RECongress 2012 - Period 6: Friday, March 24, 2012

CONGRESS 2012 WORKSHOPS & LINKS
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2012 FEATURES	• Youth Day • Theme • Archbishop Chat • Updates • Schedule • Speakers • Topics • Order Recordings • Photos • Exhibitors • Exhibitor Categories • Statistics • Theme Songs • Comments

When the disciples huddled in the upper room to pray in Jesus’ absence, they were completely surprised and utterly infused with the gift of the Holy Spirit – inspiring them to creatively proclaim Good News! Learn how the gifts of Spirit can inspire us to embody dynamic proclamations in our own church gatherings. Explore the beauty of processions, the gestures of American Sign Language, the embodiment of Scripture, and the embrace of ritual actions as multiple languages for catechesis, worship, prayer and play. Celebrate the gifts of Pentecost in the ongoing dance of Spirit!

Betsey Beckman, based in Seattle, is a liturgical movement artist, storyteller, spiritual director and retreat leader. With an extensive background in performance, movement therapy, ministry and InterPlay, she regularly appears as artist/presenter at national conventions and also directs the movement ministry at her home parish of St. Patrick in Seattle. Beckman’s recent releases include the DVD, “The Dancing Word: Woman at the Well.”

Laura Ash is Music Director at St. Patrick Parish in Seattle, where she, with Betsey Beckman, has supported the ministry of movement for over 20 years. Laura and her husband, David, have composed and published three albums of liturgical music and have created music for numerous liturgical dance offerings, including “The Dancing Word” DVD series.

Music is a rich and formative teaching and learning resource that can be effectively woven into religious education to enhance knowledge, understanding and celebration. Through the use of song and movement, John Burland will share practical and engaging strategies for creatively teaching Scripture, doctrine, sacraments and other catechetical themes. Come ready to raise your voice in song as we journey in faith!

Given what we now know about adolescent spirituality, effective catechesis and good youth ministry, how can we enhance confirmation’s potential to be a more formative experience in the lives of young people? This session will not provide ideas that are practical, but will weigh the merits of eight enhancements that are possible.

Dr. Michael Carotta is a religious educator who has worked with the spirituality of adolescents for over 35 years. He is a national consultant for Our Sunday Visitor Curriculum. Dr. Carotta’s newest books include two confirmation resources and “Lincoln Park,” a junior-high mystery series that he co-authored with theologian John Shea. Over the last 10 years, his work has expanded into the area of vocational renewal, and both he and his wife, Catherine, facilitate renewal seminars nationwide.

When Jesus proclaimed the “kingdom of God,” his calling of the disciples envisioned a new “kin-dom” of justice or family of brothers and sisters, equally one under “the heavenly Father.” Where Jesus’ Gospel was the “kingdom of God” (and God’s way of justice) and the early church’s Gospel became Jesus as Lord, too often today the “gospel” for many Catholics revolves around the “church.” This compromises effective evangelization. Michael Crosby will address this phenomenon and show how the way to “rebuild” the church involves becoming a “kin-dom” Catholic.

Fr. Michael Crosby, a Capuchin Franciscan, lives in Milwaukee’s downtown area where the Capuchins oversee ministry to street people and the city’s poor. When not there, he gives retreats, workshops and talks on contemporary biblical spirituality. He also advises on socially responsible investing. Fr. Crosby’s latest endeavor addresses the positive and negative dynamics around power in our varied relationships. His most recent book is “Repair My House.”

This is easily the most often asked and least responded to question in our religious tradition these days. It is not just a question asked by kids or teens. We have all heard it asked, even by ourselves. How have you responded? There is a real hunger to know and a deep desire to appreciate the value of regular worship and participation in Catholic Mass. This six-word question will be answered with a seven-word definitive response.

Ordained in 1970 for the Chicago Archdiocese, Fr. John Cusick began the archdiocesan ministry to those in their 20s and 30s in 1977 and has maintained that ministry ever since as Director of Young Adult Ministry for the archdiocese. He has been a part of the Theology-on-Tap program for the past 29 years. Fr. Cusick speaks nationally and internationally at diocesan conferences, parish missions and priest convocations.

Come to this workshop to learn how to inspire, invigorate and involve parents and families in the process of faith formation. If you have ever caught yourself asking, “Why aren’t they more interested?” then this workshop is for you! Focus will be on creative ideas and practical suggestions you can immediately apply.

