October 14, 2013, Volume VII, Number 41 FEAST OF CALLISTUS I Monday of Twenty-Eighth Week in Ordinary Time Feast of Saint Teresa of Jesus – Tuesday, October 15, 2013 Feast of Saint Ignatius of Antioch – Thursday, October 17, 2013 Feast of Saint Luke – Friday, October 18, 2013 Feast of Saints John de Brebeuf and Isaac Jogues – Saturday YEAR OF FAITH - Oct. 11, 2012, through Nov. 24, 2013 http://www.annusfidei.va/content/novaevangelizatio/en.html Question of the Week For Twenty-Ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time, October 20, 2013 “…will he find faith on earth?” More importantly, will he find faith in you? …in me? How does this understanding of faith connect with the Creed that we proclaim each Sunday at Mass? How do you express your faith in action? How heavily do you rely on God? What would need to change in your life so that God would know that you depend completely on his mercy and love? NCCL News Prayer of Consecration to the Blessed Virgin Mary CL Weekly, October 14, 2013 Page 1
Transcript
October 14, 2013, Volume VII, Number 41
FEAST OF CALLISTUS I Monday of Twenty-Eighth Week in Ordinary Time
Feast of Saint Teresa of Jesus – Tuesday, October 15, 2013Feast of Saint Ignatius of Antioch – Thursday, October 17, 2013
Feast of Saint Luke – Friday, October 18, 2013Feast of Saints John de Brebeuf and Isaac Jogues – SaturdayYEAR OF FAITH - Oct. 11, 2012, through Nov. 24, 2013
Question of the WeekFor Twenty-Ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time, October 20, 2013 “…will he find faith on earth?” More importantly, will he find faith in you? …in me? How does this understanding of faith connect with the Creed that we proclaim each Sunday at Mass? How do you express your faith in action? How heavily do you rely on God? What would need to change in your life so that God would know that you depend completely on his mercy and love?
NCCL News
Prayer of Consecration to the Blessed Virgin Mary
Here is the translation of the prayer of consecration recited by Pope Francis in consecrating the world to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
Holy Mary Virgin of Fatima,with renewed gratitude for your maternal presencewe join our voice to that of all the generationswho call you blessed.
We celebrate in you the works of God,who never tires of looking down with mercyupon humanity, afflicted with the wound of sin,to heal it and save it.
Accept with the benevolence of a Motherthe act of consecration that we perform today with confidence,before this image of you that is so dear to us.
We are certain that each of us is precious in your eyesand that nothing of all that lives in our hearts is unknown to you.
We let ourselves be touched by your most sweet regardand we welcome the consoling caress of your smile.
Hold our life in your arms:bless and strengthen every desire for good; revive and nourish faith;sustain and enlighten hope;awaken and animate charity;guide all of us along the path of holiness.
Teach us your own preferential lovefor the little and the poor,for the excluded and the suffering,for sinners and the downhearted:bring everyone under your protectionand entrust everyone to your beloved Son, Our Lord Jesus.
Amen. [Translation by Joseph Trabbic]
Massive Cyclone Hits India – Urgent Request for Help
Catholic Relief Services is the official international humanitarian agency of the Catholic community in the United States. We ease suffering and provide assistance to people in need in 91 countries, without regard to race, religion or nationality. Kirti Mishra, Catholic Relief Services India’s operations manager based in Bhubaneshwar, spent the night in her home about 35 miles from the coast. She is part of the Catholic Relief Services’ team in eastern India now assisting those affected by the cyclone. She gave this firsthand account of her experience as Cyclone Phailin passed over the city. Please give generously to fund their Catholic Relief Services Effort in India so they may reach as many people in need as possible.
World Mission Sunday, organized by the Propagation of the Faith, is a day set aside for Catholics worldwide to recommit themselves to the Church's missionary activity through prayer and sacrifice. In 2013, World Mission Sunday is celebrated on October 20.
The theme for this year’s World Mission Sunday celebration – “Do Good on Earth” – highlights that outreach as it’s carried out
by dedicated missionaries among the poor and marginalized half a world away. The specific example we have chosen – of Sister Clara and her fellow Salesian Sisters and their work at the Marialaya Children’s Home in Chennai, India – is just one of so many that reflect the call of our Holy Father, Pope Francis, to “give voice to those not able to make their cries of pain and oppression heard.” To learn more or watch a video, please go to Do Good On Earth.
Thanks to Susan Barylo – CL Weekly Hyperlinks Now Open to New Page
Susan Barylo wrote the kind of email that constructively critiques, suggests a change and the reasons it would be helpful, and offers a solution that is easy to implement. The problem:
If I am on page 10 of CL Weekly, click a link, finish looking at it, and use the “back” button to go back to the CL Weekly, it always
begins again on page one. Then I have to page through it to find page 10, where I was when I clicked the link I looked at. I’ve been getting these CL Weeklies for three years now, and I delay reading them sometimes because of this extra work. None of us have extra time, and most of us do not have enough to do/read/accomplish all that we want to. This change would eliminate a small irritation that is so easily fixed.
So, thanks to Susan, it’s fixed and it should make it easier for all readers to click on a hyperlink and be able to come right back to where they were reading before they clicked on the link. It also means I no longer have to make a Tiny URL for the PDF file. We are always looking to make CL Weekly a tool that serves your needs. Suggestions (and potential solutions) are always welcome. Thanks again Susan for helping NCCL be a member-driven organization. As the advertisement states, “You talk – We Listen.”
