Committee Chairs

David Loftus described NCCL's committees and their function. The NCCL Committees and their Chairs are:

Executive Committee	Mary Ann Ronan
Project Viability	Mary Ann Ronan
Strategic Oversight	Harry Dudley
Finance Committee	Lorraine DeLuca
Development Subcommittee	Sr. Jane Marie Osterholt, SP
Leadership Discernment	Joseph Swiss
Publication	Dave Galusha
Annual Meeting	Barbara Romanello-Whitman
Membership	Joan McKeown and Andrea Sabor
Communications	Ann Roat
Standards & Certification	Garole Gastelum and Carol Jadach
Technology	Angela Ann Zukowski, MHSH
Adult Faith Formation	Jack McBride
Catechesis and Culture	Mary Jo Waggoner
Catechist Formation	Ken Ogorek
Theoretical Foundations for Catechesis	Maribeth Mancin
Catechist Formation (Echoes)	Ed Gordon
By-laws and Policy Review	Jim Tucker
Operation Catechesis	Jeanne Schremp
Executive Director Search	Maribeth Mancini & Carole Augustine

Powerful Challenge

Harry challenged members of the Rep Council to ask, “Who have I invited to Catechetical ministry?”

Coming to you from Omaha

The Rep Council opened in Omaha on Thursday, October 26, 2006 at the Hilton Garden Inn. Thursday night we began our work with several team building activities concluding in prayer. Friday morning we opnned with prayer titled “The Mustard Seed.” David, Mary Ann and Harry reviewed NCCL’s structure with the Rep Council. Questions about how people become members of the Rep Council were addressed.

Rep Council trivia: Since there are 32 provinces we have a potential of 32 Diocesan reps and 32 PCL reps with partner organization the Council could have 89 members. 53 people are participating in the Omaha Rep Council meeting. 29 of the 32 Provinces are represented by a Diocesan person. 9 Provinces are represented by PCLs. All the provinces who have named a PCL rep are in attendance.

The Council moved into table discussion around three questions:

• Who is represented at the table?
• Who is not represented at the table?
• What challenges might this reality pose to the Rep Council of the NCCL?

Key responses to these questions included:

• Outreach to diocese and other organizations
• Clarify the value of NCCL to possible members
• Enter into dialogue with diocesan offices regarding participation on the Rep Council
• There are financial issues to address
• Regions of the country are different and we need to address the differences.

Strengths of the Council:

• Flexibility
• The Chaos resulting from our commitment to to stay located in the Grass Roots
• Commitment to Cat Excellence
• Structure for local regional and national Catechetical Voice
• Structure for planning and visioning-Network to foster growth

Youth Ministry in a Culturally Diverse Church

The October 12, 2006 issue of Origins has the text of a recent talk given by Alejandro Aguilera-Titus from the USCCB entitled, "Youth Ministry in a Culturally Diverse Chruch." Alejandro Aguilera-Titus shared an overview of pastoral principles for youth ministry in culturally diverse parishes at the annual Connections Conference on Youth Ministry sponsored by the Catholic Youth Organization of the Archdiocese of Detroit. It is worth reading.

Don

Rep Council to Meet in Omaha

The Representative Council will meet in Omaha, NE October 26, 2006 through October 28, 2006. Talk with your Province Rep about the agenda. Mary Ann Ronan tells me they have a very positive training on the Rep Council planned for the meeting. Other agenda items include gathering nominations for the 2007 Catechetical Award and the Distinguished Service Award. During the meeting the Animators for the DDRE Forum will be planning for Forum sponsored in-services. If you have any suggestions please let the Animators know. The Animators are: Maribeth Mancini, Anne Roat and Sr. Pat McGinley. The Animators are planning to use technology to make Forum programs available to a larger audience. I’ll blog the Rep Council meeting so check back during the meeting and see what’s going on. E-mail questions to DDREForum@gmail.com

Don

Sr. Miriam Eble, SND

Sr. Miriam Eble, SND, Director of Religious Education in the Diocese of Toledo died on Oct. 10 at 6:00 P.M. from complications of a stroke that she suffered 10 days ago. Information about funeral arrangements can be found at http://sr-miriam-eble.blogspot.com/

It has been quiet

It has been over a month since I've posted to the DDRE Forum blog. I'm devoting my time to several new projects that make posting to this blog less of a priority. First, on a personal level, I'm running for the North Platte City Council(See picture). This is my first plunge into the world of politics. In North Platte the City Council is nonpartisan so I don't have to deal with the "party" stuff. Taxes and managing the City's growth are two issues facing the Council. I do see this as an opportunity to put my faith into practice in a new arena. So, some of my so-called free time is going to learning how to run a campaign.

Our diocese started a new catechist certification program. We began designing, what we are calling the Core Course, in February and launched the program this fall. To be sure we have been busy. We are using the Compendium as the text for the four week course. About 250 people participated in our first round of courses. Our goal is for all 1,500 of our catechists to have participated in the course by the fall of 2008. Starting in the fall of 2008 catechists and anyone teaching religion will be expected to be certified at the core level within their first year of ministry. Response to the Compendium as a text for this course has been mixed. However, course participants find the Compendium a positive entry into a deeper understanding of Catholic teaching. One question that produced some extended research and much discussion is, "How many and what are the precepts of the Church?" How would you answer this question?

We are also developing a database to keep records on people who've completed the course and are therefore certified at the core level. We want to make the database accessible to parishes so as people move around the diocese a DRE or pastor can confirm a persons certification. Developing a database accessible by the parishes is a challenging project. If anyone is already doing this in Access I'd like to hear from you. That's the long and short of it. I hope your program year is off to a great start. Let us know what's going on in your part of the world.
Peace,
Don

FYI

The headline on latimes.com read: Converting Video Games Into Instruments of God. A title based on the 'Left Behind' books embraces the medium's violent style. It may reach a new audience, but can it impart spiritual values?

"Eternal Forces" is part of a new wave of religious games coming out at a time when the mainstream industry faces increasing criticism that its products celebrate misogynistic mayhem. Another publisher is marketing games based on the "Veggie Tales" series of Christian videos for children. Another is pitching "Bibleman: A Fight for Faith," about a superhero who stands up for the word of God with his sidekicks Cypher and Biblegirl.

Games "will be a new tool to get the two-minute generation to think about matters of eternal importance in a way that isn't religious," said Troy A. Lyndon, one of the "Left Behind" game's creators.

Read the article here.

Don

Permitted and Prohibited Items

Be Prepared for Enhanced Security - Smart Security Saves Time: If you plan to travel by air you might find the information provided by Transportation Security Administration (TSA) helpful. For example in response to the question, "Can I take it?" TSA says:

Due to enhanced security measures liquids, gels, lotions and other items of similar consistency will not be permitted in carry-on baggage. These types of items must be packed in your checked baggage.

Additionally, liquids, gels and lotions purchased beyond the checkpoint but must be disposed of before boarding the aircraft.

Click here for information on permitted and prohibited items.

204,000 Fewer Students

The July 14, 2006 issue of the West Nebraska Register carried a story by Jerry Filteau from the Catholic News Service. The story highlighted figures from the 2006 Official Catholic Directory. According to the article,

There were some 729,000 high school students enrolled in parish religious education programs, 26,00 fewer than the previous year. Elementary students in religious education numbered nearly 3.5 million, but the total was 81,000 below the previous years figure.

In all, the number of Catholic children receiving faith formation in Catholic schools or religious education programs last year was 204,000 lower than the year before.

