This year was the first that Roundtable participated in #iGiveCatholic on #GivingTuesday, November 29, 2022. A big thank you to all those who generously supported us to raise over $500.00, which will go toward providing professional support to social ministers through education, formation, professional relationships, and management development at this year's upcoming Social Action Summer Institute (SASI) in Atlanta, GA. 

Donate Now!

The Roundtable Association of Catholic Diocesan Social Action Directors collaborated with the Loyola Institute for Ministry to explore the presentation and impact of Catholic Social Teaching, the role of Catholic Social Action Directors, the Catholic Campaign for Human Development (CCHD), and more.

Roundtable solicited responses from those working in social ministry, and respondents completed a short 10-minute survey on a variety of topics related to Catholic Social Teaching. Below is the executive summary of that report. Please share it widely within your networks and use it as a tool to enhance or grow your existing social ministry efforts. 

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Upcoming Dialogues

Laudato Si Efforts in Your Ministry
Join Roundtable for its spring webinar series where members will learn from experts in the field on how best to implement Laudato Si efforts in one's ministry. 

 

February 23 Recording

March 23 Recording

April 27 Recording

  BONUS!

Date: Thursday, May 25, 2023
Time: 2 PM ET / 1 PM CT / 12 PM MT / 11 AM PT
Panel discussion amongst the previous presenters facilitated by Stephanie Clary, Environment Editor, EarthBeat, NCR

 Recording Available!

The Church Returns to Gospel Nonviolence with Marie Dennis

Catholic Social Teaching on peace, enriched by “The Challenge of Peace” and “The Harvest of Justice,” has evolved in significant ways in recent decades. Building on the ideas of his predecessors, Pope Francis has increasingly affirmed the centrality of Gospel nonviolence to the Catholic Church. Pax Christi International’s Catholic Nonviolence Initiative has followed these developments closely, encouraging the Church – from the Vatican to dioceses and local parishes to deepen Catholics’ understanding of and commitment to Gospel nonviolence.


Date: Thursday, June 8
Time: 2 PM ET/1 PM CT/12 PM MT/11 AM PT


Register Now

Previous Dialogues

Discerning a Peaceful Path Forward with Dcn. Paul Kipfstuhl
Violence seems to be all around, but Let Us Dream on how to move forward peacefully as a community of believers. Social ministers play a special role in this effort, so join Dcn. Paul Kipfstuhl, Catholic Charities Cleveland to discuss and discern what this path looks like.

Date: Thursday, January 19, 2023
Time: 2 PM ET / 1 PM CT / 12 PM MT / 11 AM PT

Presenter: Dcn. Paul Kipfstuhl, Catholic Charities of Cleveland

Recording Available

Disruptive & Consoling: Modern Iconography and a Spirituality of Identity with Scott Cooper
In our work settings, we may struggle to communicate a Catholic Christian identity that reflects the diversity of our staff and our clients, as well as a trauma-informed framework. Modern iconography offers a range of diverse images to communicate the justice teachings of our Church.

Date: Tuesday, October 25, 2022
Time: 2 PM ET / 1 PM CT / 12 PM MT / 11 AM PT

Presenter: Scott Cooper, Vice President of Mission, Catholic Charities of Eastern Washington

Recording Available

Navigating Roadblocks to Create a Laudato Si Action Plan

Imagine this: you have started to create a Laudato Si Action Plan. There are other eager and committed volunteers, and all that's needed is the necessary final approval. What's this? Others are not as excited as you are, so now what do you do? Come hear from fellow Roundtable members and learn from one another on how best to navigate these roadblocks.

Date: Tuesday, November 15, 2022
Time: 2 PM ET / 1 PM CT / 12 PM MT / 11 AM PT

Presenters: Kat Doyle, Archdiocese of Atlanta; Adam Fitzpatrick, Center for Mission, Archdiocese of St. Paul/Minneapolis; Kevin Fitzpatrick, Catholic Charities of New Orleans

Recording Available

Mergers, Closings & Alternatives

Is your diocese undergoing (or considering) a restructure that would impact parish based ministries? Join Roundtable members as we grapple with this reality together. Hear from panelists, Cliff Barber of the Archdiocese of Chicago, Sr. Laura Bufano, CSJ of the Diocese of Syracuse, and Andrew Musgrave of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, who are all living this reality and learn from their wisdom.

Wednesday, April 27, 2022
2:00 - 3:30 PM ET  //  11:00 AM - 12:30 PM PT
Recording

Thursday, April 28, 2022
7:00 - 8:30 PM ET  //  4:00 PM - 5:30 PM PT
Recording

Ministering to Workers in the Time of COVID

in collaboration with the Catholic Labor Network
featuring Adrian Flores of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles

Friday, March 19, 2021
1:00 - 2:30 PM ET  //  10:00 AM - 11:30 PM PT

Recording is available for Roundtable members.

