April 22, 2013, Volume VII, Number 16
FEAST OF SAINT APOLLONIUS
Monday of the Third Week of Easter
Feast of Saint George, Tuesday, April 23, 2013
Feast of Saint Mary Euphrasia Pelletier, Wednesday, April 24
Feast of Saint Mark, Thursday, April 25, 2013
YEAR OF FAITH - Oct. 11, 2012, through Nov. 24, 2013
http://www.annusfidei.va/content/novaevangelizatio/en.html
Question of the Week
For Fourth Sunday of Easter, April 28, 2013
“As I have loved you, so you also should love one another.” What examples of Jesus exhibiting
love quickly come to your mind? What stories of how Jesus loved do you tell over and over
again? How would you describe the love that Jesus asks us to follow in his “new commandment:
love one another”? What about the way Jesus loved do you find hardest to love “as I have loved
you”?
NCCL News
Cardinal Dolan Calls For Prayers For Victims Of Boston Marathon Bombings
Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic
Bishops, issued the following statement after the bombings at the Boston Marathon,
April 15.
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The tragic end to the Boston Marathon April 15 reminds us all that evil exists and that
life is fragile.
The deaths and injuries of people gathered for the celebration on Patriots Day in Boston
calls on all of us to pray for the souls of those killed the healing of those injured and the
restoration of peace for all of us unsettled by the bombings at a world renowned sporting
event.
Our special prayers are with the Archdiocese of Boston and the people there who are
working in the aftermath of this crisis to address those wounded in so many ways by
these events.
The growing culture of violence in our world and even in our country calls for both wise
security measures by government officials and an examination by all of us to see what we
can personally do to enhance peace and respect for one another in our world.
Cooperation after a tragedy: When our hearts know better than our minds.
Melanie Tannenbaum, for Scientific American, wrote a powerful
piece observing that “As a social psychologist, there are so many
reasons to expect that this should end up revealing an absolute
low point for humanity. However, that is not what happened.”
She writes about “some of the big reasons why we might not
have expected to see people helping today”. Here are her closing
paragraphs. If you wish to read the full article, please go to
http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/psysociety/2013/04/15/bosto
n-marathon-2013/?WT_mc_id=SA_CAT_MB_20130417.
When faced with unimaginable tragedy, in a terrifying situation where people did not
know how to respond or behave, when no one could know if there would be any more
bombs being detonated or any more people being harmed, in a set of circumstances that,
by all logic and reason, should have discouraged most people from lending a hand,
people still jumped into the crowd and helped. In droves. They stepped up, pitched in,
helped strangers. They put themselves in potential danger to make sure that strangers
were okay.
It’s so easy to get dismayed about humanity on days like today. To wonder how people
can do such horrible things. But this is why I like Mr. Rogers’ words of wisdom. This is
why I have decided, today, to look at the helpers. Because the helpers show us that even
when faced with unimaginable tragedy, terror, and tumult, there is a monumentally strong
force within each of us that truly wants to help our fellow man. We all have that seed of
good. It can defy logic, reason, and empirical scientific data. And even when everything
around us — those “powerful situations” that us social psychologists love to say
determine everything about what we do and who we are — combines in perfect
synchrony to create the exact blend of factors that should push anyone away from
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helping, we can’t underestimate the power of that drive within us all that doesn’t care
about what the textbook says and pushes us towards doing good anyway.
What a beautiful thing.
Six Amazing Ways People Helped After Boston Marathon Tragedy
Mr. Rogers famously answered the question of what to tell children
when scary things happen on the news. It holds true for all of us if we
want to learn about what happened in Boston yesterday: "Look for the
helpers." We can always focus on the actions of the helpers, if we
want to feel better.
1) College fraternities on Commonwealth Avenue offered food and
beverages to runners and passersby walking from the scene of the
explosions. (right)
2) Cell phone service was shut down in the city so locals were unlocking their WiFi service so
people could easily connect and reach out via email and social media.
3) NBC Sports reported that runners in the Boston Marathon who crossed the finish line
continued to run to the nearby hospital to volunteer to give blood. Later, the Boston area Red
Cross tweeted, "Due to the generosity of our donors, we don't need blood at this time."
4) New England Patriots athlete Joe Andruzzi was
photographed helping an injured woman after the
blast. Deadspin reported that Joe's Twitter feed fell
silent while he continued helping.
5) An inspiring spreadsheet was created using
Google Docs on Gmail for people to donate
rooms, rides and couches to people who were
stranded or in need. Google itself also set up a
webpage as a "People finder” for helping loved
ones to connect and share information.
