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The Sower - September, 2009
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The first issue of the electronic Sower was e-mailed on September 7 and will be sent on the first Monday of every month thereafter.
It will be e-mailed to everyone on our mailing list. To join our list, you can subscribe by clicking on the link at the left.
A copy of the September 2009 Sower is below. Recent Sowers will be archived for reference. The archive list is at the right.
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| Monthly Newsletter - the Office for Catechesis and Youth Ministry of the Archdiocese of Chicago |
Issue 1
September, 2009 |
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 Dear Friends,
Welcome to our new electronic Sower newsletter.
As you know, it was time for us to move away from print communications to an e-mail format. This will enable the Office for Catechesis and Youth Ministry to bring news to you in a timely, more frequent manner. The Sower will be sent to you on the first Monday of each month year round. Let us know what you think of this first issue so we can continue to make improvements.
On another front, the Office for Catechesis and Youth Ministry has redesigned the Office website to enable more collaboration and interaction with our virtual visitors. We hope you will find it easy to use and filled with the information you need for your work in ministry. The URL has not changed: www.catechesis-chicago.org.
As we begin this next year, we at the Office are all praying with you "in the field" that together we can advance the work we are doing for the Lord.
Yours in Jesus!
Maruja Sedano, Director
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Queridos Amigos,
Bienvenido a nuestro boletín informativo "Sower"
Como usted ya sabe, llegó el momento de cambiar el formato de nuestro boletín informativo, de impreso a electrónico. Este cambio ayudará a la Oficina para la Catequesis y el Ministerio Juvenil a que las noticias le lleguen a usted de una forma más rápida y frecuente. El "Sower" será enviado el primer lunes de cada mes durante todo el año. Déjenos saber que piensa de este primer número para que podamos mejorar continuamente.
También la Oficina para la Catequesis y el Ministerio Juvenil ha rediseñado la página web para mejorar la colaboración y la interacción de nuestros visitantes virtuales. Esperamos que la encuentre fácil de usar y llena de información que usted pueda usar para su ministerio. La URL es la misma: www.catechesis-chicago.org
Al comenzar este nuevo año, todos nosotros en la Oficina oramos con ustedes "en el campo" para que juntos avancemos el trabajo que hacemos por nuestro Señor.
Su hermana en Cristo,
Maruja Sedano, Directora
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 In This Issue ...
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New OFCYM Website
Take a tour!
 We have worked hard to design our new website with you in mind. We have a new look and a new navigation system. And a great new interactive calendar.
Some of the items are familiar. Our Job Bank, for example, is still in the upper right corner of our home page. A click on it will bring you to the main Employment Opportunities page of the Archdiocese of Chicago website to see current openings in the Archdiocese, and sometimes beyond.
A brand new youth ministry website is coming soon!
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Catholics Come Home
Chicago-Style
Many parishes in the Archdiocese of Chicago have tried to find effective ways to reach out to "inactive" Catholics. This year there is an evangelization effort that will support those efforts through a media campaign called "Catholics Come Home" to be shown on all major networks within this large viewing area including ABC, NBC, CBS, WGN, FOX, cable stations, Univision, Telemundo and Polvision.
 View the centerpiece of this campaign, a commercial titled Epic, by clicking the above image.
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Family Events
at the Catholic Festival of Faith
 This year, the Festival of Faith will offer something exciting for families! Saturday, October 17 will be a day filled with activities including Intergenerational Breakout sessions have been planned so that parents or guardians and their children can attend sessions and learn together.
Read the article for specifics including information about the Catholic Treasures Hunt.
Go to www.catholicfest.org to register your family for the sessions of your choice! Our Catholic faith is a gift! Share the gift of Catholic faith with your children!
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Guide to the Sunday Gospels
September 13 to October 4
by Thomas McLaughlin
 September 13
Mark 8:27 begins the second major division of Mark's Gospel. From this point on the Gospel looks to Jesus' journey toward Jerusalem and his final week when he would be arrested, crucified, and raised from the dead. If Mark was written in Rome in the late 60s during the persecution on Nero, which is the most commonly accepted opinion, a Gospel which concentrates on the necessity of suffering would be most meaningful.
The people who follow Jesus may think of him as another prophet. But when Peter is asked "But who do you say that I am?" he answers, "You are the Christ." Jesus' response to this seems strange. He tells the disciples to tell no one. But his following words make clear why. No one can understand who the Messiah, the Christ, is until they understand that he must suffer, die, and be raised from the dead. The Messiah can only be understood in terms of suffering. And this is not just true of the Messiah. Anyone who wants to follow the Messiah must also suffer and die.
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Jegen Center New Connections
What's happening with the Jegen Center?
 Yes, we still have a media lending library! What's still in the Jegen Center? We still have space to preview materials. We retained about 900 of the most recent and most used videos. We are continually increasing our DVD collection and currently have about 300 DVDs. We also have a few DVD players to lend if people need them. We currently have about 200 CDs, mostly music. We kept about 1100 books for lending, and about 250 reference books.
The publishers still have their shelves for the textbooks and we still have space to let people come in and compare the various religious education texts. You have probably heard that the most recent change in the publishing world is the acquisition of Harcourt Religion Publishers by Our Sunday Visitor - now known as Our Sunday Visitor Curriculum Division. The books remain the same.
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Catechetical Sunday
September 20
Download free promotional materials from the USCCB website by clicking the logo below.
