Office of Pastoral Care and Life Initiatives

Catholic Pastoral Centre
8421 - 101 Avenue
Edmonton, AB T6A 0L1
Phone 780-469-1010 ext. 2249 Fax 780-465-3003
Email: pastoralcareandlife@caedm.ca

Associate Director: John MacDonald

Administrative Assistant: Gloria Pigat
Phone:780-469-1010 ext. 2247 Email: gpigat@caedm.ca

Mission

The mission of the Pastoral Care and Life Initiatives Office is to enhance and enrich family life by supporting parishes in their ministry to families within the Archdiocese. We are here as a resource to support, nurture, encourage and serve family life in all its diversity primarily through parishes but also at an archdiocesan level. We offer programs, referrals and information that are focused on families living healthy, joy filled and meaningful lives.

Upcoming Events

Pastoral Care Visitor Training
Fall/Winter 2010-2011

Develop your skills as a Pastoral Care Volunteer! The Pastoral Care Visitor Training Program, previously offered by the Pastoral Care and Life Initiatives Office, is now being organized and delivered by the Alberta Pastoral Care Association (APCA) in which the Catholic Archdiocese of Edmonton is an active participant. The training will be offered three times during the Fall/Winter of 2010-2011. Click here for full details.

Bringing Communion to the Sick Workshops
Fall/Winter 2010-2011

Develop and/or enhance your skills and understanding in bringing the Holy Eucharist to the sick, the shut-in, and the elderly in healthcare facilities or at home! This free, formational, workshop for Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion, will be offered three times during the Fall/Winter of 2010-2011. Click here for full details.

Services

The following is a partial list of the services we either provide or connect to through referrals:

New Resources

Resources The Office of Pastoral Care and Life Initiatives has a number of recent additions to its resource and lending library. Books, CDs and DVDs are available on pro-life issues such as bioethics, pornography, abortion and euthanasia and on pastoral care concerns such as bereavement, suffering and same-sex attraction. Please call the office to have a look at the materials and/or arrange to borrow them. Click here for a list of new resources.

Family Life Programs

Grief: A Healing Journey - healing from the loss of a loved one.
Courage - a confidential Christian support ministry for men and women struggling with same-sex-attraction. If you are struggling with your sexual identity and would like to talk to someone, in safety and confidentiality, to see if Courage might help you in your struggle, then give us a call. In addition to safety, the ministry also offers acceptance, understanding, support, spiritual direction, sincere friendship and a Christian alternative to the usual same-sex lifestyle. For more information please phone John in complete confidence (NO call display) at 780-469-1010 ext. 249 or email: courage@caedm.ca and check the international website at www.CourageRC.net
Encourage - a confidential Christian support ministry for the friends and loved ones of men and women struggling with same-sex-attraction. This ministry, through prayer and dialogue, works at understanding the same-sex-attraction issue and at coming to peace with its impact on their lives. The Encourage ministry, in addition to confidentiality and safety, offers understanding, education, support and friendship as people find new ways to love and accept the person caught up in a same-sex lifestyle. If you think the Encourage ministry might help, please call, in confidence (NO call display), John at 780-469-1010 ext.249 and/or check the international website at www.CourageRC.net .

Health and Pastoral Ministries

Pastoral Care Visitor Certificate Program - Watch this space for details of upcoming training workshops.
Parish Nursing Initiative and Promotion
Promotion of parish chapters (by St. Vincent de Paul).
Grief and Bereavement Certificate Program - Watch this space for details of upcoming training workshops.

Catholic Life Issues

Choose Life Workshop.
Project Rachel and Rachel’s Vineyard - healing the wound of abortion (Edmonton 424-4538) (Lloydminster 871-3584) www.rachelsvineyard.com
Education and awareness initiatives on the sanctity of Human Life Issues
Human Life Matters - ecumenical advocacy for disabled and life issues

Annual Special Celebrations

Annual Sanctity of Human Life Celebration Sunday (first Sunday in October).
Annual Celebration of Life Mass, December 12, the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe.
Annual celebration of World Day of the Sick, celebrated on February 11, the Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes.