Religious Education Congress

Saturday Workshops - Period 4

March 1, 2003 • 10:00 - 11:30 a.m.

4-01 Young Adult Catholics Claiming Their church in a Post-Vatican II Age
Dr. Tom Beaudoin
Forty years after the Council, the graying of the Vatican II generation, coupled with skepticism about reforming the Church by young Catholics, raises the question whether there is a real future for the voice of young Catholics. All who are passionate about building solidarity among young adult Catholics in ministry are invited to this session. We will discuss the agenda for young Catholics today and next steps toward realizing that agenda.

4-02 Family at the Heart of the Church
Dr. Kathleen O’Connell Chesto
Family is not just the object of the church’s ministry; it is an important source of revelation for the institutional church. How can we affirm the religious vocation of parenting, encourage prayer and ritual in the family, and support the family’s sense of mission? What is the particular message the family has for the institution? How does the family encourage and shape the institution’s prayer and mission? If family were truly at the heart of the church, what would the church look like?

4-03 The Bully, The Bullied, and The Bystander: Breaking the Cycle of Violence
Breaking the cycle of violence involves more than identifying and stopping the bully. It requires we examine the why and the how a child becomes a bully or a victim (and sometimes both) as well as the role bystanders play in perpetuating the cycle and in breaking it. The session will explore giving kids the tools to stand up for their own rights while respecting the rights and legitimate needs of others, handle conflicts non-violently, act with integrity when confronted with situations such as peer pressure to cause harm, and develop a personal code for doing what is right in spite of external consequences and never merely because of them.

Barbara Coloroso
Barbara Coloroso is an internationally recognized speaker and author. She has served as a classroom teacher, a laboratory school instructor and a university instructor, and now is an educational consultant for school districts and other educational associations in the United States and abroad. Coloroso is author of two best-sellers and the pocket guide, "Parenting with Wit & Wisdom."

4-04 Gospel Women: The Guides and Teachers of Jesus
In terms of the development of a new Christology that can be integrated into the new Cosmology, we need to be able to perceive Jesus as interdependent, able to be taught and engaged in mutually enhancing relationships. In contemplating the Scriptures, we are able to see this mutual enhancement most poignantly and transformatively in the relationships between the women of the Gospel and Jesus.

Gregory D. Comella, C.P.P.S.
Greg Comella is an accomplished educator, minister and spiritual counselor. He is currently Spiritual Director at the School of Applied Theology in Berkeley, Calif. He is also on the faculties at the Graduate Theological Union; John F. Kennedy University; and the Catholic Institute of Integral Studies. Drawing from a variety of disciplines and traditions, he leads retreats, workshops and seminars around the world.

4-05 The Power Within
Paula D’Arcy
What happens when a person begins to discover the deeper power of God’s presence? How do you stay in the present moment and learn to let love lead the way? A life aligned with the Spirit within has uncommon power.

4-06 Catholic Feminism: A Spirituality for Adults
Nancy A. Dallavalle
Drawing on the hard questions that emerge when feminist thought and Catholic theology meet, this session will share the wisdom – and challenge the platitudes! – of "the Catholic" and "the feminist." Out of this fruitful dialogue, three building blocks for a truly adult spirituality will emerge.

4-07 Catechist Spirituality: You Bet Your Life
Carole M. Eipers, D.Min.
To be Christian, a catechist needs to be a gambler: We are engaged in a "daily game" – considering the odds, placing our bets, counting on the pay off. As disciples of Jesus, we follow His lead in our gaming. It requires reflection, knowledge of Scripture and tradition, prayer and discussion to wager with wisdom. How will we continue to answer "yes" to God’s invitations, "You wanna bet?"

4-08 A Beginners’ Guide to Contemplative Prayer in the Christian Tradition
James Finley, Ph.D.
Drawing from St. John of the Cross, Thomas Merton, Richard Sylvarnes’ book "The Cloud of Unknowing," and related sources, this session will explore some of the ways we commit ourselves to the deep and childlike path of contemplative prayer.

