December 11, 2020 UPDATE: We at Courage International hope to move forward with the in-person events listed on our 2021-2022 calendar, while always being mindful of the health and wellbeing of our members. Please be aware that, as the situation surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic continues to evolve, we may be required to postpone, cancel, or move these events online. If you have any questions or concerns, please review the rest of this statement, or contact us here.
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August 3, 2020 UPDATE: As Courage International continues to monitor the developments relating to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, we welcome the easing of restrictions in some areas, which may allow us to move forward with some of our previously scheduled gatherings. This is important to us because, while virtual meetings and events have allowed our members to stay connected, the convenience of online meetings cannot replace the spiritual and emotional benefits of meeting with one another in person.
We remain mindful that the situation surrounding the pandemic is subject to change at any moment, and it is our priority to ensure the health and safety of our members. Know that any of our upcoming in-person events may still be cancelled, per the directives of local health departments. For events which are not cancelled, we ask participants to please respect the policies of the venue at which the event is taking place with regard to social distancing, hand sanitizer, and masks.
For additional suggestions, please scroll down to review our initial statement on March 13, 2020.
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March 17, 2020 UPDATE: In compliance with the latest guidelines to suspend gatherings of 10 people or more, Courage International will be reviewing and updating the status of all events scheduled for the next 8 weeks. The plan is to move some events online, while other events may be postponed or cancelled.
If you had been planning to attend one or more of these events, please check back with our events calendar over the coming days.
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March 13, 2020: Courage International is closely monitoring ongoing developments surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic as it relates to our apostolate. Please note the following:
As of this date, we have no immediate plan to cancel any of our events in 2020. We intend to continue serving our members through the meetings, retreats, conferences, and other events that we offer year-round; however we recognize the seriousness of the COVID-19 pandemic and the health and safety of everyone wishing to participate in our events is our priority.
Courage meetings:
We have not mandated that chaplains cancel local Courage or EnCourage meetings. However, it is possible that some meetings may be cancelled at the direction of the local diocese, or at the discretion of the local Courage or EnCourage chaplain.
We encourage local chaplains to consider using conference calling or video chat when in-person meetings cannot be held. Additional support is available through our recently revamped Online Forums, or one can take part in the Courage on Call conference call meeting.
Other events:
Those who will attend in-person events in the next few months should take the following steps:
- Visit the website of the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) for general information regarding COVID-19.
- Visit the websites of state and local Departments of Health at home and for the location of the event.
- Contact airlines, hotels, rental car companies, etc., to inquire about their policies regarding precautionary measures, cancellations, etc., before booking travel.
- People who are at high risk of becoming seriously ill from COVID-19 are encouraged not to attend our events until the pandemic has been brought under control. Anyone who is unsure whether they are at risk should review the CDC website.
Courage International is consulting regularly with regional health authorities and the venues which are scheduled to host our events. Should it become necessary to postpone, relocate, or cancel one or more of our scheduled events, information will be published immediately on the Courage website and email newsletter, and will be emailed to anyone who has already registered for the event.
Please join us in praying for the speedy recovery of the sick, the repose of the souls of those who have died of COVID-19 and the intentions of everyone affected by this crisis.