Mary and Joseph Guild embodies the fruitful love of the Holy Family

 
During a special Mass and reception held on April 30th at St. James Cathedral, Bishop John Noonan formally recognized over 300 of Christ's faithful as members of the Mary and Joseph Guild. Named in honor of our Lord's earthly parents, this distinctive recognition society celebrates those families who have generously given to the Alive in Christ Campaign at the level of $10,000 or more.

"The Mass and the Bishop's words were uplifting to us," said Kitty Martinez, a parishioner at St. James Cathedral. "It was encouraging to see the number of people who are helping our Church to have the facilities and programs that we need to grow our faith."

As a reminder of the lasting fruits of generosity, members of the Mary and Joseph Guild were presented with a prayer card and lapel pin modeled after a stained glass image of the Holy Family. Specially designed for the Diocese of Orlando as part of the historic restoration of our Mother Church, the image adorns the lower nave of the St. James Cathedral and is one of a series of hand-crafted stained glass windows that illuminate all 20 Mysteries of the Rosary.

Oviedo parish has a spiritual home after six years of meeting in public school cafeteria

 
Completing a journey six years in the making, more than a thousand parishioners from Most Precious Blood Parish in Oviedo gathered on April 15 for Mass at Lawton Chiles Middle School before walking 2.5 miles to the parish life center that now serves as their new spiritual home.

"Thanks to the generosity and stewardship generated by the Alive in Christ Campaign, we celebrated the holy triduum in our new home -- a beautiful parish life center nestled in the beauty of 60 wooded acres here in Oviedo," said Lisa Saturno, head of the communications commission for Most Precious Blood.

Read more at The Florida Catholic

Annunciation parishioners build up the Kingdom of God while helping San Jose Mission

At a groundbreaking event in March at the San Jose Mission in rural Volusia County, nearly 500 people witnessed what the contributions of time, talent and treasure can accomplish through the Alive in Christ Campaign.

The parishioners of the San Jose Mission have been raising money for larger facilities through taco sales after Mass, but it took Annunciation's contribution of more than $900,000 to initiate the project. "With the help of Alive in Christ funds from Annunciation we have enough to make a simple building. Otherwise it would have taken us another 25 years," said Father Raul Valdez, the parochial vicar at St. Peter Catholic Church, who celebrates the Masses at San Jose Mission.

Read more at The Florida Catholic

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