Reserve a Room for the 2014 NCCL Conference – Announced on Facebook
For the 2014 NCCL Conference and Exposition in St. Louis, the Planning Committee provided the information link to hotel registration on Friday, October 11 to the 441 people who like NCCL. If you were one of those, you could have your conference hotel room already reserved
without any worries that the hotel would be full or that double rooms might be sold out. You can make your reservation at the hotel by clicking on Renaissance St. Louis Hotel Reservation for NCCL 2014. If you are interested in transportation to the hotel, click on Hotel Transportation Options. BE THE FIRST TO FIND OUT OTHER INFORMATION by liking us on Facebook at NCCL Facebook.
Francis' Address to Young People in Assisi
At 5:30 pm, after crossing the Square in front of the Basilica of Saint Mary of the Angels, and greeting the awaiting young people, the Holy Father went into the Basilica . After the visit and silent prayer at the Porcincula, at 6:15 pm Pope Francis met with young people of Umbria in the Square of the Basilica.
The Pope was greeted by the Archbishop of Spoleto-Norcia, Renato Boccardo, president of the Regional Commission of Youth Ministry, together with eight young people representing the eight Umbrian dioceses. Then some young people asked the Holy Father four questions on: the family, work, vocation and mission. Here is a translation of the young people’s questions and of Pope Francis’ answers.
YOUNG PEOPLE’S QUESTIONS TO THE HOLY FATHER
1. FAMILY
Nicola and Chiara Volpi (Perugia-Citta della Pieve)
We live in a society where well-being is at the center, to amuse oneself and think of oneself. To live matrimony as young Christians is complex; to open oneself to life is a challenge and a frequent fear. As a young couple we feel the joy of living our marriage, but we experience the daily effort and challenges. How can the Church help us, how can our pastors support us, what steps are we also called to take?
2. WORK
Danilo Zampolini (Spoleto-Norcia) and David Girolami (Foligno)
The general economic crisis of these last years has also caused situations of hardship and poverty in Umbria. The future appears uncertain and menacing. The risk is also to lose hope, together with economic security. How should a young Christian look at the future? What path should we choose to build a society worthy of God and worthy of man?
3. VOCATION
Benedetto Fattorini (Orvieto-Todi) and Maria Chiaroli (Terni-Narni-Amelia)
What should I do in life? How and where should I use the talents that the Lord has given me?
Sometimes we are attracted by the idea of the priesthood or of consecrated life, but immediately fear arises. And then, such a commitment: “forever”. How can we recognize God’s call? What would you advise someone who wants to dedicate his life to the service of God and to brothers?
Luca Nassuato (Assisi-Nocera Umbra-Gualdo Tadino), Mirko Pierli (Citta di Castello) and Petra Sannipoli (Gubbio)
It’s lovely to be here together with you and to hear your words which encourage us and warm our heart. The Year of Faith, which will end in a few weeks, proposed to all believers again the urgency of the proclamation of the Good News. We also want to take part in this exciting adventure. But how? What can our contribution be? What must we do?
If you are interested in reading the pope’s answers to these questions, please go to Pope Answers Questions from Young People.
Nominations Needed by THIS FRIDAY, October 18, 2013
The LDC is seeking nominations for persons to serve a three (3) year term on the NCCL Board of Directors. While Representative Council members will be securing nominations from their representative constituencies, NCCL offers all members the opportunity to nominate someone to be considered for this role. The term for the three Board members would begin at the end of the NCCL Conference and Exposition in 2014 and continue until the same event in 2017.
Please review the following documents along with the nomination form. Deadline is Friday, October 18, 2013.
Rep Council Roles and Responsibilities 2013 Pr ocess for Discerning At-Large Members - PowerPoint At-Large Board Members - Roles and Responsibilities At-Large Board Members Job Description LDC At-Large NOMINATION FORM
Due to a change in practice and by request of the LDC, the NCCL Board of Directors has approved a change in the selection process for the officer slates for 2015. To allow more time for the LDC to create two slates for officer selection and voting in 2015, the nomination process will begin now rather than later. As an individual member you are invited to submit the names of persons who might be considered as a nominee for the office of president. Please familiarize yourself with the following documents including the nomination form. Deadline is Friday, October 18, 2013.
Process for Discerning Officer Slates Roles of Officers.doc LDC Officers Nomination Form - 2015 - 2018
Catechetical Sunday – Only $0.25 a piece, Regardless of Quantity
This year, the Church celebrates the Catechetical theme Open the Door of Faith. Those whom the community has designated to serve as catechists have been called forth to be commissioned for their ministry.
NCCL still has a few remaining copies of its reflection journal which was edited by Michele Harris and the reflections were written by nine different NCCL members. The reflection book is entitled WELCOME! Open the Door – Pass through the gate – Seek the Christ. Sample pages from each of the writers are available on the NCCL Homepage (www.NCCL.org). The order form, with the $0.25 per book price, is available on the NCCL website. Hurry, while supplies last.
More than a third of U.S. parishes multicultural, notes CARA study
The percentage of multicultural parishes in the U.S is on the increase, according research by the Georgetown University-based Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate (CARA). CARA located parishes that self-identify as serving or are known to serve racial, ethnic, cultural, and/or linguistic groups in the nation to create the first comprehensive listing and mapping of multicultural parishes.
