RECongress 2009 - Period 8: Sunday, March 1, 2009

CONGRESS 2009 WORKSHOPS & LINKS
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In this workshop, we will explore various ways of helping people to develop a relationship of friendship with God that matches their own maturity.

This is actually a presentation on the power of forgiveness, but who would attend such a workshop? Forgiveness receives very bad press in a culture addicted to strength, power and dominance. Forgiveness, after all, is the peaceful way through the minefield of sin, the tender way of surrender. Besides, it’s the only way that works! Plus, there really are zombies to contend with. Award-winning author Alice Camille and Congress regular Fr. Paul Boudreau present a fun look at zombie movies and the gentle art of forgiveness.

Fr. Paul Boudreau is a pastor, noted speaker, and award-winning author. His articles appear regularly in Catholic Digest, U.S. Catholic, and Today’s Parish Minister magazines. He is co-author with Alice Camille of “The Forgiveness Book.” The former professional motorcycle racer is presently Priest Minister at Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha Parish in Beaumont, Calif.

Alice Camille is a religious educator and prolific author. She has served in parish adult faith formation, as Director of the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults, and in campus ministry. Camille is a speaker at national conferences, parish missions, retreat workshops and in-service days for diocesan religious educators. She writes for U.S. Catholic magazine, the homily service “Prepare the Word,” and “Exploring the Sunday Readings.”

In this session, Fr. Greg Boyle leads an exploration of the resources we have to help gang members “return to themselves,” and finding ourselves in Christ in the process. Stories and parables from “the barrio” will help illustrate.

Fr. Greg Boyle is founder and Executive Director of Jobs For a Future/Homeboy Industries, an employment referral program for gang-involved and at-risk youth in Los Angeles. Since 1994, the Jesuit priest has focused on job development and related ministries with neighborhood gangs. Fr. Boyle, a former pastor of Dolores Mission in Los Angeles, is a nationally renowned speaker at conferences for teachers, social workers and criminal justice workers.

As youth have been taken to the mountain for mountain top experiences they have been ignited in their faith. But what is offered to them when they come down? This workshop will explore several ideas for leaders of young people to help them appreciate the experiences and to bring them back to their own parish and home.

Today's parish serves six living generations, all with varying understandings of the faith, commitment and needs. This session will take an in-depth look at each generation and strategies to engage them in faith and parish life.

The holy well is a place of pilgrimage, healing and revelation in the Celtic Christian tradition, while in Scripture Jesus first reveals himself to a marginalized woman at the well. In this workshop, we will journey symbolically to the well of Celtic Christian wisdom, igniting our “yes” by remembering some central themes of Celtic Christian spirituality.

This workshop will expose Ignatius of Loyola’s method of Discernment through an Eastern approach. It will offer a practical and effective method to make Discerning Love a way of life and help one to live effectively in a chaotic world.

Have you or those around you ever complained, “There's nobody stepping up to help!” or “It’s always the same few people doing all the work”? Want to change that? Would you love to see young adults (in their 20s and 30s) become actively involved as the next generation of leaders in parish life – both on your parish staff and as volunteers? Working off current data from young adults themselves, Kate DeVries will present practical strategies for passing the torch of parish leadership to young adults.

This session will explore the power of God’s Word in creation, in Scripture, in tradition, in rituals and in the events of our lives. The prophet Ezekiel summons us to “eat this scroll ... and fill your stomach with it.” The nourishing, renewing and transformative gift of the Word will be discussed and implications will be drawn for our evangelizing ministry.

Many people have expressed surprise that Pope Benedict is so spiritual and imaginative in his reflections. Their previous image of him as rigid and doctrinal has given way to a much more pastoral impression. This presentation will explore Joseph Ratzinger’s theology of faith as a love story, a key theme of his over many decades. He himself has insisted that “an intellectual approach on its own is not enough” and that we need “concrete experiences” of faith. How then can we translate his rich vision for religious education today?

The recent banking problems illustrate the tenuous nature of worldly possessions. As Christians we are forced to reflect upon the value of material possessions in relation to the Kingdom of God. This workshop reflects upon the difference between impoverishment of heart and poverty of spirit, and it offers a modern theological interpretation of poverty of spirit. This session is recommended for those in religious formation, and those who work in the ministry of Christian formation.

