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Sower October, 2009
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| A Monthly Newsletter - the Office for Catechesis and Youth Ministry of the Archdiocese of Chicago |
Issue 2 October, 2009 |
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 Dear Catechists, Youth Ministers and Catechetical Leaders,
During the last two months, you have been busy completing the details of enrollment for this year's catechetical sessions and youth ministry programs. Perhaps you are wondering how many Catholic children and youth in your parish have not yet registered to attend or will not register at all. This means that unless parents are teaching the faith to their children and youth at home, many baptized children and youth will not have the opportunity to complete their initiation in the faith, to enter into a relationship with Jesus Christ, to receive the sacraments, or to identify and worship with the Catholic faith community.
Little by little our children and youth will be losing their Catholic Christian faith and identity. I encourage you, after the Sunday's liturgies, to appeal to your parish Catholic community, in a special way to parents and families, to send their children and youth to the catechetical and youth ministry programs.
My most sincere thank you for all you do to teach the faith.
Maruja Sedano,
Director, OFCYM
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| Queridos Catequistas, Ministros de la Juventud, y Líderes Catequéticos,
Durante los dos últimos meses, ustedes han estado muy ocupados terminando los detalles de inscripción para los programas de catequesis y ministerio juvenil de este año. Seguramente que ustedes también han pensado en los muchos niños y jóvenes en sus parroquias que no se han inscrito todavía y que no se inscribirán. Esto quiere decir que a no ser que los papas enseñen la fe a sus hijos en la casa, muchos de esos niños y jóvenes bautizados se quedarán sin completar su iniciación en la fe, no tendrán la oportunidad de entrar en una relación con Cristo, no recibirán los sacramentos, y no se identificarán ni celebraran con la comunidad católica de fe.
Poco a poco nuestros niños y adolescentes irán perdiendo su fe e identidad católica. Les invito a que hagan un llamado a su comunidad parroquial, después de las Misas dominicales, y de una manera especial a los papás y a familias, para que envíen sus hijos y adolescentes a los programas catequéticos y de ministerio juvenil en la parroquia.
Muchas gracias por todo el trabajo que ustedes hacen para enseñar la fe.
Maruja Sedano,
Directora, OFCYM |
 In This Issue ...
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Echoing God's Word
Our Monthly Radio Program
 Echoing God's Word continues as an OFCYM broadcast on the third Wednesday of each month at 9:30 a.m. on 950AM Relevant Radio.
September's broadcast featured youth ministry initiatives: the youth track of the Catholic Festival of Faith, the coming NCYC Conference in Kansas City, the renewed Archdiocesan Pastoral Youth Council (APYC) with colleague Joanne Walczynski, and a lesson on the parables that blossomed into a musical performed for the community at St. George, Tinley Park (reported by the youth minister, Robbie Anderson).
In August we featured the catechetical year startup and the Catholics Come Home campaign with guests Alice Doering and Nancy Polacek.
If you missed these broadcasts, podcasts are available for listening and download on the EGW web page.
Co-hosts of Echoing God's Word are Tiffany Swann-Covington and Frank Koob.
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More Adult Faith Formation Adult Faith Leadership Formation Certificate
 The following parish leaders completed the Adult Faith Leadership Formation ministerial course offered by the OFCYM in September: Roberta Anderson (St. George), Kimberly Burch (St. Vincent/St. William), Michael Callahan (Our Lady of the Woods), William Divane (St. Francis De Sales), Mary Leonard (St. Peter), Pam Lynch (St. Francis De Sales), Mary Keating (St. William), Dolores Stanton (St. Isaac Jogues) and Kenneth Velásquez (St. Mark). Each received a certificate for the completion of this course.
The ministerial course will be offered again on Fridays, February 5, 12, 19, 2010 at the Meyer Center, 3525 S. Lake Park Ave., Chicago, 60653. Registration information is at http://www.catechesis-chicago.org.
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A Year of Reconciliation
Lois DeFelice
The United Nations has declared 2009 the Year of Reconciliation. In October there will be a second African Synod in Rome on the theme "The Church in Service to Reconciliation in Justice and Peace." This November it will be 20 years since the collapse of the Berlin Wall. In reading the Lineamenta document there are a few points of interest. In "Ecclesia in Africa" from the first synod in 1995 we are reminded that the family is the first place of evangelization and the place from which the challenges in this Third Millennium will be confronted; how we proclaim the Gospel; how we call people to Baptism; the need to deepen the sense of faith in the already baptized; the need to forgive and reconcile even in the most difficult situations; and finally to have a commitment to promote justice and peace.
This second synod will go more deeply into the themes of forgiveness, reconciliation, justice and peace.
Often we are so focused on the healing in the Sacrament of Reconciliation that we forget that "all the sacraments are involved in the process of healing. Christ intervenes everywhere as a healer not only for spiritual health, but bodily health as well." (#72, Lineamenta)
How do we approach the themes of reconciliation, conversion, justice and peace in our programs? Do we model forgiveness in our actions and how we work together? And do we encourage our families to become involved in justice and peace issues?