Membership of Hispanics in Church growing, at 38 percent Non-Hispanic whites still majority at 54 percent of national Catholic population Five percent Asian or Pacific Islander
This research was commissioned by the Secretariat of Cultural Diversity in the Church of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishop (USCCB). The study can be found at Cultural Diversity. CARA estimates there are approximately 6,700 multicultural parishes in the United States, many located in the South and West. The Official Catholic Directory lists more than 17,400 parishes in the country. In a second phase of this study, CARA will conduct in-pew surveys of parishioners in a national random sample of these parishes.
CARA’s research on multicultural parishes has found these to be, on average, larger than parishes in general. Multicultural parishes average 1,445 registered households, compared to 1,168 for parishes in general. Overall, about three in ten U.S. parishes (29 percent or 5,000) celebrate at least one Mass a month in a language other than English or Latin.
CL Weekly, October 14, 2013 Page 6
Nationally, CARA estimates that:
Approximately 42.5 million U.S. residents who self-identify as non-Hispanic white are Catholic, which represents 22 percent of people in the nation of this race and ethnicity.
Some 29.7 million U.S. residents who self-identify as Hispanic or Latino are estimated to be Catholic, representing about 59 percent of the 50.5 million people of this race and ethnicity in the country.
Approximately 3.6 million U.S. residents who self-identify as Asian, Native Hawaiian, or Pacific Islander are estimated to be Catholic, representing about 20 percent of this race and ethnicity in this country.
Approximately 2.9 million U.S. residents who self-identify as black, African American, African or Afro-Caribbean are estimated to be Catholic, representing about 8 percent of the 38.9 million people of this race and ethnicity in the U.S.
Some 535,500 U.S. residents who self-identify as American Indian or Alaskan Native are estimated to be Catholic, representing about 18 percent of the 2.9 million people of this race and ethnicity in this country.
Pope Francis: 'A Prayer That Is Not Courageous Is Not A Real Prayer'
Pope Francis highlighted the importance of courage in prayer to discover the true grace the comes with it. “How do we pray? Do we pray like this, out of habit, piously but unbothered, or do we put ourselves forward with courage before the Lord to ask for the grace, to ask for what we're praying for?,” the Pope asked the faithful present. “Courage in prayer: a prayer that is not courageous is not a real prayer.
The courage to trust that the Lord listens to us, the courage to knock on the door.” The Pope went on to say that it is we that must “ask, seek, and knock” at the heart of God. This “knocking on the heart of God”, he continued, “is a great thing” because God gives us His Holy Spirit, that is Himself. “Our prayer, if it is courageous, receives what it asks for, but also that which is more important: the Lord,” the Pope said.
Referencing another Gospel in which only one of ten lepers returned to thank Christ for healing him, the Holy Father said that some people “receive the grace and then go away.” The Pope stressed the importance to pray with the courage of faith, which brings us to ask “even for those things that prayer does not dare hope for: God Himself.
"We ask for a grace, but we don't dare say, 'But come Yourself to bring it to me.' We know that a grace is always brought by Him: It is He Himself who comes and brings it to us,” the Holy Father said. “Let us not embarrass ourselves by taking the grace and not recognizing Him who brings it to us, Him who gives it to us: The Lord. That the Lord may give us the grace of giving us Himself, always, in every grace.
Nominations Sought for NCCL Catechetical Award Among Others
Every year the NCCL Board of Directors chooses the recipient for its highest recognition: NCCL Catechetical Award, at its November meeting. After consultation with the representative Council, the Board makes the final decision. While nominations for the other awards, Distinguished Service and New Wineskins can be submitted as well, the final decision on those awards is not decided until 2014. While you may have shared names with your
Representative Council member, you may also nominate as an individual. Please review the criteria and past recipients in the following documents before choosing to nominate.
2014 Catechetical Award Nomination Form – DUE THIS FRIDAY, Oct.18 2014 Distinguished Service Award Nomination Form New Wineskins Award Application (diocesan level) 2013 New Wineskins Award Application (parish level) 2013 New Wineskins Award Application (diocesan level) 2013 New Wineskins Award Application (parish level) 2013
Cardinal Dolan, in Rome, lauds pope's 'new strategy' of evangelization
Pope Francis' recent warning against overemphasizing moral teachings against abortion, same-sex marriage and contraception means that U.S. bishops should emulate his positive approach to evangelization, not shift the priorities of their public policy agenda, said Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan of New York.
"What he's saying is that if the perception of the church is of a scold who's always nagging and always negative and always fearful, we're not going to make many converts, because nobody wants to join the church out of fear or (join a) a paranoid group," the cardinal said.
"If we emphasize the positive, the gracious, the embracing, the warm, inviting side of the church, then we're going to attract people," he said. "And that of course is what Pope Francis is saying and doing on steroids."
You can read the full press release as well as watch a one minute video by going to Pope Francis Meets With USCCB Leadership.
SADLIER Presents FREE Webinar – Pope Francis and the New Evangelization
POPE FRANCIS AND THE NEW EVANGELIZATIONBeyond the Legacies of Blessed Popes John Paul II and Benedict XVI
Join us on Monday, October 14 (English) or Tuesday, October 15 (Spanish) for this engaging presentation as Rev. Allan Figueroa Deck, SJ, S.T.D. shares his reflections on Pope Francis and the New Evangelization, Beyond the Legacies of Pope John Paul II and Benedict XVI.
