An E-mail from Sister Rose Pacatte, F.S.P.

*I received this e-mail from Sister Rose and post it here with her permission. Please remember Sister Rose and her family in your prayers.*

Dear Sisters, Friends and Family,

The Paradise (CA) Post came out today with the obituary for my nephew Gabriel Harry Mordecai. You can read it here and sign the guest book if you would like.

OBITUARY for Sr. Rose's nephew Click here

We also received the official finding for the cause of death: asyphyxiation by hanging: accident. Gabe did fall off of the top bunk, but he had a rope around his neck. However, it was not suicide. He was trying to get high - and he had done it before. Another kid taught Gabe and his twin how to do it.

I wondered if I should draw your attention to the cause of death - but if it might help parents become aware of what their kids are doing, they can help them. Therefore, I decided to share this with you as sad and distasteful as it is. Risky behavior has always accompanied adolescence.

For some of you this may be a whole new aspect of life that you have no wish to explore, and I respect that - but we need to know the reality of adolescence, the choices kids are making and why: one of the behaviors that is killing them. These are the people of God to whom we are sent to communicate God's love. I keep asking myself: what more could I have done? I was lucky if I saw my sister and her children every other year or so; we are such a large family; could I have called more? Been more "prsent"? All my siblings are asking the same questions. However, the bigger question for me is: Gabe, his brother, and maybe the other kids in the story were and are familiar with God's Word - did it mean anything to him at 13 years of age? Did anyone teach about risky behavior in Bible study, homilies, religious education, in regular school? How can we help to bring faith and life closer in a meaningful way, so that faith can inform the decisions ! and lives of children, teens, young adults, parents? The eternal question... I am the first to admit it is very, very hard to speak publically about what has happened to my nephew, but if we do not speak of it, how do we prevent it from happening again?

I think my sister went so public with this because she wants to prevent this from happening to another family. Professionals are telling her that doing something positive would help her know that others could be helped by this devastating death of her child - who was messing around as kids will do, but in a very dangerous, risky way. We were told that a few days before Gabe was brought in to the hospital, another boy, the same age, died the same way.

News article about "Asphyxiation" as thrill seeking Click here

Thank you for your messages of prayer for our family; they mean a lot.

Blessings to you and your families. May God enlighten parents and caregivers everywhere to "see" on time and respond to their children in ways that respect the body and life.

Sincerely,
Sr Rose

National Conference for Catechetical Leadership Online

National Conference for Catechetical Leadership Online

A Brief Walk through the National Directory for Catechesis
By Daniel Mulhall
Published in the March 2005 issue of "Catechetical Leader." This article is now available on the NCCL web site. Click here to access the article.

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?

What are Catechetical Leaders to do?

It’s hard to believe a week ago I was in Louisville. Now a scant six days later and I’m mostly dug out from under the stuff that awaited my return to Nebraska. A lot of junk mail got sent to the trash, Spam deleted from my inbox, phone calls returned and people visited. Somehow I never learn to avoid scheduling major events just days after the Annual meeting. Oh, when will I learn? I’ll make a note in my palm pilot to remind me. It was an OK meeting as Annual meetings go. I do appreciate the energy two or three catechetical leaders gathered together generate. I will admit to being disappointed by the lack of discussion, conversation or outrage sparked by Peter Steinfels book and presentations. The strongest statement I heard was, “We knew that already.” I am left wondering, if Steinfels’ descriptions accurately reflect Catholic life today, what are we, the catechetical leaders to do?

Don Kurre

A Symposium - Preliminary Information

A Symposium for Diocesan Directors and Staff with Richard Gaillardetz. The Symposium will be held in Chicago December 8-11, 2005 at the Holiday Inn Elk Grove Village near O’Hare airport. The event will begin Thursday with dinner and end Saturday evening with Liturgy (about 6:00 pm).

