7 from 6-8 p.m. The series will blend education and faith surrounding the loss of a loved one through death. Each session will allow for small group discussion according to your particular loss (loss of a child, spouse, parent/sibling). Registration is required. Free-will donations accepted. Call The Lourdes Center at 605-988-3775 to register.
Do you know a young man who has expressed interest in discerning a vocation to the priesthood? Do you know a young man who you think would make a great priest and might be open to investigating the possibility of this call in his life? As part of our work to help young men discern the Lord’s call for their lives, the Vocations Office is compiling a list of such men with the intent of keeping them informed about various vocations promotion opportunities such as retreats, mission trips, Operation Andrew Dinners, seminary visits, and so on. If you know of someone who we should add to our list, please contact Emma Murtha at emurtha@sfcatholic.org or 988-3772.
SJV Seminary Visit
Do you know of any young men in your parish who have considered (or should consider) a vocation to the priesthood? There is a seminary visit planned February 16-18 to St. John Vianney and St. Paul Seminaries in St. Paul. No cost to them. Transportation provided from Sioux Falls. Please refer anyone interested to Fr. Tony Klein at frtonyklein@sfcatholic.org or Emma Murtha at emurtha@sfcatholic.org. If you have any questions yourself about the trip, please reach out to Fr. Tony or Emma.
Operation Andrew Dinner
As part of our work to help young men discern the Lord’s call for their lives, the Vocations Office is organizing some upcoming Operation Andrew Dinners that Bishop DeGrood will be attending:
Operation Andrew Dinner at St. Thomas Aquinas Newman Center in Aberdeen on Tuesday, January 31 from 6-8 p.m.
Operation Andrew Dinner at St. Thomas More Newman Center in Vermillion on February 23 from 5:15-8 p.m.
If you know of someone that should go to one of these dinners, please contact your priest.
Prayer for Vocations
Looking for a good prayer to use for an increase in vocations? Here’s one many of our parishes have been using for years.
Lord Jesus, Son of the Eternal Father and Mary Immaculate, grant to our young people the generosity necessary to follow Your call and the courage to overcome all obstacles to their vocation in life. Give their parents that faith, love and spirit of sacrifice which will inspire them to offer their children to God’s service and to rejoice whenever one of their children is called to the priesthood or religious life. Let Your example and that of Your Blessed Mother and Saint Joseph encourage both young people and parents and let Your grace sustain them. Amen.
