Issue link: http://archden.uberflip.com/i/1443894
Diaconal Ministries Resource Manual 37 Shroud of Turin Ministry M any have testified that as they became familiar with the volume of data con- cerning the Shroud, they were led by God into deeper contemplation and prayer. This experience strengthened their faith and even changed their lives. This is what prompted the founding of The American Conf raternity of the Holy Shroud (ACHS). The mission of the Conf raternity is to develop ways that the Shroud, whether it is "authentic" or an iconic representation of Je- sus' passion and death, may illuminate and strengthen Christian faith. The Shroud may be seen as a witness to a deeper understanding of what occurred in the Easter Tomb of Him whom Christians call Christ. The deacons give a presentation along with answering questions for about two hours. An of- fering is suggested and given to the American Confraternity of the Holy Shroud in Colorado Springs. Legislative Network Program T he U.S. Catholic bishops remind Catholics about the call to participate in political life. "In the Catholic tradition," they write, "respon- sible citizenship is a virtue, and participation in political life is a moral obligation" (no. 1.) This ministry provides educational presentations on critical subjects in the political life of Cath- olics, including religious f reedom and mar- riage. The offerings on religious liberty discuss challenges to this fundamental right currently being asserted, and things Catholics can do to help preserve this basic American value which is so essential to living our faith and spread- ing the gospel. The team can also provide a presentation, grounded in the Theology of the Body as well as medical science, helping Catholics understand and articulate why true marriage is limited to one man and one wom- an. With its use of established facts regarding male and female physiology, this presentation also provides compelling information support- ing Church teaching regarding sexuality and gender. i Deacon Tom Piccone tmpiccone@msn.com Deacon Tim McCann timmccannjr@hotmail.com i Deacon Alan Rastrelli intensivecaringdeacondoc@outlook.com Mission Apostolate to Vietnam T he Father Kieu Charity is the continuous charity work of the late Father Khuat Dang Tich, the founder, in Binh Gia village of Chau Duc county, 100 miles southeast of Saigon City, Vietnam, since 2000. The charity focuses on helping the poor. The volunteer group of 25 people in Vietnam have been in action since 2004. They assist with four projects: The Heart to Heart Housing Project (Nhà Nhân Ái) which has assisted 30 families with housing, four orphanages, a nursing home and the Aborted Fetus Coffins Project. The deacon and his family help raise money in the U.S. to support the projects through the charity based in Pennsylvania. They are members of the Board of Directors and travel to Vietnam every 3-5 years to check on the projects and the volunteers. i Deacon Peter Dang peterhpdang@yahoo.com