DATE: March 8, 2000

                                                                               NEWS RELEASE
                                                                              FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
                                                                             For More Information, Contact:
                                                                             Bud Bunce (503) 233-8373

FIRST EIGHT PARISHES HAVE SIGNED UP FOR DISCIPLES IN MISSION

        The first parish to sign up to participate in the Disciples in Mission process in the Archdiocese of Portland was St. Joseph Parish, Salem. St. Joseph parish made the decision to participate after the pastor, Father Carl Gimpl, and other parish leaders first learned of the importance of evangelization for the parish and were introduced to the Disciples in Mission process. The parish signed up to participate in Disciples in Mission more than a month before most other parishes would begin making their decision. St. Joseph Parish in Salem is the largest parish in the Archdiocese of Portland with nearly 2500 households. Fr. Gimpl has appointed Kimberly Allain to serve as the St. Joseph parish coordinator.

        Seven other parishes also have committed early to the Disciples in Mission process: Star of the Sea in Brookings, St. Peter, Immaculate Heart and St. Stephen parishes and the Southeast Asian Vicariate, all in Portland, St. Edward parish in Keizer, and St. Monica in Coos Bay. Father Edmund Ryan, OP, Pastor at Star of the Sea in Brookings has appointed Dandi Kenoyer to serve as the parish coordinator, Father Dale Waddill has appointed Brendan Mallon as coordinator for St. Peter parish,  Carolyn Banks and Mary Helen Motter have been appointed parish coordinators for St. Stephen parish by Father Morton Park, and Father Nicolaus Marandu at Immaculate Heart parish has appointed William Park as coordinator.  Father Michael Hemming, pastor at St. Edward parish in Keizer has appointed Richard and Teresa Walsh as parish coordinators, Father Vincent Minh, CSsR, Episcopal Vicar, has asked An Thanh Vu to serve as coordinator for the Southeast Asian Vicariate, and Rick Edgar has been appointed parish coordinator by Father Terry O'Connell at St. Monica parish in Coos Bay.

        The Disciples in Mission Archdiocesan Leadership Team will hold a series of Information and Orientation sessions for parishes on the Disciples in Mission process. The sessions will provide information on the importance of evangelization in the life of the parish, explain how the Disciples in Mission process can re-energize a parish and help it put evangelization at the heart of the parish's mission. The sessions will help pastors and members of key parish leadership groups: administrative council, pastoral council,
stewardship committee, parish staff, school advisory board, evangelization committee and other interested parishioners learn about this five year process that the Archdiocese of Portland has embarked upon.

        The Information and Orientation sessions are scheduled in various regions of the Archdiocese on:
 
 
Tuesday March 28 St. Cecilia, Beaverton 7:30 - 9:30 p.m.
Wednesday March 29 The Madeleine, Portland 7:30 - 9:30 p.m.
Thursday March 30 Holy Family, Portland 7:30 - 9:30 p.m.
Saturday April 1 Sacred Heart, Medford 1:00 - 3:00 p.m. 
Sunday April 2  St. Monica, Coos Bay 2:00 - 4:00 p.m.
Tuesday April 4 Queen of Peace, Salem 7:30 - 9:30 p.m.
Thursday April 6 Our Lady of the Lake, Lake Oswego 7:30 - 9:30 p.m.
Tuesday April 11 St. Mary, Albany 7:30 - 9:30 p.m.
Wednesday April 12  St. Paul, Eugene 7:30 - 9:30 p.m.
Thursday April 13 Sacred Heart, Tillamook  7:30 - 9:30 p.m.

        Parishes planning to participate in the Disciples in Mission process need to sign acommitment form and appoint the Parish Leadership Team Coordinator by June 1, 2000.  The Archdiocesan Leadership Team will then begin training the Parish Coordinators and the Parish Leadership Teams. Parishes will begin the small sharing groups in Lent of the year 2001.

        For more information on the Parish Information and Orientation meetings, contact the Archdiocesan Disciples in Mission Coordinator, Kathie Wieck, 503-233-8389, or by email to kwieck@archdpdx.org. Information about Disciples in Mission is available on the web page for the Archdiocese of Portland: www.archdpdx.org.
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