NCCL Offices are Moving

National Conference for Catechetical Leadership Online: "Important Information NCCL Offices are moving. NCCL offices will be temporarily relocating to Trinity University for the next 18 months or so until our present location at St. Paul’s College is renovated into the St. Paul Hecker Center for Ministry. As of August 5 our new address and phone number will be:

National Conference for Catechetical Leadership
Trinity University
125 Michigan Avenue, N.E.
Washington, DC 20017
202-884-9753

We ask for your patience during the moving process we will not able to receive calls or answer email until August. 9. All emails you send and registrations for the conference will be saved on our web server so nothing will be lost. "

Union Pacific RR's No. 844

The Union Pacific Railroad's steam locomotive No. 844
You may be wondering what a picture of a steam locomotive is doing on the Diocesan Director's Forum Blog. Good question. The Union Pacific Railroad is the major employer in North Platte and North Platte is home to the worlds larges railroad classification yard or hump yard. Steam locomotive No. 844 was in North Platte today (7/28/05) and I couldn't resist taking a few pictures and I thought I would share one. If you are interested in the vital statistics of No. 844 click here.

Don

Institute for Peace and Justice

I received the Institute for Peace and Justice’s Peace Pieces for Christian Educators by email today. Peace Pieces is a free email newsletter full of ideas and resources for promoting and educating for peace and justice from womb to tomb.

If you are not familiar with the Institute for Peace and Justice (IPJ) I encourage you to visit IPJ’s website at www.ipj-ppj.org/index.html and become familiar with the Institute. It is hard to admit but I’ve known Jim and Kathy McGinnis, founders of the Institute, for over 20 years. I am challenged by Jim and Kathy’s commitment and dedication to formation, education and witness to and for peace and justice. For Kathy and Jim peace and justice is at the heart of their discipleship. Their ministry and the ministry of the Institute is worthy of our support as catechetical leaders.

Resources from the Institute and the “Families Against Violence Advocacy Network” including the “Pledge of Nonviolence” are valuable resources for your diocesan newsletters and other formal communications. I especially like Jim’s "I Want Love to Win" essay, available here.

Remember to sign up to receive IPJ’s free email newsletter “Peace Pieces for Christian Educators.” Sign up here.

Contact IPJ at: 4144 Lindell Boulevard #408, St. Louis, MO 63108, (314) 533-4445, Fax (314) 715-6455 e-mail: “ppjn at aol dot com” and on the web here.

Don Kurre

Loyola Update from Cecelia M. Bennett

The university opened for normal business this morning. We in New Orleans escaped any damage from this hurricane. This is not the experience of many residents of Mississippi, Alabama and Florida who are without power and who have had property damage due to the hurricane. Many people on the gulf coast still were not in their homes from last summer.

Our prayers and best wishes go out to all our LIMEX colleagues in these areas. It you want to make donations to charities that help out in these areas, check out the fema web page.

http://www.fema.gov/news/newsrelease.fema?id=5151

Information from Loyola Institute for Ministry

Cecelia M. Bennett from Loyola Institute for Ministry in New Orleans, LA sent and email saying:

Today as of 1:15 the university will be officially closed due to the possible threat of Hurricane Dennis. Right now the Florida Gulf Coast through the Louisiana Gulf Coast is all in the potential path of Hurricane Dennis. As of this morning, Florida has the most probability of a landing. They certainly do not need another storm after last year's season, and we still have people in New Orleans (Two who work in LIM) still without power from Tuesday's storm. So 60 hours out we all need to prepare, as we in this part of the world know, things can change at any minute.

For updates on the status of the university's opening or closure, please go to www.loyno.edu or 504-865-2186

I know I will be keeping all those who could be in the path of Hurricane Dennis in my prayers.

Don

Discernment Committee Looking for Help

The Discernment Committee, according to Joe Swiss, is seeking your suggestions for the best persons to fill the role of President. To be eligible, they must be professional members of the association who have already attended at least two annual meetings. However, there are several additional criteria that should be considered in suggesting candidates. First, what leadership qualities do they possess that demonstrate their ability to lead the association into the future? Second, do they have the qualities necessary to represent the association at the national level? Third, how have they exhibited a vision of catechesis and ministry? Fourth, what gifts have they demonstrated that indicate their ability to lead NCCL in fulfilling its strategic issues? Lastly, are they now or have they been involved in the governance of NCCL?

If after prayerful consideration you feel there is someone or several individuals who should be considered, we would appreciate hearing from you. We will contact them about possibly running for office. In submitting a name or names for consideration, please share with us your thoughts on each of them for the five criteria listed above. Click on reply to respond electronically to either jswiss-at-archbalt-dot-org or to mwestenburg-at-stmattsgb-dot-org by July 15, 2005. You will receive an e-mail confirmation of your submittal. Thank you for your support.

Joe Swiss,
Chairperson