Congress XXXI Congreso

Welcome to our Diocesan Congress!

We are excited to host this wonderful event here at the Visalia Convention Center. With the great presenters and exhibitors, and through the help of our generous volunteers and sponsors, we pray this will be a great day for all of you! As we gather to pray, learn, and build community, we wish for each of you a blessed day!

The Office of Formation and Evangelization Staff

 

Youth Day

Sunday, October 13

Check-In Starts at 9:00

Event Time: 10 am – 5:30 pm

Visalia Convention Center

Youth Day has taken place around the diocese the last two years and now returns to the Visalia Convention Center. There have been a few other changes that have taken place in recent years. This exciting day has changed from a Conference to a Rally format. We have also added Eucharistic Adoration. There will be 10+ vendors for youth and their chaperones to purchase cool swag including our official Youth Day T-Shirt.

Our speakers include Doug Tooke from ODB Ministries, Brenda Noriega from the Diocese of San Bernardino, and Sister Pia St. Romain of Sisters of the Sick Poor. Music will be provided by a collaboration of youth and adult musicians and singers from the diocese’s annual Music Camp held at Santa Teresita Youth Conference Center.



Blessing of the Diocesan Certified Catechist

On Saturday morning, our Bishop Joseph Brennan joins us to celebrate Mass. We continue to honor all who have current certifications as Catechists or Master Catechists with a special blessing. Come and let us celebrate all the wonderful work you do!

Welcome From Our Bishop

Most Reverend Joseph V. Brennan, D.D.

Bishop, Diocese of Fresno

My Dear Ones in Christ,

There is a wonderful story about the famous artist, Michelangelo. It seems that one day as he was putting the finishing touches on a huge and beautiful statue of a horse, a little boy wandered into his studio and was absolutely astonished. Wide-eyed and breathless, he asked Michelangelo, “How did you know there was a horse inside that ‘rock’?” “Well,” Michelangelo replied, “I took my chisel in one hand and my hammer in the other and, little by little, I began to chip away at everything that was not a horse and, here it is!”

My brothers and sisters, I think that the story above is a good symbol of how God works with us, how we are transformed one chip at a time by His love and grace. Every day and throughout a whole lifetime He ‘chips away’ at everything that is not ‘Him’ in our life, that is, everything that is not true, beautiful or good. Hopefully by the end of our time on earth, the ‘final product’ is this wonderful, beautiful, incredible image of who and how God is. The theme for our Diocesan Congress this year, then, is just right: Renew, Believe, Proclaim. I like the language. It allows God a lot of ‘room’ to ‘work’ on us!

May this Congress fill your hearts and minds with new ideas and inspiration. May the transformative power of God’s love renew all of us in the best possible way.

God bless you, always and all ways!

In Christ,