As a diocesan director, I would like to discuss this drop in participation. Several questions do come to mind. Are there any other studies that report the same drop in participation? If the Catholic population in the U. S. is increasing, as the article says, why is participation in religious education programs dropping? Are there fewer children to share the faith with or are families opting not to send their children? If they are opting not to send their children, I wonder why. Is the drop in participation uniform across the country, the same in rural and urban areas and the same across cultural lines? So many questions.

Don

Diocesan Director Survey

I received a survey from Mary Ann Ronan, President and Neil A. Parent, Executive Director today regarding NCCL and the Diocesan Director’s Forum. I hope all those who received the survey will take time to complete the online survey and submit it. The survey questions are:

• What are your most important considerations in determining whether to attend NCCL’s annual conference?
• In looking to services from NCCL, which are the top three you look for?
• What are your top two or three major concerns/needs as a diocesan director?
• NCCL has a forum specifically established for diocesan directors. In what
ways can the forum function to make it the most beneficial to you?
• If NCCL could focus its energies and resources on only one issue
this coming year, what would that be for you?

I would find it helpful to discuss our answers to these questions. Share your responses with us on the DDRE forum email list. If you are not yet a member of the list please join us on the DDRE Forum email list. To join the list you will need to register with Google Groups. If you have any difficulty joining the group please let me know at DDREForum@gmail.com
Don

Jeanne Brady

Many of you knew Jeanne Brady from her days as Diocesan Director of the Christian Formation office for the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas, from her work with NCCL's Annual meeting or time on the Rep Council. Jeanne died last Friday, June 30, from cancer. Jeanne Brady's funeral arrangements have been made.

Visitation is on Wednesday, July 5th from 6 - 9 pm at Prince of Peace Church, 16000 W. 143rd, Olathe, KS 66062

Funeral Mass is on Thursday, July 6th at 10 am, Prince of Peace Church, Olathe, KS. Burial at Resurrection Cemetery.

If you wish to make a donation in Jeanne's honor, she was working with English as a 2nd language program after her retirement. Donations can be sent to:
Project Finish
1477 E. 151st Street
Olathe, Kansas 66062

Bishop Wuerl appointed Archbishop Of Washington

Pope Accepts Cardinal McCarrick’s Resignation, Appoints Bishop Wuerl As Archbishop Of Washington; Resignation Of Bishop Imesch Of Joliet Accepted, Bishop Sartain Of Little Rock Is Named As Successor

WASHINGTON (May 16, 2006)—Pope Benedict XVI accepted the resignation of Cardinal Theodore E. McCarrick of Washington and appointed Bishop Donald W. Wuerl of Pittsburgh as his successor.

The Pope accepted the resignation of Bishop Joseph L. Imesch of Joliet, Illinois and named Bishop J. Peter Sartain of Little Rock, Arkansas as Bishop of Joliet.
Read the story here.

Fr. Gallagher's PowerPoint

The PowerPoint from Michael Paul Gallagher, SJ afternoon presentation at the Chicago Conference
“Culture: Faith’s Friend or Foe” is available on NCCL's web site. Access the PowerPoint here.

"God's Call Comes by Cellphone"

The latimes.com reports, "Bible verses on a BlackBerry, sermons on an MP3 -- an explosion in digitalized spirituality is making true believers of online e-vangelists. " This article about the use of digital technology in religious formation is an interesting read. Catechists relying on old technology may find themselves left out in the cold so to speak. Read the article here.

Don

DON KURRE RECEIVES NCCL TECHNOLOGY AWARD

Don Kurre, former president of NCCL and most ardent supporter of the use of technology in catechesis received the 2006 Technology Award at the banquet Wednesday, May 3 in Chicago during the annual meeting and conference. Congratulations Don, and thank you!

Catholic Education and the New Apologetics

The May 4, 2006 issue of Origins (Vol. 35 No. 46) contains an address Bishop Braxton gave at a recent conference in Atlanta. Bishop Braxton makes the point, "An essential component of the new apologietic must be the aggressive, up-to-date, sophisticated, attrative and interactive ways in which we announce, explain and defend the good news of Jesus Christ on the Internet." Braxton's text begins on page 763.

Don

Was your In Box full after Chicago?

Dealing with E-mail is a continuing challenge for catechetical leaders. David Tebbutt offers some positive suggestions for dealing with that flood of E-mail you faced when you arrived in your office after attending the Annual Conference in Chicago. Read David's comments here.

Don

Mancini and Roat Elected

Maribeth Mancini and Anne Roat were elected to serve as Animators for the Diocesan Director's Forum duing the Forum meeting in Chicago. We want to thank Jim Kemna and Mary Kay Cullinan for their work as Animators. We do appreciate the time and effort you gave to the forum. Thank you. (Animators pictured Maribeth Mancini, Sharon Horgan, Anne Roat and Sr. Pat McGinley L to R)

Officers Elected

New Officers were elected during NCCL's 2006 Annual Meeting in Chicago. The Officers are
Mary Ann Ronan - President
Rev. David Loftus - Vice President
Janet Schaeffler, OP - Secretary
Lorraine S DeLuca - Treasurer
Congratulations to our new officers.

The election provided more excitement than we expected. After a historic three ballots produced no elected slate the Board gathered and determined the outcome. Joe Swiss, Chair of the Discernment Committee, announced the institutional vote was tied on the third ballot. Remember, if a third round of voting is necessary and neither slate carries a majority of both the institutional votes and the individual votes, the slate that carries the institution vote is declared the winner. The slate of Ronan, Loftus, Schaeffler and DeLuca received a significant majority of votes from the Individual Ballots. The Board's action brought a lively campaign season to a close.

We also offer a special word of thanks to our outgoing officers for their service. So, Anne Comeaux, Rev. Tony Salim, Mary Ann Ronan and DJ Florian --- Thank you! We do appreciate all you gave to NCCL.

Don

“Why a DDRE Forum Blog?”

On November 16, 2004 we asked the question, “Why a DDRE Forum Blog?” Read the post here.

A time to select our leadership

During NCCL's National Conference & Exposition being held in Chicago April 30 - May 4, 2006 we will have the opportunity to elect new leadership. As you know this is an important election. We think it is essential for the members of the DDRE Forum to take time to get to know the members of each slate and their vision for NCCL. The contact information for each member of the slate is available in the Membership Directory on the NCCL web site here. Now is the time to contact the members of the slates and talk with them about NCCL.
The two slates are:

• Harry Dudley - President
• Charleen O’Connell - Vice President
• Marc Gonzalez - Treasurer
• Kathy Gallo - Secretary
  

• Mary Ann Ronan - President
• Fr. David Loftus - Vice President
• Loraine DeLuca - Treasurer
• Sr. Janet Schaeffler - Secretary

Join the email discussion group and discuss your vision for NCCL and the skills and talents we need in leadership positions. Click here to access the DDRE Forum discussion group.

Proposed DDRE Forum Gathering Agenda

The forums will take place Tuesday, May 2, 3:30 - 5:30 p.m. as part of the 2006 NCCL National Conference & Exposition being held in Chicago.

Agenda for the Forum Gathering:

3:30 Prayer

3: 45 Developing a Catechetical Plan for the Diocese
The NDC directs dioceses to develop a catechetical plan. This segment of the gathering will present a process to help Directors network and resource one another on this vital issue. . The results of each roundtable discussion would be provided to the directors afterward.

4:30 Reflections on the Symposium: The New Catechetical Reality
This segment will give directors a chance to process insights gained at the recent symposium with Richard Gaillardetz. It could add further “meat” for the discussions about the diocesan catechetical plan. The results of each roundtable discussion would be provided to the directors afterward.

5:00 Election of New Animators
Replacements for Jim and Mary Kay will be elected at the gathering.