6) A Boston area restaurant, El Pelon Taqueria
opened its doors to runners and locals, tweeting,
"We have cold drinks, bathrooms, place to charge a phone and a calm place to sit". They never
shut their doors, apparently giving away refreshments, with the manager tweeting, "my
coworkers+staff deserve a lot of credit, not one blinked when ask(ed), not one when home when
they could, those not working came in".
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Inside Twisted Terrorist Minds — Where Is the Empathy?
The good news, psychologists say, is that a sense of empathy is
actually hard to overcome. "A whole industry of propaganda is
aimed" at convincing potential terrorists that their intended
victims are worthy of death, said Arie Kruglanski, a psychologist
at the University of Maryland who has researched the roots of
terrorism. Here is a paragraph from his article in Live Science. If
you care to read the entire article, please go to
http://www.livescience.com/28765-how-terrorists-overcome-empathy.html?cmpid=520696
Though stories of violence may dominate the news, there's good scientific evidence to
suggest that humans are wired to care for others. By toddlerhood, children take it upon
themselves to be helpful (http://tiny.cc/ocyovw) , for example. Even 6-month- and 10month-olds prefer helpful characters (http://tiny.cc/zdyovw) over mean ones, studies
suggest. As adults, we quite literally feel others' pain. A study published in January in the
journal Molecular Psychology found that when doctors see their patients in pain, the
pain-processing regions (http://tiny.cc/cfyovw) in their own brains activate.
Free Webinar: Online Predators – Thursdsay, April 25
Thanks to Patti Loehrer, Safe Environment Coordinator for the Archdiocese
of Milwaukee, for this information. On Thursday, April 25, at 4:00 PM EDT,
The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) is hosting
a FREE webinar titled Online Predators. You have a picture in your
mind, but does it match reality?
Please join the one-hour NetSmartz Workshop and the Michigan
Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force as they explore the
myths and facts of online predators. Both Internet and law
enforcement experts will:
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Discuss the latest research
Use case examples to show you how predators operate
Give you tips on how to stop them
Click here to register (http://tiny.cc/macnvw) or visit www.NetSmartz.org for additional
resources.
Still Need a Hotel Room – NCCL Can Help You.
If you have not secured your hotel reservation for the NCCL Conference
and would still like to do so, we have made arrangements for another
small block of rooms at the Marriott Hotel located at 127 Public
Square, Cleveland, OH 44114, only two blocks from the Renaissance.
The 2013 NCCL conference room rate of $124/night plus tax is being
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honored at the Marriott. Transportation to and from the accommodations will be provided
throughout the day for anyone who is being relocated to the Marriott property.
Reservations must be made through NCCL, please contact Terry Wessels by email at:
ta.wessels@gmail.com P: 815-332-7084. Provide her with your complete contact information
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Name
Address
Phone
Email
Date of Arrival
Date of Departure
Type of room needed - 1 bed, 2 beds
After receiving your email, Terry will call you to confirm the remaining details for your hotel
reservation. Do not contact either the Renaissance or the Marriott directly as we need to keep
your reservation within our group block so that you obtain our group rate. If there are any
cancellations from our room block at the Renaissance, we will move people from our over flow
hotel back into the Renaissance based on their date of contact (first-come, first-served basis).
We are also asking that if anyone, has an existing room reservation at the Renaissance, that
you will need to cancel, please do not cancel the reservation. Instead, please contact Terry
Wessels (ta.wessels@gmail.com) with your confirmation number so we can work with the hotel
to reassign your canceled room reservation to someone who would like to be at the Renaissance.
Pope Francis: 'Christ Defends Us From the Insidiousness of the Devil'
Continuing his catechesis on the Creed, Pope Francis focused on the significance of Christ's
Ascension into heaven during his weekly General Audience in St. Peter's Square. "Jesus’ earthly
life culminated with the event of the Ascension, namely, when He passed from this world to the
Father and was raised to his right hand. What is the meaning of this event? What are its
consequences for our life? What does it mean to contemplate Jesus seated at the right hand of the
Father?" the Pope asked.
Beginning from the gospel of Luke, which speaks of Christ who
"ascends" to the Holy City, Pope Francis said that while Jesus
sees that his goal is Heaven, he ultimately knows that it will
ultimately take him to the Cross, which the Pope described as
"obedience to the divine plan of love for humanity."
"In our Christian life, we must also have very clear that to enter
into the glory of God exacts daily fidelity to His will, even when
it requires sacrifice, when it requires at times that we change our plans," the Holy Father said.
"Jesus’ Ascension took place concretely on the Mount of Olives, close to the place where he
withdrew in prayer before the Passion to remain in profound union with the Father: once again
we see that prayer gives us the grace to live faithful to God’s plan."