Monday, October 14 - 4:00 p.m. ET THIS PRESENTATION WILL BE IN ENGLISH.
https://www3.gotomeeting.com/register/249605054
Tuesday, October 15 - 4:00 p.m. ETTHIS PRESENTATION WILL BE IN SPANISH.
https://www3.gotomeeting.com/register/255691278
A Certificate of Attendance will be offered to all participants.
Rev. Allan Figueroa Deck, SJ, S.T.D. is Charles S. Casassa Chair of Catholic Social Values and Professor of Theological Studies at Loyola Marymount University, Los Angeles, CA. In 1997, Father Deck founded and served as first Executive Director of the Loyola Institute for Spirituality in Orange, CA. In 2007, he was called to serve as first Executive Director of the Secretariat of Cultural Diversity in the Church at the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) in Washington, D.C. He is a member of the Board of Directors of the Woodstock Theological Center at Georgetown University and trustee emeritus of the University of San Francisco. Father Deck has authored two books, edited five others and published more than 50 articles. He
was a founder and first president of the Academy of Catholic Hispanic Theologians of the United States (ACHTUS) as well as of the National Catholic Council for Hispanic Ministry (NCCHM).
Pope Francis: Pursuit of Uniformity Erodes the Gifts of the Holy Spirit
The Holy Father dedicated the catechesis of today’s general audience to Catholicism and the concept of being Catholic. He explained three fundamental meanings of the idea, based on the Greek ‘kath’olon’, ‘totality’, and how these can be applied to the Church.
Firstly, “the Church is Catholic”, he said, “because she is the space, the house in which the faith in its entirety is announced, in which the salvation brought by Christ is offered to all. In the Church, every one of us finds what is necessary to believe, to live as Christians, to became holy, to walk this path in every place and in every age”.
“The Church is Catholic” he continued, explaining the second meaning, “because she is universal, she spreads through every part of the world and proclaims the Gospel to every man and every woman. The Church is not an elite group, she does not concern only the few.”
“The Church is not closed, she is sent to all of humanity. She is the only Church present even in the seemingly least significant parts of humanity”.
With regard to the third meaning of Catholicism, the Pope reiterated how “the Church is Catholic because she is the ‘House of harmony’ where unity and diversity know how to come together to create richness”.
The Holy Father compared this to the image of the symphony, which means harmony and accord, in which different instruments play together. Each one retains its own inimitable timbre and the characteristics of its sound, guided by a director who ensures that the instruments all play together in harmony, but that the timbre of each instrument is not cancelled; on the contrary, the special quality of each one finds its highest expression. The Church, he said, “is like a great orchestra. We are not all the same, and we should not all be the same”, he emphasized. “Each person offers what God has given him.”
Catholic peace group seeks to spread Franz Jägerstätter's story
The Friends of Franz Jägerstätter peace group wants their message of nonviolence to take root with U.S. Catholics. It may be a challenge, they admit, but they've turned their focus to what they hope is a more sympathetic group: young Christians.
Friends of Franz recently met in upstate New York and welcomed a special guest: Maria Jägerstätter, daughter of the group's namesake. Franz Jägerstätter, an Austrian Catholic farmer executed for refusing to serve in Hitler's army, was declared a martyr by Pope Benedict XVI in June 2007 and was beatified by the church in October of the same year.
The Franz Jägerstätter People For Breaking the Silence, or Friends of Franz (http://www.franzjagerstatter.com/), has members throughout the United States and Europe who speak out against violence and war because, according to the group, silence
on the issue is a form of participation.
In a conference call Sept. 27, group members discussed the need for their message to be heard, the encouraging climate Pope Francis has spurred in today's church, and how they hope to seize the moment and get their message out. Their primary goal is to ensure Jägerstätter's story is heard by as many Catholics as possible, which they hope will turn the tide against militarism in the United States.
CL Weekly, October 14, 2013 Page 10
Jägerstätter was an ordinary Austrian farmer when Hitler's army marched into his country in 1938. After the invasion, Jägerstätter, who was married with three children, was to be drafted in Germany's army. Believing the war unjust and incompatible with his Catholic faith, he refused conscription. His refusal cost him dearly: After months in a German prison, Jägerstätter was beheaded in 1943.
Members of the Friends of Franz say his story deserves close study among Catholics because his decision to refuse military service was rooted in faith. "If we tell the story of Jägerstätter, it has to be the whole story," said Fr. Emmanuel Charles McCarthy, a Melkite priest and longtime pacifist. Jägerstätter's "morality came out of a spirituality that is directly related to the understanding of God through Jesus Christ."
Friends of Franz want to make Jägerstätter's story resonate with lay Catholics. Members of the group have written plays in an attempt to reach a wider audience. One of the plays, "The Predator," is an effort to educate the public about drone warfare. It's their hope the play will be performed on Catholic college campuses. To read more, go to Friends of Franz
H ow to Help Students Who Have Been Bullied
In recognition of National Bullying Prevention month, the SEARCH Institute wanted to share some highlights from Dr. Meehan's book that you can use in your work with young people.
If you work in a youth program, you may have wondered what you can do right now to help a child who has been bullied. Dr. Meehan recommends specific actions, including the following:
Offer support in private to the child who has been bullied. Children often worry about "losing face" if adults rescue them in a public manner.