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Jegen Center News
New online catalog, new web page, and more ...
And don't forget to check out the online catalog!
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| El Currículo Arquidiocesano de Educación Religiosa
para Niños(as) de 1ro a 8vo Grados por Libia Páez-Howard
 Muchas veces he escuchado la misma pregunta de parte de diferentes líderes catequéticos: ¿Qué es lo que debe saber un niño o niña al terminar cada nivel en el programa Catequético?
La ayuda para responder a esa pregunta ha llegado. Después del gran esfuerzo de muchos ministros catequéticos (líderes catequéticos parroquiales, maestros y directores de escuelas católicas y personas de las Oficinas para las Escuelas Católicas y la Oficina para la Catequesis y el Ministerio Juvenil), ya está disponible el currículo arquidiocesano de Educación Religiosa para niños(as) de 1ro a 8vo grados.
Dicho currículo ayudará tanto a las parroquias como a las escuelas a tener un enfoque en el contenido que se debe impartir y las metas a alcanzar en la educación religiosa de los(las) niños(as). Por esta razón es importante que cada sacerdote, director(a) o coordinador(a) de catequesis y cada catequista conozca y entienda este currículo para que todos sepan hacia donde queremos llegar como iglesia respecto a la formación de nuestros niños y niñas.
Sin embargo no hay porque temer que este currículo va a agregar más trabajo a lo que ya se está haciendo. Las parroquias que están usando los textos aprobados por la Conferencia Episcopal de los Estados Unidos ya están prácticamente siguiéndolo, solamente tienen que asegurarse de que se están alcanzando las metas establecidas por este currículo.
El currículo ya está siendo traducido al español y en cuanto esté listo comenzaremos con los talleres para que todos lo conozcan. Por favor esté listo(a) para participar.
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| Adult Faith Formation News
Patrick Redington
Helping Inactive Catholics Return to the Faith
 What is your parish going to do when the Catholics Come Home media campaign (Dec. 16 - Jan. 24) generates personal calls from inactive Catholics and families wishing to reconnect with Jesus Christ and the life of the Church? Parishes may wish to plan for an initial personal first response to an inquirer and also to schedule a process to welcome back those who have been inactive. The Paulist National Catholic Evangelization Association, www.pncea.org, has produced a new program Awakening Faith: Reconnecting with Your Catholic Faith, www.awakeningfaith.org.
The program enables a parish to invite and welcome people to a series of conversations about themes of faith in small faith sharing groups.
The program is comprehensive and includes a parish manual with CD, a group leader guide and participant booklets. The Awakening Faith website contains information about the program and a handout "Eight Reasons to Reconnect with Your Catholic Faith."
You can learn more about the program at the Festival of Faith on Saturday Oct. 17! Douglas Stearns, from the Office for Evangelization, will explore this new resource in two sessions, G2026 (12:45pm) and G2027 (2:15pm).
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| For Catechetical Leaders and Youth Ministry Coordinators by Kristen Hempstead McGann
 Have you started a file with our office?
Starting a file with our office is a great way to establish a formal relationship with the Office for Catechesis and Youth Ministry. It means that those in the office can serve you and your ministry in way that is more specific and applicable to your particular situation. Now that our certification process has changed, you may not know the list of items a file needs. A Catechetical Leader file includes:
- A Personnel Form
- An original baptismal certificate
- Academic transcripts
- Letters of reference
- Current resumé
- Current job description
In particular, establishing a file helps OFCYM to point you toward resources for on-going formation and - for those who are not certified - opportunities to move forward with that process. Additionally, this can be a great platform for conversation with the pastor and other parish staff for those who do not yet have a written job description. Job Descriptions help to clarify expectations, assess needs and strengths, and facilitate authentic collaboration.
For more information, feel free to contact the Coordinator of Certification and Ministerial Development, Kristen Hempstead McGann at 312-534-8028 or kmcgann@archchicago.org .
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Studium Biblijne
 Jacek Chaba
W Archidiecezji Chicago obchodzimy 10 lecie studium biblijnego. Jest to program czterech lat studiów, podczas których studenci dokonują szczegółowej egzegezy Pisma Świętego Starego i Nowego Testamentu. W tym roku po raz pierwszy rozpoczęliśmy program w języku polskim. Zajęcia odbywają się w soboty od 5:00 - 7:00 po południu w Bazylice św. Jacka.
Wykładowcy realizują program w języku polskim, który jest zatwierdzony przez archidiecezję. Po pierwszych dwóch latach studenci otrzymają ceryfikat pierwszego stopnia. Wówczas osoby te będą mogły prowadzić w parafiach kręgi biblijne lub kontynuować formację katechetyczną w programie Wychowując w Wierze.
Zachęcamy do wzięcia udziału w tym programie od nowego roku 2010. Po szczegółowe informacje prosimy kontaktować się 312 534 80 30 lub jchaba@archchicago.org.
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Catechetical Curriculum Workshops
Required Curriculum for Grade K to 8
 Cathy Walz of the OFCYM and Esther Hicks of the Office of Catholic Schools have spent May through September presenting a series of workshops on the implementaton of the new required curriculum for schools and religious education programs.