5:15 Other Business Items
This segment might include a brainstorm session on future symposium possibilities and topics.
Also, a chance for the DDRE Forum to communicate anything as a group to NCCL or possibly to propose a resolution regarding a current issue in NCCL or on the national scene.

Share your thoughts on the agenda with the animators at DDREForum@gmail.com.

Nominations for the Role of Animator

At the NCCL Annual meeting in Chicago two new animators will be chosen. The role description for forum animators:

• Animators are elected for a three year term
• Plan and facilitate the Forum Meeting at the NCCL Annual Meeting
• One animator will represent the Forum on the Representative Council
• One animator will serve on the Leadership Discernment Committee
• Solicit suggestions for membership on the Animating Team and conduct elections
• Solicit names for conference leadership
• Facilitate networking among forum members
• Help plan forum events to meet the needs of the membership throughout the year
• Communicate with other forums, the board of directors, and the executive committee, and the executive director

Nominations and background information must be submitted to Jim Kemna by April 17, 2006. E-mail Jim at DDREForum@gmail.com.

Let the discussion begin

At a recent meeting of the MINK region we discussed our inability to take advantage of technology in our ministry. On arriving home I read an interesting observation on JP Rangaswami Blog, “Confused of Calcutta” that made our discussion all the more depressing. Rangaswami works for an investment bank in London and he said:

“My son Isaac takes two minutes to critique a mobile phone. My daughter Orla holds a dozen IM sessions in parallel while doing her nails, her homework and listening to music. And the youngest, Hope, gets frustrated as only a seven-year-old can, when she can’t install the game she’s bought because of poorly designed parental control filters that should affect web browsing and not CD-ROM installing. They are the future.”

I’m convinced we must become more aggressive in our use of technology and digital media. It is not enough to have a web site while those around us have TV and radio networks, podcasts, IM channels, blogs and wikis. Adding an RSS feed to the NCCL web site, making it easier for members to keep up-to-date on changes made to the site, would be a small step forward. With technology we are far behind and the longer we wait the harder it will be to get back in the game.

We also heard from at least one publisher that publishing companies are looking for some guidance from organizations like NCCL and the Directors’ Forum on Safe Environment resources. The question is what would we like to see included in textbooks for Safe Environment Education? Since we are expected to provide Safe Environment training for participants in catechetical programs it seem logical for some of that material to be included in textbooks. So, what advice would we give to the publishers?

Don Kurre

Congratulations to the Diocesan Staff Forum

I want to congratulate the Diocesan Staff Forum for their use of NCCL's web site to share information about Forum activities during The 2006 NCCL National Conference & Exposition April 30 - May 4, 2006. Here is the link to download a copy of the Forum's agenda during the Conference.

Don Kurre

Meetings, meetings and more meetings.

Meetings, meetings and more meetings. Meetings seem to fill most of our working life. It follows that our ministry would be more effective and perhaps more enjoyable if we ran productive meetings.

I found a list of 9 tips for running more product meetings on one of my favorite websites, "43 Folders." So here are Merlin Mann's 9 tips for running more productive meetings.

You might find this hard to understand from me but I especially liked his point number 4. He said,

No electronic grazing. Period. - Laptops closed. Phones off. Blackberries left back in the cube. You’re either at the meeting or you’re not at the meeting, and few things are more distracting or disruptive than the guy who has to check his damned email every five minutes. Schedule breaks for people to fiddle with their toys, but fearlessly enforce a no grazing rule once the meeting’s back in session. Emergency call to take or make? They have to leave the room. No exceptions. If you’re too busy to be at the meeting everyone else has made firewalled time for, just leave.

Read all 9 of Merlin's tips here.

Don

Lenten Retreat - "On Bended Knee"

If you are looking for something to enrich your expereience of Lent in 2006 I would suggest the VLCFF seminar, On Bended Knee.

Based on the Pastoral Letter of Bishop Anthony G. Bosco, Diocese of Greensburg, this mini-online course is a spiritual journey for critically reflecting upon one's understanding of the Eucharist and its meaning and impact on our relationships with one another. Eucharist is so much more than getting our attendance card checked off in heaven for attending Mass on the weekend. The Eucharist calls us to service! Environment: While journeying through this mini-course it is appropriate, if you are able, to create a special reflective space or environment to enter into the experience. You may need to select a special time to participate in these sessions to ensure your prayerful journey. You may decide to light a special prayer candle. Begin each session by taking a few moments to center yourself in the presence of God. In session #2, you are asked to reflect on a cross (one given to you for the course or one that is particularly special to you). Journal: It is recommended that you keep a personal journal as you proceed through the mini-course. You may do this in a handbook or as a Word document. The journal helps us to focus and monitor our reflections for growing in understanding how Eucharist calls you to service!

Click here for more information.

Don

Blogging, The Newest Evangelization

The Winter, 2005 issue of Church has an article on blogging entitled, "The Newest Evangelization." The lead to the article by Phyllis Zagano says, "Find out what opportunities blogs and bloggers offer pastoral ministers who are eager to reach young readers online?" In the conclusion to the article, Zagano says,

Anyone who writes or speaks about Catholic matters and affairs is well advised to take stock of the 'new Catholics,' who receive their informaiton and opinion from an ever-increasing variety of places.

The article is in Church Volume 24, Number 4, page 19 -- 24.

Don

Compendium of the Catechism Available March 31

WASHINGTON (February 6, 2006) — The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops announced that the new Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, a 200-page synthesis of the 1992 Catechism, will be available starting March 31, 2006. It will be published exclusively by USCCB Publishing, the publishing office of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Read the story here.

A friend sent me an email with a variety of funny signs to brighten my Friday. As I scrolled down the email the sign on the left popped up. I figured catechetical leaders would appreciate the clarity of the message. I hope you have a great day.

Don

Neil Parent’s Father Passed Away

Kathy Kandefer, BVM, reported today by way of e-mail that, Executive Director Neil Parent’s father, Gerard, passed away yesterday in his sleep. He was just shy of his 98th birthday, which the family was planning to celebrate later this month in Los Angeles. As of today (2/1), there are no details on funeral arrangements. NCCL will provide that information as soon as it becomes available. Expressions of sympathy can be directed to Neil at the NCCL office, 125 Michigan Ave. NE., Washington DC 20017.

Kathy Kandefer, BVM

Adult Faith Formation Blog

The Diocese of Des Moines has established a web log (blog) for those engaged in Adult Faith Formation ministries in the Diocese of Des Moines. Visit the web log here.

Deus Caritas Est #2

For those of you who may not have easy access to ORIGINS, the letter is available in PDF format on the USCCB website.

Deus Caritas Est

The February 2, 2006 issue of Origins contains two articles of note for Religious Educators. This issues has the text of Pope Benedict XVI's "Deus Caritas Est: Encyclical." It also contains a homily Pope Benedict XVI gave when he baptized 10 infants January 8 in the Sistine Chapel. The homily is titled, "What Happens in Baptism."

Don

Pope Coming To Baltimore in '07

Incase you missed the announcement. Pope Benedict XVI will be making a trip to the United States in 2007. William Cardinal Keeler, Archbishop of Baltimore, was told that a Papal trip to the United States was being planned for 2007and Baltimore would be part of the program. Find the story here.

Catechism Update

The Catechism Update (Winter 2005), published by the Ad Hoc Committee to Oversee the Use of the Catechism, USCCB reports that the United States Catholic Catechism for Adults is set for publication.

