|
|
|
The Sower November, 2009
|
 |
|
|
|
| A Monthly Newsletter - the Office for Catechesis and Youth Ministry of the Archdiocese of Chicago |
Issue 3
November, 2009 |
| |
Dear Friends ,
As an Easter People, we are constantly caught up in the cycle of dying and rising. Both Nature and the end of our Liturgical Cycle are confronting us with these finalities. And Advent, filled with hope and expectation, is coming soon.
November can be a time for reflecting and revisiting priorities ... if only we can take the time. We Church ministers spend a lot of busy effort creating occasions for pausing and reflecting for those we serve. But it is hard to take the moments we need for ourselves.
Stress is consuming us as a culture. and because of that, it is visiting our children as well. Becoming centers of peace within ourselves will go a long way toward creating a peaceful environment around us.
This year, let's take fifteen minutes a day ... a couple hours a week ... or a real day off -- whatever suits each person best. Decide what to do with this freed-up time. We really do know what we need. And those we serve need us at our very best as well.
Yours in Christ the King!
The Staff of the OFCYM
|
 In This Issue ...
|
|
Get Your Word Out!
Promote your Catechetical Programs
by Frank Koob
 In some parishes, the quality of the catechetical programs is a best kept secret. Catechetical leaders know that their catechists and they are doing a terrific job. But ... do the parish, the staff, the parents, the community know?
Create program evangelists.
You can turn your parish staff, catechists and loyal parents into program evangelizers.
And you can be an evangelist yourself.
- Use the parish newsletter. Write an article for it every week. Feature your success stories.
- Have an Education Commission if you do not have one. Your work with them will go a long way to connecting your work to parish life.
- Report to the parish council regularly, even if you are not a member. Give them something written each meeting. Raise issues that concern you. Bring the thoughts of your catechists and volunteers to them.
- Sell the Church's vision of catechesis to anyone you can talk to.
- Keep a notebook with their comments, suggestions and ideas. Refer to it often.
- Share your wishes and dreams for parish catechetical programing with the parish staff. If you get them on your side they will be your best team.
Next Month: Some basic principles for designing effective parish program marketing approaches.
Return to "In this Issue ..."
|
Oh, When the Saints ...
Examples To Live By
by Lois DeFelice
 November is a time for remembering. The leaves begin to fall and we find ourselves in the midst of the Triduum of All Hallow's Eve, All Saints & All Souls. Our liturgies concentrate on the "last things."
In his homily on the Thirtieth Sunday of Ordinary Time here in River Grove Bishop Gerald Kicanas shared his experience of being in Rome for the recent canonization of five new saints. He talked about how saints see with the eyes of Christ and act with the heart of Christ.
In the United States Catholic Catechism for Adults, there are some wonderful stories of Saints and holy people to begin each chapter. From the African American Community, we learn of the sacrifices made by some dedicated men and women who lived their faith during a time when Blacks were restricted because of unjust rules relating to slavery.
There are stories of Henriette Delille and her care of the religious education of slaves; or the story of Pierre Toussaint and his journey from Haiti to New York where he opened the first school in New York for Black children; and the contemporary story of Sr. Thea Bowman who, even through great suffering, told the Gospel story in the great tradition of the African storyteller to all who would listen.
These and many others see through the eyes of Christ and act with his heart. That we all might be saints one day we pray this November.
|
Jegen Center News
by Sr. Judy Dieterle SSL
The Jegen Center is a source of audio-visual materials that are Catholic and age appropriate for catechetical sessions and training. It is a lending library of media materials. It's probably time for me to explain how the media center works. We have three different ways people may use the DVDs, CDs, videos and books from the Jegen Center.
The most popular way to date has been the annual parish/institution membership. This is $120.00 per year for unlimited use. It includes one-way shipping - you are just responsible for returning the items borrowed. When a parish/institution signs up for this membership, we ask for five names of the people who will be designated persons representing that location. This annual membership can begin at any time and will run for twelve months from the time of signing up.