The Catholic Church is committed to full communion among all Christians. How do we, as Catholic catechists, present a robust Catholic identity that helps our students serve the unity of all Christians?

As parishes grapple with the challenge of engaging their members in the work of social ministry, it is critical to recognize the link between conversion and commitment. This session will highlight ways to make the work of social ministry come alive, using proven, transformative strategies.

8-14 St. Paul’s Teachings on Love and Other Virtues: A Neglected Treasure!

Paul of Tarsus was not only a great missionary and theologian, but also a wise moral teacher who put his faith into practice. Although some details of his teachings (e.g., about women and slaves) are no longer directly applicable today, his moral values (especially teachings about love and other virtues put into action) are just as relevant and important today as they were 2000 years ago. As we celebrate the “Year of Saint Paul,” this workshop will help us rediscover some neglected Pauline teachings that give valuable moral guidance for the Christian lives of children and adults alike.

The challenge of faith is as radical as it is simple: Be who you really are. As people of faith, we are called to be fully alive, especially in the face of hardship, and to spread meaning, joy and justice. To help us in our quest, we look to Scripture, tradition and role models. In our time, Cardinal Joseph Bernardin stands out as a spiritual master whose life revealed the power of faith. As he fought pancreatic cancer after a lifetime of prayer and service, he said he had accepted a special gift from God: the gift of peace. Using Cardinal Bernardin’s wisdom and spiritual practices, this talk is an invitation to accept God’s gift of peace. Bring your own stories, insights and wisdom.

Twenty years ago, six priests, a woman and her daughter were murdered at the Jesuit Central American University in El Salvador. This workshop will focus on these martyrs: their professional work, their theology and their actions, to identity how they gave witness to a Christian faith for our times. Rooted in the Gospel and sacraments, responsive to the pressing issues of the day, their lives and deaths testify to the self-emptying love of Christ that should ignite our “yes” to living out a faith made real in the world today.

Dr. Michael Lee combines academic theological work with years of practical experience, including catechesis, music ministry, youth ministry/teaching, and work with the homeless. Currently, he is Assistant Professor of Theology at Fordham University in New York and is affiliated with its Latin American and Latino Studies Institute. Dr. Lee writes on Christology, soteriology (salvation), Hispanic theology and Latin American theology.

Many persons tend to shun, reject or suppress anger, considering it to be bad, or a sign of emotional weakness. For others, fear is often associated with anger. This workshop offers an opportunity to make friends with anger in order to use its energy for healing and transformation. We will explore sources of anger, costs and payoffs, as well as how to express and receive anger in a healthy way.

Adults often lose their passion and connection to what drives them to do their work and fulfill their life’s purpose. Sometimes adults need to powerfully reconnect to the source of their passion and recharge their professional and personal lives. This motivating session helps adults identify and connect to their passion that will have them leaving a legacy in the lives of others. Participants will gain powerful new insights to continually improve their personal morale and leave reinvigorated and reconnected to what drives them to serve others in their parish and school communities.

Michael Mangan, one of Australia’s foremost liturgical composers, will focus on promoting mission and evangelization in our everyday lives by using the power of music to create vibrant and meaningful celebrations in our parishes and schools. Shared musical experience and the messages carried in song lyrics can help build a united community vision and “set hearts on fire” for mission in the world. Come along ready to sing, move and have fun!

Our spiritual lives are often seen as deadly serious. But if you’re deadly serious you’re probably seriously dead! As Scripture and the lives of the saints show us, one’s experience of God can often be playful and lighthearted. What do joy, humor and laughter have to teach us about growing into a deeper relationship with God? Through the examples of passages from the Old and New Testament, and the insights of the saints and spiritual masters (as well as some funny personal stories), we will consider what it means to laugh with God.

It is a cultural challenge to establish a culture of Christian spirituality within the home. It requires parental creativity. This presentation will suggest “starter ideas” for cultivating family spirituality during Advent, Christmas, Lent and Ordinary Time – four of the seasons in the liturgical year.

