RECongress 2013 - Period 7: Sunday, February 24, 2013

CONGRESS 2013 WORKSHOPS & LINKS
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Here is an opportunity to “take a class” and be introduced to ballet technique, which forms the basis of movement when interpreting the Word. Experience how the elements of dance combine with a spiritual connection to make this beautiful art form both elegant and meaningful. Learn dances that will demonstrate how to successfully translate your training into a liturgical setting. (Anderle is on the teaching faculty of the Cincinnati Ballet.)

7-02 Youth, Families and Service: It’s About Gratitude and Giving (WORKSHOP CLOSED)

It just takes a moment to stop and think about gifts God has given us. In today’s fast-paced world, we don’t do that nearly enough. What if we could help our children, teens and families make the most out of the little bits of time they have to turn toward others and serve without reservation? When we learn to be grateful (it’s easy!) and are ready to share what we have with others willingly, great things happen! People find purpose and meaning, needs are met, friendships are made and the world becomes a nicer place. This workshop will give you tools to help make gratitude and service the foundation of your ministry and life.

As catechists and youth ministers, we find ourselves in the trenches, working hard to bring experiences of God’s love to our young people. The thing is … we sometimes forget to bring ourselves along for the ride! Being “around” faith is not the same thing as having faith! With great spiritual and practical suggestions on keeping our own faith strong, this workshop is designed to keep us from mistaking our own spiritual journey with our frequent professional “near-faith” experiences!

Steve Angrisano has been a musician, music director and youth minister for over a dozen years. The Dallas-based veteran composer/storyteller has been featured at major conferences and events around the world – including many appearances at World Youth Days, the National Catholic Youth Conference, and the L.A. RECongress and Youth Day – and has also presented at countless diocesan events in more than 200 dioceses. His latest recordings are “Inescapable Love” and “Live: Songs from the Road” and the book “Essential Songs for Youth Ministry.”

7-04 Don’t Quit Yet – Four Secrets of the Spirituality of Self-Care for Catechists and Church Ministers

Take some time today to relax, renew and rejuvenate. Even on an airplane, the flight attendant instructs, “In the unlikely event of a loss in cabin pressure, put your oxygen mask on first, and then assist others.” So why do we, as ministers in the church, continually nurture others before taking care of ourselves? Join us as we explore wellness as a way of life for catechists and church ministers and look at the spirituality of self-care as a call to the integration of body, mind, spirit and emotions as a reminder not to quit just yet!

The story of Jesus Christ – God Incarnate – is mystery reaching out to us. It is the story that is meant to inspire us and teach us how to be Christ in the world. With gentle movements adaptable to all physical conditions, we will go through the major Gospel events. We will feel and experience the Gospel in our body, heart and soul in fresh and nourishing ways. And perhaps we will be inspired to be Christ’s feet, hands, eyes, ears and heart for those who are sick and dying, homeless and hungry, poor and lost in this world. We will definitely feel the Christ in us and begin to see the Christ in everyone.

Theology-on-Tap, the speaker and discussion series for young adults, has become one of the premiere programs for young adults in the country. This workshop will focus on the components that have made the program so successful over the past 31 years and will offer insights and strategies for shaping future happenings for young adults.

Have you ever faced a parent who emotionally reacts to your efforts to respond to bullying behaviors involving their child? This workshop will explore 10 ways contentious parents inadvertently exacerbate the bullying problem by undermining the effective counter strategies we can employ. Come increase your toolbox options by learning how to build rapport with difficult parents, help parents understand what bullying is and is not, learn five ways to build parent trust surrounding your responses to bullying behaviors, learn 10 practical tips to share with families on how to bully-proof their child(ren), and find meaningful ways to connect the sacraments and Gospel values to your bullying prevention efforts.

7-08 Adult Faith Formation for the 21st Century: From Best to Next Practices

A vibrant, future-focused ministry often involves moving from using “best practices” to “next practices.” Best practices are a snapshot of what we know has worked well in the past, while next practices are an attempt to take that prior experience and transform it rather than to merely replicate it. Best practices allow your ministry to focus on what you are currently doing a little better, while next practices increase your ministry’s capability to do things that it could never have done before. Practical strategies including strategic planning, utilizing classic and contemporary marketing strategies and social networking will all be discussed in this Year of Faith.