There is also an individual membership. This is for a single person/family who either is not attached to a parish or school, or whose parish/school chooses not to have an annual membership. The individual membership is $60.00 per year without shipping, or $75.00 per year with one-way shipping. This membership also runs from the time of signing up for a full twelve months.
The third way people can use the Jegen Center is through a non-member rental fee of $7.00 per item. This is advantageous for those who use the audio-visual materials only occasionally.
So for $10.00 per month your whole parish/institution can use a variety of audio-visual materials to reinforce your sessions. Let's not ignore the fact that in today's generation much learning is done through monitors and screens. We have the resources available for you! Check them out at www.jegen.org. Give us a call at 312-534-4562 or email twepner@archchicago.org for more information.
|
|
Biblical Roots of Christian Conduct
A special event of the Chicago Catholic Scripture School.
Rev. Paul Zilonka, CP
November 14, 9:30 to 3 p.m. at St. Edna's, Arlington Heights.
Open to all. 40 dollars including lunch
Contact Brigid Wolff.
|
El Día de los Muertos
por Juan Carlos Farías-González
La fiesta del día de los muertos es una fiesta indígena mexicana muy antigua. Las raíces no son muy claras pero hay varias culturas indígenas que celebraban estas fiestas: la Olmeca, Zapoteca, Mixteca, Maya, Purépecha, Totonaca y la Azteca. Se dice que originalmente esta fiesta era celebrada por los pueblos indígenas durante el verano. Con la llegada del cristianismo a América, la celebración se fusionó con la conmemoración de todos los fieles difuntos celebrada el día 2 de Noviembre.
 Una de las culturas indígenas que hasta el día de hoy celebra con particular celo esta tradición es la cultura purépecha que se encuentra en el estado mexicano de Michoacán. La víspera del día 1 de Noviembre comienza en la ribera del lago de Patzcuaro y sus islotes la fiesta más popular en México: la de los muertos, que al calor de las luces de velas que iluminan el firmamento, el murmullo de rezos, las flores de cempasúchil propias de la celebración, la música, la comida y el humo del incienso, la comunidad recuerda a sus seres que ya no se encuentran con ellos.
La tradición del día de los muertos incluye la construcción de altares privados honrando la memoria de nuestros seres queridos muertos. Por lo general se coloca una foto de la persona y algunas de las pertenencias queridas o significativas que nos recuerden su vida con nosotros. También se colocan algunas imágenes de Santos que han sido importantes en la religiosidad de la familia. En algunas regiones se prepara el tradicional pan de muerto, algunas familias preparan la comida favorita de la persona ausente. Algo importante es la visita a la tumba, donde se reza y se pide por su alma. El arreglo de la tumba con flores y sobre todo darle una buena pintada a la cripta son algunas de las actividades del día. La memoria y el recuerdo se convierten en los principales ingredientes de la celebración que llevan a la gente a componer las tradicionales calaveritas que son pequeñas construcciones de rimas poéticas.
Aunque la celebración de muertos se identifica con la comunidad de origen mexicano, sin lugar a dudas que esta celebración representa una oportunidad para evangelizar y acercar a las diversas comunidades étnicas de nuestras parroquias a compartir sus expresiones de cómo celebramos la memoria de nuestros difuntos. El Directorio Nacional para la Catequesis nos recuerda sobre la importancia del proceso de inculturación del Evangelio en la cultura y es en este proceso donde la catequesis tiene varias tareas específicas como conocer y reconocer los elementos esenciales y expresiones básicas de la cultura de las personas a quienes está dirigida y de cómo el evangelio se convierte en una fuerza transformadora y regeneradora para cada una de las culturas (ver sección # 21 Págs. 72-74.)
|
|
Adult Faith Formation News
Adult Confirmation Preparation Sites Announced for Spring, 2010
 by Patrick Redington
Adult Catholics (ages 18 and older) who have been baptized and have received First Communion and are practicing their faith but have not celebrated the Sacrament of Confirmation are invited to participate in a local adult Confirmation preparation program.
Interested candidates should register at one of the preparation sites listed on the chart on the OFCYM website. Programs are offered in English, Polish and Spanish.
