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DIOCESAN MINISTRIES CELEBRATION (DMC) IS COMING, REGISTER NOW!

By FATHER AL BACA, DIRECTOR OF EVANGELIZATION AND FAITH FORMATION FOR THE DIOCESE OF ORANGE     9/14/2021

Jesus has given the world a way to real peace here and in His kingdom to come. The world desperately needs to hear this good news! Yet how do we get a hearing from our friends and family members who no longer go to church – maybe no longer believe? What can we say that will plant a seed; move their hearts?

The upcoming Diocesan Ministries Cel­ebration at Christ Cathedral Campus will help us to do that!

You may not know that Diocesan Minis­tries Celebration or DMC has been around a long time in our diocese. DMC is the largest diocesan gathering of Catholics in Orange County focused on evangelization. For many years, DMC was directed mainly towards training teachers and catechists for classroom religious education. In 2019, in response to the Diocesan Strategic Plan and the priority of evangelization, DMC was re-directed to all Catholics of the diocese. The day still involves catechists and teach­ers, but also and especially every Catholic who wants to deepen their love and witness for Jesus and the Church.

Moved from Mater Dei High School to Christ Cathedral Campus in 2019, DMC is a key event in equipping the faithful to live out the mission of evangelization in their daily lives. Keynote presentations in three language tracks will feature important voices in American Cathol­icism: renowned Catholic evangelist Chris Stefanick in English, Leyden Rovelo-Krull, director for Hispanic Ministry for the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph in Spanish and Sister Theresa Marie Chau Viet Nguyen, OP, up and coming national presenter in Vietnamese.

The emphasis is on evangelization. In the United States, most religions are seeing a dramatic drop in mem­bership. While the Catholic Church continues to grow numerically, we know that there is a significant drop off of Catholics born into the faith. In speaking to a local Evangelical pastor, he shared that he had a number of ex-Catholics in his congregation. He told me they did not leave angry or because of a bad experience, they just got lost.

Each of us knows someone who “used to be Catholic”. We also know many others who need the Good News. This is the challenge that DMC addresses. Faith is certainly about learning the message of the Gospel, but it is also knowing and loving the person that gave us that Gospel in the first place. At DMC 2021, we will learn how to share the Gospel with others, how to bring that good news to family and friends.

Get the word out! Oct. 16 at Christ Cathedral! DMC is coming! Together let us worship the Lord and through our faith in Christ and His Church let’s get ourselves energized and invite back into the fold those who have left and those who are searching.

Register now: www.DMC2021.org