Neil Parent Executive Director NCCL Retires.

Neil Parent, Executive Director of NCCL
1990 -- 2007
Neil retires from his position as Executive Director, a position he held for 17 years.

A Final Thought

James O’Toole says in Leading Change.

In complex, democratic settings, effective leadership will entail the factors and dimensions of vision, trust, listening, authenticity, integrity, hope, and, especially, addressing the true needs of followers. Without these factors, the likelihood of overcoming the ever‑present resistance to change is all but nil. If this is correct, what is required to guide effective change is not contingency theory but, rather, a new philosophy of leadership that is always and at all times focused on enlisting the hearts and minds of followers through inclusion and participation. Such a philosophy must be rooted in the most fundamental of moral principles: respect for people.

Don

The Dialogue

I received the following notice in an email from NCCL President Mary Ann Ronan.
Mary Ann said,

After sharing respective organizational values and identifying other important issues, the boards moved to establish a planning committee of two persons from each organization, assisted by up to two outside helper/facilitators. The boards stipulated that the planning committee would be in place by the end of April and would submit a design recommendation to their respective executive committees by September. If the design is acceptable to the executive committees, it would then go to the full boards at their fall meetings for consideration and possible further action.

A Statement on the Meeting of NCEA and NCCL Boards of Directors

On March 19, 2007, the boards of directors of NCEA and NCCL met together at the offices of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops in Washington, DC, at the invitation of Archbishop Donald W. Wuerl in his capacity as Chair of the USCCB Committee on Catechesis. Archbishop Wuerl envisioned the event as a catalyst in the organizations? ongoing dialogue process to resolve issues of overlapping missions, membership and services.

Archbishop Wuerl identified two major outcomes for the meeting. First, each board would identify and share values that it deemed constitutive to any new entity that might emerge out of the dialogue process. Second, the boards would establish a joint planning committee to try and conceptualize a new organization that could serve both parish-based and school-based catechetical leaders more effectively than the current two-organization arrangement.

After sharing respective organizational values and identifying other important issues, the boards moved to establish a planning committee of two persons from each organization, assisted by up to two outside helper/facilitators. The boards stipulated that the planning committee would be in place by the end of April and would submit a design recommendation to their respective executive committees by September. If the design is acceptable to the executive committees, it would then go to the full boards at their fall meetings for consideration and possible further action.

Karen Ristau Neil Parent
President, NCEA Executive Director, NCCL

March 30, 2007

Posted by Don

The beauty of Spring in Nebraska

I know Nebraska is not the only place receiving snow on the 5th of April but I couldn't resist posting this picture. This flower, from our flower bed in North Platte, speaks of the hope we celebrate during the Triduum and the Easter season. Here is the flower on April 3rd. I wish all catechetical leaders a blessed Easter.
Peace,
Don

NCCL/NCEA Dialogue

From NCCL's "E-News"

NCCL/NCEA Dialogue

The boards of directors of NCCL and NCEA (National Catholic Educational Association) met at the USCCB (United States Conference of Catholic Bishops) offices March 19, at the request of Committee on Catechesis Chair, Archbishop Donald W. Wuerl of Washington. The purpose of the meeting was to engage the two boards more directly in the dialogue process, which has been underway for more than two years. NCCL and NCEA have been discussing how best to serve catechetical leaders given their sometimes overlapping missions, members and services. The NCCL board will use the occasion of the forthcoming annual conference in Columbus, Ohio, to apprise NCCL members of the results of that meeting.

Udpade on Diocesan Directors' Forum

The Diocesan Directors' Forum invites all diocesan directors to its annual gathering, which this year has two parts:

Part one addresses the Forum's structure and projects, specifically:
1) An information-gathering process on membership, the role and terms of the Animating Team, mission of the Forum, etc.
2) Reports on current projects
3) Identification of future projects.

Part two allows a choice of 4 discussion opportunities:
1) National Standards
2) Creating a Safe Environment
3) Catechist Formation
4) Open Discussion

Looking forward to seeing you in Columbus

Don