Hundreds of Catholic school administrators and parish DREs and CREs have taken this workshop.
Many still need to take this workshop. This curriculum is the standard for elementary religious education in the Archdiocese of Chicago.
The curriculum and grade level checklists can be viewed and downloaded from the curriculum page of the OFCYM website.
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Guide to the Sunday Gospels
October 11 to November 6
by Thomas McLaughlin
October 11
Sometimes we think we are seeing correctly. We think we understand the situations we find ourselves in. The gospel readings for today and the next two Sundays point out that sometimes we do not see or understand clearly. As today's gospel reminds us, Jesus is on a journey. We today know that it is to his crucifixion and death. Those traveling with him, however, do not know how the journey will end.
Along the way a man runs up and kneels before Jesus and asks him what he must do to inherit eternal life. Jesus' response is simple: follow the Ten Commandments. The man responds that he has done all this since his youth. Jesus looks at him with love and tells him he is only lacking one thing. He must sell all that he has and give the money to the poor. Then he can follow Jesus.  At these words the man becomes sad and walks away "for he had many possessions."
As the man walks away Jesus turns to his disciples and restates his point in even stronger words. "It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for one who is rich to enter the kingdom of heaven." The disciples were astonished at this, even though they had basically done what Jesus asked of the man, and wanted to know who could be saved. Jesus' response moves beyond possessions or lack of them. His point is that nothing can come between the believer and God. Following the commandments is good. Loving your family is good. But nothing is as important as following Jesus totally.
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Perfect for pastors, school, reigious ed. and youth leaders
Teachers, catechists and volunteers
All parishioners
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Some Coming Archiocesan Youth Ministry Events
Catholic Festival of Faith Youth Track October 17
 The YOUTH TRACK embodies the heart and soul of ministering with teens in our diverse communities. Come and share your ideas, learn new techniques and get energized by the youth ministries represented here. You won't want to miss the P - A - R - T - Y planned at the end of the day. Come learn some cool street dance moves from professional dancers of the Xtreme Dance Group and be dazzled by the hip music and audio-visual stimulation from Spirit Juice Studios! Come and meet Ansel J. Augustine from New Orleans. He'll share with us the vibrant message of hope and love in youth ministry post-Katrina in New Orleans. Be inspired by the rebuilding and development our brothers and sisters in the South have created in the name of the Lord! Bring your friends and turn them on to what YOUR CATHOLIC CHURCH is doing in your neighborhood and all over the city and suburbs!
 The NCYC is an exciting biennial three-day experience of prayer, community and empowerment for Catholic teens and adult leaders. The schedule includes keynote addresses and concurrent workshop sessions addressing a wide variety of topics.
There are also opportunities for liturgy, reconciliation, prayer and worship, recreation and special activities such as concerts, exhibits and the interactive thematic park.
Many parishes across the Archdiocese of Chicago from each of the six Vicariates continue to prepare for the upcoming NCYC which will be held in Kansas City, Missouri November 19th through the 21st. At last count, 45 parishes are planning to attend with an attendance of over five hundred. The conference anticipates 21,000 teens and adult leaders from across the United States.
Is the time, expense, travel, and all the logistical planning for World Youth Day really worth it for youth ministry programs? For most groups that have participated in the past their answer is a resounding "yes" for a number of reasons.
First of all World Youth Days are unique in that groups from all over the world travel to a central location for a common purpose-to celebrate our connectedness to Jesus Christ as Roman Catholics. The Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI, serves not only as a symbol of this unity, but also as a real life pastor who gathers Jesus' flock to give praise to God.
Even though the next World Youth Day is nearly 22 months away, it is never too early to start planning. In August of 2011 World Youth Day will be held in Madrid, Spain. In many ways we are fortunate in 2011, because Madrid is very accessible from Chicago. Many were not able to go to Australia in 2008 because of the long and expensive trip.
World Youth Day , Madrid 2011
by Tom Howard
Having spent two years in Spain, I can attest to its beauty, history and delicious food. But perhaps the best characteristic of Spain is the hospitable nature of its people. No matter where I traveled in Spain there was always someone to talk to, greet me and make me feel at home.
The OFCYM will be putting together a packaged tour for youth groups. We are trying to make this the most comprehensive and least-expensive package possible. What your groups can do now is start fundraising for the event.
We would like to hear from you as well. What are some of your questions about World Youth Day? How can our office best assist you in your planning? What are the greatest obstacles you are encountering in planning? Please feel free to send your concerns, questions and comments to jherrera@archchicago.org. Jackie will make sure that every inquiry gets a prompt response by one of our expert World Youth Day Youth Ministry Coordinators.
For information about these and other youth ministry events, Contact Jackie: 312-534-8044
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We are already planning the next Chicago Catechetical Conference, which will be held on November 5 and 6, 2010. Please save the date!
the Staff of the Office for Catechesis and Youth Ministry of the Archdiocese of Chicago
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Office for Catechesis and Youth Ministry of the Archdiocese of Chicago | 3525 S. Lake Park Ave. | Chicago | IL | 60653
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