Ask the student for the facts about the bullying behavior and assure the child that the conversation will be confidential. Keep in mind that the student may find it difficult to talk about the facts.
Back up the student's experience by talking to others who know the student. These people may be other students and adults who work in your building.
Reassure the student that the bullying behavior is not his or her fault. Let the student know that you are there to support him or her. Emphasize that the student
is being brave to share the facts. Find out what will help the student feel safe, then help the student develop an action plan. Communicate the details of the action plan to other staff members. Involve the student's parents or guardians and offer them concrete ways to be supportive.
The Right to Be Safe: Putting an End to Bullying Behavior, which can be purchased through the NCCL Amazon Bookstore by clicking on the title, also debunks many of the common myths about students who bully, including
Myth: Children who bully are loners. Fact: Children who bully often have large groups of friends.
Myth: Children bully because they want attention. Fact: Power and control are primary motivators for students who bully.
Myth: Children who bully have low self-esteem. Fact: These students are skilled at manipulating social relationships.
Myth: Bullying is just kids being kids. Fact: Abusing other people is not normal. Research shows that 60 percent of kids who bully others have at least one criminal conviction by the time they are 24 years old.
Myth: Only boys bully. Fact: Girls are just as likely to bully their peers. Girls are more likely to engage in relational bullying.
FREE Professional Development Webinar – Tuesday, October 15, 2013
Ave Maria Press, in partnership with the National Conference for Catechetical Leadership, the National Association for Lay Ministry, and National Federation of Priests' Councils presents a series of free, online workshops on professional development for parish ministers. This webinar
is offered on Tuesday, October 15 at 3:00 pm EDT. You can register at PDW-10-15-2013 . For a complete listing of professional development webinars in this series, please visit www.avemariapress.com/webinars .
The Spirituality of Administration: Turning Mundane Tasks into Redeeming WorkPresented by: Ann Garrido, Author of Redeeming Administration
Tuesday, October 15, 2013 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM EDT
Administration is often critiqued both by those within and without the profession as work that takes good, fun-loving people and turns them into anxious curmudgeons. It doesn't have to be that way.
Speaking out of her own experience as an administrator in theological education, Ann Garrido will look at practices of administration that can be potentially transformative, making us not only effective administrators but holier, healthier Christians.
Participants will be invited to reassess their own daily administrative tasks with an eye toward how they might serve not only the greater Reign of God, but their own personal spiritual journey. You can purchase Ann
Garrido’s book, Redeeming Administration: 12 Spiritual Habits for Catholic Leaders in Parishes, Schools, Religious Communities, and Other Institutions at the NCCL Amazon Bookstore.
This is a fascinating two part series. While it centers on public education, I found some of the ideas to be very helpful in faith formation and particularly in helping catechists understand how they needed to relate to these boys and girls differently. Each program is about an hour each.
Join host Charity Nebbe for the first of a two-part show about how children grow up. The focus is on boys. How do they develop, what are their challenges and risks, and hear one perspective on how changes in education have affected how boys perform in the classroom. To listen, go to Raising Boys.
From Cinderella to Miley Cyrus our girls grow up in an environment rich in images of femininity. Host Charity Nebbe gets insight into the challenges and dangers girls face as they grow and how the media influences their development. To listen, go to Raising Girls.
U.S. Bishops to Vote for New and Chairmen-Elect of USCCB Committees
The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) will vote for the chairmanships of six of its committees during the bishops’ annual fall General Assembly, November 11-14, at the Baltimore Waterfront Marriott Hotel. A bishop elected to chair a USCCB committee serves as chairman-elect for one year before beginning a three-year term as chairman.
The following bishops were nominated for chairmanships of the following committees:
Canonical Affairs and Church Governance• Coadjutor Archbishop Bernard A. Hebda of Newark, New Jersey• Bishop Joseph N. Perry, auxiliary bishop of Chicago
Catholic Education• Archbishop George J. Lucas of Omaha, Nebraska• Bishop George V. Murry, SJ, of Youngstown, Ohio
Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs• Bishop Arthur L. Kennedy, auxiliary bishop of Boston• Bishop Mitchell Thomas Rozanski, auxiliary bishop of Baltimore
• Bishop John O. Barres of Allentown, Pennsylvania• Bishop Leonard P. Blair of Toledo, Ohio
International Justice and Peace• Bishop Oscar Cantú of Las Cruces, New Mexico• Bishop David J. Malloy of Rockford, Illinois
Child and Youth Protection• Bishop Edward J. Burns of Juneau, Alaska• Bishop Robert J. Cunningham of Syracuse, New York
The bishop elected to the Committee on Catholic Education will begin his term as chairman at the conclusion of the meeting, November 14. The late Bishop Joseph P. McFadden of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, chaired that committee until his death on May 2. Archbishop Lucas was subsequently named interim chairman.
The bishops also will elect their new president and vice president from a slate of 10 bishops nominated in advance of the meeting. The new president and vice president will begin their three-year terms at the conclusion of the meeting. The bishops will also elect new board members of the Catholic Legal Immigration Network Inc. (CLINIC) and Catholic Relief Services (CRS).
More information on the agenda is available online: www.usccb.org/news/2013/13-179.cfm
SADLIER & the NCCL Adult Faith Formation Committee: FREE Webinar
THE BAPTISMAL CATECHUMENAL MODEL What it is, What it is not, Why it is important.
