DDRE CLUSTER NOTES

These are the notes taken during the Cluster Discussions held at the Annual Meeting in Louisville.

Critical issues

Some recommendations from the Critical Issues Cluster

• NCCL should be more active in national conversation about catechesis
• We need a broader-national network among DDRES
• We must keep NCCL really grassroots.
• We can make the organization be more proactive.
• It is time to invite Bishops to come. Hear us and how we work.
• Invite bishops to things like Diocesan forum. Especially at the Cleveland Meeting.
• Get more people involved from individual dioceses.

Common Competencies

· How can evidence be gathered to prove competency based assessment? (journaling, gathering materials for portfolios, certificate which supports which standard it meets).

· Use writing/journaling as an assessment tool. Help people to see they can achieve competency in several areas.

· How much pre-education /consultation should proceed a diocese implementing? Beginning a portfolio for each catechist and even a fact sheet can be disseminated as educational piece.

· Textbook selection for lay ministry formation program. There is a Bishops’ document, coming out in Nov. saying what content areas should be covered in course areas - (suggest: set the standards first and then review text content in light of this.)

· Committee on standards and certification is looking at making sure certifications granted by accredited agencies be recognized nationally.

See Carol Gastelum: a Retreat/reflection experience to educate the various ministry (ministries ) on the standards certification for their specific ministry.

Whole Community Catechesis

What is positive and exciting?

· Collaboration of “whole” parish staffs in planning and process

· Number of family groups reacting positively

· Eucharist liturgy becoming focal point

· Families sharing faith with children

· Positive model of adult faith formation - OHWB

· An experience of a catechumenal model

· Can be a form of evangelizing catechesis

· Attracting adults without children

· Energizes parish as community

· An outburst of creativity

· Using the giftedness of new people

· Liturgy and catechesis working together

· Sacramental catechesis as separate component

· Parishes supporting and more conscious of households of faith

· Publishers supporting model with print materials and websites

· State and national workshops/conferences on theme

· Parishes collaborating

· Increase in understanding of and participation in liturgical life of Church

· More opportunity for works of service and justice

· Parishes working to include “non-participating” parishioners in catechetical outreach - homebound, young adults away at college or military, outreach to those in hospitals, care facilities, those incarcerated.

· Inclusion of persons with disabilities and special needs

· Can be more affordable model

· Support by excellent catechetical leaders - Bill Hubesch, John Roberto, many diocesan directors

1. What do we see as challenges and concerns?

· Maintaining a consistent, authentic, and developmental curriculum that reflects Vatican, national and diocesan norms

· Families who choose to not participate and leave

· Children without families faith support being neglected or abandoned

· Integrating this model into comprehensive youth ministry

· Not building a team - catechetical leader overcommitted

· Sustaining this model beyond first few years

· Parishes eliminating texts and developing own materials

· Sustaining model when staffing changes

· Adequate catechist formation

· Sustaining model where liturgy is mediocre or poor

· Inconsistent attendance by Families

· High energy to offer preparation sessions multiple times

· Uncertainty that Catholic doctrine is being taught adequately and learned well by children and young people

· Inadequate space for model which encourages community meals and large assemblies

Formation of Parish Catechetical Leaders

Some suggestions

· The parish will need to wait. (While DREs get trained.)

· Everyone will need to spend significant money.

· Preparation must be multi-faceted.

· Create a growth plan and time line.

· Don’t think of DRE formation as training for a job. Think of it as training for a cluster of jobs.

· Make a big public display of the accomplishments of those who do things

· Use national profile on catechesis to support our positions

· Motivate with a power point presentation –

“Why do you want a professionally trained DRE?”

$700-$1000 needed/year. Make it quantified

Prep needs to be multifaceted

Create a growth plan and a time line – everybody benifits

· Use the DRE series.

20 sessions, once a month – all day Sat.

Dioceses and college cooperate

Different on-site classes

In most cases parishes pay for it

· NCCL set up info link so dioceses can find out which place have available courses on-line

· DREs who need financial assistance

Diocesan funds needed

In our diocese Bishop mandated a fund

Can NCCL do it nationally?

Endowment

Run in cohorts – get MARE

· Can we get names of people who gave money for endowments?