Religious Education Congress

Friday Workshops - Period 3

February 15, 2002 • 3:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.

3-00 A Theology of Consumer Society – for Ministry 

Consumer capitalism is the most significant "power and principality" over everyday Christian life, bringing both comfort and impoverishment. Our frequent moralizing about capitalism can hinder an understanding of its theological dynamics. We will focus on understanding how consumer capitalism works as an anonymous spiritual discipline – in the culture and in the Church. This understanding is essential to a more faithful economic discipleship.

Thomas Beaudoin, Ph.D.

Tom Beaudoin’s work seeks to renew religion and culture through an array of theological interventions, including teaching, preaching, lecturing and musical performance throughout the United States and Europe. Beaudoin is a Post-doctoral Fellow at Boston College, where he teaches theology, and author of many academic and pastoral articles on the theology of culture.

3-01 The Faith-Filled Classroom 

Are you looking for creative catechetical methods, prayers and ritual to enhance the process of religious learning and formation for elementary and junior-high students? Join us for fun and practical ideas to evangelize students and energize catechists.

Nancy Bird

Nancy Bird has been involved in religious education for the past 24 years as a master professor catechist, parish catechetical leader and youth minister. She has been a featured speaker at diocesan events and has lead retreats for DREs, catechists and teachers throughout the country. Presently she serves as the Northeast Regional Manager for RCL – Resources for Christian Living.

3-02 Priest, Many Ministers & Ministries: The Parish as the New Seminary 

Rev. Patrick Brennan

Based on a model he has used for 20 years, Fr. Pat Brennan will speak on the many strategies he employs to "lateralize" ministries. This empowerment model involves helping parishioners discern their gifts, match gifts to parish needs and then adequately train for working in the ministry. Practical tips for training new and experienced ministers will be shared. How an adult formation team ministers at service to the rest of the parish will be explored. Equipping parishioners for better apologetics and evangelization in the face of growing fundamentalist proselytism will also be discussed.

3-03 Celebrating the Sacraments in Song 

An opportunity to journey in song and meditation: John Burland shares songs that inspire, unite and assist in celebrating the Sacraments. In this session, he will discuss and demonstrate music’s role in celebrating the Sacraments within our Catholic community. He will share many new songs from his Australian CD, "Celebrating The Sacraments."

John Burland

John Burland is a teacher, composer and performer of Christian music for children and adults. He is the Project Officer-Music/Liturgy for the Catholic Education Office of Sydney, Australia, where he conducts workshops, celebrations and reflection days for children and teachers. The former assistant principal was a classroom teacher for 14 years and has spent 17 years as a religious educator in school and parish communities.

3-04 The World of E-Learning 

In this session, we will explore the power of the Internet for adult faith formation – moving from promise to practice. It will help reshape the hearts that burn within us with new media and methods.

Caroline Cerveny, S.S.J., D.Min.

Caroline Cerveny, Director of Educational Learning Technology for William H. Sadlier, is a leader in interactive media ministry for faith formation. Founder of "CyberFaith – Web Links," she has appeared as a presenter at numerous conferences across the country and is the author of several published articles.

3-05 Transformative Power: The Gift of the Junior High Catechist 

Why do some catechists shy away from volunteering with junior high? Why does just the thought of teaching this age group send chills through their spines? Who is the person who dares to venture into the junior high classroom? What are the qualities of those catechists who are transforming these young people’s lives? Which strategies work? Which do not? Come see, rather participate! Who knows? You may even be transformed to go where few have gone before – into the junior high classroom!

Ken Doran

Boston native Ken Doran has spoken at numerous diocesan and national catechetical conferences, including the Religious Education Congress and National Catholic Education Association. He is a Master Catechist for the Diocese of Camden, N.J., and a fifth grade and Confirmation catechist at Holy Saviour Parish in Westmont, N.J. Doran is currently a Sales Representative for William H. Sadlier.

3-06 Youth Ministry with the Millennial Generation: New Models, Methods and Opportunities

Today’s generation of youth is ready for new ways to experience the Good News and engage in active ministry. This workshop will explore the models, strategies and resources that engage youth in the ministries of our parish communities. This will include practical suggestions for building a youth ministry that promotes discipleship, belonging and faith growth.

