THURSDAY SESSIONS
Clergy Formation
9:00 AM–5:00 PM, THURSDAY
Preaching in the New Millennium –
Father Thomas Scirghi, SJ
Homilies in the context of Sunday Eucharist and Sacramental
celebrations are privileged opportunities to evangelize and inspire
all who are present. Fr. Scirghi will explore homiletic approaches
and technique to more effectively preach to congregations of the new millennium.
Young Prophetic Voices for the Church of Today
Going, Going, Gone: The
Dynamics of Disaffi liation in
Young Catholics … Now what?
– Bob McCarty, D. Min & John M. Vitek
9:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Now that we know the dynamics of disaffi liation among young Catholics, we
need to identify the practical pastoral responses and strategies that can enhance
affi liation and engagement with the faith community.
The Young Church Has Spoken, Let Us Listen
Wives of Deacons
9:00 AM–5:00 PM, THURSDAY
Celebrating Women in the Scriptures For the
Wives of Deacons – Sister Carol Dempsey, OP, Ph.D.
Who are some of the prominent biblical women in the Bible?
Who are those who are less known? How are we to understand
them? Who has shaped their stories, their voices? On the one
hand, how do the descriptions, stories, and portraits of biblical
women contribute to oppression, patriarchy, discrimination in our globalized world
today, and on the other hand, serve as sources for liberation for women today?
This workshop is an invitation to explore these and other topics as we read biblical
texts “against the grain” in a time when women everywhere continue to struggle
with inequality, essentialism, and discrimination. Come and enjoy new avenues of
thought as we move forward together in this Twenty-fi rst Century.
LTP-RCIA
– Brenda Noriega
1:15 PM – 2:30 PM
In recent years, young people have participated in two major
processes that have and will continue to shape the topic of youth
and young adults: The V Encuentro and Christus Vivit. Let us heed
their voices and fi nd new ways of accompanying them.
Is Your Parish Growing Young?
– Leisa Anslinger
2:45 PM – 4:45 PM
Ready to grow young as a parish? A research team at Fuller
Youth Institute led a qualitative study of “growing young” faith
communities. They identifi ed six core commit ment parishes can adopt to better
involve and retain young people.
10:00 AM–4:00 PM, THURSDAY
Discernment in Christian Initiation
– Donna Steffen, SC & Michael Ruzicki
The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults
invites several moments of discernment as
those contemplating a major step attempt to
discover the direction to take. Beneath the
liturgical celebrations of embracing Catholicism, catechumens and candidates,
adults and children, wrestle with personal questions: Is God truly calling me?
Am I called to join this community? What in my attitude and behaviors is holy,
and what needs to change? How am I being invited to let go and open myself to
God’s love?
Social Justice
9:00 AM–5:00 PM, THURSDAY
Is Social Justice an ‘Impossible Dream?’
– Ann-Louise Nadeau, SNDdeN
If Catholic Social Teachings are based on the Gospel mandate
to love, why are so many of our sisters and brothers on the margins
and on the outside, excluded and ignored by the People of God?
What would our Catholic community look like if we were faithful to
the principles of Catholic Social Teaching? What concrete steps can you take in
your parish, diocese, to more closely become the Beloved Community envisioned
by Jesus? Using contemplative listening and dialogue, we will attempt to answer
together the above questions.
For more information on the speakers and workshops, visit www.cacmc.net
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