4-09 Creating the Best Immediate Preparation for Confirmation
The General Directory for Catechesis has inspired us with a whole new way of approaching sacramental catechesis in the Church: "catechumenal formation should inspire the other forms of catechesis in both their objectives and dynamism" (GDC #59). This workshop will provide a whole new context for doing sacramental preparation for Confirmation that renews the entire parish community, is liturgically based, promotes harmony vs. fragmentation in parish structures, and promotes a "conversion" catechesis for Confirmation that leads to transformation of the person.

Sr. Linda L. Gaupin, C.D.P., Ph.D.
Linda Gaupin, a Sister of Divine Providence from Pittsburgh, is currently Director of Religious Education for the Diocese of Orlando, Fla. She has served as Chairperson of the Theology Department at La Roche College, Pittsburgh; Director of Worship for the Diocese of Wilmington; and Associate Director of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Secretariat for the Liturgy. Sr. Gaupin is a noted author and speaker on liturgy and catechesis.

4-10 A Spirituality for the Church in the 21st Century
Dr. Colleen M. Griffith
What enables us to weave together the old and the new as we follow the Spirit into the new millennium? What helps us to sustain the Christian vision in a time of institutional unrest? How do we come, as people of God, into spiritual maturity? This session will address these concerns.

4-11 Praying From Scripture Stories
Marlene Halpin, O.P., Ph.D.
Showing children how to move from Scripture stories to prayer (forming an effective relationship with God) is not difficult. A side effect is good conscience formation. Ways to do this will be shown and practiced. Don’t be surprised when the children complain that you don’t pray enough with them!

4-12 Daughters of Africa: Black Women’s Histories
Dr. Diana L. Hayes
The history of Black Catholic women is missing from the history books. It is a story of struggle and triumph, of hard-fought battles and actions that have reshaped the Church and its people. What are those stories, and what do they reveal about the struggle and success of Black Catholics?

4-13 A Balanced Life – Living with Passion, Purpose, Heart and Grace
Living in a fast-paced, competitive world, it’s easy to become overwhelmed. Even with our techno gadgets, we are a world out of breath and out of time. And one day we realize that life is more that just getting things done. Life is about balance, about making a difference. How can I find balance? How do I juggle work and family? If I slow down, will I find myself hopelessly behind? Is work all about survival or fulfillment? Must I be a victim to my watch and my schedule? Terry Hershey teaches specific tools to help us rethink our values and our approach to life, because people who live balanced lives are productive, resourceful, focused and proactive.

Rev. Terry Hershey
Born and raised in southern Michigan, Terry Hershey’s education took him from Indiana to England, and his work has taken him from the States to Japan and Uganda, Africa. In 1984, he founded Hershey and Associates, which provides seminars on interpersonal communications and building healthy relationships. As an author, he has written a half dozen books; his latest is "Soul Gardening: Cultivating the Good Life."

4-14 The Catechist and Spirituality
In this session, Bishop Howard Hubbard will focus on the call and the ministry of the catechist, the spirituality of the catechist, and the qualities needed for contemporary catechetical ministry. (Repeated in Session 5-16.)

Most Rev. Howard J. Hubbard
Bishop Howard Hubbard is prefect of the Diocese of Albany, N.Y., as well as Director of Priests’ Personnel and Vicar General. An "inner city" priest, he is founder of Providence House and Hope House, both in Albany. Bishop Hubbard has many civic and national responsibilities, including serving as Chair of various committees for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, and the National Conference of Catholic Bishops, among others.

4-15 The Role of the Arts in Faith Formation of Young Adults
Marty Haugen
Music, theater and dance can be powerful tools in faith formation. This workshop will look at specific performance works, The Feast of Life (based on Luke) and The Song of Mark (based on Mark), and consider how children and young adults can grow in understanding and enthusiasm for how the Gospel shapes our lives.

