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Office of the Archbishop
1. Additional Clergy Appointments
There have been some additional clergy appointments, please click here to view them.
Vicar General - Rev. Msgr. Thomas Toale
1. Archdiocesan Directory Photos
If you are a priest, deacon, or parish life coordinator of the Archdiocese who has an updated photo and you wish to update for the next directory, please send electronic photos to DBQCABSEC@dbqarch.org or paper photos to Sarah Otting's attention at 1229 Mount Loretta Avenue, Dubuque, IA 52003.
If you are a priest, deacon, or parish life coordinator of the Archdiocese who has an updated photo and you wish to update for the next directory, please send electronic photos to DBQCABSEC@dbqarch.org or paper photos to Sarah Otting's attention at 1229 Mount Loretta Avenue, Dubuque, IA 52003.
We would ask that if you wish to update your photo that you have it to Sarah no later than June 6, 2025.
Catholic Charities - Tracy Morrison
1. Immigration Legal Updates
With the high-frequency of immigration policy changes, many people find it difficult to stay informed on the complexities and impacts of the United States immigration system. We encourage you to visit CatholicCharitiesDubuque.org/immigration-updates for a collection of updates from trusted sources including the Catholic Legal Immigration Network (CLINIC), United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), and Iowa Migrant Movement for Justice (Iowa MMJ). This website also offers specific updates and printable info sheets on time-sensitive immigration topics.
With the high-frequency of immigration policy changes, many people find it difficult to stay informed on the complexities and impacts of the United States immigration system. We encourage you to visit CatholicCharitiesDubuque.org/immigration-updates for a collection of updates from trusted sources including the Catholic Legal Immigration Network (CLINIC), United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), and Iowa Migrant Movement for Justice (Iowa MMJ). This website also offers specific updates and printable info sheets on time-sensitive immigration topics.
Our Immigration Legal Services program offers legal advice and representation in the following areas of FAMILY-BASED immigration law: Adjustment of Status (Green Card) | Asylum | Citizenship | Consular Processing | Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) | Employment Authorization | Family Reunification | Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) | Removal defense (limited) | Special Immigrant Juvenile | Temporary Protected Status | U ‘crime victim’ visa and T ‘trafficking’ visa | Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) self-petitions
For more information, please call 319.364.7121 or visit CatholicCharitiesDubuque.org/immigration-legal-services
Evangelization and Discipleship
1. Fall Faith Formation Leader Gathering - Save the Date!
Our Annual Fall Faith Formation Leader gathering will be held on Wednesday, August 13 from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM at St. Mary, Waverly. Please mark your calendar. This is a great day to gather with others in the field of faith formation, learn, grow, and pray together. The day will include Mass with Archbishop Zinkula. More details will be coming soon.
Our Annual Fall Faith Formation Leader gathering will be held on Wednesday, August 13 from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM at St. Mary, Waverly. Please mark your calendar. This is a great day to gather with others in the field of faith formation, learn, grow, and pray together. The day will include Mass with Archbishop Zinkula. More details will be coming soon.
2. Iowa’s Fetal Heartbeat Law
Concerns have been expressed in news stories that laws restricting abortion can limit care for women experiencing a miscarriage. In Iowa’s Fetal Heartbeat Law and Catholic Health Care Ethics, the archdiocesan Medical-Moral Commission sets out the stipulations of this Iowa law, clarifies what is and is not allowable legally for interventions on a pregnancy, and compares this with Catholic health care ethics. This commentary is available at https://dbqarch.org/fetal-heartbeat-law.
3. Reproductive Technology of In Vitro Fertilization (IVF)
IVF has been put in the spotlight by a presidential executive order which “directs policy recommendations to protect IVF access and aggressively reduce out-of-pocket and health plan costs for such treatments” (https://www.whitehouse.gov/fact-sheets/2025/02/fact-sheet-president-donald-j-trump-expands-access-to-in-vitro-fertilization-ivf). For an extended discussion of Church teaching on IVF, see the Medical-Moral Commission’s Handbook of Catholic Health Care Ethics for Pastoral Ministry, Part I.2 available at https://dbqarch.org/handbook-for-pastoral-ministry. The USCCB has available A Catholic Primer on In Vitro Fertilization in English and Spanish (https://www.usccb.org/resources/catholic-primer-vitro-fertilization) as well as a Parish Leader Kit: IVF & Other Assisted Reproductive Technologies in English and Spanish (https://www.usccb.org/resources/parish-leaders-kit-ivf-other-assisted-reproductive-technologies).
