Diocese of Davenport Diocese of Davenport

Audio of Bishop Thomas Zinkula 2020 Easter Message for the Diocese of Davenport

Bishop Zinkula reads his "A Letter Regarding Spiritual Communion"

General Session Title: The Joy of the Gospel and the Vocation to Evangelizing Discipleship in a Time of Change
Dr. Hosffman Ospino

Catholicism is a faith tradition grounded in hope and joy. Yes, the hope and joy that come from being in relationship with Jesus Christ. How we live such hope will define the kind of families, communities, and commitments that we want. At a time of changes and transformations, the anxieties of our day demand that we live our Christian discipleship with hope and joy. This presentation is an invitation to renew our first love and the passion for evangelizing discipleship.

"A Good Case of Heartburn" (Practical Examples of Sharing the Faith)
Mike Patin
The danger for many of us when it comes to our faith that it becomes a “me and Jesus” thing. How do we take Pope Francis’ (and Jesus’) challenge to “go out to all the world” with our faith? This session will offer some practical examples of connecting Jesus to real life opportunities we face every day.

Discovering, Naming and Telling Your Faith Story
Andre Lesperance
Personal stories of experiencing the living God have always been among the most compelling and effective means of evangelization. This is true, perhaps more than ever, in today’s world; “People today put more trust in witnesses than in teachers, in experience than in teaching, and in life and action than in theories,” (John Paul II, Redemptoris Missio 42).
In this practical workshop you will discover aspects of your own faith story that are easy to tell in brief, natural ways—and you’ll get some practice doing so! You’ll also reflect upon the opportunities in your daily life to share your stories of faith, and how to draw out the stories of others.
Every baptized believer has a story of faith—an incomplete story that continues to unfold every day. Whether your life has seen dramatic conversions, seasons of slow growth, or confusing twists and turns, someone needs to hear your story of faith.

Reaching Out to Families
Clark McFerren
I propose to wrap the hour snuggly around the Bishop's three themes, but I expect the wrapping will be done with something elastic. I will try to emphasize the practical.

Theme 1: Going (out of the comfort zone; meeting people where they are)
So who are these families? So where are these families? What does reaching out look like? And, oh, why are we reaching out? (Let’s move that to the top of the list, shall we?) Any useful, practical answers to these questions will be much appreciated.
Theme 2: Accompaniment “smelling like sheep” (Yuck! But they tell me ewe get ewesd to it, or maybe I’m just pulling the wool over your eyes.)
Does our house have to be in order? Are you a resource? The parish as a resource? The Catholic school and Religious Ed. as a resource? The diocese as a resource?
Theme 3: Encounter (being the Gospel, which is Jesus Christ, in a winsome, authentic way --I personally find being winsome easier than being handsome, but, ah! 40 years ago…)
Networking? Communicating? How do you get the ever important second look? [You’ll have to tell me that.]