Catholic Social Ministry Gathering

For more than 40 years, the Catholic Social Ministry Gathering (CSMG) has served as the major annual Gathering organized by the Secretariat of Justice and Peace in collaboration with 10 other USCCB departments and 20 national Catholic organizations. This central gathering of Catholic social ministry leaders in the U.S. usually draws over 500 participants whose faith inspires them to respond to pressing current domestic and global challenges.

Each year the Catholic Social Ministry Gathering provides an excellent opportunity for Catholic leaders to Connect, Learn, Pray and Advocate!

Connect with social ministry colleagues from across the United States. Share best practices and identify areas for cooperation. 
Learn the broader context of Catholic social ministry. Get informed on domestic and global challenges to human life and dignity, justice, and peace. Bring your experience and perspective of your diocese, organization, and faith community.   
Pray together to renew our vision for mission. Wonderful liturgies will mark our gathering.
Advocate for policies to protect and support people suffering poverty and injustice. In this defining experience of the Gathering, our meetings and prayer flow directly to Capitol Hill, where, as one faith community, we bring our concerns and proposals to defend and empower the most vulnerable. Continue this effort after the Gathering through district visits with members of Congress in your own community.

Visit our FAQs page to learn more.

One of the most important aspects of the Catholic Social Ministry Gathering (CSMG) is meeting with members of Congress and their staff on issues of key concern to Catholics. In partnership with The Society of Saint Vincent de Paul, CSMG identifies key, relevant legislative priorities. Keynote presentations and workshops throughout the Gathering equip participants with advocacy skills and knowledge, while education on the identified legislative priorities helps participants speak with a unified voice when meeting with their officials on Capitol Hill on the last day of the Gathering. For more information, visit Legislative Advocacy and CSMG.

CSMG Diversity Outreach Initiative

The Diversity Outreach Initiative (DOI) seeks to develop leaders from diverse Catholic communities for ministry in the Church. DOI provides scholarships for leaders from ethnic, cultural, and disability communities to participate in CSMG. DOI scholarship recipients also join a dedicated cohort with programming designed to expand their network of established Catholic social ministry leaders. This initiative expresses our commitment to developing leaders from diverse communities and to celebrating the richness of their gifts in the Church’s social ministry. 

For more information visit our Diversity Outreach Initiative page.

CSMG Young Leaders Initiative

The Young Leaders Initiative (YLI) strives to recognize, encourage, and prepare young and diverse leaders of the Church's advocacy and social ministries. Students and faculty from colleges and universities, and emerging leaders aged 18-26, are invited to participate in YLI to expand their network with other Catholic social ministry volunteers and professionals, deepen their understanding of Catholic social teaching and relevant advocacy issues, and raise their voices with legislators on matters of national and international concern.

For more information visit our Young Leaders Initiative page. 

Becoming a sponsor or exhibitor for CSMG will provide your organization with an opportunity to introduce your programs, services, and products to influential leaders shaping the future of Catholic social ministry, policy advocacy, parish life, campus ministry, and the Church's interaction with civil society for the promotion of the common good.  Sponsorship of CSMG, in particular, provides your organization with high visibility as a supporter of the Catholic Church's mission to promote human life and dignity both in the United States and internationally.

To be a part of this important effort download our CSMG Sponsor Kit and Exhibitor Kit.

The Catholic Social Ministry Gathering (CSMG) is a professional meeting of leaders and emerging leaders in Catholic social ministry from dioceses and diverse Catholic organizations. As such, the meeting is closed to the general public, and attendance is by registration only. We welcome attendance by pre-approved representatives of media organizations as observers of the Gathering.

Learn more about covering this event.

Early bird registration opens, with discounted pricing, in early fall. Registration continues with regular then late pricing in the winter. See the registration information page for more information on pricing and deadlines. 

Still have questions? Check out the Frequently Asked Questions.