Most preparation programs meet weekly for one and a half to two hours for seven to eight weeks. Candidates are asked to bring a copy of their baptismal certificate with them to the program.
The Adult Confirmation Program in the Archdiocese of Chicago is a collaborative effort between the Bishops, their parishes and the archdiocesan Office for Catechesis & Youth Ministry and the Office for Divine Worship.
For questions about the Adult Confirmation program please contact one of the following:
English - Patrick Redington 312-534-8047
Polish - Elzbieta Wojtas 312-534-8050
Spanish - Juan Carlos Farías-González 312-534-8049
|
For Certified Catechetical Leaders
Renewing your Certification
by Kristen Hempstead McGann
The process to be certified as a Catechetical Leader in the Archdiocese of Chicago has recently been approved by the United States Council of Catholic Bishops Committee on Certification and Accreditation. One of the consequences of modifying our process and working with the USCCB-CCA recommendations has been that our renewal of certification process is streamlined.
Renewal of Certification applications consist of three components:
- Ongoing formation
- Evaluation of past goals
- Formulation of new goals
OFCYM asks for 100 hours of ongoing formation for Directors and 80 hours for Coordinators. These hours are divided between Theological formation (30 hours), Ministerial formation (30 hours) and OFCYM/OLEM/OCS events, retreats and spiritual direction (40 hours - Directors / 20 hours - Coordinators). There are many opportunities for ongoing formation through the Archdiocese, local and national professional organizations, Catholic universities and other groups and venues.
The goals to be evaluated are those that were formulated during the most recent past certification or renewal process. The Office for Catechesis and Youth Ministry can provide a copy of these goals to you if you no longer have them. Past goals were formulated to be in line with the categories of the DRE Perceiver process: DRE as Manager, Community Builder, Master Catechist and Person of Faith. We no longer use these categories for new goals; instead we invite you to organize goals around the four areas of competency identified by Co-workers in the Vineyard of the Lord, the most recent document on lay ministry from the USCCB. These categories are Human, Spiritual, Intellectual and Pastoral.
Any questions about the certification and renewal process for Catechetical Leaders in the Archdiocese of Chicago, please call Kristen Hempstead McGann, Coordinator of Certification and Ministerial Development at 312-534-8028 or email at kmcgann@archchicago.org.
|
 Co to znaczy, ze ja jestem KATECHETA?! Lub nim będę?
Ela Wojtas
Z punktu widzenia sakramentalnego podstawą posługi katechety jest sakrament chrztu. Otóz przez chrzest chrześcijanin uczestniczy w potrójnej funkcji Chrystusa: Kapłańskiej, Królewskiej i Prorockiej. Stąd właśnie ta ostatnia funkcja prorocka, jest fundamentem i zródłem urzędu katechety.
Kto to jest Prorok? (W Liście do Kor. Czytamy: prorocy niech przemawiają po dwóch lub trzech, a inni niech roztrząsają"
Prorok, bowiem, to ten, który w imieniu Boga występuje z Jego Słowem wobec świata i ludzi. A zatem urząd katechety nie wynika z decyzji władzy kościelnej, ale z sakramentu chrztu.
Natomiast wykonanie w praktyce tego urzędu w Kościele wymaga pewnych ustalen i decyzji ze strony biskupa diecezjalnego.
W tej sytuacji, a takze ze względu na przynalezność do Urzędu Nauczycielskiego Bp jest 1-szym katecheta i dlatego pełniąc ten urząd powinien od czasu do czasu np., co miesiąc, albo, co tydzień poprowadzić katechezę w swoim biskupim Kościele i nic nie powinno Go od tego zwalniać, ani inne zajęcia, ani fakt, ze robią to inni katecheci. Jakze wówczas byłoby widać wielka godność katechety i jeszcze większa odpowiedzialność.
A propos Godności i odpowiedzialności katechety, trzeba mieć świadomość, ze kazdy prorok musi być świadkiem, dawać świadectwo, a to nie zawsze jest łatwe gdyz trudności są często nawet ze strony tych, którzy powinni współpracować z nami np. niektórzy księza nie mają właściwego podejścia do katechezy.