Co-Sponsored by Sadlier and
the ADULT FAITH FORMATION COMMITTEE of the National Conference for Catechetical Leadership
Presenter: Ximena DeBroeck, M.A.Coordinator of Adult and Sacramental Formation
Department of Evangelization, Archdiocese of Baltimore
The General Directory for Catechesis (#59) calls the baptismal catechumenal the “model for all catechesis.” What pastoral significance does this have for the catechesis of adults within parishes and dioceses? Join Ximena DeBroeck on this informative webinar to learn about the history of the baptismal catechumenate and how this model can inform and transform your adult faith formation efforts.
In ENGLISHThursday, October 24, 2013, 1:00 p.m. EDT
https://www3.gotomeeting.com/register/574125414
El Directorio General para la Catequesis (#59) afirma que el catecumenado bautismal, debe ser “el modelo de toda catequesis.” Cuál sería el impacto pastoral de este modelo para la catequesis de adultos tanto a nivel parroquial como diocesano? Acompañe a Ximena DeBroeck durante este webinar informativo para aprender la historia de catecumenado bautismal y como este modelo puede transformar la formación en la fe para adultos.
In SPANISHThursday, October 24, 2013, 7:00 p.m. EDT
https://www3.gotomeeting.com/register/585138374
Viewers Asked to Support Documentary Highlighting Religious Sisters
Sr. Ann Kendrick doesn't think of herself as a celebrity, but her role in the documentary "Women & Spirit: Catholic Sisters in America" may change that. A Sister of Notre Dame de Namur, she and two other religious sisters arrived in Apopka more than 40 years ago to serve farmworkers and the working poor in the diocese of Orlando. Their empowerment and advocacy work at Hope CommUnity Center is featured in the program produced by the Leadership Conference of Women Religious and narrated by news analyst and author Cokie Roberts.
Women & Spirit chronicles the 300-year contribution of religious women in the United States. It shows their arrivals on immigrant ships, their nursing of Civil War soldiers and courageous care for epidemic victims. Through determination and sheer grit, they established hundreds of schools, one out of every five hospitals in the U.S. and 110 colleges, all at a time when women had less public freedom than they do now.
The documentary's project coordinator, Sr. Ellen Maher Garvey, a Sister of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, said the project gathered enough material for "a thousand stories." The religious sister from Dubuque, Iowa, described Women & Spirit as having two phases. The first was a touring exhibit for which each U.S. community of sisters sent three or four artifacts for display. Sister Garvey said the final choices were "illustrative rather than exhaustive." Phase two is the DVD.
Sr. Mary Dacey, a Sister of St. Joseph from Philadelphia, said the documentary became "almost more important" than the exhibit. "The DVD is a living, breathing thing," said Dacey, who was a
member of the LCWR leadership and helped launch Women & Spirit. "It's not just about history. Though it reveals the richness, diversity and impact of the sisters, it doesn't stop there. The earlier sisters came with immigrants," she told The Florida Catholic, newspaper of the Orlando diocese. "Today we're into immigration in a new and bold way. This connects us with the prophetic stance of the church. It is so exciting and makes a difference for our lay brothers and sisters."
When LCWR asked Roberts to write an endorsement for the traveling exhibit, she did so gladly. She also was the natural choice for narrator when Nancy Seruto and Tim Steinouer suggested the sisters make a video from the exhibit and offered their production services. "The script left me amazed at the stories of these women, and this from a Sacred Heart girl," said Roberts, who was educated by the Sacred Heart Sisters and regards them as "very important people" in her life.
"We learn, from the age of 5, I think, about St. Rose Philippine Duchesne and the incredible obstacles she faced. It is so easy to say, 'She established the first free school west of the Mississippi,' and to say, 'Oh, yes.' But we have to ask, 'How does that happen?' "There were treacherous ship voyages, arduous travel in heavy wool habits, incredible heat and bishops who changed their minds. These women were always fighting civil and church authorities to do what they were called to do."
Added Roberts, "Those of us who were educated by them need to support them. We ourselves may not be women religious but they helped us to become religious women." Get more information on how to contact local stations. Information on ordering the DVD is available at Women and Spirit.
Harlem Hate Crime Victim: I'm Feeling Gratitude
"People keep asking me what it feels like to have been assaulted in a hate crime. Honestly, I can't come up with a better response than simply 'gratitude.' I'm thankful for a few reasons. If they had attacked me any more violently, I may not be awake right now to tell my story. If they had attacked me even half an hour earlier, they would have harmed my wife and one-year-old son. [...] My wife and I plan to raise our son in this same Harlem neighborhood, and I can't help but see the kids who assaulted me as somehow linked to him. ... My hope is that our family
continues to be a part of this neighborhood, from visiting parks and playgrounds to building relationships through our work." Prabhjot Singh, an assistant professor at Columbia University, shares a powerful reflection. If interested, please go to Gratitude .
Pope Calls Synod to Discuss Families, Divorce and Remarriage
The predicament of divorced and remarried Catholics will be a major topic of discussion when bishops from around the world
meet at the Vatican in October 2014. The Vatican announced that an extraordinary session of the Synod of Bishops will meet Oct. 5-19, 2014, to discuss the "pastoral challenges of the family in the context of evangelization."