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Adult Faith Formation News
Leadership Ministerial Courses
A new ministerial course "Adult Faith Leadership Formation" will explore visioning, organizing and planning for parish adult faith formation programs. The course will develop parish adult faith formation leaders and is open to those involved in parish adult faith formation - coordinators, team members, pastors, deacons, DREs, CREs, and pastoral associates - as well as those preparing to serve their parish community in adult faith formation.
Celebrating 10 Years of Our Hearts Were Burning
Adult Faith Formation Chicago is on Facebook
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Discovering One's Uniqueness
... and Sharing It with Others
In a couple of weeks most of our religious education programs will start. Do we have all the catechists in place? How will the catechists re-imagine themselves teaching in a more intentional way about encountering "differences"- different races, ethnicities, genders and social classes? How will the catechists help the children to value and respect the differences in the classroom? What strategies are they going to embrace so they can meet the expectations of the program? These and many other questions may be coming to our minds these days as we prepare for a new year of sharing our faith.
Read Nelly Lorenzo's reflection on answering these questions in her complete article.
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Memory of Trees Biblical Roots of Christian Conduct
a Chicago Catholic Scripture School
Special Event
 We know that the Bible is God's revealed Word to God's people but how do we know how to understand that Word in our time and place? The question of revelation is one of the most fundamental questions of belief in all religions. The Chicago Catholic Scripture School (CCSS) will be spending a day exploring this question and how it is addressed in a recent publication by the Pontifical Biblical Commission.
Please join us on Saturday November 14, 2009 at St. Edna's Church in Arlington Heights as we discuss "The Memory of Trees: Biblical Roots of Christian Conduct."
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| Domingo Catequético
El Rostro del Dios de la Misericordia
Con este titulo se resume la idea central del Evangelio de San Lucas. El Evangelio de San Lucas será el evangelio que estaremos leyendo durante el próximo año litúrgico 2010 que comienza el domingo 29 de Noviembre del 2009 con el primer domingo de Adviento. Aunque estaremos leyendo algunos pasaje del evangelio de San Lucas durante los tiempos de Adviento y Navidad no será sino hasta que comencemos la tercera semana del tiempo ordinario (24 de Enero del 2010) que iniciaremos una lectura más ordenada del evangelio. Sin embargo, el tiempo ordinario queda interrumpido por los tiempos de Cuaresma y Pascua y no será sino hasta el primer domingo de Junio que se volverá a retomar la lectura del evangelio de San Lucas.
continua del articulo, y ...Escuela Bíblica para 2009-2010 Proceso de Confirmación para Adultos
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Studium Katechetyczne Wychowując w Wierze
 Zeszłoroczne Studium Katechetyczne ukonczyło 28 osób. Uroczyste rozdanie certyfikatów katechetycznych odbyło się dnia 23 czerwca przez Kardynał Franciszka George.
Juz teraz pragnę przypomnieć i jednocześnie zachęcić do uczestnictwa w tegorocznej edycji Studium Katechetycznego, które rozpoczniemy w pierwszy weekend pazdziernika (3-4) biezącego roku. Wykłady ku dogodności osób zainteresowanych będą odbywały się w dwóch lokalizacjach na południu w parafii Św. Daniela pod adresem 5300 S. Natoma, Chicago IL, 60638 w salce pod plebania oraz na północy miasta w parafii Św. Tomasza Becketa pod adresem 1321 N. Burning Bush Ln., Mt. Prospect, Il 60056 w salce pod plebania.
Bardzo serdecznie zapraszam wszystkich zainteresowanych pogłębieniem swojej wiary do uczestnictwa. Na zakończenie programu studenci otrzymują certyfikat, który jest podstawą do pracy w szkole w charakterze katechety. Pamiętajmy słowa Chrystusa "zniwo jest wielkie, ale robotników mało".
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 Welcome to Two New OFCYM Staff Members
 Lois deFelice (pictured left) is our new Vicariate VI Catechetical Ministry Coordinator and Coordinator of Catechesis for Black Catholic Communities. Lois has been a Director of Religious Education in the Archdiocese for many years, the latest at St. Bruno's. ldefelice@archchicago.org
Kristen Hempstead-McGann (at right) is our Coordinator for Certification and Ministerial Development. She will be helping catechetical and youth leaders develop professionally and gain certification to minister in the Archdiocese of Chicago. She comes most recently from a position of Campus Minister at St. Benedict High School. Before that she was DRE at a Chicago Parish. kmcgann@archchicago.org.
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 Some Upcoming Youth Ministry Events
NCYC/2009
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 (6) Vicariates continue to prepare for the upcoming NCYC which will be held in Kansas City, Mo, 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.
 "Romance without Regret"
The Chastity Education Initiative sponsored by the Respect Life Office in collaboration with OFCYM and local Catholic high schools and parishes will present speaker Jason Evert throughout the Archdiocese of Chicago between September 27th and 30th. Jason is an apologist and national chastity speaker for Catholic Answers. His powerful insights and message will be presented to over 5,000 teens throughout the three days he spends in the Archdiocese.
for information about these and other youth ministry events, Contact Jackie: 312-534-8044
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Buy Folders for your Catechetical Programs at the Start of the Year
 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
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 paying for S&H by picking up your order at the Meyer Center!
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 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 councillors, board members, school staffers, catechists, etc. They can register to receive the Sower themselves by visiting our website: www.catechesis-chicago.org!
Sincerely,
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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