With a decree dated November 22, 2005 and signed by Dario Cardinal Castrillon Hoyos, the Prefect of the Congregation for the Clergy, and Archbishop Csaba Ternyak, the Secretary of the same Congregation, the bishops of this country were notified that the United States Catholic Catechism for Adults had been given the recognitio necessary for its publication. The projected publication date is March 3 I , 2006.

Symposium follow-up

During the symposium with Dr. Richard Gaillardetz titled, Forming Catholic Identity in a Postmodern Context, held in Chicago December 8 to 11, 2005 we said that the power points used by Dr Gaillardetz would be available. Due to some technical difficulties we've been unable to post the Power Points. However, If you would like a copy of the power points used by Dr Gaillardetz send an email to DDREForum@gmail.com and I will email the power points to you.

One of the books Gaillardetz recommended during the symposium was his book, A Daring Promise: A Spirituality of Christian Marriage (Crossroads; 2002). Dennis Beeman, says "I'm rereading this book for the third or fourth time!" Click here for information on the book from Amazon.

Catholic Identity in a Postmodern Context

A Report on the symposium with Dr. Richard Gaillardetz titled, Forming Catholic Identity in a Postmodern Context, held in Chicago December 8 to 11, 2005 was published on the NCCL web site here. The article was written by Dr. Kathy Kleinlein, Diocese of Venice and Dr. Anne Roat, Diocese of Lafayette, Indiana. In part they say:

"Gailardetz also addressed the demise of the Catholic subculture that helped form millions of baby boomer and older Catholics. This loss poses challenges, he said, for forming Catholic identity in an ecumenically sensitive manner. While catechetical leaders must be sensitive to other faiths, they must insure that Catholic teaching is presented with integrity. He concluded with an examination of the levels of authority in Catholic doctrine and discussed how understanding those differences helps constructive dialogue among the Church’s varied ideological populations."

Read the whole article here.

Bishops Urge U.S. to Transition Out of Iraq

The latimes.com is reporting, Bishops urge U.S. to transition out of Iraq.

Declaring that the United States was at a crossroads in Iraq, the nation's Roman Catholic bishops said Thursday the time had come to withdraw U.S. troops as fast as responsibly possible and to hand control of the country to Iraqis.

"Our nation's military forces should remain in Iraq only as long as it takes for a responsible transition, leaving sooner than later," said Bishop Thomas G. Wenski of Orlando, Fla., speaking for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.

Read the article here.

Statement available online at the USCCB site here.

Discussion of end times

I'm following several discussions flowing from the comments of a TV preacher after the stroke suffered by Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon. I thought one comment made by David Whidden on his blog Baconboy's blog was relevant for our ministry. He said:

"In fact, there are many Methodists, Episcopalians, and Catholics who now believe that there will be a rapture and Israel will still be here. These (primarily) lay people don't believe this because they are taught it in their churches, as the mainline denominations don't hold any dispensational ideas. Rather they believe this because the mainline denominations have abandoned discussions of the end times completely, and in that theological void many lay people are getting their ideas from the Left Behind series, which is clearly dispensational."

Read Whidden's whole column here.

Don

Operation Catechesis

"...the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it."

John1:5

In this Christmas season, as we celebrate in the ever radiant light of Christ, please remember to include Operation Catechesis in your planned sharing and prayers. Operation Catechesis is a project of NCCL to help reestablish parish catechetical programs in the hurricane-ravaged parishes of the Archdiocese of New Orleans and the dioceses of Biloxi, Lake Charles, Houma-Thibodaux and Beaumont .

The money you donate will be earmarked for the first phase of this important project. Resources will be distributed to the dioceses in an equitable manner according to needs identified by the diocesan directors. These dioceses face extreme hardship. Rebuilding the parish as the loci of catechesis will make an enormous difference.

Financial contributions are made payable to:
NCCL/Operation Catechesis
125 Michigan Avenue, NE
Washington, DC 20017 202-884-9753
nccl@nccl.org
Credit Card donations can be made online here.

Members of the Operation Catechesis Task Force are in contact with the diocesan directors of the impacted dioceses. Rebuilding these parish programs will take years. The directors are very grateful for NCCL's outreach through Operation Catechesis. Each of these dioceses, understandably, is at a different point in the recovery process. Diocesan directors are in contact with affected parishes and have a fairly good idea of the damage and their preliminary needs.

The next phase involves parishes throughout the country partnering with those in need in the Gulf Coast. Operation Catechesis will remain in close contact with the diocesan directors and will work directly with them to organize these partnerships.

On behalf of the Catholic faithful who are suffering this Christmas season, thank your for your generosity. You are indeed a light shining in the darkness!

Advent Blessings,
Task Force Members of NCCL's Operation Catechesis

125 Michigan Ave., NE w Washington, DC 20017 202-884-9753 www.nccl.org

Symposium Is a Success

The symposium with Richard Gaillardetz entitled, The New Catechetical Reality: Forming Catholic Identity in a Postmodern Context, held in Elk Grove Illinois December 8, 9, and 10, was an overwhelming success. Nearly 80 diocesan directors, staff and publisher representatives grappled with constraints and aids to forming Catholic Identity. Gaillardetz lead the participants in an indepth exploration of the catechetical reality we face today. A report from the symposium will be posted here on the Director's blog in about a week. Gaillardetz also agreed to make the Power Point he used in his presentations available.

"Operation Catechesis”

Jeanne Schrempf reported that "Operation Catechesis” is under way. The Operation Catechesis committee sent letters of support, prayers and concern to the Dioceses affected by the hurricanes.

“We've been in contact with Diocesan Directors in the effected dioceses voicing NCCL’s concern, prayers and support. We are asking Directors to contact parishes to assess the needs with respect to catechetical ministry” Schrempf said. “What's being called ‘Operation Catechesis’ is an effort to identify parishes that have lost catechetical supplies,” Jeanne reported. Catechetical supplies and centers have been lost and the need for support and assistance will be long term. Response to the project has been good.

The affected dioceses are grateful for the support, prayers and concern of their peers through out the county. Needs identified from the assessment will be put on the NCCL Website under the title "Operation Catechesis." Financial support is also a need. As a result NCCL is being asked to set up a long term fund for people who need help. Jeanne also asked symposium participants and all NCCL members to be aware of the need to publish catechetical openings. People have lost jobs and will loose jobs as the result of these disasters. “We know,” Jeanne said, “we will come together and we will be able to help. Stay tuned.”

With the Snow closing airports and clogging roads the Symposium with Richard Gaillardetz, The New Catechetical Reality: Forming Catholic Identity in a Postmodern Context, began in Elk Grove Illinois. The weather prevented a number of people from arriving in Elk Grove or delayed their arrival. I will not be blogging the Symposium as it unfolds.

[Posted with hblogger 2.0 http://www.normsoft.com/hblogger/]

Disney Hires Evangelical Publishing Company To Promote Chronicles Of Narnia Across UK Churches…

Britain, UK news from The Times and The Sunday Times - Times Online: "The Walt Disney organisation has appointed Christian Publishers and Outreach, an evangelistic publishing company, to promote the Christian message behind the story in churches across Britain."
Read the story here.

Part 2 of the Interview with Bishop Wuerl

Zenit News Agency - The World Seen From Rome: "Bishop Wuerl on New Catechetical Tools (Part 2)
Read the second part of the interview here.

Zenit News Agency - The World Seen From Rome

Zenit News Agency - The World Seen From Rome: "Bishop Wuerl on New Catechetical Tools (Part 1)

Pittsburgh Prelate Discusses the Compendium

PITTSBURGH, Pennsylvania, NOV. 22, 2005 (Zenit.org).- In an effort to make Church teachings more accessible to modern Catholics, the Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church is being released in English in early 2006.

