With all the threats of Hurricane Irene about to descend on us there is surely a lot blowing in the wind. May you all remain safe this weekend especially those of you near the water. Hopefully all our houses (faith included) are built on rock.
The Holy Spirit has been blowing around here at the Office of Faith Formation and we are gearing up for the next academic (Ministry) year. All of you should have recieved a mailing of our upcoming programs and an e-mail regarding the publicity packet for the convention which is online at our website as well as the letter that Claire sent to all the pastors regarding all our upcoming programs.
I want to bring your attention to the Go and Make Disciples flyer which you received in the mail. We are looking for 5 or 6 parishes to pilot this 8 month training process for core team members to become/train evangelizers in their parish. Ask yourself if your parish core team could benefit and commit to this evangelization process. The pastor has to be a member of the core team if there is any hope of success. We count on you to listen to the stirrings of the Spirit and encourage action as the Spirit moves you.
We have at least 13 new catechetical leaders throughout the Diocese. Welcome and be assured of our support. Hopefully each deanery will find a way to meet on a regular basis offering the opportunity to pray, learn, and share together as catechetical leaders. Please keep me informed of your meeting dates. I would like to attend at least one meeting in each deanery to keep in touch with your concerns.
Some resources I would like to share with you which I have taken from the weekly newsletter for NCCL members:
RCL Benziger, a leader in religious education programs and products for the Catholic community for nearly 200 years, announces today it has launched a new website, www.BeMyDisciples.com. On August 15, the Catholic Church celebrates the Solemnity of the Assumption of Mary, the Blessed Mother of Jesus, and the first of her son's disciples. She was a true disciple who accepted her faith, lived and grew in it.
RCL Benziger is imagining the "what ifs?" of a world full of Christ's disciples.
The new website allows visitors to share their own stories of discipleship by uploading blog entries or short videos. Inspirational videos from a catechist, a DRE, a pastor, a parent and a student offer food for reflection so that others may share their thoughts, ideas and inspiration.
Roughly 150,000 catechists are new to the job each year, and Loyola Press is supporting their training by hosting a webinar series called “Getting Started as a Catechist.” In this series, Joe Paprocki, DMin, discusses the basic skills of being a catechist, how to plan effective lessons, ways to lead compelling prayer, tips on how to organize a variety of activities, and how to maintain order and discipline in the learning environment, in addition to other topics.
“Becoming a catechist is exciting and, let’s face it, somewhat intimidating!” Paprocki says. “New and experienced catechists are eager to learn ways to effectively engage young people in faith formation and basic teaching skills to help them gain confidence in this vocation.”
There will be four webinars in the series, each focused on a different age group. The following is the breakdown of the sessions and dates, which all air from 8 pm to 9pm EST.
· August 30 (junior high and high school)
· September 6 (adult faith formation)
Our One Great Act of Fidelity: Waiting for Christ in the Eucharist
As you prepare for Catechetical Sunday remember that there are several materials available at http://www.usccb.org/ and http://www.nccl.org/ .
Best wishes for the coming year. May the Spirit of Compassion encircle you with His/Her Divine Presence.
Fran
No comments:
Post a Comment