Congress Logo

Celebrating 40 years as the Diocese of Fresno, and 20 years of Diocesan Congress

This year marks the 20-year Anniversary of our Diocesan Congress, formerly known as the Ministry Formation Institute.  In 1989, Bishop Joseph J. Madera presented the Goals of the Diocesan Pastoral Plan at the Ministry Formation Institute whose theme was "Called and Gifted." Twenty years later as the Diocese of Fresno celebrates 40 years as a diocese, it is fitting that the theme, Our Vision for the Future, is based on the Diocesan plan in development. Workshops will be offered in five languages- English, Spanish, Hmong, Vietnamese, and Thai. 

Current Congress News

October 9, 2008
Online Registration

Online Registration will close at 12 noon on Friday, October 10, 2008.  Anyone wishing to register after that time will need to register on-site at the Registration Table on Saturday October 11, 2008.  Onsite registration begins at 7:30 a.m. 

October 3, 2008

Important Parking Information

Due to an increase in registrations, the Pastoral Center and San Joaquin Memorial High School will not be able to provide parking for all of our participants. We ask that you please carpool. Once on-site parking lots are full, you will be directed to the US Veteran’s Hospital located on the corner of Clinton and Fresno Street. Shuttles to and from the Veteran’s Hospital will run as follows:

Every 15 minutes between:

Every 30 minutes between:

Please be ready to board and expect delays during traffic times. Shuttle stops are located on E. Floradora Ave.

October 1, 2008

Closed Workshops

The following workshops are full, and we will not be assigning any more attendees for these sessions.

Session A — 10:15 A.M.–11:30 A.M

Session B — 2:00 P.M.–3:15 P.M.

In the case that a first choice is full, we will try to place you in your second or third choice of workshop.

Early Bird Registration Closed

Early Bird registration has been closed with a total of 945 registrations before the deadline — last Friday, Septermber 26.

September 26,2008

Congress Registration

As of today, we have received 716 registrations for this year's Congress.

Changes in Speakers

Due to unexpected circumstances the following workshops have had a change in speakers:

September 19,2008

Congress Registration

As of today, we have received 271 registrations for this year's Congress.

September 16,2008

Note to Clergy

All Clergy are welcome to participate in the 11:45 am Mass at Congress. Clergy participants are asked to bring their own alb and white stole. All clergy participants are asked to RSVP with Fr. David Norris, head of the Congress Liturgy Committee. Please contact him at (559) 488-7474 or dnorris@dioceseoffresno.org. Clergy should meet for vesting at the Faculty Lounge next to the gymnasium by 11:35 a.m.

September 12,2008

Congress Registration

As of today, we have received 104 registrations for this year's Congress.

September 11, 2008

Current List of Exhibitors

September 10, 2008

Check out the New Diocesan Congress Announcement on KNXT!

Our Vision for the Future

Our Vision for the Future is based on the Diocesan Plan in development.  A Pastoral plan is a major initiative that outlines the priorities and focus for a diocese.  The five-year plan stemmed from the 2007 Clergy Convocation where five priorities and committees were selected.  The five areas identified were Catechetics, Youth Ministry, School of Ministry, Vocations, and Parish Life Coordinators.  At our Congress, members of the five committees will give presentations on the status of Our Vision for the Future, their accomplishments, results from listening sessions and surveys, and the goals in development. This is an excellent opportunity for a greater participation in the Life of the Church.  Come and find out how you can contribute, share your gifts and talents, and collaborate in the diocesan plan! We also encourage you to participate in the excellent workshops that correlate with the five areas of the plan. 

Online Registration Available!

We are excited to offer online registration. Online registration payments will not be available this year. Please mail your payments once you have registered online.  Please review the registration booklet and pick your speakers before proceeding to register for your workshops.  Click here for the registration booklet.

Increase in Registration Fee

Some of you will note that we have increased the registration fee for this year's Congress.  There are some added expenses with the rise in the cost of transportation (flights and gas for speakers), rental of audio and technical equipment (the old systems have been problematic in previous years), and the need to rent a tent to provide a larger exhibition area that has outgrown its current space.  We also need to make one-time purchases that will be used for years to come- such as signs, projectors, and equipment for recording workshops.  In light of the fact that the registration fee has remained the same since its inception, we needed to take into consideration that expenses have increased, but our registration fees have not.  Since we rely almost solely on registration funds to cover expenses, it is imperative to increase the cost of registration.  Thank you for understanding.