Bishop Donald Wuerl -- chairman of the American bishops' editorial oversight board for the U.S. Catholic Catechism for Adults and a member of the bishops' Committee on Catechesis -- is heralding the Compendium as a concise yet complete presentation of the faith."

Read the interview here.

Update on the Symposium Readings

"The New Catechetical Reality: Forming Catholic Identity in a Postmodern Context." Since the two article from Church Magazine are no longer available in print, Neil has made arrangements with Church Magazine to reproduce the articles by Robert Barron, "Beyond Beig Catholicism" and by Dennis M. Doyle, "Beige or Technicolor." The National Office will e-mail you a digital copy of both articles. Simply open the files in your graphics program and print them. If you have any trouble let us know and we will do what we can to help. Jim Kemna made arrangements with Tom Walters to share the outline of the talk he gave at the Rep Council meeting with the people who will be attending the Symposium. So please watch for that document as well. At the last count there are at least 71 (that is not a typo!) people registered for the symposium. I'm really excited about this symposium. I think it will be one of the key events in Catechesis for 2005. See you there!

Don Kurre

Actions taken at the Rep Council meeting

Two actions taken during the Rep Council meeting will be important for Diocesan Directors. First, Anne Comeaux, NCCL President appointed a Hurricane Relief Task force. The purpose of the task force is to gather and coordinate information for NCCL members to use in providing support and assistance to those who've been effected by the recent Hurricanes. For information about the Task Force contact Jeanne Schrempf at Jeanne.Schrempf "at" rcda "dot" org.

Second, following a discussion by the Diocesan Directors Forum members who are on the Rep Council it was decided to make entry to the DDRE Forum meeting during the Annual meeting a ticketed event. Much like the Diocesan Directors Breakfast (During the 2006 Annual Meeting it will be a luncheon) which has always been a ticketed event. In the past uninvited people came to the DDRE Forum meeting including members of the press. Participants in the discussion felt that implementing a ticked model would make the Forum gathering more focused, productive and profitable.

Directors' Email Group

During the October Rep Council meeting several members of the Diocesan Directors Forum suggested we start an email group. An email group is similar to a list serve. When members send an email to the list address each member of the list will receive a copy of the email. This list will be A Restricted Group - People must be invited to join the group and post or read messages. The group and its archives do not appear in public Google search results or the directory. The address for the group is: DDRE@googlegroups.com

If you would like to receive an invitation to the group send an email to Don Kurre at donk05@gmail.com and I will subscribe you to the list. I'm predicting that the volumn of email will be light. You do have the option of receiving the list emails in a daily archive. One email per day. Please join the group and the conversation. Your participation is important.

Don Kurre, donk05@gmail.com

Pictures from the Rep Counci Meeting

I created an album of the photographs I took during the Rep Council meeting. You will find the album here. No names just pictures.

Don Kurre

Lively Table Discussion

We had some lively and energetic table discussions around Echoes of Faith and Catechist training. A varity of issues were discussed and shared. The energy in this group around the issue of catechist training is powerful. The passion of the members of the Rep Council for this ministry is as an important resource for Catechesis.

Neil Parent reported that NCCL had paid down the production loan for the Echoes of Faith program and therefore could beging to plan new "Echoes of Faith" modules.

Echoes EchoesEchoes

We've broken even! As of two weeks ago the debt to RCL and the Leach family has been paid down. The contractual agreement signed in 1995 by NCCL has been fulfilled which now allows the Conference to begin to look at the creation of additional modules for formation.

In a survey sent to representative council members concerning Echoes of Faith, the following 4 topics surfaced as those most desired to augment what is already available:

Adult Faith Formation
Adolescent Catechesis
National Directory for Catechesis
Social Issues

The representative council engaged in lively and energized conversation around the following questions:
How do we enhance Echoes familiarity and advance usage of the tool already available? -and- Which module would be the one (from the four listed above) that we would like to pursue first?

No decisions were made at the meeting, but it was clear that the group is very much in favor of offering more topics and continuing the Echoes model for catechist formation.

Catechetical Leaders and Seminarians

Tom Walters gave an energetic presentation to the Rep Council this morning. The title of Tom's presentation was "Catechetical Leaders collaborating with clergy in light of finds in the study of current seminarians." We'll post some of the input given by Tom in the near future. Tom's presentation gave members of the Rep Council important insights into the collaboration between seminarians and catechetical leaders.

Trends in Catechesis

Late into Friday night the Council took time to identified current trends in Catechetics. The discussion was held in intergenerational table groups and surfaced a variety of trends. The trends identified include:

• Changes in Diocesan Staffs
• Growing popularity of Whole Community Catechesis
• A lack of trained catechetical personel on the parish and diocesan levels
• Changes in parish life that radically impact catechesis
• A need to provide undergraduate and graduate tracks for PCLs
• Home schooling
• Impact of Safe Environment programs

The complete list of trends surfaced by the Council will be used to help set the agenda for the Conference well into the future. Leave a comment on the trends you see in catechesis.

Walters Guides Rep Council

Tom Walters facilitated a session in which the Rep Council examined its role. Walters asked small table groups to examine what was and was not working with respect to the Council's role to formulate the values of the Conference, represent the constituency of the Conference and to consult for the Board. A variety of issues ranging from communication and a need to have a more direct role in determining the Council's agenda were shared with the Board. President, Anne Comeaux, said that the Board was listening and would discuss the issues surfaced by the Council and address them as appropriate.

Commitee Members Needed

NCCL continues to conduct a major portion if its work through the committees and task forces of the conference. If you are looking for a way to engage more completely in the work and mission of the organization, committees and task forces are looking for you! The following is a brief list of those work groups seeking to augment membership:

Catechesis and Culture
Recruitment and Retention
Theological Foundations
Technology
Communications
Research

If you would be willing to serve, please contact Fr. Tony Salim at ncclvp@aol.com

Board Nominees

NCCL is looking for people to nominate for the NCCL Board. Please share the names of people you think would be great board members. Leave a comment and we will pass on the names to the discernment committee.

Officer Slates Affirmed

During our Friday morning session the Rep Council affirmed the two slates. The slates are:


Slate one
Mary Ann Ronan, President, Phoenix
Sr. Janet Scheffler, Secretary, Detroit
Lorrain DeLuca, Treasurer, Texas
Father David Loftus, VP, LA
Slate two
Harry Dudley, President, Indianapolis
Charlene O' Connel, VP, Texas
Marc Gonzales, Treasurer, San Fancisco
Kathy Gallo, Secretary, Boston

Assistance for hurrican victims discussed

The high point of the first session of the Rep Council meeting was the discussion of ways to help hurricane victims. A special plea for parish religious education programs was voiced during the discussion. Parish religious education programs seem to be the overlooked victims of the hurricanes. People, buildings and schools are the focus of relief efforts and yet the need for relief for religious education programs is just as great. Neil said NCCL will serve as a clearing house for updated information on the needs for support and help as people rebuild. Check NCCL’s website for specific information.

New members of the Rep Council were also introduced. We also received reports from the Ann regarding her work as President. Jim Tucker gave us an update from the Bylaws Review Committee. Things are in process Jim said.

Fall Rep Council Meeting Begins

Rep Council members are gathering at the Holiday Inn for the beginning of the Fall Rep Council Meeting. 52 members of the council will be gathering for the 2005 Fall meeting. I hope to be able to Blog this meeting since we have wireless access to the internet throughout the Holiday Inn. Please post questions and responses to the work of the Council. Mary Kay (returning to the RC for a new term) and Joe wait in the lobby to be joined by other members of their committee. Our agenda has time for committees to conduct their business. That's all from the Elk Grove Holiday Inn for now. I'm Don Kurre and I look forward to hearing from you during this meeting.