God’s self-revelation in Scripture has inspired creative souls throughout the centuries. Join Anne Frawley-Mangan as we look at the many images of God in Scripture. We will discover how the arts, with a particular emphasis on drama, excite our religious imaginations and enable us to experience our God, in whose image we are created. This is a workshop for those who love to teach creatively!

When the Jesus Prayer (“Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner”) becomes ceaseless it becomes a Prayer of the Heart. The Jesus Prayer is a way to take the long journey from the head to the heart. It is education of the heart that leads to compassion – a teaching about discernment that groups and individuals learn to take action from the heart.

As God’s children wander aimlessly in the hot desert – health care, jobs, violence, trauma, war, weather … dem bones, dem bones – Ezekiel reminds us that God continues to breathe life into our weary bones and has issued us a wake-up call. This session will provide strategies for living and serving and give an overview with special attention to our veterans.

Remembering that our God is a God of love who embraces all, this session will feature a panel conversation, moderated by Dr. Greer Gordon. The discussion will focus around Catholic identity, with an emphasis on what being Catholic means for the lives of gay and lesbian Catholics today.

Is the media culture a moral wasteland or have we been invited into a new way of experiencing the sacred? This workshop leads participants on a pilgrimage through the media landscape with unexpected leaps into the holy. Through viewing excerpts from television and film as well as surfing the Internet, anyone involved in spiritual formation will discover how image – the language of the soul – speaks to us and gives renewed voice to the transformative power of the Word in the 21st century. This session will allow time for reflection and journaling.

Mary Byrne Hoffmann integrates her perspective as a media professional, teacher of religious studies and spiritual director into 21st-century spiritual formation for the digital culture. She has spent 23 years teaching, 18 years as a workshop facilitator to professional audiences on media and faith issues, and 15 years of retreat facilitation experience on various faith formation topics. Hoffmann is author of “Catechesis in a Multimedia World” and has created a media-based curriculum for high school students.

Did you know that highly engaged Catholics have four things in common? Based on more than three years of research by The Dynamic Catholic Institute, Matthew Kelly will speak about the four signs, how they were derived, what they mean to your spiritual life and to the life of a parish, and how they will change the way we minister to people.

Do you know that no one can take away your dignity, that no one can take away your joy? There is a beauty in each human person that is not diminished by loss, by illness, or even by death. How, then, do we best keep hope alive in light of the challenges we each face? During this insightful and moving presentation you will hear: the top things not to say to someone who is ill; prayers, demonstrations and practical suggestions for loving each other through illness; and the debut performance of the new song, “Beyond What You Can See.”

Shifting generations of men and women in our congregations provoke interesting dynamics in our parishes. What we know for certain is that it’s not business as usual, and what worked in the past is limited in its success today. Looking at the evolving faces of our parish experience we will consider recent data which offers us insights into how we can more effectively reach out to and nourish the faith-lives of young-, middle- and senior-adults in our communities of faith. We will see that effectively sustaining our adults is key to excellence in nurturing the faith with children and youth.

David Loftus, a priest of the Los Angeles Archdiocese, is a graduate of both All Hallows College in Dublin, Ireland, and Boston College. He has been a coordinator/consultant in the Office of Religious Education for the Los Angeles Archdiocese in catechist formation and adult education. Fr. Loftus currently serves as Administrator at Our Lady of Lourdes Church in Northridge, Calif. He maintains membership in the National Conference for Catechetical Leadership, in which he has served as Vice President.

Did you know that Judaism is much more than the religion of the Hebrew Bible? Did you know that Jews have sacred literature beyond the Hebrew Bible (a Jewish “New Testament”)? Did you know that Jews mean something completely different than Christians when we speak of the Messiah, sin, redemption, salvation, repentance and forgiveness? Come and question, learn and explore with Rabbi Michael Lotker, author of “A Christian’s Guide to Judaism.”

Michael Lotker was a physicist in his first career in the alternative energy business, working in wind power, solar and geothermal energy, and is widely published in that field. As a rabbinic student, he served congregations in Arizona, Montana and California, where he is currently congregational rabbi at Temple Ner Ami in Camarillo. His interest and participation in interfaith dialogue makes him a sought-after speaker at synagogues, churches and campuses. Rabbi Lotker is currently a member of the Central Conference of American Rabbis, and is author of a book entitled, “A Christian’s Guide to Judaism.”

