Deanery Gatherings: why YOU should be there!

Deanery Gatherings - part of the Year of Faith Engaged! Sharing Christ's Message since 1559 - are shaping up to be the biggest "church picnics" in the history of the diocese. You remember - hot dogs, snow cones, games and activities, dancing and music, fun, family and friends. Couple all that with a chance to spend the day with Bishop Ricard, celebrating Mass with our faith family, and you've got the Deanery Gatherings. In a diocese as far-flung as ours, these gatherings are a unique opportunity to come together with our Catholic brothers and sisters to celebrate the heritage entrusted to us by those who have gone before us in northwest Florida and the Big Bend.

Okay - but what exactly is a deanery? It's a grouping of Catholic parishes by geographic region. In our diocese, there are five deaneries. The East Central includes all the parishes in Bay, Calhoun, Franklin, Gadsden, Gulf, Jackson, Liberty and Washington counties. The West Central Deanery includes all of Okaloosa, Walton and Holmes counties. The Northwest and Southwest deaneries span Escambia and Santa Rosa counties, and the Eastern Deanery includes Leon, Jefferson, Madison, Taylor and Wakulla counties. If you attend a parish in any of these counties, YOU'RE INVITED! And... it's all FREE! Donations of funds or items for charity will be accepted at all the gatherings. Check the website at www.faithengaged.org for the details.

There are four Deanery Gatherings planned: April 25 (East Central) at St. Dominic in Panama City, May 16 (West Central) at St. Mary in Fort Walton Beach, May 30 (Northwest and Southwest) at Pensacola Catholic High School in Pensacola and June 6 (Eastern) at John Paul II Catholic High School in Tallahassee.

Hope to see you there - if you've got questions, e-mail faithengaged@ptdiocese.org.