Fratelli Tutti Virtual Dialogue 

for Roundtable members

featuring Wilton Cardinal Gregory of the Archdiocese of Washington and Bishop John Stowe, OFM Conv. of the Diocese of Lexington
Friday, February 5, 2021
1 PM EST / 12 PM CST / 11 AM MST / 10 AM PST

Recording now available!
Pre-registration is required using this form, and registration closes at 5 PM EST on Thursday, February 4.  The Zoom link will then be emailed to registered participants later that evening.  If you are unsure of your Roundtable membership status, please contact Catherine as soon as possible at 202-854-8806.  

Dorothy Day: A Voice of Unity in a Time of Division 

"In his first encyclical, Lumen Fidei, Pope Francis eloquently affirmed the core teachings that animated Dorothy Day’s life:  “The light of faith is concretely placed at the service of justice…and peace,” he wrote.  Day embraced the totality of Catholic belief and practice, living a life of poverty.  When she sometimes challenged the Church, it was usually because she felt it had departed from Gospel principles, particularly when it came to the forgiveness of one’s enemies.  Labels of left or right, temptingly applied by liberals and conservatives alike, fail to explain or contain Dorothy Day.  Perhaps, ultimately, that’s why this woman of conscience is a saint for our time," (Dorothy Day Guild).

sponsored by Roundtable in collaboration with the Dorothy Day Guild
December 9  //  7 PM EST
Watch the Recording

featuring: 

• Martha Hennessy, Day's granddaughter and activist; 
• Kevin Ahern, associate professor of religious studies at Manhattan College; 
• Rosalie Riegle, author and Catholic Worker oral historian; and 
• Tom Costanza, diocesan director in the Archdiocese of New Orleans.

This panel will be moderated by Colleen Dulle of America Media.

In his new book, Let Us Dream: The Path to a Better Future, Pope Francis writes, “This is a moment to dream big, to rethink our priorities—what we value, what we want, what we seek—and to commit to act in our daily life on what we have dreamed of.” 

Join Dcn. Paul Kipfstuhl from Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Cleveland as je leads round two of this small group book study.  Meetings will last for one hour via Zoom and the start date is TBD, but registration will be capped at 10 participants, so please register now. 

World Refugee Day
According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), World Refugee Day is an international day designated by the United Nations to honour refugees around the globe. It falls each year on June 20 and celebrates the strength and courage of people who have been forced to flee their home country to escape conflict or persecution. World Refugee Day is an occasion to build empathy and understanding for their plight and to recognize their resilience in rebuilding their lives.

This year, in solidarity with other celebrations happending around the country, Roundtable intern, Kenza Benazzouz organized and facilitated a prayer service that featured Elena Mueller Garcia, retired diocesan director from the Diocese of Palm Beach, FL, who came to the United States as a refugee through Operation Pedro Pan. If you missed the prayer service, you can watch the recording and hear Elena's story.  

Monthly Prayer Opportunities

During the month of October, we celebrate Respect Life Month. Please join us in praying this Prayer to St. Joseph, Defender of Life.

October 28 - This month's prayer opportunity will be facilitated by Roundtable's board chair, Dcn. Robert Vigil from the Archdiocese of Santa Fe.  Hope to see you there!

Topic: October Prayer Opportunity highlighting the Holy Rosary
Facilitator: Dcn. Robert Vigil, Archdiocese of Santa Fe
When: Thursday, October 28 at 2 PM ET/1 PM CT/12 PM MT/11 AM PT

Join Zoom Meeting
Meeting ID: 864 6876 7997

 
World Refugee Day - SAVE THE DATE - JUNE 20, 2022

October 7, 2021 - Organizers from the Office of Migration and Refugee Services at the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, the Office of Religious Life at Princeton University and Roundtable are hosting monthly planning meetings to prepare for World Refugee Day 2022 taking place on Monday, June 20, 2022. Monthly meetings are scheduled the first Thursday of each month at at 2 PM ET/1 PM CT/12 PM MT/11 AM PT. Please consider joining fellow colleagues as we support one another in our respective planning efforts and share best practices. 

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84262989970?pwd=bjZDVW9lZHRjdUpmMHB3aHA3K1lJZz09
Meeting ID: 842 6298 9970

Ideas to get your creative thoughts flowing:

• National Migration Week 2021
• World Day for Migrants and Refugees, September 26, 2021
• Praying With, For and Among Refugees written by James Martin, SJ and Matthew Weiner.