A Vision for Catechesis

The October 27, 2005 issue of Origins contains a pastoral letter from Bishop Saltarelli titled, "Go and Teach: Facing the Challenges of Catechesis Today." Bishop Saltarelli says:

"I know that effective catechesis never occurs in a vacuum. Virbrant parish life is the soil in which catechetical ministry flourishes."

Synod: Catechesis in a Secular Culture

The October 20, 2005 issue of Origins contains a number of interventions from the world Synod of Bishops in Rome. Of particular interest is Bishop Wuerl's intervention titled, Synod: Catechesis in a Secular Culture. " A pull quote from Origins,

"Perhaps the single biggest challenge that we as followers of Christ face today is the great disparity between what we see in faith as the horizon of life and what this secular culture and materially focused world see as the goal, end and purpose of life."

Representative Council Agenda

Items on the Agenda for the Representative Council meeting to be held October 27-29, 2005 Chicago, IL

Report on up dating of by-laws
Report on strategic directives
President's report
Reports from committees
- Membership
- Development
- NDC Project
Remarks from Episcopal Moderator -- Bishop Richard Malone
Report from Executive Director -- Neil Parent
Report from USCCB -- Michael Steier
Remarks/reports from partner constituencies
Process for fleshing out roles and identity of Representative Council Facilitator -- Tom Walters
Listening from Representative Council members (needs and issues of constituencies)
Committee meetings
Presentation on "Catechetical Leaders collaborating with clergy in light of findings in study of current seminarians." – Tom Walters
Rep Council input:
- New Echoes modules
- Catechist formation needs…beyond Echoes
- Training and formation of PCLs in light of national Standards
- Other needs

Safe Environment Curriculum

While providing resources for parishes to conduct Safe Environment Education for the youth and young adults in parish programs we began wondering, “Would it be possible to include Safe Environment or Child Protection materials in textbooks?” Becasuse parish catechists often find it difficult to integrate supplemental materials into their lessons it would be helpful if some basic Safe Environment or Child Protection materials were in the textbook. Since the Textbook/Catechist Manual is the primary resource for most parish catechists it seems logical that child protection materials would be included in the textbooks.

What do you think? Would you like to see Safe Environment or Child Protection materials included in textbooks? Would you like to see the DDRE Forum begin a conversation with Publishers to include the material in their texts? Leave a comment and let us know what your thinking. I would like to bring this issue up at the October Rep Council meeting. Click on the comments link below and share your thoughts.

Don

Monika Hellwig

I read today in the West Nebraska Register that Monika Hellwig died on September 30, 2005. The headline read, "Hellwig, noted theologian and author, dies after suffering stroke."
Catholic News Service reproted:

WASHINGTON (CNS) -- Noted theologian and author Monika Hellwig died at Washington Hospital Center Sept. 30 after suffering a severe stroke. She was 74 years old. She had just recently retired as president and executive director of the Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities. Hellwig taught theology for more than 30 years at Georgetown University before taking up the ACCU post. Just days before her death she had taken up a new position as a research fellow at the university's Woodstock Theological Center. A former president of the Catholic Theological Society of America, she received numerous honors and awards for her work, including more than 30 honorary degrees.

USCCB's NDC Denver Workshop

Mike Steier answers questions during the USCCB's Denver workshop on implementation of the National Directory for Catechesis.

NDC Workshop

I’m in Denver CO waiting to participate in the USCCB’s NDC workshop. I’ve heard good reports from several people who’ve attended the workshops. I’m looking forward to hearing what Dan and Mike have to say about the Directory. Is there someway we can share outlines we’ve created to conduct workshops on the NDC in our own Dioceses? If we found a way to share workshop outlines over the internet would you share files or accessing outlines from other dioceses? Leave a comment and let us know what you think about sharing NDC workshop outlines.

Don

Fall 2005 Rep Council Meeting

The Fall 2005 Rep Council Meeting will be held October 27-29, 2005 at the Holiday Inn in Elk Grove Village, IL. The meeting will begin with dinner at Dinner 5:30 PM. We end with Mass on Saturday at 5 PM. New Rep Council members will have an orientation on Thursday at 4:30. I will post the agenda for the meeting once the agenda is published.

Treasures from the NDC

I’m finding some treasures as I work my way through the National Directory for Catechesis. For example the Conclusion to chapter two is an excellent summary. (NDC pages 67 – 68) I find the part of the conclusion quoted below useful to explain catechesis to parents, catechists and even first year parish catechetical leaders.

Catechesis nurtures the seed of faith sown by the Holy Spirit through the initial proclamation of the Gospel. It gives growth to the gift of faith given in Baptism and elaborates the meaning of the sacraments. Catechesis develops a deeper understanding of the mystery of Christ, encourages more profound incorporation into the Church, and nourishes Christian living. It encourages discipleship in Christ and instructs in Christian prayer. Just as the mission of evangelization enlivens the Church’s pastoral and missionary activity, catechesis makes concrete her mission of evangelization. It constitutes the “Good News” that Christ commissioned his apostles to spread throughout the whole world and announce to every person. (NDC page 68)

Diocesan Directors Symposium--Info Sent

An email with registration information for the December Symposium has been sent to Diocesan Directors. As you know,Dr. Gaillardetz will be working with us to examine the contemporary cultural and ecclesial contexts in which we minister. We will have the opportunity to explore the variety of ecclesiologies underlying the pluralism in today's Church and to develop strategies for carrying out catechetical ministry in this postmodern environment.

Who: Diocesan Directors and those invited by diocesan directors

When: December 8-10, 2005
Begins 7 PM on Thursday ends 6 PM on Saturday

Where: Holiday Inn Elk Grove Village, IL

How much: The total costs for the symposium, including registration, room, reception Thursday evening, breakfast, lunch, dinner on Friday and breakfast and lunch on Saturday, are as follows:

Single 2 nights:$385.
Single 3 nights:$465 (Saturday evening)

Double 2 nights:$305.
Double 3 nights:$345 (Saturday evening)

Financial Assistance available. To obtain an application contact Patty Vrabel at pvrabel@nccl.org.

If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact Katherine J. Kandefer, BVM, 202.884.9755, kkandefer@nccl.org or Jim Kemna, 573-635-9127, DDREForum@gmail.com, who has been chairing the planning committee for the event.

Click here for a list of advanced reading material for the symposium.

Bishops' Ad Hoc Committee Meets with Publishers

Just received this from NCEA's Department Of Religious Education Executive Director Diana Dudoit Raiche

Bishops' Ad Hoc Committee to Oversee the Use of the Catechism - Meeting with Publishers of Catechetical Materials:

Approximately 20 publishers and invited representatives from national organizations met with the Ad Hoc Committee to Oversee the Use of the Catechism on September 9, 2005. Bishop Leonard P. Blaire of Toledo, OH chaired the meeting for Archbishop Alfred C. Hughes of New Orleans, who was unable to attend. Of the topics discussed, the following seven items may be of interest to diocesan and parish catechetical leaders.

1. The Compendium to the Catechism of the Catholic Church is not intended to supplant the Catechism, but it is expected to be an ancillary text suitable for Catholic high school and possibly some junior high school students. Following the four-pillar structure of the Catechism, the Compendium, a new composition, includes prayers in the vernacular as well as in Latin, and includes formulas of Catholic doctrine. Memorization of common formulas of the faith and prayers in Latin is encouraged.

