Today, the Bishops across all five Indiana dioceses have extended the dispensation from the obligation of Sunday Mass attendance until Nov. 1, 2020. In a joint statement, the bishops of the Province of Indianapolis announced that the dispensation was extended from a previously set day of August 15, because of the increasing number of COVID-19 cases in Indiana. The group released the following statement (click on the title to see full document)
During these past two weeks, it has been encouraging to hear priests describe how their staffs and leadership councils have worked to keep parishioners connected. Spiritual and temporal concerns are being addressed. The use of phone trees and live-streaming and teleconferencing are tools familiar to people. The current crisis has benefitted us by the surge in connectivity. Click on the title to see Bishop Doherty's directives.
These days bring news that requires our prayerful flexibility. We are experiencing events unknown to us before. But, if we take sacrificial short-term measures, long-term beneficial outcomes will start sooner.
The Coronavirus (COVID-19) continues to be a prevalent and ongoing health concern across our county. As a result of Governor Holcomb's announcement from March 12 that non-essential gatherings must be limited to no more than 250 people, Bishop Doherty is dispensing from the obligation to attend Sunday Mass, but regularly scheduled public Masses will go on. As this situation evolves, we will keep you updated on this matter. This is not a permanent dispensation. Please click on the COVID-19 title to read more.
The next Parish Day of Service is Saturday, October 19, 2019, beginning with Mass at 8:00 a.m. We will then proceed to the gym to enjoy a continental breakfast and sign-up for a service. By 9:00 a.m. everyone will disperse to their respective places until around noon. At that time, we will return to the gym to share experiences and partake in a pitch-in meal.
A few weeks ago, staff and parish leadership met to discuss our parish vision. The day was led by a diocesan representative which provided us with an outside perspective on our parish based on each of our individual participation within the parish. Having a vision is important because it determines the direction of our parish as we consider future planning around this central idea. At the meeting, we spoke about what is working well and what could use some improvement in terms of programming, outreach, and general morale within St. Charles. This activity allowed us to put everything out on the table which would then help lead us to develop a central theme which we would base our vision upon. The theme that rose out of this discussion was communio , Latin for community. Members of St. Charles have a great sense of community, but there are some things that we could all improve on in term s of how we approach and interact with one another and the greater community. Click on the title to go to the link for the survey.
Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend releases statement regarding conclusion of DA investigation FORT WAYNE, Ind. — September 13, 2018 The Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend released a statement regarding the results of the investigation completed by the Dauphin County District Attorney concerning an alleged incident during Bishop Kevin C. Rhoades’ time in Harrisburg. Official Statement by the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend The Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend appreciates the swift and thorough investigation into the unsubstantiated allegation against Bishop Kevin C. Rhoades. As anticipated, the investigation exonerated Bishop Rhoades. The district attorney found the allegation was without merit and stated, “After a full investigation, the Dauphin County District Attorney has determined that there is no basis to conclude that Bishop Kevin C. Rhoades ever engaged in a criminal or otherwise improper relationship.” The relationship in question was, “in the context of pastoral care and arose out of the recognized tradition of prison ministry.” Click on title to read more....