The cost for room and board would be approximately $350 for a single room, $250 for a double, plus tax. A reception Thursday evening, three meals on Friday, breakfast and lunch Saturday would be provided for the above cost. Snacks during the day would also be provided. Participants would go out for dinner Saturday evening after the liturgy. The meal would not be included in the above cost. The registration fee, above room and board, has not been set. A planning committee is in the process of finalizing the goals and content outline for this symposium. We will forward that information to you as soon as it is complete.

Members of the Planning Committee are: Sr. Edith Prendergast, Jim Kemna, Mary Kay Cullinan, Sr. Pat McGinley, Sharon Horgan, Don Kurre and Maribeth Mancini with assistance from Neil Parent and Kathy Kandefer.

Please leave a comment with your thoughts on the Symposium.

Viewpoint: The treason of the clerks

Viewpoint: The treason of the clerks: "The treason of the clerks
Church leaders and Catholic educators are killing Catholic schools
By ANDREW GREELEY"
Have your read Andrew Greeley’s column in the April 8, 2005 issue of the National Catholic Reporter? It’s worth reading. He has some strong words to say about the lack of support for Catholic Schools.

Greeley says, “Why don’t these clergy or quasi clergy want to accept good news about either the priests or the schools?”

“Another reason,” Greeley says, “is that the schools belong to the pre-Vatican II church. They have to go, just like everything else—the Mother of Jesus, saints, holy water, the rosary, the souls in purgatory, angels, all that kind of junk. Then we can really build a new church around the liturgy and the catechumenate and religious education.” Strong words may be an understatement.

He continues saying, “Don’t they understand that the combination of the neighborhood parish and the parochial school is one of the most ingenious community-building mechanisms that humankind has ever devised?”

“God forgive”, Greeley concludes saying, “those who are permitting Catholic schools to slip under the waves.”

Greeley’s reflections provide some additional information for us as we dialogue with Peter Steinfels at the Annual Meeting. I wonder what part I’ve played in catechizing about Catholic traditions, practices and rituals and is my own ministry based on a to narrow vision of Catholic life.

Pope John Paul II * 1920 - 2005

Pope John Paul II
1920 - 2005

Eternal rest grant unto him O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him.

At 9:37 PM, April 2, 2005
the Holy Father enterned into eternal glory.

Pope John Paul II

Rose Pacatte, FSP, shares the following, for information on the Pope, here's a web site you can refer to; it was put up by our publishing house, Pauline Books & Media ... www.johnpaulpapacy.com

DDRE Forum Annual Meeting Agenda

Agenda Update: The Diocesan Director’s Forum meeting will be held on Tuesday April 12th in the McCreary Room at the Galt House Hotel.

2:30 Prayer:
Welcome and Icebreaker: A chance to meet new directors and reconnect with everyone.

3:00 NDC Discussion and Reaction/Input by Bishop Malone
This segment will begin with two questions:

• What excites you about the National Directory?
• What alarms or concerns you about the National Directory?

Bishop Malone will respond to the discussion that ensues from these questions. The group will interact with him with questions and comments.
A final question for sharing (or possibly in a cluster) would be “Where do we go from here?”
Directors are asked to review their draft of the NDC before the meeting, if possible.

Break: Refreshments: Ave Maria Press will provide snacks.

4:00 Clusters of Interest:
Directors will be able to gather at tables with others who share an interest in discussing any of the following issues:

• Formation of Parish Catechetical Leaders: Pete Ries
• Whole Community Catechesis: Jean Schrempf
• Recruitment and Retention of Catechetical Leaders: Carol Augustine
• NCCL Critical Issues: Don Kurre
• Implementing the NDC in the Diocese: Maribeth Mancini
• Common Competencies/Standards: Harry Dudley

Other clusters may form spontaneously around a table for open discussion of any topic that might be of interest once the group forms.