Tom East

Tom East is Director of the Center for Ministry Development and Project Coordinator for Youth Ministry Services in Washington state. He is also their Coordinator of the Certificate Program in Youth Ministry Studies. East has served as Editor and author for "Celebrate Youth," a parish youth ministry implementation kit, and "Confirming Disciples," a high school Confirmation program.

3-07 Proclaiming the Word with Power and Grace 

Do you serve as lector? Do you proclaim the Word in your classroom? Do you want information to help you teach students to proclaim the Word? This practical presentation will give you tips for effective ways to proclaim different types of Scripture and tools for making Scripture come alive, enabling you to be a more capable instrument of God’s Word.

Amy Florian

Amy Florian is widely skilled in parish ministry, with over 25 years of experience in liturgy, bereavement and religious education. Currently a liturgy and bereavement consultant in the Chicago Archdiocese, Florian has published several articles and authored a book on celebrating ritual with children. She conducts workshops and training sessions on the parish and national levels.

3-08 Christ’s Healing Presence: Reconciliation & Anointing of the Sick 

Rev. Richard Fragomeni

The healing power of Christ is made real and unleashed as the Church celebrates the Sacraments of Reconciliation and Anointing. When we celebrate healing, it is Christ Himself who heals. Learn how these Sacraments have a transforming power for the life of God’s people, as the power of Christ’s own love for us overflows.

3-09 Forming a Catholic Understanding & Spirituality of Confirmation 

Linda Gaupin

The goal of sacramental catechesis for Confirmation is the formation and transformation of the person and community. It goes beyond "mere instruction" to conversion into the person of the anointed Christ. This workshop will explore the Catholic understanding of Confirmation flowing out of the revised Rite of Confirmation and how this leads us to live as anointed Christ-figures in this world.

3-10 When Grief Comes to School 

Children die. So do teachers, administrators and family members. This seminar will approach this subject in very practical ways, including the needed long-term planning done in the ordinary moments and the common panic attacks of "What do we do now?" This session will provide extensive resource information plus time for discussion and a hands-on approach to caring for children.

Rev. Richard B. Gilbert, D.Min.

Rev. Richard Gilbert, an Anglican priest, has been active in chaplaincy and bereavement care for more than 20 years. He is internationally recognized as a speaker, resource person, consultant and friend. Chaplain Gilbert currently serves as Executive Director for the World Pastoral Care Center and Director of Chaplaincy Services at Sherman Health Systems in Elgin, Ill.

3-11 God, Sexuality and the Human Person: A Catechetical Perspective

Contextual theology implies a model of catechetics and God-talk, which suggests that all things must be discussed within the framework in which they exist. This session will offer an investigation of human sexuality viewed from within the broader context of the human person in relationship to God. Particular emphasis will be placed on relationships of commitment both heterosexual and homosexual.

Greer Gordon

Dr. Greer Gordon is the Director of the Frederick Douglass Unity House and a member of the faculty of the Department of African/African-American Studies and Philosophy at the University of Massachusetts in Dartmouth. The Baton Rouge, Louisiana native is a former teacher, religious education director and consultant. Her most recent book is "Symphonies of the Heart."

 

 

3-12 The Sacrament of Creation: Teaching & Preaching from "the Book of Nature"

This session will explore how the Catholic sacramental imagination relates to the contemporary ecological crisis through consideration of three questions: How can recent cosmological discoveries and ecological awareness help us expand our understanding of where God’s presence and power can be found in our world? How does the groaning of the earth relate to the cries of the poor? How does the story of Jesus help us interpret what medieval theologians called "the Book of Nature"?

Mary Catherine Hilkert, O.P.

Mary Catherine Hilkert is Associate Professor of Theology at the University of Notre Dame. She has lectured and preached in Catholic and ecumenical contexts in the United States, Canada, Ireland, Australia and South Africa. A member of the Sisters of St. Dominic of Akron, Ohio, she was Co-Chair of the Religious Studies Department at St. Vincent-St. Mary High School in Akron.

3-13 Creating an Evangelizing Catechesis 

As disciples of Jesus Christ, we are called to be witnesses of God’s Word and Love. By witnessing to this presence of God, we are called to become contagious. The greater our witness, the greater our potential to teach as Jesus did. For faithful disciples to remain contagious, we too must continue to be open to the Holy Spirit and renewal in our lives. Creating an evangelizing catechesis is focused outward as well as inward in our ministry within the Church.

Rev. John Hurley, C.S.P.