In this engaging and experiential workshop, we will explore how essential prayer is for the adolescent and learn easy techniques and styles of prayer that help create powerful experiences with youth. We will also identify the keys necessary for nurturing an adolescent’s relationship to God. Don’t miss this one!

The modern day decline in civil discourse, mixed with a proliferation of firearms, religious intolerance, and retaliatory behaviors make individual and collective efforts for reconciliation and peaceful coalesce an impossible dream. Yet, as followers of Christ, we claim to have a knowledge and understanding of a way of life that stands in diametric opposition to this complex global reality. We claim that in and through Christ, the Church is called to be a reconciling presence in the world. However, essential to this is the individual believer’s deeper understanding of, and renewed commitment to, the process of forgiveness. This session will offer a theological investigation of the sacrament of reconciliation.

The ministry of liturgical music is not about the music, not about the singer or instrumentalist, and ultimately, not about the gathered assembly. The ministry of liturgical music, through the call of Vatican II of “full, conscious, and active participation,” is about Christ – making Christ known, celebrating and nurturing this presence in our lives in order to more fully and authentically become the Body of Christ to the world. Come and do more than just sing the “song-prayers” of our faith, but discover the need to transform ourselves and our communities to become and live the promise.

7-12 Solving the Social Media Mystery: Tips, Tools and Techniques for the New Evangelization

With new social media solutions being launched at such a frenetic pace, here’s a look at the most effective strategies for incorporating technology into your catechetical, ministerial, administrative and communications efforts. This session will explore the latest solutions and trends and offer concrete examples of how dioceses, parishes and apostolates around the country have successfully harnessed the power of these ever-evolving tools.

A lot of people these days are talking about God. Shouldn’t we Catholics be part of that? How can we help folks who are not active now truly Enter the Mystery of life in the Church? This is the “New Evangelization” about which we hear so much today. But we Catholics sometimes struggle to speak about our faith. Being too vocal about what we believe makes us a bit nervous. And yet ... there are certain moments in life when speaking of faith is important. In this workshop, Bill Huebsch will explore ways that pastoral leaders can teach average Catholics to speak about their faith without annoying others. It will include live demos, practical methods and helpful resources.

Using the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius, Fr. Michael Kennedy and Javier Stauring will lead attendees in experiencing the power of Gospel imagination connecting our life’s hurts to the healing medicine found in Jesus. This method of Ignatian Gospel prayer can be brought back into our own ministries.

Fr. Michael Kennedy, a Jesuit priest for over 35 years, works with the poor in California, Mexico, Central America and South America. He is author of five books that present a prayer method for homes and detention facilities. As Director of the Jesuit Restorative Justice Initiative and as co-chaplain at Barry J. Nidorf Juvenile Hall in Sylmar, Calif., Fr. Kennedy works with incarcerated youth and gives retreats in state prisons.

Javier Stauring is Co-Director of the Office of Restorative Justice for the Los Angeles Archdiocese. Since 1996, he has overseen the programs at all juvenile halls and probation camps in Los Angeles, Ventura and Santa Barbara counties. In addition, Stauring is responsible for three other restorative justice programs: Ministry to Victims of Crime, Ministry to Families of the Incarcerated, and Ministry to Formerly Incarcerated.

Mental illnesses – including depression, schizophrenia, bipolar illness, obsessive compulsive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder – touch one in four families. Stigma keeps many who have these illnesses, and their families, from getting help. How can we as Church reach out and let them know they are not alone? Deacon Tom Lambert and Connie Rakitan will share their experiences of over 25 years providing support and educating parishes and dioceses about ministry to people with mental illness. They will present practical resources parishes can use to support individuals and families, including models for inclusion, retreats and spiritual companioning.