4:45 Other business:

• Election of New Animators.
• Discussion of possible symposium.
• Evaluation of Meeting

Blogs and wikis

InfoWorld: Enterprise collaboration with blogs and wikis: March 28, 2005: By Michelle Delio :
“Blogs and wikis play opposite roles,” says Martin Wattenberg, a researcher on the collaborative user experience team at IBM Watson Research Center. “Blogs are based on an individual voice; a blog is sort of a personal broadcasting system. Wikis, because they give people the chance to edit each other’s words, are designed to blend many voices. Reading a blog is like listening to a diva sing, reading a wiki is like listening to a symphony.”

The Revealer: Dumb, Dumber, Dumbest

The Revealer: Dumb, Dumber, Dumbest

He is Risen

Happy Easter

DR. MARIE MURPHY DIES SUDDENLY

DR. MARIE MURPHY, DISTINGUISHED CATECHIST AND SADLIER’S NATIONAL RELIGION CONSULTANT, DIES SUDDENLY. I wasn't aware of this and thought we all might like to know.
Dr. Marie Murphy, nationally known catechist and speaker, went home to God on February 19, 2005. (more...)

James DeBoy: Honored For Catechetical Leadership

Did you see Ed Gordon's column in the March issue of the Catechist magazine? The column titled, "James DeBoy: Honored for Catechetical leadership" is a stirring tribute to one of the pillars of Catechetical Ministry. Thank you for putting into words what many of us, for whom Jim has been a mentor, feel. As Ed said, "Being a caechetical leader was a big part of who he was 24/7. . . Jim's words and deeds flowed so naturally from his deep faith. . . " I hope you'll find a few minutes to read Ed's reflections. (Catechist, March 2005, page 5)

Implications and Applications of the NDC

The February 17, 2005 issue of Origins contains a transcript of the talk Bishop Malone gave at the recent symposium on the NDC. I wasn’t able to attend the symposium so I appreciated the opportunity to read Bishop Malone’s reflections. Spending time reflecting on his list of fourteen “Other Implications and Applications” would provide us with a comprehensive agenda for both our ministry and the work of NCCL well into the future. However I think it might be more important to discuss his “metaimplications.”

Bishop Malone named four metaimplications of the NDC. Those implications are:

1) “Everyone in ministry in the diocese/parish/school or other program or institution must appreciate the fact that evangelization and catechesis are in some way part of their own responsibilities.”

2) “Everyone must be ‘on the same page regarding the three purposes of the National Directory for Catechesis as a major resource for the continuing renewal of catechesis. . .”

3) “All must agree to engage in evangelization and catechesis in the context of an overall pastoral plan.” And

4) “Attention is paid to the cultural context for evangelization and catechesis with regard both to its challenges and its opportunities.” (“Origins” February 17, 2005 Vol. 34: N0. 35, Page 566.)

If you did not hear Bishop Malone’s talk I recommend that you read it in the current issue of Origins. (Pages 565 to568)

Don Kurre

Special Announcement from NCCL

We received word that Maria Harris died Wednesday Morning February 2, 2005. Gabe Horan was with her when she entered eternal life.

Maria was a key figure in Catechetical Ministry over the years.

We don't have any specific details at this time. When we receive more information it will be passed on to you.

But ...will the world ever learn?

I was touched by the remarks Nobel Laureate and Auschwitz survivor Elie Wiesel made to the United Nations General Assembly before the 60^th anniversary of the Allied liberation of the Nazi death camps. In concluding his remarks he said,

“The Jewish witness speaks of his people's suffering as a warning. He sounds the alarm so as to prevent these things being done. He knows that for the dead it is too late; for them, abandoned by God and betrayed by humanity, victory came much too late.

But it is not too late for today's children, ours and yours. It is for their sake alone that we bear witness. It is for their sake that we are duty-bound to denounce anti-Semitism, racism, and religious or ethnic hatred. Those who today preach and practice the cult of death, those who use suicide terrorism, the scourge of this new century, must be tried and condemned for crimes against humanity. Suffering confers no privileges; it is what one does with suffering that matters. Yes, the past is in the present, but the future is still in our hands.