Who says that being Catholic means being deadly serious all the time? Let Fr. James Martin show you how true faith leads to joy, how the saints and spiritual masters used humor in their everyday lives to keep them humble, and how laughter is an essential element of a healthy spiritual life. And learn what it means to smile with God in prayer. All that, and some fun jokes, too!

James Martin is a Jesuit priest and Culture Editor of America, the Catholic magazine. He is author of several award-winning books including, most recently, “Between Heaven and Mirth,” “The Jesuit Guide to (Almost) Everything” and “My Life with the Saints.” A popular speaker, Fr. Martin has given presentations at the Religious Education Congress each year for the past eight years and is a frequent speaker at national conferences, retreats and parish groups.

In this session we will look at the biblical text of John 4:1-30, the story of the Woman at the Well, to illustrate a faith journey that leads us to eternal life. Even our everyday circumstances can become a means of evangelization as God encounters us. When thirsty, can you put your bucket down? W-E-L-L!

Sr./Dr. Oralisa Martin is a workshop presenter, revivalist and charismatic healer, who has taught youth for over 20 years. She is founder and CEO of Oracle Religious Association, based in Washington, D.C., and founder of their National Summer Institute for Youth. Sr. Martin previously served as a consultant for the Los Angeles Archdiocese, where she founded the African-American Catholic Catechetical Conference. She travels extensively giving revivals, retreats and keynote addresses.

Knowing how early Christians’ experience and memory of Jesus came to comprise the four Gospels enhances our capacity to understand, believe, cherish and pray with the Sacred Scriptures. This workshop examines the formation of the Gospel Tradition from historical events in the life of Jesus to the Church’s acceptance of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John as the official canonical Gospels some four centuries later. It is recommended that participants bring their Bibles to the workshop.

Dr. Timothy Matovina is Professor of Theology and the William and Anna Jean Cushwa Director of the Cushwa Center for the Study of American Catholicism at the University of Notre Dame in Indiana. He has offered presentations and workshops on U.S. Catholicism and various theological topics for dioceses, pastoral institutes and ministry formation programs throughout the United States. Matovina is a frequent and popular speaker at the Los Angeles Religious Education Congress.

6-19 Keys to Successfully Using Social Media and Online Technologies for Ministry Leadership Development
(Workshop closed)

How can online technologies and social media address your leadership training challenges? Should there be e-learning (electronic), o-learning (online), or m-learning (mobile) in training your leaders? What technologies are free, affordable or worth the money plus easy to use? How can I start using online technologies today to educate and form ministry leaders? This workshop will answer these questions as well as share practical tools and resources to help you start using online technologies in educating people in your ministry setting.

This session will highlight factors which facilitate as well as hinder continued faith formation among some Asian and Pacific young and adult Catholics. It will provide examples of successful catechetical programs currently practiced in the Filipino, Chinese, Vietnamese, Koran and Tongan communities.

Cecile Motus has more than 30 years of teaching and training experience in cross-cultural relations, immigration issues, Philippine and Asian Studies and intercultural communications. She has served the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops for 12 years as Ethnic Ministries Coordinator, as Director of the Office for the Pastoral Care of Immigrants and Refugees, and currently as Assistant Director of the Secretariat of Cultural Diversity in the Church. She also was the Asia Region Liaison Officer for the International Catholic Migration Commission.

Originally ordained a priest in the Philippines, Oscar Solis came to the United States in 1984 and worked in the Archdiocese of Newark, N.J. In 1988 he moved to the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux, Louisiana, where he served as associate pastor, a member of the priests council, vocation council, personnel board and as dean. He was ordained bishop in 2004 in Los Angeles – the first Filipino bishop in the United States – and worked as Director of Ethnic Ministries and the Office of Justice and Peace for the Los Angeles Archdiocese. He currently is Auxiliary Bishop for the San Pedro Pastoral Region.

Everything St. Paul did and said was about infusing Christ’s life into people’s hearts. But negative characterizations and misunderstanding have obscured Paul’s message. This workshop offers insights for recovering Paul’s life-giving voice for our own day. This presentation will include a brief pastoral reflection and time for questions.

