RECongress Emailing - December 2019 (REC #2020.11)

Registration Is Open; Guidebooks Mailed!

Did you know you can now register for the 2020 Los Angeles Religious Education Congress either online or by mailing in the registration form? The Registration Guidebooks have been mailed and they are the key to registring for RECongress. There are 294 workshops being offered this year. You can sort through them by topic here or by period here. A good strategy is choosing sessions that are not recorded, which allows you the option of hearing at a later time those sessions that were recorded.

Live Mercy – Be Holy: "Holiness does not mean separating ourselves from the world. Just the opposite. Holiness means loving God and loving our neighbor, right where we are, in the middle of the world. In our families, in our work, in our play, in everything we do."

— Archbishop José Gomez

Pass along this emailing or our link — archive.recongress.org — to share with friends, and encourage them to sign up for the Emailings to receive the latest information about RECongress 2020. If you do not care to receive future updates, you can find removal information at the bottom of this message.

Youth Day Spotlight: Chris Estrella

In addition to the Arena Keynote on Youth Day, you make your choice of two workshops from the remaining 14 sessions held in ACC North Hall.

Title: LIVING MY BEST LIFE: INTIMACY, SELF-CONTROL AND ANTI-FOOLISHNESS!

Speaker: Chris Estrella

Location: ACC North Hall 251-252 (upper Level 200)

Times: 8:15 am & 12:45 pm

Yes, we know. We’ve heard it. The world is “noisy.” And it’s full of temptation (“Just one more episode!’’). But one of the greatest temptations we face starts with the lie to ourselves that leads us into it: “We’ve been together for so long and we’re in love”; “I could be doing something worse than this”; “God would probably agree”; and the almighty, “Just this once.” Chris Estrella is going to charge right into these, challenging us to wake up, speak real and live in the truth! You were made for so much. Stop settling for weakness. Stand up and demand greatness. God offers nothing less.

Catholic music artist and speaker Chris Estrella is also coordinator of Liturgical Music for the Diocese of San Bernardino, Calif. The former youth ministry coordinator and confirmation catechist travels nationally presenting talks and worship experiences at conferences, parish missions, youth and young adult events (including three World Youth Days) and is a worship leader for youth and young adult liturgy and prayer. He is represented by Oregon Catholic Press - Spirit & Song.

Find our other Youth Day Speakers here »

Speaker Spotlight: Fr. Leo Patalinghug

Over the three days, RECongress 2020 will offer nearly 300 workshops presented by nearly 200 speakers. Topics range from personal growth to music to spiritual topics — in English, Spanish and Vietnamese. Each Emailing we will spotlight one of our speakers:

BREAKING OPEN THE WORD THE RITE WAY

Born in the Philippines and raised in the Baltimore area, Fr. Leo Patalinghug is a priest-member of the secular institute Voluntas Dei (The Will of God). He is founder and host of “Plating Grace,” as well as the founder and Chairman of The Table Foundation. Fr. Patalinghug, a sought-out speaker and best-selling author, is host of “Savoring Our Faith” on EWTN and of the hit podcast, “Shoot the Shiitake,” and winner of “Throwdown with Bobby Flay” on the Food Network.

Friday, February 21, 1:00-2:30 pm - Session 2-16

HOW TO KEEP YOUR FAMILY CATHOLIC AND HAPPY: PRACTICAL AND REALISTIC HELP FOR FAMILIES!

Explore ways to help families stay rooted in their Roman Catholic faith and traditions. Help answer your family’s questions about what we believe and why we do things as Catholics. This session will help inspire hope and offer practical ways to share your faith in a more effective way. This is suitable for families, parish priests, catechists and lay ministers trying to create and support family evangelization efforts. This will address all stages of family development (from toddlers, teens to adult children who have strayed from their faith). It will help make theology and doctrine more understandable for our participants.

Saturday, February 22, 10:00-11:30 am - Session 4-19

MARRIAGE PREPARATION AND ONGOING FORMATION: HOW TO MAKE THIS SACRAMENT A SOURCE OF HOLINESS FOR THE WORLD!

Based on his best-selling book, “Spicing Up Married Life,” this presentation will help couples (dating, engaged and already married) see marriage as a powerful vocation to bring holiness into the world! This is good for priests, deacons and all ministers who work with pre-marriage classes, Retrouvaille ministries and even for teens and young adults discerning their possible future vocations. This session – the topic was one of the most popular at the 2018 World Meeting of Families in Rome – will also end with a special celebration of marriage!