4-16 Eyes on Jesus: Ignatian Contemplation For All
St. Ignatius, eager to "find God in all things," devised an approach to prayer using the imagination. This session will explore how inmates in jail, children in schools, a community at liturgy, or families at home can use Ignatian contemplation.

Michael E. Kennedy, S.J. & Special Celebrity Guest
Jesuit priest Michael Kennedy is presently Pastor of Dolores Mission Church in Los Angeles. He has experience in retreat work in schools, jails and parishes and has been involved in small base communities and community organizing for 25 years. Fr. Kennedy is author of three books, including "Jesus Meditations."

4-17 The Eucharist in John’s Gospel
Eugene LaVerdiere, S.S.S.
In this session, we will examine the institution of the Eucharist, which began when Jesus nourished 5,000 people with only five barley loaves and two fish (John 6:1-71) and ended at the Last Supper, when He washed the feet of His disciples (John 13:1-38).

4-18 Restoring Spirit
Megan McKenna
We are restored to wholeness and our world is repaired in the person of Jesus, who is God’s resounding "Yes" to all peoples. Who is this Jesus, and how does the Spirit call us to stand up, pick up our lives, and walk again? We are now God’s great Amen resounding with hope for all the Earth. The Scriptures and the stories of the world spring up anew in every place and generation telling of God’s Spirit loose among us. Now we are the ones to bring awe to others! Come learn to stand in the Spirit and resist any "no" to life.

4-19 Youth Ministry: New Challenges, Same Commitment
What "works" with teens today? Is there any way not to feel like youth ministry is impossible? If this workshop doesn’t help you re-commit to this all-important ministry, the presenter guarantees double your problems back!

Mike Patin
Mike Patin, a native of Lafayette, has lived all of his life in Louisiana. Since 1994, he has served as the Director of CYO/Youth Ministry for the New Orleans Archdiocese. He has worked with teenagers and adults in a variety of settings for the past 17 years and has spoken to over 450 groups in 40 dioceses.

4-20 On Carrying a Scandal Biblically
The revelation of sexual scandals within the priesthood has left the Church deeply wounded, perhaps more severely than ever before. What is our call, biblically, in all of this? How do we carry this scandal biblically?

Ronald Rolheiser
Ronald Rolheiser is General Councilor for Canada for his order, the Oblates of Mary Immaculate. For most of the 28 years of his priesthood, he has taught theology and philosophy at Newman Theological College is Edmonton, Alberta. He is a published author and newspaper columnist in more than 30 newspapers in Canada, England, Scotland, Ireland, New Zealand and the United States, including The Tidings, newspaper of the Los Angeles Archdiocese.

4-21 The Church in the World: Biblical Models for Mission
Donald Senior, C.P.
Throughout the Bible, there is a dynamic tension between community and outward mission. The Gospels portray Jesus as engaged in a dynamic mission of teaching and healing and also building a community of discipleship. As the early Christian communities attempted to incarnate that mission in varying social circumstances, different "models" of mission emerged. This session will explore three different ways of understanding the connection between community and mission and then reflect on their significance for Christian life today.

4-22 Eyes to See, Ears to Hear: Gospel Stories For Spiritual Consciousness
Jesus lamented that people had eyes but did not see and ears but did not hear. In other words, their physical sight and hearing were fine, but they were spiritually blind and deaf. They were not attuned to the spiritual dynamics that pulse through everyday life. This lament of Jesus can be reversed. By apprenticing ourselves to Gospel stories, we can sharpen our spiritual sight and hearing. We will tell and ponder the Gospel stories and follow their lead into the depths of ourselves, our world and the Divine Source.

John Shea
John Shea is a theologian and storyteller who lectures nationally and internationally. Formerly, he taught at the University of St. Mary of the Lake, Loyola University of Chicago, the University of Notre Dame, and Boston College. He has published 11 books on theology and spirituality and two books of poetry. He is presently at work on a four-volume series that will provide literary/spiritual interpretations of the Sunday Gospels.