2. United States Catholic Catechism for Adults awaits the recognitio from Rome. Based on the 15 months that it took to receive the recognitio for the National Directory for Catechesis, approval of the adult catechism could possibly arrive in early 2006.

3. Catechetical Treatment of the Trinity: Retaining the mystery of the Holy Trinity is a matter of concern. As the central mystery of our faith, it is necessary to present and explain the divinely revealed names of Father, Son and Holy Spirit. It is acceptable to use the title God, as is commonly done for the First Person alone, provided that it is made clear that each Divine Person individually can properly be called God.

4. Justice and Charity: It is important not to confuse these two concepts and to offer a parallel treatment of them. Justice refers to what is due human beings as human beings. Rather than an act of duty, charity is giving that is motivated out of love.

5. Doctrinal Guidelines for High School Materials: Consultation from the field regarding these Guidelines is completed. It is expected the Guidelines will go before the Bishops for vote in June 2006. Each bishop will implement the Guidelines as he sees fit.

6. Guiding Principles for Education in Human Sexuality focuses on morality, virtues, the moral virtue of chastity, doctrinal elements, as well as the rights and responsibilities of parents, the Church's role and the role of directors for education. Still in process, this document is expected to go before the Bishops at the 2006 November meeting.

7. Whole Community Catechesis should be used in conjunction with ordinary, systematic catechesis.
Department of Religious Education newsletters available here.

National Directory for Catechesis

I’m thinking about the upcoming Rep Council meeting. The Rep Council will met October 27, 2005 through October 29, 2005 for its fall meeting. I hope one of the agenda items will be a discussion of the NDC. Specifically I hope we will articulate the support Provinces and Organizations would like to see NCCL offer as they implement the NDC in their provinces and organizations. Given the Directory’s emphasis on planning I would like to see a comprehensive list of planning tools parishes, dioceses and organizations could use in developing a process to plan for catechesis. What about an evaluation tool dioceses and parishes could use to evaluate their catechetical efforts based on the Directory. The list of 23 functions for a diocesan catechetical office found on pages 250 – 252 would work to create an evaluation form. What other tools do we need because of the vision painted by the Directory?

Don

Please Comment

The DDRE Forum blog allows for you to add comments. To add a comment click on the “comment” link you will find at the bottom of each blog entry. Then click on the link “Post a comment” link which will bring you to a box to type in your comment. If you want to sign up for a blogger account click the appropriate box or make your comments “Anonymously.” If you have trouble please let us know by sending an email to DDREForum@gmail.com. Join the discussion by leaving a comment.

LIM and LIMEX Temporary Web page

The Loyola Institute for Ministry Hurricane Update Page is located here.
You will find links for sharing course materials and other LIM and LIMEX resources. The site also contains links with other information on New Orleans.

Loyola New Orleas Link

Loyola New Orleans

The following information from the Loyolan New Orleans Blog
Loyola New Orleans is closed at this time. The University experienced only minor physical damage from the storm; however, the threat of rising water is a continual concern. At this time, we have personnel onsite assessing the damage and making necessary emergency repairs. Obviously, no determination has been made about resuming normal operations.

Click here for the blog.

Communicating with Loved ones!

I can't take credit for this idea. I first read it here. With my own children in three different cities and my parents and siblings scattered all over the country I plan on implementing this idea.

"have we conjured a definitive communications plan, for our loved ones, to employ in the event of a disaster? The American Red Cross encourages every household to develop a 'Family Communication Plan.'"

We've already added the "ICE" item to our cell phones and PDAs. (ICE stands for Incase of an Emergency.) Now I see it is time to take the next step.

If you have word from or about any of our members in the HURRICANE region leave us a comment (Click on the comment link below) or send us an email at DDREForum@gmail.com and I'll post your comment.

Don

Information on HURRICANE KATRINA

If you are looking for information on Hurricane Katrina here are a few links:
Everything New Orleans Nola.com is here.
Round up of Charities is here.
BBC News is here.
The Christian Science Monitor Daily on Line is here.
Google News is here.

Halley's Comment: But For The Grace Of God Go .... All Of Us

Halley's Comment: But For The Grace Of God Go .... All Of Us: "But For The Grace Of God Go .... All Of Us
Try to imagine someone just told you the entire city you live in ... New Orleans, in this case ... will be uninhabitable for several months.

In other words, whatever you have with yo -- most likely only one suitcase -- is all you have until Christmas.

Your home, probably your job, all your possessions, are destroyed or off limits.

Where do you go?

What do you do?

How on earth do you manage?

And this was a hurricane but could have been any number of other natural disasters."

This post form Halley Suitt's blog Halley's Comment, made me wonder, "How on earth do you manage?"

During a workshop I conducted last night (8/30) we prayed Psalm 27.

"The Lord is my light and my salvation;
whome shall I fear?
The Lord is the stronghold of my life:
of whom shall I be afraid? "

When there is little to nothing I can do and words fall so short our ritural of praying the Psalms is comforting.

Don

The New Catechetical Reality

"The New Catechetical Reality: Forming Catholic Identity in a Postmodern Context" symposium for Catechetical Leadership is scheduled for the December 8 – 10, 2005. "The New Catechetical Reality: Forming Catholic Identity in a Postmodern Context" symposium will be held at the Holiday Inn Elk Grove Village near O’Hare airport. The cost of the symposium will be between $305 and $465. The cost includes the registration fee, room and board for two or three nights with a single room or double room. We hope you will make plans to participate in the Symposium. Watch for details and additional registration material coming to an in-box near you shortly after September 1, 2005. Click here for a list of advanced reading material for the symposium. Read the registration material for information on scholarships.

Board drafts new NCCL Mission Statement

As a member of the NCCL Representative Council I recently received the following Email from the NCCL Board of Directors.

Dear Colleagues:
As the board of directors prepared to do strategic goals and objectives on the weekend of June 24-26 in Chicago, our facilitator helped us to realize that we needed to articulate our lived mission in current language to enable the board and the members to make the necessary decisions for our future.

We are excited by the following statement's simplicity and by the mutual agreement and excitement this conversation generated with among board members. It's not perfect but we think that we need to live with it and see how it may help us to promote energy and focus to our catechetical efforts.

We consider you to be a key catechetical leader in the organization (because of your role in the representative council, committee, or as a past president or a representative of an affiliated organization,)

Therefore the board committed to personally share this statement and our enthusiasm with each of you first, so that you will be ready to answer questions when others contact you after we soon share this statement with the general membership.

We look forward to seeing you in the Fall Representative council Oct 27-29 as we look at what this strengthened and refined statement will mean for us all and for our efforts in the catechetical ministry.

It is our hope that every leader, committee chair and staff member will look at what we do in light of this mission. As we move into our planning of goals and objectives for these coming years, our members, the representative council, the forums and constituencies, and the Office Staff will all need to consider:

What is (my, our) role in this mission as representative council, forums, committees, task forces, Office Staff, etc. ?
Who is responsible for authorizing this aspect of NCCL decision making?
Who implements this NCCL decision?
Who are the key supporters needed to guarantee the success of this decision?
Who should be informed about this decision?

The statement is:
The Mission of NCCL is "To go and make disciples"(Matt: 28:19) by creating a community of catechetical leaders who:
Read "the signs of the times" regarding catechesis and explore their underlying questions;
Promote effective catechesis for our times;
Recruit, develop and support catechetical leaders; and
Offer our expertise to our Bishops, pastors and the entire Church.

After reading the email I sent the following email.

