What’s New

As we celebrate the 31st Annual Diocesan Congress, here are some new additions to our regular event.

Join us on Social Media!

Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter to get up-to-the minute news on our Diocesan Congress! Updates will be published regularly, and during Congress announcements and pictures will be posted throughout each day!

Diocese of Fresno Office of Formation and Evangelization
#dofcongress19 #dofcongreso19

Everyone who registers will automatically receive our weekly Congress update, via Flocknote. To sign up for this before you register, please email [email protected]

Youth Day

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 dayhas changed from a Conference to a Rally format. We have also added Eucharistic Adoration. There woll 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 Bernadino, 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.

Sunday, October 13

Check-In Starts at 9:00

Event Time: 10 am – 5:30 pm

Visalia Convention Center

Registration Fee: $25 per person

Sue Sa’s Creative Catering Lunch for Pre-Purchase Only: $10.50

Sponsors

Gold Sponsors

Sterling & Smith Funeral Home

Right to Life of Central California

Chapel of the Light

Gold 2019-2020 Bishop’s Annual Appeal

Silver Sponsor

Sadlier Religion

Spiritual Sponsor

Norbertine Canonesses of the Bethlehem Priory of St Joseph

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,