Those who survived Auschwitz advocate hope, not despair; generosity, not rancor or bitterness; gratitude, not violence. We must be engaged, we must reject indifference as an option. Indifference always helps the aggressor, never his victims. And what is memory if not a noble and necessary response to and against indifference?

But ...will the world ever learn?”

Here is a link for a transcript of Wiesel’s complete speech.

http://www.beliefnet.com/story/160/story_16004_1.html

Don

Communicating in the Forum

Yesterday (1/18/05) during the Directors Forum Subcommittee’s conference call one member suggested that we establish a listserv for Diocesan Directors. Here is a description of a listserv and here is a description of a Blog. A key difference between a listserv and a blog is this. Listserv messages are sent to your E-mail’s inbox. Once you subscribe to a listserv messages are automatically sent to your inbox. To access the messages on a blog you must use your web browser to access the blog. In short with a listserv messages come to you and with a blog you go to the messages. However, it is possible to subscribe to a blog through “Really Simple Syndication” (RSS). Committee members heard a number of Diocesan Directors say they did not want additional email in the inbox and so we stayed away from using a listserv. At the same time, a number of Diocesan Directors identify a need for greater and more frequent communication within the Diocesan Director’s Forum. The questions seem to be which tool will most effectively facilitate further communication among DDREs?

The future of the DDRE Forum is a related question. The future of the Diocesan Director’s Forum is in our hands. We have two choices. The Forum can be the 2 to 4 hours we spend together at the Annual Meeting or it can serve the needs of the Diocesan Directors on an annual basis; facilitating communication and discussion, providing educational opportunities and lobbying for the needs and vision of Diocesan Directors and our role in Catechetical Ministry. I hope we chose the more active role for the Forum. It seems to me that the first step in moving the Forum is to find a method of communication that we will and do use.

Add your comments by clicking on the “comments link” at the end of this post.

Don Kurre

The Ministry of Catechesis

I'd like to close the year 2004 by sharing with you a passage in Michael Warren's book
At This Time, In This Place (1999, Trinity Press).

On page 131 Warren writes

"Catechesis has discrete activities for fostering an ever-maturing living faith. Some . . . have to do with preparing persons for 'next steps' . . . . Other activities encourage reflection on communal dilemmas facing discipleship . . . . While catechesis has standards of excellence, those standards measure not catechesis but the excellence of discipleship.

Discipleship is a practice . . . . found only partially in written texts about it but most fully in the flourishing practice of present-day practitioners . . . . The community of this practice celebrates all levels of this proficiency, with special recognition given the achievements of virtuoso practitioners . . .

Catechesis is not primarily activity toward mastering the theoretical concepts involved in its own catechetical activities; it is primarily about the practice of discipleship. The work of catechesis is reminding the community of the standards of excellence they have adopted and the kind of responsiveness those standards demand from those who are, or who are trying to become, practitioners. Catechesis provides reminders about conditions under which practice is diminished or enhanced or cautious. The eye of catechesis is on the community's practice; not its catechetical practice, but on the discipling practice to which catechesis points. Catechesis fosters the efforts of the community to maintain its standard of discipling practice. Catechesis is the coaching of practice. [Emphasis mine]

In recent centuries, catechesis has tended to lose its way, becoming a practice unto itself instead of pointing to the practice of discipleship. It has become an activity about ideas, giving the impression that correct understanding represents adequate practice, whereas in fact that understanding directs and redirects the actual practice. Consequently, communities engaged in 'churchly practices' have been able to remove themselves from preoccupation with discipleship itself."

I make Mike Warren's challenging words (the book is packed with them) my Christmas gift to you. Chew them with care, nibble by nibble, as if you were eating the precious elf bread from the Lord of the Rings. I hope you will find it filling.

JIM KEMNA

Happy New Year

Happy New Year to all Diocesan Directors! I pray that God continues to hold us in the palm of His hand.

Don