The pope had told reporters accompanying him on his plane back from Rio de Janeiro in July that the next synod would explore a "somewhat deeper pastoral care of marriage," including the question of the eligibility of divorced and remarried Catholics to receive Communion. Pope Francis added at the time that church law governing marriage annulments also "has to be reviewed, because ecclesiastical tribunals are not sufficient for this. It is complex, the problem of the pastoral care of marriage."
Such problems, he said, exemplified a general need for forgiveness in the church today. "The church is a mother, and she must travel this path of mercy, and find a form of mercy for all," the pope said. The announcement of the synod came amid news that the Archdiocese of Freiburg, Germany, had issued new guidelines making it easier for divorced and remarried Catholics to receive Communion.
The Vatican spokesman, Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi, said "The Holy Father is placing the pastoral care of the family at the heart of a synod process that will be larger, involving the reflection of the universal church." The October 2014 gathering will be an "extraordinary general session" of the synod, which according to the Code of Canon Law is held to "deal with matters which require a speedy solution." It will be composed for the most part of the presidents of national bishops' conferences, the heads of the Eastern Catholic Churches, and the heads of major Vatican offices.
Only about 150 synod fathers will take part in the session, which will run for two weeks, Father Lombardi said, compared with about 250 bishops who attended the three-week ordinary general assembly on the new evangelization in October 2012.
This will be only the third extraordinary synod since Pope Paul VI reinstituted synods in 1965, to hold periodic meetings to advise him on specific subjects. A 1969 extraordinary session was dedicated to improving cooperation between the Holy See and national bishops' conferences; and a 1985 extraordinary session, dedicated to the 20th anniversary of the end of the Second Vatican Council, recommended the compilation of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, which was published seven years later.
The Consequences of Interfaith Marriage
In the last decade 45% of all marriages in the United States were between people of different faiths. A book just published by Naomi Schaefer Riley, 'Til
Faith Do Us Part: How Interfaith Marriage is Transforming America,” looks at the effect this has had, both for marriages and religious practice.
She is well-qualified to write such a study by drawing even from her personal life, as she is of Jewish background, married to a black American who had been raised a Jehovah’s Witness, although he had left this group while in college.
Based on various surveys and investigations Riley noted that on the positive side interfaith marriage means that different faiths and immigrant groups are becoming part of American society. On the negative side the data she found indicates that interfaith marriages are generally more unhappy and often more unstable. One of the main problems, she noted was that “interfaith couples tend to marry without thinking through the practical implications of their religious differences.”
She also commented that many consider it is more important that couples share the same values, regardless of whether they have the same religion. The concept of common values is, however, a very generic idea and Riley wondered if it is enough of a basis on which to build a successful marriage. The substance and specifics of values come from religion, but, she added, in order to get along, many members of interfaith couples “simply stop practicing the specifics of their religion very much.” “Indeed, those who marry outside their faith tend to take religion less seriously or lose their faith entirely,” Riley observed.
Nevertheless, she noted, “faith is a tricky thing,” and events such as the birth of a child, the death of a loved one or the loss of a job can trigger a desire to return to the faith someone was brought up in. Yet, in spite of faith being an important factor in a person’s life, what stands out in Riley’s investigations is the lack of serious discussion between prospective spouses about religion. She found that more than half of interfaith couples said they did not discuss the religion of any eventual children before marrying.
In fact, Riley commented, most religious leaders she spoke with advise people to marry within the faith, both for the preservation of the faith and the long-term stability of someone’s marriage. One thing she recommended is that future spouses, with the support of their churches, need to discuss the issues regarding their religious differences more fully. A very useful suggestion, particularly given the problems that Riley identified in her study.
The full comments, by Father John Flynn, LC, can be found at The Consequences of Interfaith Marriage. You can order ' Til Faith Do Us Part: How Interfaith Marriage is Transforming America from the NCCL Amazon Bookstore.
Stories of Early Christianity: Creative Retellings of Faith and History
Rev Donald Senior, CP writes “While every Christian knows about such giants as Peter and Paul, Rev. vanThanh Nguyen turns the spotlight on the other memorable but often neglected characters found in the Acts of the Apostles and Paul's writings. Their profound faith and exemplary witness brought the Gospel to the world." One reviewer noted that “Fr vanThanh also offers a reflective component, giving readers the chance to think about the Christian virtues that each of the characters in his book embody. Written in an engaging, accessible style, it would be suitable for individuals or for Bible discussion groups.” You can order Stories of Early Christianity: Creative Retellings of Faith and
History from the NCCL Amazon Bookstore.
2013 Nobel Prize in Literature Laureate Alice Munro: the Secret of a Great Story
“A story … has a sturdy sense of itself of being built out of its own necessity, not just to shelter or beguile you.” In the introduction to her 1996 anthology Selected Stories, 2013 Nobel Prize in Literature laureate Alice Munro (b. 1931) adds to the collected wisdom of great writers and builds a beautiful metaphor for “the hermeneutical path taken up in the reading process…”
“A story is not like a road to follow … it's more like a house. You go inside and stay there for a while, wandering back and forth and settling where you like and discovering how the room and corridors relate to each other, how the world outside is altered by being viewed from
these windows. And you, the visitor, the reader, are altered as well by being in this enclosed space, whether it is ample and easy or full of crooked turns, or sparsely or opulently furnished. You can go back again and again, and the house, the story, always contains more than you saw the last time. It also has a sturdy sense of itself of being built out of its own necessity, not just to shelter or beguile you.”