4. Framework for the Marriage Catechumenate
Pope Francis has called for the Church to embrace a marriage preparation model based on the baptismal catechumenate (the OCIA). In 2022, the Vatican released Catechumenal Pathways for Married Life, which provides guidance for local churches to use to embrace a marriage catechumenate. In order to aid parish leaders in implementing the marriage catechumenate model, the Marriage Formation Office (with the collaboration of many others) has developed a new Framework for the Marriage Catechumenate, which has been approved by Archbishop Zinkula. This document is a development of the Standards for Marriage Preparation and Formation document first released in 2020 and replaces it. To access the document (along with a recording of a presentation overviewing it) visit: www.dbqarch.org/marriage-catechumenate. For questions, assistance, or to request print copies, please contact Matt Selby.
Pope Francis has called for the Church to embrace a marriage preparation model based on the baptismal catechumenate (the OCIA). In 2022, the Vatican released Catechumenal Pathways for Married Life, which provides guidance for local churches to use to embrace a marriage catechumenate. In order to aid parish leaders in implementing the marriage catechumenate model, the Marriage Formation Office (with the collaboration of many others) has developed a new Framework for the Marriage Catechumenate, which has been approved by Archbishop Zinkula. This document is a development of the Standards for Marriage Preparation and Formation document first released in 2020 and replaces it. To access the document (along with a recording of a presentation overviewing it) visit: www.dbqarch.org/marriage-catechumenate. For questions, assistance, or to request print copies, please contact Matt Selby.
Please share the following in your parish communications. To request promotional materials, please contact Lynne Chapman.
5. 2025-2027 IMPACT Program for Catholic Adults
IMPACT is a two-year formation program for Catholic adults, which is coordinated by the Archdiocese of Dubuque. The next offering of the IMPACT program will be held at St. Mary Catholic Church in Vinton, starting in September of 2025. IMPACT provides the opportunity to grow in your faith by attending monthly sessions with dynamic presenters, engaging in discussions with other participants, reading spiritual books, and receiving guidance from a spiritual mentor. Through study, prayer, reflection, and conversation, participants are challenged to respond more fully to Jesus’ call to mission—to IMPACT our world! To learn more and apply, visit www.dbqarch.org/impact.
6. Promo Materials for Eucharistic Pilgrimage Materials are available!
Please promote the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage May 23-27, 2025, to celebrate the beauty of our faith, our Church, and its people. We strongly encourage you to include it in your bulletins, on your website, and on social media as often as possible!
To help you with this promotion, here is a Shared Google Folder - NEP- Marketing Materials - that contains logos for bulletins or websites and an 8.5” x 11” flyer you can download and print for use as an insert or on your bulletin boards. This Shared Folder will be updated, so check back frequently.
If your parishioners have questions about the Archdiocesan itinerary, please direct them to dbqarch.org/eucharistic-pilgrimage, or if they’d like to know more about the National Route and an overview of details, visit eucharisticpilgrimage.org.
7. CRS Rice Bowl funds
If your parish has been participating in the CRS Rice Bowl initiative, here is a reminder to collect the funds after Lent. You can do this in several ways, such as having parishioners drop off their Rice Bowl in a designated location, putting their funds in a clearly marked envelope and dropping them in the collection basket, or even dropping them off at your parish office.
Once those funds are received, they should be sent to the Archdiocesan Finance Office through Who’s Where.
Please remember that 25% of all funds collected will be directed to local hunger-related activities, while the remainder goes to CRS to support hunger relief efforts internationally. If you have any questions, please contact Deacon Brian Zeman at b.zeman@dbqarch.org
Human Resources - Michelle McDonald
1. Employment Opportunities
Go to DBQArch.org/jobs for more details on openings listed below and application instructions.
Parish Positions:
- Coordinator of Music/Liturgy - St. Pius, Cedar Rapids, IA
- Parish Secretary - St. Patrick, Cedar Falls, IA
School Positions:
- Administrator - LaSalle Catholic School, Holy Cross, IA
Pastoral Center:
- Catholic Charities Mental Health Therapist - Dubuque, IA
- Catholic Charities Service Coordinator - Dubuque, IA
- Worship Director - Dubuque, IA
Pastoral Planning & Leadership Development - Kim Hermsen & Deacon Keith McCarraher
1. Pastoral Councils, Cluster Councils & Finance Councils
Cultivating strong candidates for pastoral, cluster and finance councils is very important.
