Archdiocesan delegation to attend July leadership event in Orlando

Twenty-two people from the Archdiocese of Omaha will be among about 3,000 from around the country July 1-4 in Orlando, Fla., to discuss the concerns, challenges and opportunities facing the church in the United States today.

Archbishop George J. Lucas will head the archdiocese’s group, including clergy, heads of archdiocesan offices, staff members and parishioners.

Sponsored by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), the event is titled, "Convocation of Catholic Leaders – the Joy of the Gospel in America."

"I look forward to participating in the convocation with our archdiocesan delegation," the archbishop said.

"The program is designed to help us come to a deeper appreciation of what it means to be a missionary disciple of Jesus Christ. I am confident that we will become inspired and better equipped to implement our archdiocesan pastoral vision in our parishes’ apostolates."

Attendees will network and develop strategies to advance the church’s mission to evangelize and spread the "Joy of the Gospel," as inspired by Pope Francis' apostolic exhortation of the same name.

"This is really an unprecedented opportunity," said Jen Moser, coordinator of youth ministry in the Office of Evangelization and Catechesis, one of those who will attend.

"Being present and collaborating with people from around the country who do the same work in the church and have the same goals and perspectives will be an amazing networking opportunity, and hopefully we all can gain knowledge and experiences we can bring back to the archdiocese," she said.

Bishops will give presentations and workshops during plenary and breakout sessions, and lead discussions on forming missionary disciples for the 21st century. The program also will include daily Mass and prayer, and a eucharistic procession and Benediction.

Daily themes will include national unity, landscape and renewal, work and witness, and a spirit of witness.

The convocation is an initiative of the USCCB’s Bishops’ Working Group on the Life and Dignity of the Human Person.