4-23 The Paradigm Shift: Life-giving, Spirit-filled Catholicism for the 21st Century
Sure, the Church is universal. Yes, the message of Jesus is timeless. But "how" we explain our faith varies and evolves. An older, more mechanical and stable "model" seems to be passing away. In its place, a new paradigm is being born to help us comprehend and better explain what it means to be a Catholic, a follower of Jesus, a viable and evangelizing believer for today and the century ahead. If you’re feeling "stuck in the past" or "caught in the middle" or "way out in front," come and listen, reflect on five potential traits of a paradigm for renewal. Catholicism – a faith that is ever ancient, ever new!

Richard Sparks, C.S.P.
Paulist priest Dick Sparks divides his time between being a workshop speaker and serving as Pastor of Holy Spirit Parish on campus at the University of California, Berkeley. For the past decade, he has been a popular speaker on the morality and ethics lecture circuit. Author of three books, including "Contemporary Christian Morality," and several audio/video tape series, he also serves as an ethical consultant for hospitals and health-care providers.

4-24 Responding to the "Physician-Assisted Suicide" Movement
Robert Joseph Spitzer, S.J., Ph.D.
The Hemlock Society and other organizations have made it their express purpose to promote physician-assisted suicide for the terminally ill in the United States. This movement may well return to California. Their arguments follow three general lines: 1) the pain of terminal illness is unbearable; 2) the quality of life during terminal illness is poor; and 3) the Church is interfering with an option that no one has to take. Fr. Robert Spitzer will respond to these three arguments from philosophical and Christian perspectives.

4-25 The Church of Vatican II – Revisited
Forty years after the opening of Vatican II, we are at a new vantage point from which we can take a fresh look at its teaching on the Church, especially in Lumen Gentium. This workshop will offer a re-reading of some key themes of the theology of the Church in Vatican II – mystery, People of God, communion and mission.

Most Rev. Luis Antonio G. Tagle, S.T.D.
Ordained for the Diocese of Imus, Cavite, Philippines, in 1982, Fr. Luis Antonio Tagle was appointed Bishop of the diocese in 2001. Previously Rector of the Diocesan Major Seminary of Imus, Rev. Tagle has taught theology for over 25 years in various seminaries. He is a frequent speaker at our Religious Education Congress and other religious conferences.

4-26 God of Surprises
Discover God lurking in the very ordinary events of our lives and then help others to do the same. The session explores ways in which God is revealed in the mundane. A session for educators and catechists who want to help others find a God of surprises! (David Wells will be presenting with Jo Boyce and Mike Stanley.)

David Wells
David Wells is Director of Formation in the Plymouth Diocese. He has worked at conferences on themes of catechesis and evangelization. His speaking engagements have taken him throughout the United Kingdom, Europe, Canada and the United States; this is his sixth year at the L.A. Congress.

4-27 The Heart and Soul of Marriage
What are the key ingredients for a successful Christian marriage today? What is the best way to know what your spouse wants and needs to feel loved by you? What is the role of personal growth, self-care and assertiveness in strengthening your marriage? How to master the art of mutuality? This seminar will answer these questions with an empirically based model of Christian marriage developed by Dr. John Yzaguirre and his wife, Claire Frazier Yzaguirre, that has allowed countless couples to celebrate their unity.

Dr. John Yzaguirre
Dr. John Yzaguirre is a licensed psychologist specializing in family life enrichment and the integration of psychology and Catholic spirituality. He is a consultant to the departments of religious education, family life, Hispanic ministry, evangelization, deaconate, and pastoral ministry of numerous dioceses across the United States. He has been keynote speaker at numerous international and national conventions.

4-71   VIETNAMESE WORKSHOP

Peter C. Phan