Parish elections should be held on or before the third Sunday in May. This is a good time for current leadership to review a few reminders around membership and discuss characteristics of new members that would be beneficial to the parish/cluster.
Resources include:
Stewardship Development - Jeff Schneider
1. Spring Our Call to Share – Bulletin Announcements
As you know, during the weekend of May 3-4th the Archdiocese of Dubuque will be conducting our spring Our Call to Share collection.
As you know, during the weekend of May 3-4th the Archdiocese of Dubuque will be conducting our spring Our Call to Share collection.
At the Google Drive link below, you’ll find English and Spanish versions of two bulletin announcements for the collection. One for the weekend of April 26-27th, and one for the weekend of May 3-4th (collection weekend).
Please contact Jeff Schneider at jeff.schneider@dbqarch.org with any questions about Our Call to Share, or any other stewardship or fundraising needs your parish might have.
I hope you all have a blessed holy week and Easter!
Vocations - Rev. Mark Murphy
1. World Day of Prayer for Vocations is Sunday, May 11, 2025
Pope Francis has released his message for the 62nd World Day of Prayer for Vocations - https://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/messages/vocations/documents/20250319-messaggio-62-gm-vocazioni.html
Resources are available for the World Day of Prayer for Vocations here - https://worlddayofprayerforvocations.com
2. Other Religious Life Discernment Opportunities are available at dbqarch.org/religious-life
Related Organizations
Archdiocesan Council of Catholic Women (ACCW)
Please include the following announcement in your parish communications:
1. Celebrate Archdiocese Council of Catholic Women's (ACCW) Membership Weekend April 26-27
All women and all local women's groups in the Archdiocese of Dubuque are members of ACCW, although their level of involvement may vary. In addition to supporting your local council or your parish's contribution to ACCW, please consider taking this opportunity to join in the important work of ACCW by becoming a sustaining member. Your annual sustaining membership fee of just $10 allows you to:
- contribute to the support of and prayers for clergy and religious vocations in our Archdiocese
- be a part of a community of Catholic sisterhood
- support the Archdiocesan Women's Conference
- receive timely information including the ACCW newsletter, "The Link" delivered directly to your inbox as well as a special invite to attend the Annual ACCW Meeting
- and much more!
Go to: https://dbqarch.org/council-of-catholic-women to become a sustaining member today!
CFAD - Michele Brock
1. Reminder: CFAD Fundholder Portal Software Changes
CFAD is nearing a software change that will affect how those who have funds with us access CFAD fund statements, learn of eligible distributions and more. The new portal will have many enhancements compared with what is available now. Two of those enhancements include:
- Selection of your organization’s distributions online vs. via paper
- No more deadline for deciding distributions by early June at the end of the fiscal year for the next year. Authorized representatives will be able to log in and select distributions any time from July 1-Apr 15 of the current fiscal year.
Because of the timing of this change this year, fundholders will not receive notification of the next fiscal year’s eligible distribution until mid-May (versus early May). We apologize for any issues that may cause this year only.
We will email a user manual and login credentials to fundholders in early May. Please watch for those. To ensure a smooth transition as possible, we will offer virtual user training sessions in May and encourage fundholders to register for one of these to learn how to use the software. Sessions are scheduled for an hour to allow for any questions but likely will be briefer. It may be helpful for the authorized representative and the main user (if different) to attend together.
May 20, 2025, 9:30-10:30 a.m. OR May 22, 2025, 1:30-2:30 p.m.
Click here to register.
We understand that change can be challenging, but we are committed to supporting you throughout this process. Your participation in these training sessions will ensure a seamless transition and empower you to make the most of the enhanced portal. We look forward to better serving fundholders through these enhancements.
2. St. Katharine Drexel Grant Application Open
The St. Katharine Drexel Discretionary Grant is open for applications starting today until July 15th!
Grant Examples Include:
- New social justice programs serving your community
- Introducing a new evangelization effort
- Starting an initiative that focuses on a particular Work of Mercy
You can find applications at OurCFAD.org/DrexelGrant. We are launching new software for the application process! If you have any questions accessing the application, please contact Michael Becker at m.becker@OurCFAD.org or at 319-200-4657.
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