Catholic Social Ministry Gathering

Faithful Citizenship:  Protecting Human Life and Dignity, Promoting the Common Good

February 12-15, 2012 – Washington D.C.

On behalf of our 14 national Catholic partner organizations, we invite you to join us in Washington, D.C. for the annual Catholic Social Ministry Gathering, this upcoming February 12-15, 2012 at the Washington Marriott Wardman Park.

What’s new this year?

•    Register online Today!  Registration cost is $395.  **In an effort to streamline the registration process, we are only accepting registrations via our online system. 

•    The meeting will be held at the Washington Marriott Wardman Park, a new location.  Book your hotel reservation here or call 1-800-228-9290 and use the discounted group code-CCBCCBA before January     19, 2012 to receive the discounted room rate.

•    You will receive a pre-paid Metro card to get you to and from Capitol Hill on Tuesday, February 14, 2012.

•    LIKE the CSMG Facebook Page to keep up with regular CSMG updates; also, for those wishing to follow the conversation on Twitter, the meeting will be Live Tweeted at http://twitter.com/USCCBLive, using the hashtag #CSMG.   Check out our social media page!

This is an excellent opportunity to Connect – Learn – Pray – Advocate!   Exciting plenary presentations, briefings, workshops, and strategy sessions will address current topics essential to our various ministries, and better prepare you and your colleagues for challenges ahead.

Connect in person with social ministry colleagues from across the United States–an opportunity to share best practices, plan for emerging needs, and identify areas for more effective cooperation.  Expand these opportunities by joining the Gathering’s virtual community on Facebook and Twitter.

Learn about the larger picture of Catholic social ministry, and pressing current domestic and global challenges relating to human life and dignity, and justice and peace.  Inform others with the experience and perspective of your own diocese, organization, or faith community.   

Pray together to renew our spirit and vision for mission.  Wonderful liturgies will mark our gathering on Sunday afternoon and our sending forth on Wednesday morning.  Opportunities for daily Mass each morning will make this a time of spiritual as well professional enrichment.

Advocate for policies that will protect and support people suffering poverty and injustice.  In this defining experience of the Gathering, the renewed purpose of our meetings and our prayer flows directly to Capitol Hill, where as one faith community we bring to our legislators our concerns and proposals about policies affecting the most vulnerable among us, both locally and globally.

 Plenary presentations by: 

•    Mr. John Carr, Executive Director, Justice, Peace and Human Development, USCCB 

•    Dr. Carolyn Woo, President and CEO, Catholic Relief Services

•    Dr. Arturo Chávez,  President, Mexican American Catholic College

•    Mr. David Brooks and Mr. Mark Shields, Political Analysts, PBS NewsHour

We are looking forward to seeing you!

The Planning Committee