Jest rzeczą oczywistą, ze słuzba katechety wymaga talentów i wiary, wiary na tyle głębokiej, zeby z jednej strony wierzyć w objawione zdanie z Listu do Hebr. Zywe jest słowo Boze, skuteczne i ostrzejsze niz wielki miecz (Hebr. 4,12) a z drugiej - by wierzyć w wielkość swojego posłannictwa, w którym takze duzo zalezy od samego katechety. Dlaczego? Poniewaz pierwszym słuchaczem katechezy jest sam katecheta, dlatego katecheza musi być przemyślana, wypływać z jego wnętrza i stanowić wyraz jego przekonań.
|
Retiro de Adviento 
Vengan A Mi
Sábado 21 de Noviembre
Parroquia de San Wenceslaus
___________________
Artículo por Juan Carlos Farías-González
La invitación que Jesús hace a sus ministros es constante y lo repite en un pasaje que nos ha servido de tema para nuestro retiro de adviento 2009 "VENGAN A MI los que se sientan cansados y agobiados por que yo los aliviaré" (Mt 11: 28) Esta invitación es para todos los que en algún momento de nuestro caminar nos sentimos estresados o no podemos más por el sometimiento a las cosas temporales e inestables como lo pueden ser la posesión de un bien material, las múltiples preocupaciones de nuestro diario vivir, o el mismo ajetreo de la actividad constante que agotan nuestras energías. Es también para aquellos que sienten tristeza por la pérdida de algo o alguien y que en medio de este sentimiento de pérdida sienten su alma afligida. La invitación es a depositar en El todas esas tristezas, preocupaciones y aflicciones y cargar con su yugo y aprender de El que es manso y humilde de corazón.
|
Guide to the Sunday Gospels
November 8 to December 6
by Thomas McLaughlin
November 8 - 32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time
As we come to the end of the Church year and begin a new one with the season of Advent the Gospel readings present us with pictures of the end times and the kingship of Jesus. Before we get to those readings, however, the Gospel of November 8 gives us a last glimpse of the teachings of Jesus.
The context of today's reading in Mark's gospel is the growing tension between Jesus and the Jewish authorities. Jesus warns the crowds not to be taken in by the false example of the scribes who like to be seen as being religious while they defraud widows of their livelihood. As he says this, a widow enters the temple to make an offering of two copper coins, an amount less than a penny.
Jesus points out that while the rich may give a bit from their excess. She has given all that she has to live on.
This can be a lesson to us. We can give from our excess. That is not a bad thing to do. But better is to give from what we need to live on. This goes beyond generosity to become an act of trust in God to provide for what we need. Jesus himself is our model for this in his ultimate act of trust in God as he gives his life for us.
November 15 through December 6 »
|
Book Review
The Bible Blueprint by Joe Paprocki
Reviewed by Brigid Wolff
 Joe Paprocki is already well known for his book The Catechist's Toolbox also published by Loyola Press. He builds on a similar theme with The Bible Blueprint, which is available in both Spanish and English. Joe contends that in the same way that a builder needs a blueprint to erect a structure, Christians need the Bible to build our faith. The Bible, Joe tells us, is the blueprint of our faith. The image, like the rest of the book, is accessible and practical for all readers.
I highly recommend this book for anyone and everyone. The experienced student of the Bible will have the advantage of standing on Joe's shoulders to use practical and common sense terms to introduce a variety of resources and topics such as how to use a commentary and concordance, how to understand and use cross references and identifying the various methods of Biblical interpretation.
The book is great for the "Bibliophobe" in your life because it presents the scriptures in manageable pieces that are easily digested. Some other highlights of The Bible Blueprint are the pull out bookmarks that the reader can place throughout one's Bible which provide a gateway into each section of scripture.
Finally, one of the best features of The Bible Blueprint is the cartoons and quotes that are interspersed throughout the book which invite the reader into a sense of joy in reading scripture which is, after all, who we are called to be as followers of Jesus Christ.
Return to "In this Issue ..."
|
|
|
The New Youth Ministry Website will be activated in early November. Visit Archdiocese of Chicago Youth Ministry at youthministry.archchicago.org.