Maria Pascuzzi is Associate Professor of New Testament at the University of San Diego, where she has taught since 2000. She also serves as Director of the Center for Catholic Thought and Culture. Prof. Pascuzzi previously taught at St. Peter’s College in Jersey City, N.J., at the Seminary of the Immaculate Conception in Huntington, N.Y., and at Saint Joseph Seminary in Dunwoodie, N.Y. The author has lectured nationwide for parishes, clergy renewal days, lay ministers and congregations of religious women.

This workshop will examine the reason for being pessimistic – and optimistic – about the future of the Catholic Church.

Jesuit priest Fr. Thomas Reese is a Senior Fellow at the Woodstock Theological Center at Georgetown University. The former Editor in Chief (1998 to 2005) at America magazine is a widely recognized expert on the U.S. Catholic Church and has spoken at several universities and parishes. Fr. Reese has numerous published articles and is author of a trilogy of books examining church organization and politics on the local, national and international levels: “Archbishop,” “A Flock of Shepherds” and “Inside the Vatican.”

Sr. Barbara Reid will present a biblical reflection on Mary Magdalene’s encounter with the Risen Christ at the empty tomb (John 20:1-2, 11-18), and her journey from grief to being able to give voice to the Good News. This session will reflect on how Mary Magdalene, as one who witnessed the death of Jesus (John 19:25-34) as the birthpangs of new life (John 16:20-24), can help communities of believers today give voice to hope reborn.

Recently, Karen Armstrong, a historian and philosopher of religion, issued a call to sign a Charter for Compassion. Her reason: We live in a world divided by religious, political, cultural and interpersonal strife and the only way forward is compassion. How do we evaluate and respond to this call?

Recent research on youth and faith is both compelling and clear: Parents matter… a lot! We know this in our head and feel it in our heart, but many seem to have difficulty translating it to our parish practices. Come and shift your paradigm while we explore some models and strategies for effectively partnering with parents in order to lead young people (and parents!) toward a vibrant faith that embraces discipleship.

Pastoral experience has shown a number of adults and children come to church seeking the sacraments of marriage and confirmation. Upon further conversation with them we slowly recognize that they are unbaptized, perhaps uncatechized, and needing not one sacrament but sometimes two or three sacraments for life in the Church. What is the catechetical plan for their formation? This workshop will explore the Rite of Christian Initiation as a solid, wholistic and age-appropriate catechetical plan for infusing new life not only in catechumens and candidates but also for the worshiping assembly who journeys with them.

Fr. Richard Vega, a priest of Los Angeles Archdiocese, is currently President of the National Federation of Priests Councils, based in Chicago. Prior to his service there, he was pastor of La Purisima Concepcion Church in Lompoc, Calif. The former parochial vicar for the Los Angeles Archdiocese has been a presenter for the Offices of Worship in Los Angeles and Chicago. Fr. Vega is a member of The Society of Mexican Liturgists, currently serving as Board Member to the North American Forum on the Catechumenate.

As we are getting used to the texts of the new missal, the ministry of the musician is key in helping the assembly sing with heart as well as voice. Come and experience ways in which we can enliven our Sunday Mass.

The digital landscape is an expanding new frontier requiring catechists to re-think catechetical methodologies in the 21st century. This is not an option! This landscape is fluid, dynamic and growing every minute of the day. It is informing, forming and transforming how our children process information and learn. What does this landscape look like? How is it influencing learning? What does this mean for catechists today? These questions are explored in this workshop.

Sr. Angela Ann Zukowski is Director of the Institute for Pastoral Initiatives and the Virtual Learning Community for Faith Formation at the University of Dayton in Ohio. She is a professor in the Department of Religious Studies and teaches online for the School of Education. She serves as an international consultant for incorporating digital resources for faith formation and designing diocesan, parish and school pastoral communication plans. Her research is in pioneering alternative approaches to online faith formation.

6-70 Vietnamese Workshop (Bilingual Cheers, Songs and Dances for Catechetical and Youth Ministry)

(Workshop closed)

This is hands-on workshop. We will learn to sing, cheer and dance using the bilingual songs, cheers and dances that young Vietnamese-American Catholics love and have been used at recent catechetical sessions and youth rallies.

2012 RECongress Period 6

Religious Education Congress
Saturday, March 24, 2012
3:00 - 4:30 pm

2012 RECongress Period 6

Religious Education Congress Saturday, March 24, 2012 3:00 - 4:30 pm

Religious Education Congress
Saturday, March 24, 2012
3:00 - 4:30 pm