Fr. John Hurley, a Paulist priest, was ordained in 1977. Twenty years later, he was appointed to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops in Washington, D.C., where he serves as Executive Director of the Secretariat for Evangelization. Fr. Hurley speaks frequently at gatherings across the United States.

3-14 Prayer: What God Does – What We Do 

Ancient treatises on prayer – by Origen, Evagrius, John Cassian, St. Augustine, the Rule of St. Benedict and others – not only teach us how to pray but also reveal what God does in our prayer, from the initial inspiration to the correct theological disposition to our participation in an on-going communication and celebration.

Rt. Rev. Francis Kline, O.C.S.O.

Rev. Francis Kline is Abbot at Mepkin Abbey in Moncks Corner, S.C. Formerly a Director of Novices at Our Lady of Gethsemani Monastery in Kentucky, in 1990 he was elected the third abbot of Mepkin Abbey. He currently serves as Director for the Office of Prayer and Worship for the Diocese of Charleston, S.C.

3-15 Love – the Faces of God

"To love another person is to see the face of God," the song from "Les Miserables" proclaims. Theologians add: "To love another person is to be the face of God." This talk will be a reflection on some of our many experiences of love for a parent, a child, a friend, a lover – as they shine the truest light we have on the Mystery of God. "God is love, and wherever love is, there is God" (1 John 4:16).

Patricia H. Livingston

Pat Livingston, President of Livingston Associates based in Tampa, Fla., is a freelance speaker and writer. For more than 20 years, she has conducted workshops, courses and retreats and given keynote addresses around the country and abroad. An award-winning author, she has written numerous articles and book chapters.

3-16 Martin, Malcolm, Baldwin and the Church 

Rev. Bryan N. Massingale, S.T.D.

What do Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X and James Baldwin teach us about how Christians should face contemporary challenges? How did the Catholic Church engage these men? Come for a revealing discovery of what black religious thought can offer to the Catholic Church.

3-17 The Work of the People: Liturgy and Devotions 

The distinguished Vietnamese-American theologian Peter Phan has said, "The liturgy of the Church exists to serve the liturgy of the world – not vice versa." Traditionally, among Catholics, the "liturgy of the world" is embodied in popular devotions. This workshop explores the relation between these two "liturgies": the Church’s official worship and popular devotions.

Nathan D. Mitchell, Ph.D.

For the past 11 years, Dr. Nathan Mitchell he has served as Associate Director for Research at the University of Notre Dame’s Center for Pastoral Liturgy. A speaker and researcher, he has written numerous books and articles as well as a regular column, "The Amen Corner," which appears in the review journal Worship.

3-18 Drawing Inspiration from the Catechumenate 

The "General Directory for Catechesis" claims that the catechumenate is the inspiration for all catechesis. What does this mean? What is the inspiration? How can catechists draw inspiration from the catechumenate?

Sheila O’Dea, R.S.M., D.Min.

Sheila O’Dea, Associate Director of the North American Forum on the Catechumenate based in Washington, D.C., is a Sister of Mercy of Newfoundland, Canada. She has 20 years experience teaching liturgy, initiation and catechetics. She is a former Associate Director of Continuing Education at Regis College in Toronto, Canada, and former Director of Liturgy for the Archdiocese of St. John’s, Newfoundland, Canada.

3-19 Table Prayer: Where Catechesis and Mystagogy Become One! 

The family table is the altar of the home. Learn how to make life a dying and rising experience through prayer, ritual, music and mystagogy. Learn creative ideas on how to strengthen the family and community while welcoming the stranger into the prayer. (Robert Piercy will be joined by Beth Thompson, Director of Religious Education for Christ the King Church in Las Vegas.)

Robert Piercy (with Beth Thompson)

Robert Piercy is the Catechetical Director for GIA Publications. He is a well-known author and lecturer to both children and adults and a sought-after speaker on rites and rituals of the Catholic church. His experience as liturgist and musician in parishes throughout the United States makes his presentations and writings full of real-life experiences.

3-20 Yes, You Can!

This session will offer creative and reflective ideas for teaching social justice in Grades 1-8. Discover the seven key themes of Catholic social teaching and how you can bring them to life in your classroom.

Kate Ristow

Kate Ristow is currently the Midwest Regional Manager and Consultant for Children’s Curriculum at Resources for Christian Living. She has worked in religious education for almost 30 years as a catechist, classroom teacher and administrator. For the past 13 years, she has served as a contributing editor and feature writer for Catechist magazine, in addition to national speaking engagements.