National Catholic Youth Conference November 19 to 21
by Tom Howard
When it comes to organizing large-scale conferences and gatherings in the U.S, the Catholic Church is about forty years behind its Evangelical brothers and sisters. Billy Graham held his first evangelistic crusade in a circus tent in a Los Angeles, California parking lot in 1949. By 1993 2.5 million individuals had approached the stage at one of Graham's conferences and 'given their lives to Christ." Thanks to modern forms of communication like the internet, Graham's ministry audience topped 2.2 billion in 2008.
The first National Catholic Youth Conference (NCYC) was held in New Orleans, LA in 1982 with just a over a thousand participants. By 1987 the number grew to 5,000, and by 2007 over 20,000 youth participated. This year NCYC expects its biggest crowd ever to gather in Kansas City, Mo. Thanks to NCYC, Catholic youth, now more than ever, are experiencing the exhilarating joy and enthusiasm of large youth gatherings.
 If you have never attended a large-scale revival or gathering or are not a big fan of them, you may be wondering what goes on there and why they are so popular. Americans, by definition, pride themselves on individualism. Events like these give permission to today's youth to temporarily let go of their individuality in order to throw themselves into a communal celebration like they have never experienced.
"NCYC is awesome!" remarked one recent participant. "I never knew that so many Catholic youth felt the same way I did about my relationship with Jesus Christ."
An important component in Christian faith formation for adolescents is recognizing that a group is just as important as one's individual ego. We are the Body of Christ is a crucial metaphor in youth ministry today, for it connects youth with the larger faith community.
Too often Sunday Mass and other parish activities are not effective in providing today's young people with a lived experience of how we are the body of Christ. It is important to acknowledge up front that those who have been shaped and formed in our culture of individualism will most likely resist participating in such community events. This is why it is so important that parents encourage their youth to participate in events like NCYC and our local Catholic Festival of Faith. These events are always well organized and relevant to the youth. All they need is for the adults to encourage teens to participate.
For information about this and other youth ministry events, contact Jackie: 312-534-8044
|
Buy Folders and Catechisms for your Programs
 KNOW YOUR CATHOLIC FAITH FOLDERS
Our pocket folders are custom designed with Catholic prayers, practices and the parts of the Mass printed inside and on the back. Buy them for your catechists, students, or persons in a special program. Excellent for RCIA and other adult groups as well. Available in English, Spanish, and Polish.
Our Price: $0.75 plus S&H. Pick them up and save.
Student Record Folders
It is a must that you keep individual permanent student records and save them for 75 years. If you wish, we have record folders available with space for family, sacramental, and class attendance information. You can also keep your administrative records in these folders, such as permission slips, progress reports, and health information.
Our Price: 25 for $12.50 - 100 for $40.00 - 500 for $175.00 plus S&H. Save S&H by picking them up at the Meyer Center... and come see us at OFCYM while you are here!
 United States Catholic Catechism for AdultsPerfect for RCIA - Adult study groups - Catechist and teacher resource - spiritual reading. Recommended by Cardinal Francis George
Our Price: $20. Available in English and Spanish. Journal also available.
_________________________________________
Save paying for S&H by picking up your order at the Meyer Center!
|
|
 If you found this e-mail Sower helpful, pass it on by clicking "forward email" below ... to anyone anywhere who may benefit from its contents - to other staff members, parish pastoral council members, board members, school staffers, catechists, etc.
They can register to receive the Sower themselves by visiting our website: www.catechesis-chicago.org! And you can sign up for "Sharing God's Word," the electronic newsletter of the Chicago Catholic Scripture School as well.
Sincerely,
the Staff of the Office for Catechesis and Youth Ministry of the Archdiocese of Chicago
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
:: Resources :: Current Issue of the Sower :: Sower November, 2009
:: |
|
|
|
|
Contact __________
|
|
|
 Frank Koob
Coordinator of Marketing and Publications | Catechetical Ministry Coordinator for Vicariate IV
312-534-8051
fkoob@archchicago.org
|
|
|
|
|
Sower Archive
|
|
|
|
|
|
|