Tom Lambert, ordained a deacon for the Chicago Archdiocese, currently serves at Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Chicago. He co-chairs the National Catholic Partnership on Disability’s Council on Mental Illness, and is co-chair of the Chicago Archdiocese’s Commission on Mental Illness, which he founded in 1990. Deacon Lambert is also President of Faith and Fellowship in Oak Park, Ill., and has led retreats for people with mental illness and their families. (His oldest daughter has a mental illness.)

In 1979, Connie Rakitan founded the Illinois-based Faith and Fellowship, and now serves as Program Director. She is author of the resources that form the content of the sessions used across the county. Rakitan has spoken nationally on social outreach with and for adults with mental illness. She serves as Chair of the Chicago Archdiocesan Commission on Mental Illness and is a founding member and Co-Chair of the National Catholic Partnership on Disability’s Council on Mental Illness.

Dr. Josephine Lombardi will explore the deeper meaning of salvation as it is found in Scripture and tradition. God desires the salvation of all people, but do we know what this means? Does the process begin here and now? Does it involve the body and the soul? Does it involve transformation or restoration? We will look at what it means to be saved in the Hebrew and Christian Scriptures, in the thought of early Christian writers, and in official Church teaching. This is an ideal workshop for the Year of Faith, as the New Evangelization is all about re-proposing the faith and teachings of our faith in a fresh way with renewed vigor and dynamism.

Most people know that the saints, and even Jesus, used humor in their lives and ministries. But how do we incorporate joy, humor and laughter in our own personal spiritual lives? This session will provide helpful ways to find and experience joy, humor and laughter in your daily life, in your family life and in your ministry. All that and some great jokes!

In this unique art and music celebration of St. Joseph – one of the most beloved saints in the church – Bro. Mickey McGrath will share his paintings and stories, assisted by the beautiful musical accompaniment of pianist Cliff Petty. In addition to his roles as father and husband, we will look at Joseph as a patron saint of social justice, immigration reform, the universal church – and even cooks! Give your head a break and treat your heart to a dose of spiritual beauty.

Bro. Mickey McGrath is an artist and author currently living in Camden, N.J. A popular speaker at retreats and religious education conferences around the country, he has written various articles in Commonweal Magazine and illustrated posters for U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. The main theme of all Bro. McGrath’s work centers on the healing power and prayerful nature of art and beauty. He is a former Associate Professor of Art at De Sales University in Pennsylvania. His recent book titles include “Go To Joseph” and “Saved By Beauty.”

A native of Eufaula, Ala., Cliff Petty is a singer, musician, producer and arranger with several works to his credit. He has served as music clinician, workshop presenter and performer at numerous conferences, conventions, and Catholic and Protestant churches throughout this country and abroad. Presently, Petty is the Pastoral Musician and Artist in Residence at Resurrection Catholic Church in Montgomery, Ala., as well as a music teacher at the parish school. He is a composer and recording artist for World Library Publications.

7-19 “God blah, blah, blah. Church blah, blah, blah”: Why Younger Generations Tune You Out and What You Must Do to Effectively Reach Them (WORKSHOP CLOSED)

What if you could reach more young people by understanding why they resist your efforts to reach them, teach them, and help them? In this dynamic, humorous session, you’ll learn the four types of human resistance and why most of our evangelization and catechesis is focused on the wrong one. You’ll learn which type of resistance is most prevalent in youth and young adults and the language, skills and questions that will get you through the door to their minds, hearts and souls.

Drawing upon our rich, spiritual tradition of prayer, worship and contemplation, this workshop will inspire participants and enable them to deepen their relationship with God, while nourishing their life of discipleship which flows from their baptismal commitment. (This workshop is a repeat of Session 1-21.)

This session will center on Gaudium et Spes, the Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World – the surprise document that emerged from the Second Vatican Council. We will look at the theological issues that surround the document, its main themes, and the challenges it still holds for Catholic Christians.

Fr. Richard Rohr teaches that the 12 Step program of Alcohol Anonymous (AA) mirrors and makes very practical the message of Jesus and helps us recognize we are all addicts in some way – surely to our way of thinking – and need a way out and through. He considers the program and the specific American contribution to the history of spirituality.

