RECongress Emailing - January 2020 (REC #2020.14)

Are You Ready For RECongress 2020?

Happy New Year 2020! And that means that the 2020 Los Angeles Religious Education Congress is next month. And don't forget about these RECongress January deadlines: January 3 is the last day to request refunds; January 6 is the deadline for volunteers to register; registration fees for Youth Day and the Adult Days increase on January 10; and January 31 is the last day to register by mail (you would register online or on site in February).

Live Mercy – Be Holy: "We are highly aware of the many needs of our world, and at times, we may even feel overwhelmed by the news. Thankfully, our hearts and lives can respond to the suffering around us. God invites us, “Be holy, for I, your God, am holy” (Lv 19:2) and “Be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Mt 5:48). We can respond with mercy through acts of love, and when these acts arise from a place of compassion, our response embodies God’s holiness.

— Sr. Rosalia Meza, VDMF
Director, Office of Religious Education

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: Jesse Manibusan

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: MERCY AND HOLINESS: STRONGER THAN ANY SUPERPOWER!

Speaker: Jesse Manibusan

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

Times: 9:45 am & 2:30 pm

Marvel or DC? Pick a hero, any hero. The end game, however, will always be: How do our gifts — and the use or misuse of those gifts — transform us and our world? Life isn’t a movie. There are no shortcuts. There are “cheats,” but the only way to live a life of lasting joy, hope and gratitude is through the power of mercy and holiness. Come see, hear and experience something truly super and heroic!

Jesse Manibusan, founder of Jesse Manibusan Music Ministries, has over 30 years of experience as a liturgical music minister, youth worker, catechist and parish mission director. He has presented at all the major youth conferences, including the L.A. Religious Education Congress, the National Conference on Catholic Youth Ministry and several World Youth Days. Manibusan has performed at various conferences worldwide and has several CDs published with Oregon Catholic Press.

Find our other Youth Day Speakers here »

Speaker Spotlight: Sr. Miriam Heidland

Over the three days, RECongress 2020 will offer nearly 300 workshops presented by about 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:

Sr. Miriam James Heidland, SOLT, is a former Division I athlete who joined the Society of Our Lady of the Most Holy Trinity (SOLT) in 1998. Her story has been featured on EWTN’s “The Journey Home,” and at the SEEK Conference, Relevant Radio and other outlets. She currently is Assistant to the SOLT Sisters’ General Superior and speaks regularly on the topics of conversion, authentic love, forgiveness, healing … and sports! Sr. Heidland is author of the book, “Loved As I Am,” and her podcast, Abiding Together, can be found on iTunes.

Friday, February 21, 1:00-2:30 pm - Session 2-10
TRANSFORMATION FROM THE HEART: WHY YOUR ENCOUNTER WITH JESUS CHANGES THE WORLD
presented with Rev. John Burns

The most powerful Gospel you will ever proclaim is by how you live your day-to-day life. An authentic, vibrant love of Jesus Christ is captivating to behold, and a sign needed in the world today. How do we practically live this out? What gets in the way of reflecting God’s mercy, love and truth in the world? In this workshop, we will explore the deepest desires of the human heart, how Jesus continually calls, pursues and heals each one of us, and why surrendering our hearts and lives to him every day is the most important decision we will ever make.

Sunday, February 23, 10:00-11:30 am - Session 7-07
SEEKING HEALING THROUGH FORGIVENESS

Have you ever wanted to live a vibrant and abundant life, yet feel “stuck” with certain memories or experiences that you would rather forget? Have you wanted to be free of anger or resentment? At the very heart of our Catholic faith is the call to receive God’s forgiveness and to share it. Being wounded by the injustice of another is part of human life, and only through the graced experience of forgiveness do we let go of the anger and resentment that accumulate around our wounds. In this workshop, we will delve into what forgiveness really is, how it sets us free, and how it brings Christ’s powerful, healing love into our hearts and into the world.

Find the list of RECongress Speakers here »

Saturday Spotlight: Sacred Illuminations

Saturday, February 22, 8:30 pm — Convention 213

You are invited to attend Sacred Illuminations: A mystical choreography of light and sound. Incorporating her newest liturgical and fine art photography and reflections, Sr. Rose Marie Tulacz, SND will bring us to encounter in a deeper way, the love and power of the Father’s love, transforming us through the reality of our daily lives.
Find other Entertainment at RECongress here »

FOCCUS Pre-Marriage Training

Happening on the same day as Youth Day, FOCCUS Ministry invites you to attend a session to become trained as a Certified FOCCUS Facilitator. FOCCUS is the pre-marriage assessment designed to provide engaged couples and those working with them a personalized profile of their relationship.
Date: February 20, 2020
Time: 8:00 am to 3:30 pm
Location: Christ Cathedral, 13280 Chapman Ave, Garden Grove, CA 92840
(free parking)
Registration deadline is January 13, 2020
Find other Entertainment at RECongress here »

Have You Considered Volunteering?

Have you thought of volunteering at RECongress? 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. Volunteers receive a discount on registration but must register by January 6. All new volunteers should plan to attend a Volunteer Meeting held on Tuesday evening, January 21, 2020.
Find additional Volunteer information here »

Have You Booked Your Hotel?

We have contracted with a number of hotels to offer attendees a variety of pricing and room types. But you need to book now. A number of these hotels have January deadlines. Check our online listing and be 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 25 Years ... at 1995

From the 1995 Religious Education Congress Registration Guidebook, with the theme "Passion for Justice" held February 16-19, 1995 at the Anaheim Convention Center.

Carole M. Eipers, D.Min., is currently Director of the Archdiocesan Office of Religious Education in Chicago, IL. She has earned a Masters in Pastoral Studies and a Doctor of Ministry. She speaks at local, regional and national conferences and is Adjunct Faculty, Loyola New Orleans Institute for Ministry and Mundelein Seminary, IL.

CATECHESIS FOR CONFIRMATION

This session will reflect on the faith themes presented in "The Challenge of Adolescent Catechesis" and their integration into the preparation. of adolescents for Confirmation. We will explore practical ways of engaging young people in learning and living what faith themes suggest.

See the 1995 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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