In this workshop, Bro. Mickey McGrath will shape his unique and colorful depictions of the 20 Mysteries of the Rosary, along with tips for teachers on how to teach about symbols, colors and cultural diversity. Each set of Mysteries is set against a different ethnic group in our ever-changing Church.

Bro. Mickey McGrath is an Oblate of St. Francis de Sales who paints pictures, tells stories and speaks as keynote or presenter at retreats and conferences around the country. He has been Artist-in-Residence at the Washington Theological Union for 20 years, and has taught at the Grunewald Guild in Leavenworth, Wash. He also creates art for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops and many Catholic publishers, including America magazine, Crossroads Press, Harcourt Religion and St. Mary’s Press.

How can we develop a new intimacy with the world? The Earth is a vibrant place of deep interconnections. Yet, many of us rush around blithely indifferent to the Earth as the source and support of our existence. Often, it seems, we are too distracted to enjoy the gift of each other and the simple magnificence of the Earth. This session will explore how we arrived at this point in our human journey, how a modern mindset has separated us from the natural world, and how we can create a hopeful future by rediscovering the sacredness of the Earth. As Pierre Teilhard de Chardin expressed it: “Nothing here below is profane for those who know how to see. On the contrary, everything is sacred.”

This workshop is based on the reality “God is love.” Our loving God is one and, without confusion, a trinitarian communion of persons. Likewise, the Church is one yet, at the same time, a communion of churches. The history and spirituality of the Eastern “lung” of the Catholic Church is presented in this context. Explored also are the ascetical practices in Eastern traditions.

Rev. Robert Pipta, a priest of the Byzantine Catholic Eparchy of Van Nuys, headquartered in Phoenix, has served as parochial vicar, administrator and pastor in Byzantine-Ruthenian Catholic parishes in the western United States. Currently, he is Pastor at Holy Angels Byzantine Catholic Church in San Diego. Fr. Pipta also serves at the Eparchial and Metropolitan levels in the areas of vocation and liturgy. He speaks widely to youth at retreats and rallies and to adult groups and at private retreats.

The majority of spirituality books focus on turning inward and quieting the self. As Richard Rohr says about Dr. Nancy Reeves’ new book, “For some reason we think of quiet introverted people as the very name of holiness. This cannot be true, and Nancy Reeves shows us why!” This workshop is for extroverts who wish to learn more about their spirituality, and for introverts who accompany extroverts on their spiritual path. Topics include: extroverted spiritual practices, including extroverted contemplative prayer; challenges of being an extrovert of faith; and how to become an omnivert, like Jesus.

By decree of Pope Benedict XVI, 2008 is the year of St. Paul and the Synod on God’s Word. He has predicted that the widespread practice of Lectio Divina using “new methods, carefully thought through and in step with the times” will bring to the Church “a new spiritual springtime.” In this workshop, we will consider how we can bring his vision to reality. We will discuss each activity of Lectio Divina in light of its dominant faculty (i.e., senses, mind, emotions, spirit), and the fluid process as a whole. We will then discuss ways of refining our practice of Lectio Divina and sharing it with others in parish, Bible sharing and prayer groups, and family settings.

This session will survey those writings that were never included in the Old or New Testaments. Although there is a great deal of the strange and bizarre, there is the occasional gem! How should modern Christians treat the books that didn’t get put in?

8-28 When a Parent has a Life-Threatening Illness: Guiding Children through the Journey of Illness and Grief

Each year, 315,000 parents with children under 18 are diagnosed with cancer. One in 20 children experience a parent’s death before graduating from high school. What are we doing to help them – before and after the death? Elementary through high school students (and college students) often deal with uncertainty, intense family changes and unfamiliar emotions without the guidance of helpful adults. Grief support groups after a death are not enough to prepare children for the long adjustment following the death of a parent. Learn how we can help children better understand what is happening, learn how to cope in healthy ways, and support them along the way.

2009 RECongress Period 8

Religious Education Congress
Sunday, March 1, 2009
1:00 - 2:30 pm

2009 RECongress Period 8

Religious Education Congress Sunday, March 1, 2009 1:00 - 2:30 pm

Religious Education Congress
Sunday, March 1, 2009
1:00 - 2:30 pm