2017 USCCB Convocation Participants Guidebook and Journal | Page 48

Participation at the Convocation
• What are my challenges and frustrations with my role in
the Church?
• What are my hopes and dreams for the Church and for
my particular role in the Church?
Plenary Sessions
In these sessions, participants will listen to bishops and key leaders
explore the major themes of the Convocation. Through stories,
ideas, and exhortation, the plenary sessions, using short and crisp
presentations and panel conversations, seek to inspire and motivate.
• Come ready to learn and be challenged as well as affirmed
in your work.
• The plenary speakers will only touch on each topic briefly,
so ask yourself: What more do I want to know or do to
go deeper?
Please be respectful of the plenary session presenters, keynotes,
bishops, and panelists, and their time and energy, during the
main stage sessions and in the hallways afterward.
Breakout Sessions
The breakouts, led by the bishops and key experts in the field, will
be a chance to hear in more detail about the issues at hand. They
will also be times to engage in smaller group conversations with
other leaders. The breakouts will present the topic in a “see-judge-
act” format, with the key experts exploring what they observe in
their focus area, leading into large group conversation in which
the panel and the participants evaluate the situation, and round-
ing out the session with small group discussions on local realities
and practical ideas for moving forward.
• It is recommended that members of delegations attend
different breakout sessions so that teams can discuss
different topics, compare experiences, and bring multiple
ideas back to the delegation. To ensure this, please discuss
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