Dear PTPA Friends,

PTPA extends its heartfelt gratitude to everyone who made our 2025 National Conference, Hearts on Fire, an unforgettable and spirit-filled gathering.

As many participants shared, their hearts truly were on fire as they departed: strengthened in faith, inspired by community, and renewed in their Commitment to walk in solidarity and to serve their twin parishes.

This month's newsletter highlights the following:

Continue below to read more about the Conference, and what's next. 

God Bless You!

The Parish Twinning Program of the Americas

Thank You for Igniting Hearts at the 2025 PTPA National Conference.

Gatherings like our “National Conferences” where we connect, reflect, and renew; are only possible because of your unwavering support. We are forever grateful to our members, supporters and donors who continue to believe in and uplift the mission of PTPA. Even as we navigate challenges, your commitment inspires us and strengthens our resolve to keep moving forward together.

From August 15–17, 2025, PTPA proudly hosted its National Conference under the theme “Hearts on Fire” at the Diocese of Nashville Pastoral Center in Nashville, TN. Over the course of three vibrant days, 150 passionate attendees came together united by their commitment to parish twinning and its transformative impact across Haiti, Latin America, and the United States.

Here are some of the Conference Highlights:

From powerful keynote sessions to moving liturgies, the conference was a testament to the strength of our shared mission. We are especially grateful to our speakers and clergy whose presence reminded us of the sacred responsibility we carry in walking alongside our brothers and sisters in faith in Haiti and Latin America.

Thanks to your generous support during this year’s dinner appeal, PTPA received an outpouring of pledges and donations; a true testament to the deep care and solidarity within our community. Every contribution, whether large or small, helps us cover essential operational costs, sustain our outreach, and continue providing accompaniment, fostering relationships, and creating spaces for shared learning and spiritual growth. We are deeply grateful for your continued commitment and generosity.

We remain deeply committed to being good stewards of your generosity; with transparency, care, and purpose in everything we do. And we look forward to many more opportunities to gather in person, including our next national conference in three years.

Thank you to every participant, volunteer, and supporter who helped make Hearts on Fire a beacon of hope and renewal. We look forward to continuing this journey with you; united in love, service, and the transformative power of parish twinning.

From all of us at PTPA, thank you for walking this journey with us.

Warmly,

Cassandra Bissainthe
Executive Director, PTPA

From left to right

First row - PTPA board members and Executive Director: Andrew Scruggs, Lori Gettelfinger, Mike Hogrefe, Theresa Patterson, Jeff Newell, Andre Angrand, Cassandra Bissainthe (ED), Diane Huggins, Tom Gettelfinger, Yves Archambault.

Second row: Fr Matthew, Fr Anthony, Bishop Jacques Fabre Jeune (Diocese of Charleston), Cardinal Chibly Langlois (Bishop of the Diocese of les Cayes, Haiti), Archbishop Thomas Wenski (Archdiocese of Miami), Fr Chris Waddleton (PTPA Board Member), Mgr Raymond East

Honoring Bertony Domond (PTPA Haiti Director) for his years of service and dedication to the mission of PTPA.

As part of our ongoing commitment to support our members and strengthen our community, PTPA launched an engagement survey during the 2025 National Conference. This initiative is designed to gather meaningful feedback and insights to better understand the evolving needs of our members and to ensure our support remains relevant, responsive, and impactful. We invite you to take a few minutes and share your feedback by September 26, using this link: PTPA Engagement Survey.

The survey marks a key first step in PTPA’s review of its institutional strategy. Guided by the voices of our members, we aim to ensure our programs and resources remain align with the needs of our members, while remaining deeply rooted in our mission and vision.

We’re energized by this next chapter and look forward to continuing the journey with transparency, collaboration, and shared purpose.

Our mission remains clear: to live the Gospel by seeking, promoting, and supporting the formation, growth, and development of twinning relationships between Catholic parishes in the U.S. and those in Haiti and Latin America.

Stay tuned for our next Zoom Gathering, Tuesday evening, September 30.
More information will be shared soon.

Click here to view a PTPA Introduction presentation.

Click here to request promotional materials and for ideas about how to introduce parish twinning to other individuals and parish Social Justice Committees.

The PTPA Members Portal is the place to find information about PTPA Twinning Fundamentals, Spirituality, Reflections, and Prayers, Services and Support at Home and Abroad, Country and Travel Information, and lots more! Here is a brief description of what is contained in each section of the Resources part of the portal:

PTPA Twinning Fundamentals:
The resources in the Twinning Fundamentals section include documents that tell you how to set up a twinning relationship with another, how to form a covenant, important values to uphold and examples of best practices.

Parish Support & Program Services
The resources in this section include guides for programs and projects, documents to help navigate challenges in US Parishes, as well as resources for needs-based programs and projects in sister parishes (e.g. water, agriculture, microfinance, etc.).

Spirituality of Mission
Spirituality of Mission contains resources to help you navigate a different culture, helps guide you in accompaniment, and has many reflections and prayers for you to use.

Country and Travel Information
This section includes logistical information for when there is traveling between twinned parishes, information on safety important contacts, mission trip insurance, country information, money exchange, etc.

Additional Resources, Including PTPA Nat’l Conference Presentations
The resources in this section include presentations from PTPA’s National Conferences, stories and updates from parishes and partners, advocacy material, book recommendations, and LOTS MORE!

Click here to learn how and why to access the PTPA Member Portal. 

Click here to access the PTPA Member Portal Directly. 

Click here to view the Table of Contents for the PTPA 2025 Nat'l Conference Presentations.

As we’ve reported previously, consistent communication within your parish is vital to keep your parish twinning relationship in front of your supporters. One effective way to keep the passion alive for your parish twinning mission is to publish a regular newsletter.

In addition to articles related to PTPA itself, we are offering all PTPA members the opportunity not just to share stories, but also to share links to their newsletters if they would like us to share them with the full PTPA membership and create a list moving forward.

Other Catholic organizations ask PTPA to share with our members their posts about things happening where you work or about their work, and about challenges facing Catholic organizations, immigrants in the U.S. & impoverished communities in Haiti & Latin America. Click on the links below to read recent news & appeals sent from different organizations

PTPA is a Catholic, non-profit organization. Our mission is to live the Gospel by seeking, promoting, and supporting the formation, growth and development of twinning relationships between Catholic parishes in the U.S. and Catholic parishes in Haiti and Latin America.

“I assure you, as often as you did it for one of my least brothers, you did it for me.” Matthew 25:40

Parish Twinning Program of the Americas
407 W. Smith Valley Road #1222
Greenwood, IN 46142
www.ptpausa.org
contact us: info@ptpausa.org