May News from the Archdiocese of Dubuque Pastoral Center
Welcome to the new official newsletter of the Archdiocese of Dubuque. Through this newsletter, you'll receive regular updates on important news from around the Archdiocese, messages from Archbishop Zinkula, and information about upcoming events. May this newsletter be a source of encouragement, inspiration, and unity as we grow together in Christ.
Dear Parish Families,
I am excited to share with you Archdiocesan-wide insights and information
that will be important to your family’s faith life and helpful in your work with
our parishes. It’s important that you hear first hand what we are doing as an
archdiocese to journey in faith together.
A sincere thank you to those who participated in the Disciple Maker Index
(DMI) survey. More than 22,000 people from across the archdiocese who
attend Mass responded—offering us one of the clearest and most
comprehensive views we've ever had of the spiritual heartbeat of our parish
communities. Your pastors have already received the results for individual
parishes, and I wanted to share with you the highlights from an archdiocesan
perspective. Here’s some of what we heard:
- 91% believe in the Real Presence in the Eucharist
- 90% trust in Scripture
- 84% say the Church is essential to their relationship with God
- 88% attend Mass weekly
- 84% pray individually each week
These are tremendous affirmations of our people’s faith and devotion. We are
a people of belief and prayer. We treasure the Eucharist. We value Scripture.
And we deeply love our parishes. For that, I am truly grateful.
a people of belief and prayer. We treasure the Eucharist. We value Scripture.
And we deeply love our parishes. For that, I am truly grateful.
At the same time, the survey also shined light on areas in which we must
grow:
- Forming disciples more intentionally
- Equipping both lay and ordained leaders
- Reaching beyond ourselves to invite others into our communities
These are more than statistics—they are signposts from the Holy Spirit,
pointing us toward our path of renewal. The members of our Envisioning
Team, a representative group of ordained and lay people from around the
archdiocese, have reviewed these results and are finalizing our mission, vision,
and priorities to help us journey in faith together and create a vibrant local
Church for generations to come.
pointing us toward our path of renewal. The members of our Envisioning
Team, a representative group of ordained and lay people from around the
archdiocese, have reviewed these results and are finalizing our mission, vision,
and priorities to help us journey in faith together and create a vibrant local
Church for generations to come.
Please know of my gratitude to you for sharing your gifts with our Catholic
Church.
Sincerely yours in Christ,
Archbishop Zinkula
The Archdiocese of Dubuque is honored to host the longest portion of a rare cross-country pilgrimage coming to Iowa this Memorial Day weekend. Deacon Brian Zeman, who is helping coordinate the archdiocese’s portion of the national effort, said he believes the pilgrimage will offer a unique opportunity for local Catholics to celebrate their faith and draw closer to Jesus in the Eucharist. “There has never been anything like this before in our archdiocese,” Deacon Zeman said, “and it is likely there never will be again.”
The Archdiocese of Dubuque will be celebrating the Ordination of Deacon Hùng Văn Lê to the Priesthood on May 24, in the newly renovated Cathedral of St. Raphael in Dubuque.
Deacon Hùng was born and raised in a devout Catholic family in northern Vietnam. After earning a bachelor’s degree in religious studies in Ho Chi Minh City, he worked for a year before returning to his hometown. There, he spent four years assisting his pastor, which helped him become familiar with the Church’s work and discern his vocation to the priesthood. In 2018, he came to the U.S. to enter priesthood formation. He spent three years in Dubuque learning English and studying Philosophy before going on to study Theology at Mundelein Seminary in Chicago, Illinois.
On Tuesday, May 6, Archbishop Zinkula and the staff of the Archdiocese of Dubuque Pastoral Center hosted the Sisters of the Presentation for a celebration that honored their 150 years of ministry in the Archdiocese. The celebration included a video tour of the building with shared memories, guided tours of the Pastoral Center, which was once their motherhouse, and a prayer service that ended with a tree planting.
On Saturday, May 3, Archbishop Zinkula commissioned 56 individuals who have participated in the archdiocesan IMPACT program that has met at Resurrection parish in Dubuque for the last two years. Congratulations to all who have completed this adult lay formation program!
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