3-21 Biblical Wellsprings for the Eucharist: Exploring the Master Symbols 

The biblical foundations for the Eucharist are found throughout the New Testament. This workshop will explore three "master symbols" rooted in the Bible that reveal the profound meaning of the Eucharist: meal, sacrifice and communion. Each of these symbols read deep into the biblical world and can bring vigor and challenge to our contemporary experience of the Eucharist.

Rev. Donald Senior, C.P.

Fr. Donald Senior is President of the Catholic Theological Union in Chicago, where he also teaches as a Professor of New Testament Studies. The Passionist priest is a frequent lecturer and speaker throughout the United States and abroad. He has published extensively on biblical topics, with numerous articles and books for scholarly and popular audiences.

3-22 Experiential Ways to Share Scripture with Youth 

Sometimes it seems our kids are incapable of paying attention to Scripture long enough to get something out of it. This workshop focuses on ways to share Scripture with youth that keep them awake, involved and listening. Come and look at Scripture from a creative, dramatic, experiential, faith-driven point of view. This is a renewing, uplifting, happening session!

J. Thomas Sparough

Tom Sparough is an entertainment minister who juggles and tells stories. He is known to tens of thousands of people as the "Space Painter," which is a description of juggling that he received from a 2-year-old child. The former toy store owner specializes in fun yet strives to share Gospel stories in meaningful ways.

3-23 The Church and Minority Groups 

Due to worldwide migration, various ethnic groups find themselves in the position of a "minority" in the society or culture they now inhabit. This workshop will try to explore the experience of being in the "minority" and how it can enrich the sense of being Church. It will also propose ways by which the Church that claims to be Catholic can respond to minority groups.

Rev. Luis Antonio G. Tagle, S.T.D.

Ordained in 1982 for the Diocese of Imus, Philippines, Fr. Luis Antonio Tagle is currently Rector of Tahanan NG Mabuting Pastol, the major seminary for the Imus Diocese. He is also the parish priest of Our Lady of the Pillar Cathedral and teaches theology in the Loyola School of Theology and Divine Word Seminary.

3-24 How Can I Keep From Singing!

Christopher Walker

We will explore how music can bring healing, spiritual depth and commitment to our Sunday celebrations. Cantors, choir members and assembly members, come ready to sing and be amazed at what you can do!

3-25 The Necessity of Hope 

Jim Wallis

"Hope is believing in spite of the evidence and watching the evidence change": Despite the unprecedented tragedy of recent events, I still believe in that hope. Now, more than ever, we need to reclaim the possibility of hope. In my travels around the world, I have seen how people are making a difference in their communities. The faith community is getting mobilized like never before and the work of faith-based organizations is in the news every day. Join me on a journey that brings you face to face with stories of faith and hope, the light amid the darkness. (This is a repeat of Session 2-25.)

3-26 Awakening Young Minds (Stories for the First Half of Life) 

The Church encourages catechesis for all. David Wells will use stories, poetry and prayers to accompany the different stages of life. In Part One, we’ll look at childhood, adolescence and early adulthood. The ideas and resources shared can then be used in all sorts of sacramental contexts. A lively, moving presentation intended to engage the heart and the mind. Bring a box of tissues! (Continued in Session 7-26.)

David Wells

A teacher at heart, David Wells has taught various age groups from 8 to 80 years old. He is currently Director of Religious Education for the Plymouth Diocese in England and is a member of the Adult Religious Education Committee for the Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales. His speaking engagements have taken him throughout the United Kingdom, Europe and the United States.

3-27 Gifts Overflowing: Leadership Formation for Collaborative Ministry

Those who minister are often blessed with many gifts, but how can individual gifts be woven together to transform the communities we serve? Collaborative pastoral leadership is the result of an intentional approach to leadership formation that integrates the development of ministry-specific skills with personal, spiritual and ministerial preparation. This workshop will address the core theological and pastoral principles that guide leadership formation for collaborative ministry.

Jacquelyne Witter

Jacquelyne Witter is the Director of Ministerial Formation, School of Theology at the Seminary, St. John's University in Collegeville, Minn. She is a consultant, presenter and retreat leader for parishes and dioceses as well as national and regional conferences on topics such as ministry, catechetics, liturgy, evangelization, spirituality and strategic pastoral planning.

3-70 Vietnamese Workshop

Rev. Peter Nguyen Van Hien