Using the award-winning documentary, “The Labyrinth,” this session explores ways to enter into substantive Jewish/Catholic dialogue. The film is the testimony of a Polish-Catholic Auschwitz survivor’s devastating experiences in a concentration/death camp where Jews, Poles and others were victimized. Using Scripture sources, we focus on shared core beliefs and sacred texts. With the Second Vatican Council called by Pope John XXIII, and the resulting Nostra Aetate (In Our Time) proclaimed by Pope Paul VI, Catholic teaching and liturgy officially changed toward the Jewish people. The efforts and actions of Pope John Paul II will also be highlighted.

Fr. Ron Schmidt is a Jesuit priest and international documentary filmmaker whose award-winning films include “On the Line” and “In Spite of Darkness: A Spiritual Encounter with Auschwitz.” He has presented film retreats, Ignatian retreats and seminars on the documentary “The Labyrinth.” Fr. Schmidt presented the acclaimed documentary, “Into Great Silence,” at the L.A. Congress and co-founded the annual Film Showcase. He is presently Associate Pastor of Our Lady of Lourdes Parish in Tujunga, Calif.

Rabbi Michael Berenbaum is Director of the Sigi Ziering Institute and Professor of Jewish Studies at the American Jewish University in Los Angeles. He is author or editor of 21 books. His work in film has earned him an Emmy Award and he was been co-producer and/or senior historian on two Academy Award-winning films. Rabbi Berenbaum was the Project Director for the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C., and first director of its Research Institute. The rabbi also served as President and CEO of the Survivors of the Shoah Visual History Foundation.

7-24 Ten Great Foundations of the Pro-life Position from Logic, Ethics and Justice Theory – Recapturing the Minds and Hearts of Our Nation

Many of our young people believe that the pro-life position is “out of touch” or “naïve and stupid.” Fr. Robert Spitzer will show that nothing could be farther from the truth. He will speak briefly about the 10 greatest principles of ethics, logic and justice theory, and show how violations of these principles led equally to the genocide of Indians in the New World, to the Dred Scott decision (permitting “slavery by the superior race”), and to the Roe v. Wade decision permitting abortion of all preborn children. He will then speak about a strategy to restore these principles in our culture and will describe resources that can be used for high school and college students.

7-25 “We Are Not Peddlers of God’s Word”: Learning from St. Paul’s Use of Scripture

Dei Verbum, the Dogmatic Constitution on Divine Revelation promulgated by Pope Paul VI, called for Catholics to rediscover the importance of Sacred Scripture for the life of the Church. This workshop examines St. Paul’s use in his letters of Scripture as a “living word,” different from those who “peddle” the Word of God for their own benefit. We have much to learn from Paul the Apostle!

7-70 Tôi Tin Sự Sống Lại và Sự Sống Đời Sau: Sự Chết- Phán Xét- Thiên Đàng và Hoả Ngục

(WORKSHOP CLOSED)

Là người Công giáo, chúng ta tin “xác loài người ngày sau sống lại”, và “sự sống đời sau.” Câu hỏi: “chết rồi đi đâu? hỏa ngục có thật không? Chúa phán xét con người thế nào?v.v…” luôn là đề tài khiến nhiều người tìm cách trả lời qua những cảm nghiệm và suy luận của chính mình. Trong năm Đức Tin, chúng ta cần hiểu đúng đắn những tín lý ta tuyên xưng dựa trên kinh thánh và giáo huấn của giáo hội để tránh hoang mang dẫn đến mê tín hay dị đoan.

Death and Eternal Life: Catholic Teachings on Eschatological Issues

(WORKSHOP CLOSED)

We believe in the resurrection and the afterlife. What are the Catholic doctrines of the last things – death, judgment, heaven, hell? Let us revisit our catechism regarding the Church’s teachings on eschatological issues, which if not understood correctly, can lead to doubts and superstitions.

2013 RECongress Period 7

Religious Education Congress
Sunday, February 24, 2013
10:00 - 11:30 am

2013 RECongress Period 7

Religious Education Congress Sunday, February 24, 2013 10:00 - 11:30 am

Religious Education Congress
Sunday, February 24, 2013
10:00 - 11:30 am