Study Says Reading (Literary) Fiction Can Boost Social Skills
Reading so-called literary fiction can temporarily increase someone's capacity for empathy, according to a study by David Kidd and Emanuele Castano published Thursday in the journal Science. Castano wrote that "Our effects are probably short-lived, few hours to a day or two, I would say. But of course repeated exposure to literary fiction, and thus to this 'exercise' in mind-reading and mind-construction, can lead to more long-term, chronic effects."
The authors distinguished between "literary fiction" — books written by award-winning authors including Jesmyn Ward, Don DeLillo, Anton Chekhov, Louise Erdrich, Tea Obreht and others; "popular fiction" — books by bestsellers including Danielle Steel and Gillian Flynn; and nonfiction works from Smithsonian Magazine. In an email exchange, the study's authors acknowledged that the boundary between "literary" and "popular" fiction can be blurry. But they say they "consider popular fiction to be more concerned with the plot than the characters. The characters themselves, we'd argue, tend to be more stereotyped, coherent, 'fully accounted for. Literary fiction focuses less on the plot, and more on the mental life of the characters, who are often "incomplete;" hence the need for the reader to make an effort to infer what their intentions, emotions, thoughts, motivations are."
Ward, whose novel Salvage the Bones: A Novel was among the works that researchers found boosted emotional intelligence, said in a phone interview: "If that's true, then that's exactly what I want to happen when I write. Part of the reason that I write about what I write about is that the people I grew up with, poor people and black people, are underrepresented in fiction. So it's amazing to me that a study like this shows that people are seeing these characters and can empathize with them
and sympathize with them. It makes me feel like what I'm trying to do is working."
Good Guys and Good Ol’ Boys
Check out this story by John Lincoln on The Moth: True Stories Told Live. The byline for the story is “A teenage hotel clerk comes of age, at gunpoint.” However, I think the words from his father are the true power behind this story. “John, just remember this. If you work hard and you’re a good guy and you keep a sense of humor, God will take care of you.” You can listen at http://themoth.org/posts/episodes/1321.
Click on Listen and then click on the third story: John Lincoln: Good Guys and Good Ol’ Boys.
An Ode to God's Miraculous Creation
The Earth is amazing gift from our Heavenly Father. It is part of His creation and if you truly notice everything around you... it'll leave you speechless.
Check out this 3 ½ minute video at An Ode to God's Marvelous Creation.
A Pro-life Video Asks an Incredible Question - When is a Smile Worth Less?
In this modern world, many people have made choices to end a life when the decision really wasn't up to them. When is a smile worth less? Does a child's smile not count just because they are in the womb? Watch this one minute video at Pro-Life .
How To Be Brave
We can't protect every child from struggle, sickness and heartache... but those children are stronger than we know. A group of sick kids at a children's hospital participate in this Brave music video and truly inspire us!
Watch the video at You Can Be Amazing.
Teen Inspires Worldwide Acts of Kindness With Her Death
Alyssa O'Neill suffered from epilepsy and died very suddenly. Her grieving parents didn't know what to do, so they helped fulfill her final wish that started an amazing, worldwide chain of kindness: to buy a latte. I believe her life was worth more than these acts of kindness but it does show the power of the internet to connect, support and offer meaning to grieving parents. Check it out at Pumpkin Spice Latte.
How to Care for Your Fellow Man - Jaw-Dropping Acts of Kindness
It's so easy to become wrapped up in your own life, to forget to help others. Well, this video of amazing acts of kindness will remind you: help those in need. It is the good, Christian thing to do.
Check it out at Helping is the Best Inspiration.
Father Makes A Stunning Film-Tribute For His Daughter
“I Carry Your Heart With Me,” is a brief and beautiful poem by E. E. Cummings that filmmaker Rishi Kaneria used to compose a beautiful home video for his little girl, Anjali (aka, AJ). You can watch this 90 second video at I Carry Your Heart With Me.
Here’s the full poem below:
i carry your heart with me(i carry it inmy heart)i am never without it(anywherei go you go,my dear;and whatever is doneby only me is your doing,my darling) i fearno fate(for you are my fate,my sweet)i wantno world(for beautiful you are my world,my true)and it’s you are whatever a moon has always meantand whatever a sun will always sing is youhere is the deepest secret nobody knows(here is the root of the root and the bud of the budand the sky of the sky of a tree called life;which growshigher than soul can hope or mind can hide)and this is the wonder that’s keeping the stars apart
i carry your heart(i carry it in my heart)
Knowing Jesus and His Message – Conociendo a Jesus y su Mensaje
This is an excellent resource. Immediately following the Learning Session on this resource at the NCCL Conference and Exposition in Cleveland, the NCCL Bookstore sold over fifteen (15) copies of the book in English and Spanish.
Based on the protocol used to evaluate elementary religion series, the book used fifteen standards for Pre-K and K through Grades 7 &
8. Included with the binder is a CD with all the materials available for duplication. This is an ideal help for any elementary catechist regardless of the series you might be using. Check out the following and use the Order Form.
PREFACE - Knowing Jesus and His Message EXPLANATION - Knowing Jesus and His Message Standards - Explained Normas y Fundamentos ORDER FORM - Knowing Jesus and His Message
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