I would be glad to talk with you about the “NCCL Mission Statement.” However, I have some strong and immediate reactions that will not wait. This work is further evidence that convinces me NCCL is no longer a grassroots organization. Here a, non-representative group of nine, determines the mission of a so-called grassroots organization. Where was the consultation? If the Rep Council is the heart of NCCL why was the heart not consulted? Why were the Forums not consulted? Regardless of the quality of the statement, even though the Board says, “It's not perfect but we think that we need to live with it,“ the process used to create the statement disregards the values that make NCCL different and valuable for Catechetical Ministry in this country. Mission Statements to be effective require the ownership of the membership. Why should we “look at what we do in light of this mission” when we had no part in establishing it. The Board owes the membership more respect than this! We seem to have abandoned our core identity and for that I grieve.
Peace,
Don Kurre
reo at nque dot com

I want to encourage the members of the DDRE Forum to contact your representative on the Representative Council, the members of the Board of Directors and Forum Animators and let them know how you feel not only about the content of this statement but also about the process used to establish a new NCCL mission statement. Now is the time to speak out!

Something to think about

David Haberman, the Chair of the Indiana University’s Department of Religious Studies, had some interesting comments on religion in the Summer 2005 issue of the Relgious Studies Alumni Newsletter. Haberman said in part,

I have recently finished reading Reza Asian's new book No god but God: The Origins, Evolution, and Future of Islam. Not only do I recommend this book as a great read, but I also believe that it highlights the fact that religion is a highly influential — yet vastly contentious — force in global affairs today. The need to understand religion is, therefore, greater than ever. Asian remarks in his book: "Considering how effortlessly religious dogma has become intertwined with political ideology since 9/11, how can we overcome the clash-of-monotheisms mentality that has so deeply entrenched itself in the modern world? Clearly, education and tolerance are essential. But what is most desperately needed is not so much a better appreciation of our neighbor's religion as a broader, more complete understanding of religion itself." I could not agree more; these are times of ideological religious warfare. To understand the tremendous struggle going on within almost every religious tradition today to define the nature of that tradition, one must grasp how religion functions in public life.

It's wiki time

As diocesan offices face reduced budgets and small staffs we find ourselves looking for new and less expensive ways for working together or colaborating. If you need to revise a document or prepare new guidelines for choosing catechetical texts you might find a wiki helpful. (The name wiki is derived from a Hawaiian word for "quick") Follow this link to a PC Magazine article titled, "Working Together With Wikis." If you need to save time, money and generally be more productive why not try a wiki?

When faith and science meet.

I would like to see the Diocesan Directors Forum create a resource for catechists who will need to address the issue of "intelligent design" (ID). It would be in our best interest to provide resources for catechists who will lead discussion on ID from the perspective of Catholic Tradition. The Roman Catholic tradition has much wisdom to share in a discussion of the relationship between faith and science. We need to avoid the mistakes of the past. Providing catechists with a resource to use in bringing that wisdom to the discussion of ID is a service the DDRE Forum can provide. Any one interested in leading such a project?

Don

Frist Backs 'Intelligent Design' Teaching - Yahoo! News

Frist Backs 'Intelligent Design' Teaching - Yahoo! News: "NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Echoing similar comments from
President Bush, Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist said 'intelligent design' should be taught in public schools alongside evolution.
ADVERTISEMENT

Frist, R-Tenn., spoke to a Rotary Club meeting Friday and told reporters afterward that students need to be exposed to different ideas, including intelligent design.

'I think today a pluralistic society should have access to a broad range of fact, of science, including faith,' Frist said."

Churches seeking marketing-savvy breed of pastor

csmonitor.com:

A year ago, the Rev. Scott Schlotfelt was weighing job offers from three churches smitten by what he had to offer.

But they weren't talking about his preaching or counseling skills. What they were seeking, like a number of churches across the United States, was some savvy marketing. And like a growing number of pastors, consultants, and volunteers, Mr. Schlotfelt was eager to do some branding for the Lord.

"I've kind of had a heart for marketing, [and] I think a lot of churches are looking for outreach" specialists, says Schlotfelt, outreach pastor at Mountain Christian Church in Joppa, Md. He received his undergraduate degree in marketing, then studied for the ministry and helped

Read the article from the Christian Science Monitor here.

Symposium with Richard R. Gaillardetz Update

The Symposium Planning Committee held a conference call Friday, August 12, 2005 to continue planning for the December 8 – 10, 2005 Symposium for Catechetical Leadership. The Committee agreed on a title for the symposium. The title will be: "The New Catechetical Reality: Forming Catholic Identity in a Postmodern Context." We hope you will make plans to participate in the Symposium. Watch for details and additional registration material coming to an in-box near you shortly after September 1, 2005. Click here for a list of advanced reading material for the symposium. Read the registration material for information on scholarships.

This just in

America, United States, Times Online, The Times, Sunday Times: "

Da Vinci plot may get new twist to placate Catholics
By Dalya Alberge, Arts Correspondent
THE film version of The Da Vinci Code is attempting to reduce the offence that the best-selling book caused to Roman Catholics.

Sony Pictures, the studio behind the film starring Tom Hanks and Sir Ian McKellen, is reported to have been so concerned that it has consulted Catholic and other Christian specialists on how it might alter the plot of the novel to avoid offending the devout.

Film officials have held talks with Catholic groups and other organisations despite Dan Brown, the author, insisting that “it’s only a novel and therefore a work of fiction”, The New York Times reported yesterday."

CNN.com - Gibson asked to recreate 'Passion'

This story appeared on both CNN and Yahoo news
CNN.com - Gibson asked to recreate 'Passion': "Gibson asked to recreate 'Passion'"

SYDNEY, Australia (AP) -- Hollywood actor-director Mel Gibson has been asked to recreate the crucifixion of Jesus Christ in the streets of Sydney if the city is selected to host a major Catholic gathering in 2008, a newspaper reported Saturday.

Click here for the link to Yahoo News.

Wired News: A Hacker Games the Hotel

Wired News: A Hacker Games the Hotel: "A Hacker Games the Hotel

Since I find myself spending time in hotel rooms I found this information interesting and helpful.

"A vulnerability in many hotel television infrared systems can allow a hacker to obtain guests' names and their room numbers from the billing system.

It can also let someone read the e-mail of guests who use web mail through the TV, putting business travelers at risk of corporate espionage. And it can allow an intruder to add or delete charges on a hotel guest's bill or watch films and other premium content on their hotel TV without paying for it."

Click here to read the whole article.

A quote from Nelson Mandela

"Massive poverty and obscene inequality are such terrible scourges of our times -- times in which the world boasts breathtaking advances in science, technology, industry and wealth accumulation -- they have to rank alongside slavery and apartheid as social ills. Overcoming poverty is not a gesture of charity. It is an act of justice. It is the protection of a fundamental human right, the right to dignity and a decent life." (Nelson Mandela)

I found this quote as part of a post on Dave Pollard's blog, "How to Save the World" here.

Don

Has it been 20 years?

Has it been 20 years? Cindy called me down to help her with a computer emergency and I walked into a suprise anniversary party. I've been the DRE for the diocese of Grand Island for 20 years this month. The Staff at the NP Catholic Offices threw me a party and gifted me with this large Gum Ball machine filled with M&M peanuts. (see the picture) The Gum Ball machine has a lable that says, "Diocesan RE Director, 1985 - 2005, SWEET!" I was very surprised and overwhelmed even speachless. For those same 20 years I have been a member of NCCL and I am very greatful for the friendship and support I receive from the people I've meet through NCCL over these 20 years. Prior to becoming a Diocesan Director, I remember Matt Hayes encouraging me to join, what was in those days, NCDD. Moving to Nebraska and joining NCCL are two of the significant blessings of my life. I've truly enjoyed the past 2o years.