Additional prayer resources from our colleauges
Bread for the World - Finding Hope, Ending Hunger on Both Sides of the Border

Catholic Relief Services - Lead the Way on Hunger: A Solidarity Prayer Service and Reflection (En español)

Dorothy Day Guild
Charged with forwarding her canonization, the Guild and Roundtable prayed, Hope in Hard Times: A Novena with Dorothy Day from September 16-24. Over the course of its traditional nine days, we “spiritually gathered” (in the words of Pope Francis), invoking Dorothy’s presence and example. On the ninth day, Roundtable members gathered virtually to pray the final reflection and prayer together. Below are the daily reflections, which were shared via email to Roundtable members:

Introduction
Day 1 - Solidarity
Day 2 - Healthcare Workers
Day 3 - Generosity and Those Who Have Lost Work
Day 4 - Essential Workers
Day 5 - The Marginalized
Day 6 - Justice
Day 7 - Faith Communities
Day 8 - Non-violence
Day 9 - Hope and Delight

Council on Mental Illness, National Catholic Partnership on Disability
Mental Health Awareness Month (May) Prayer Service was led by Dr. Chris Miller utilizing the following resources:

• this outine,
• the video, There is Hope, and finally, 
• a prayer through the intercession of St. Dymphna, patroness for those with a mental illness. 

Call or text 202-854-8806 with any questions!

Resources Now Available for the spring webinar series, Together on the Journey

Title:  We Belong To Each Other: Creating Sanctuary in a Time of Exclusion
Presenter:  Bethany J. Welch, PhD, Executive Director, Aquinas Center, Philadelphia
Date:  Wednesday, April 11, 2018
Time: 1 PM EDT / 10 AM PDT

RECORDING AVAILABLE HERE 

In this webinar, Bethany J. Welch, PhD and Executive Director of Aquinas Center in Philadelphia, PA discussed the concept of “sanctuary” as it relates to the topic of immigration. She described the discernment process for congregations who would like to support someone resisting a deportation order, outlined components of a successful sanctuary campaign, and identified several other ways that parishes, dioceses, and communities can create or manifest sanctuary for immigrants, refugees, and asylum seekers.

Title:  Intersection Points as Opportunities for Dialogue
Presenter:  Genevieve Mougey, MDiv, Senior National Associate for Roman Catholic Engagement at Bread for the World
Date:  Tuesday, March 13, 2018
Time: 2 PM EST / 11 AM PST

RECORDING AVAILABLE HERE

Genevieve Mougey, Senior National Associate for Roman Catholic Engagement at Bread for the World discussed how social action ministers can embrace the crossroads in our lives as opportunities to listen, advocate, and dialogue with one another. By embracing these moments, ministry leaders can move beyond tension and learn to advocate for and with those who are vulnerable.

The Roundtable organizes webinar discussions on practical topics of greatest interest to the membership. Recent topics have included Moving the Mission to the Middle of the Church, Using Games to Teach Catholic Social Teaching, What’s at Stake in the Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act.

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Ministry on the Margins Fall 2017 Webinar Series

The Fall 2017 webinar series titled, Ministry on the Margins, seeks to provide diocesan social action directors resources and suggestions on how to address the issues of same-sex attraction, migration, and racism. The majority of social action directors are responsible for one, if not all, of these ministerial areas. All of these issues bring the Church outside of herself to the peripheries of our society, which is what the Gospel and Pope Francis are calling us to do. "We must open ourselves to the peripheries, also acknowledging that, at the margins too, even one who is cast aside and scorned by society is the object of God's generosity," (10/12/14). Please join us for one or all three parts of the series!

Part I of the Ministry on the Margins webinar series
Title: On the Peripheries: Building Bridges with the LGBT Communities
Presenter: Rev. James Martin, S.J.
Date: Tuesday, September 12, 2017
Time: 1 PM EDT/10 AM PDT

Missed Fr. Martin's webinar?  It is now available!  Click HERE for the recording.  
*NOTE: due to technical difficulties, the first ten minutes were not recorded; we apologize for any inconvenience.

Part II of the Ministry on the Margins webinar series
Title: How the Catholic Church Can Heal the Wounds of Racism in Our Communities
Presenters: Sr. Patricia Chappell, SNDdeN, Executive Director of Pax Christi, USA, and Ralph McCloud, Director, Catholic Campagin for Human Development for the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
Date: Tuesday, November 7, 2017
Time: 1 PM EST/10 AM PST 

Missed Sr. Patty and Ralph's webinar?  It is now available!  Click HERE for the recording, slides, prayers, and more!
*NOTE: due to technical difficulties, the voice quality is poor. We apologize for the inconvenience and are working to rectify the issue. 

Part III of the Ministry on the Margins webinar series
Title: How to Effectively Minister to Migrants and Refugees Despite Political Challenges
Presenter: C. Mario Russell, Director of Catholic Charities New York's Immigrant and Refugee Services Division
NEW Date: Tuesday, December 12, 2017
Time: 1 PM EST/ 10 AM PST

Missed Mario's webinar?  It is now available!  Click HERE for the recording, slides, prayers, and more!