Hey folks,
Just wanted to let all of you know what is going on down at the Chancery. This morning, the Diocese of Birmingham, through its senior leadership - Bishop Steven Raica, Moderator of the Curia Very Rev. Kevin Bazzel, and Vicar General Fr. Bob Sullivan - has essentially disbanded the following ministry offices:
Evangelization
Pro-Life
Family Life
Youth Ministry
Campus Ministry
Young Adult Ministry
Religious Education
Lay Ministry
Prison Ministry
Discipleship and Ministry
Sacred Music
All the folks in those offices, plus the Youth Protection Office, were given their 2-week notices this morning.
Even though the diocese appears to be giving up on evangelization, I want all of you to know that I am not. I will continue to do what I've been doing the last 25 years throughout the diocese - even before I became the Director of Evangelization - evangelize. Only now, it will be exclusively through the non-profit I run - the Bible Christian Society - which has, essentially, acted as a sort of parallel Office of Evangelization for the last 15 years.
It was through the Bible Christian Society that we did all those Catholic billboards and TV commercials and newspaper ads (back when folks read the newspaper) in both Birmingham and Huntsville. It was through the Bible Christian Society that we brought Catholic radio to the diocese. And also all of those luncheons in both cities, as well as a number of other evangelization activities.
Anyway, for now, I just wanted to, again, let everyone know what is happening at the diocese, and I'll be back in touch in the not-too-distant future to keep you up on the evangelization activities of the Bible Christian Society, should you wish to participate in them or, at the least, pray for their success.
In Christ,
John S. Martignoni
john@biblechristiansociety.com