The week of June 6^th through 10^th was a busy week for Catholic Social Service.  On Monday and Tuesday Rebecca Ford, Pattie McGurk and myself attended a regional training with Catholic Charities USA on Catholic Identity.  The event was held in Wichita with participants from the Catholic Charities agencies throughout Kansas and Oklahoma.  During the two days we learned how to enhance the understanding and commitment of our staff and volunteers of the Catholic Church's social ministry to the poor and vulnerable.  It is the first time I remember that the directors of the five Catholic Charities agencies from Kansas and Oklahoma have gathered for a regional event.

Pattie missed much of the time with us on Tuesday as she provided at training for our Infant Adoption Awareness Project in Wellington. We are very pleased to be able to work with medical providers throughout the state in giving them the skills to provide accurate adoption information in a non-directive, non-coercive approach.

On Wednesday and Thursday Pattie and I were joined by Rhonda Goodloe and Brooke Hamlin-Lopez to attend the Kansas Family Strengthening Summit held at Kansas Newman and Friends University.  We were fortunate to be able to hear from a number of national experts talking about the importance of strengthening families and helping to promote healthy marriages.  It was especially encouraging to listen to Governor Sam Brownback and Secretary of SRS Rob Siedlecki discuss their support of healthy marriage and their interest in developing a statewide healthy marriage initiative.  We came home with a number of resources, new connections, and some things that we can work into our already existing programs.  I always leave an event like this energized and motivated to strengthen and grow the work of Catholic Social Service.

We ended the week with Pattie and I both participating in another training for the Infant Adoption Awareness Project.  It has been a number a years since I have been able to participate in a training event. I appreciate our training partners, Joyce Webb and Ellen Patterson, who do a wonderful job with this project.   I was very pleased to learn from this group that there are two new maternity homes opening in Wichita, Circle of Love and Lady Bugg House.

I appreciate the dedication and commitment of all of our staff. Those who traveled this week and those who stayed home making sure that the work and the mission of Catholic Social Service continue.