See our list of RECongress Speakers here »

Speakers in the Arena and Hall B

You can find a listing of those RECongress 2020 speakers appearing in the Arena (English sessions) and those appearing in Hall B (Spanish sessions) on our Updates Page. We also have a listing of all Vietenemese workshops for this year. , February 22, 5:15 pm – Marriott This year our Young Adult Liturgy is trilingual (English, Spanish, Vietnamese) presided over by Fr. Hung Pham, SJ, Assistant Professor of Ignatian Spirituality at the Jesuit School of Theology in Berkeley, Calif. Music will be led by Ivan Diaz and Paul Nguyen. Come and worship with other young adults from around the world at this celebration that highlights the gifts of young adults.

YOUNG ADULT DANCE
Saturday, February 22, 9 pm-12 midnight – Marriott Hotel
Cost: $7 per person
Keep your Congress Saturday going into the night. Our DJs will be spinning and taking your requests for an amazing time. Young adults 18 to 39 are welcome. Picture ID is required for admission. A no-host bar is provided, as well as complimentary water stations. NO outside containers are permitted.
Find other Entertainment at RECongress here »

Entertainment: Saturday Young Adult Events

YOUNG ADULT LITURGY
Saturday, February 22, 5:15 pm – Marriott This year our Young Adult Liturgy is trilingual (English, Spanish, Vietnamese) presided over by Fr. Hung Pham, SJ, Assistant Professor of Ignatian Spirituality at the Jesuit School of Theology in Berkeley, Calif. Music will be led by Ivan Diaz and Paul Nguyen. Come and worship with other young adults from around the world at this celebration that highlights the gifts of young adults.

Have You Considered Volunteering?

Our Los Angeles Religious Education Congress could not function without the hundreds of volunteers who give of their time. If you would like to find out more about becoming a volunteer for our next RECongress, please consider this your "personal invitation." We have a need for volunteers for both Youth Day and our Adult Days, including Adult Days Workshop Volunteers (English, Spanish and Vietnamese), Eucharistic Ministers for the two Sunday Closing Liturgies in the Arena, and musicians for the RECongress Choir. All new volunteers should plan to attend a Volunteer Meeting held on Tuesday evening, January 21, 2020.
Find additional Volunteer information here »

Some Hotel Tips

With you in mind, the Religious Education Congress has contracted with certain hotels in the Convention Center area that offer a variety of pricing and room types that should meet everyone’s needs. Please pay special attention to the amenities offered -- some properties offer free breakfast options and several hotels offer suites that can house up to 6 people -- that can add even greater value to your stay. To get the quoted rates, sure to mention that you are attending the 2020 Religious Education Congress and ask for the REC or Religious Education Congress Block Group Rate.

Find the list of contracted hotels here »

Just for Southern Californians

Ralphs Grocery Company, a major supermarket chain in the Southern California area, supports schools, churches and other non-profit organizations with annual contributions. Here is an easy way to help the Los Angeles Religious Education Congress, a member of Ralphs Community Contributions Program. Simply by using your Ralphs Rewards Card, a portion of eligible purchases are contributed to the RECongress.

We encourage all Ralphs shoppers to sign up for the free Ralphs Rewards Card and register their card with the Community Contributions Program. It’s the easiest way to contribute to the RECongress. Note: If you enrolled this year before September 1, you will need to re-enroll for this new term.

Name: Archdiocese of Los Angeles - Religious Education
Organization Number: KV939

Find step-by-step instructions and information online and
See more about the Ralphs program »

Looking Back 30 Years ... at 1990

The Registration Guidebook from the 1990 Religious Education Congress with the theme "Voices that Challenge" held January 25-28, 1990 at the Anaheim Convention Center.

1990 YOUTH DAY WORKSHOPS

A. Intimacy: You Have 10 Read Between the Lines
– Bob Bartlett

B. Handling Peer Pressure – Jim Burns

C. You Are the Wind Beneath My Wings
– Judy Casar

D. Stand By Me – Sharon Covington York

E. The Challenge Of Making Good Moral Decisions
– Rev. Cyprian Devold

H. Finding the Voice Of God All Around Us! – Sr. Jose Hobday

J. My Music and My Parents: Do We Have 10 Fight?
– Rev. Don Kimball

K. Hearing the Voice That Shouts "I Love You!" – Tony Melendez

M. Come Talk with Me – Michael Pritchard

O. Young Church Dialogue Session – Brian Reynolds

P. Our Lady of Guadalupe: Spirituality and Integration In Hispanic
Youth – Jeanette Rodriguez-Holguin

R. Peer Pressure ... It Can Make A Difference – Anna Scally

S. You Are the Heroes of Tomorrow – Rev. Norm Supancheck

T. Ustedes son los Heroes de Mañana – Rev. Norm Supancheck

U. Mirandome en el Espejo – Rev. Miguel Angel Villegas

Z. Voices That Change – Ralph West
See the 1990 RECongress Guidebook here »

Our Web Site — RECongress.org

You can find all Congress information and updates online. Our upcoming RECongress Emailings will feature some Congress Spotlights, and we will be adding speaker and hotel information online. Check our site for updates and announcements.

RECongress Emailing

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