USCCB - (Office of Media Relations)

May Events

First Communions take place in many parishes in May. This is an event which is good for photo ops and even interviews with articulate children.

Many ordinations to the priesthood take place in the month of May. A press packet will be distributed to diocesan communications directors from the National Conference of Catholic Bishops regarding the Class of 1999 early in the month.

Many high school and college graduations take place in May. College graduates may be helped by a booklet put out by Catholics Associated in the Market Place, (CAMP), and the St. Vincent Pallotti Center entitled "Now What?...A Resource for Graduating Seniors." CAMP can be reached at 908-647-7112, the Pallotti Center at 202-529-3330.

A National Workshop on Christian Unity will be held in Rochester, NY on May 3-6.

Mother's Day is May 9. In 2000, Mother's Day will also be celebrated in the United States as a Jubilee Day for Mothers. Also, the United Nations has designated 1999 as the International Year of Older Persons. This provides a wonderful opportunity to honor the grandmothers, great-grandmothers, great aunts and other older women in our lives on this special day.

May 13 is Ascension Thursday.

World Communications Day, an annual day declared by Pope John Paul II, will be observed on May 16. This year's theme is Mass Media: A Friendly Companion for Those in Search of the Father.

The Catholic Press Association national convention will be held May 26-28 in Chicago, Illinois.

Memorial Day is observed on May 31.

ALERT: The United States Catholic Conference will release a video based on the document Renewing the Mind of the Media in May. It is a tool for parish and diocesan groups to use to address concerns about portrayals of sex and violence in the media. Copies of this document and video can be obtained through the Office of Publishing and Promotion Services at 1-800-235-8722. (The English version of the book is publication #5-286 for $3.95 plus shipping and handling, Spanish version is #5-805. English only brochure is #5-241 for $.75 plus shipping and handling. Video will be on sale for $14.95 plus shipping and handling, #5-332.)

The following dioceses can be reached by E-mail: ALASKA: Fairbanks, Juneau. ARIZONA: Phoenix, Tucson. CALIFORNIA: Monterey, Oakland, Orange, Sacramento, San Bernardino, San Diego, San Francisco, San Jose. COLORADO: Colorado Springs, Denver. CONNECTICUT: Hartford, Bridgeport, Norwich. DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA: Washington. FLORIDA: Miami, Orlando, Palm Beach, St. Augustine, St. Petersburg, Venice. GEORGIA: Atlanta, Savannah. HAWAII: Honolulu. IDAHO: Boise. ILLINOIS: Chicago, Joliet, Peoria, Rockford, Springfield. INDIANA: Evansville, Forth Wayne-South Bend, Indianapolis, Lafayette. IOWA: Davenport, Des Moines, Dubuque, Sioux City. KANSAS: Kansas City in Kansas. KENTUCKY: Louisville, Lexington, Owensboro. LOUISIANA: Alexandria, Baton Rouge, Houma-Thibodaux, Lafayette, Lake Charles, New Orleans, Shreveport. MAINE: Portland. MARYLAND: Baltimore. MASSACHUSETTS: Boston, Melkite Diocese of Newton, Springfield. MICHIGAN: Detroit, Gaylord, Grand Rapids, Lansing, Marquette, Saginaw. MINNESOTA: Crookston, New Ulm, St. Cloud, St. Paul and Minneapolis, Winona. MARYLAND: Baltimore. MISSISSIPPI: Jackson. MISSOURI: Jefferson City, Kansas City-St. Joseph, St. Louis, Springfield-Cape Girardeau. MONTANA: Great Falls-Billings, Helena. NEBRASKA: Omaha. NEVADA: Las Vegas. NEW HAMPSHIRE: Manchester. NEW JERSEY: Camden, Newark, Passaic, Paterson, Trenton. NEW MEXICO: Las Cruces. NEW YORK: Brooklyn, Buffalo, New York, Ogdensburg. Rochester, Rockville Centre; Syracuse. NORTH CAROLINA: Charlotte, Raleigh. NORTH DAKOTA: Bismarck, Fargo. OHIO: Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, Toledo. OKLAHOMA: Oklahoma City, Tulsa. OREGON: Baker, Portland. PENNSYLVANIA: Altoona-Johnstown, Erie, Greensburg, Harrisburg, Pittsburgh, Scranton. RHODE ISLAND: Providence. SOUTH CAROLINA: Charleston. SOUTH DAKOTA: Rapid City, Sioux Falls. TENNESSEE: Memphis. TEXAS: Amarillo, Austin, Brownsville, Corpus Christi, Dallas, El Paso, Ft. Worth, Lubbock, San Angelo, Victoria. VERMONT: Burlington. VIRGINIA: Richmond. WASHINGTON: Seattle, Spokane, Yakima. WEST VIRGINIA: Wheeling-Charleston. WISCONSIN: Green Bay, Madison, Milwaukee, La Crosse. WYOMING: Cheyenne.

If any communications director wants to be added to the list, please e-mail Sr. Mary Ann Walsh at mwalsh@nccbuscc.org.