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When one is called by a judge or is called to trial," the Pope said, "the first thing he does is look
for an advocate to defend him. We have One who always defends us. He defends us from the
insidiousness of the Devil, He defends us from ourselves, from our sins!" The Pope went on to
call the faithful to never forget that Christ is our advocate and that we must also never be afraid
to ask his forgiveness, blessing and mercy.
Another element of Jesus' Ascension that the Holy Father recalled was
the joy felt by the Apostles after Christ went to heaven. Despite the
normal emotion of sadness when separated by relatives and loved ones,
the Holy Father noted the profound joy described in Luke's account.
"How is this possible?" the Pope asked. "Precisely because, with the
look of faith, they understood that, although removed from their eyes,
Jesus always stays with them, He does not abandon them and, in the
glory of the Father, He sustains them, guides them and intercedes for
them."
Pope Francis exhorted the crowd present to heed the invitation of the
two angels who appeared to the apostles after the Ascension who told
them "not to remain standing looking into heaven, but to nourish their
life and there witness of the certainty that Jesus will return in the same
way as they saw him go into heaven. It is, in fact, the invitation to begin
from the contemplation of the Lordship of Christ, to have from Him the
strength to bring the Gospel and witness to it in everyday life: to
contemplate and to act, to pray and to work, Saint Benedict teaches, both
are necessary in our life of Christians," the Pope said.
The Ascension, he concluded, is not an indication of Christ's absence but
on the contrary, it is that Christ is "alive and in our midst in a new way. We are never alone in
our life: the crucified and risen Lord guides us; with us there are so many brothers and sisters
that in silence and hidden, in their family and working life, in their problems and difficulties, in
their joys and hopes, live the faith daily and bring to the world the dominion of the love of God,
in Christ Jesus risen, ascended to Heaven, an advocate for us," Pope Francis said.
Catechetical Leader Pilgrimage to Rome for Year of Faith Day for Catechists
Lori Dahlhoff and the NCEA Religious Education Department are
organizing a delegation of catechetical leaders from across the United
States for a pilgrimage to Rome September 23 – 30, 2013. The itinerary
includes participating in the International Conference of Catechists and
Pilgrimage of Catechists being organized by the Vatican to mark the
Year of Faith Day for Catechists. Participants will also practice utilizing
digital technologies to engage catechists and leaders to join the
pilgrimage virtually. Download a full-color brochure with itinerary,
costs, and application from
www.unitours.com/client/NatlEducationAssnRome.pdf or contact Lori at
571-257-1994 or reled@ncea.org to get more details about the
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professional and ministerial development aspects of the trip. Participation is open to women and
men who serve as catechetical leaders in any facet of Catholic parishes, schools, and dioceses
across the United States. Space is limited so reserve your spot today!
Meet in Brazil - World Youth Day in Rio de Janeiro this July
A video invitation to "Meet in Brazil" is encouraging young
people of the globe to attend World Youth Day in Rio de Janeiro
this July. The video invite (http://tiny.cc/t6irvw) was released to
mark the 100-day countdown to Rio, which started this week.
Today, the countdown is at 92 days. The video is recorded on
Copacabana beach, which will be the setting for three key WYD
events.
Inspired by the video “Meet in Madrid,” produced for the Madrid 2011 WYD, the clip invites
young people from all over the world to come to Rio. Contributing to its production were 50
volunteers from different parishes and Movements of the city, including those who danced and
those who participated in its production.
It is one of the latest videos made available at the WYD Web site
(http://www.rio2013.com/en) . Other videos explain, for example,
what happens when pilgrims will arrive at the airport. "People wished
to take advantage to remind [youth]: We’ll meet in Brazil, and in
Copacabana, where some of the main events will take place. It’s a
postcard of Rio de Janeiro, it’s the soul of Rio,” explained Juliana Frazao, one of the producers.
The music, with the same name as the video, was composed by the Spanish singer Eva García
who said she wished to transmit the message of hope and joy of the youth who go to encounter
Jesus, a message of faith and unity. “Anyone who has taken part in a WYD knows that in those
days he or she can come close to the spirit of Jesus Christ in a very alive and personal way,"
García said.
USCCB Vice President Implores Nonviolence
The Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.'s "Letter From Birmingham
Jail" deserves a response that "asks forgiveness for past sins,"
offers thanks for "clear gains" over the last 50 years and resolves
to do more, said the vice president of the U.S. Conference of
Catholic Bishops (USCCB) at an event in Birmingham,
Alabama, April 14, honoring the 50th anniversary of King's
letter.
"While violence surrounded Dr. King's life, he
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proclaimed in word and deed the direction of his Savior, Jesus Christ – namely, that injustice
must not be ignored, but neither can violence be addressed and eliminated by greater acts of
violence," said Archbishop Joseph Kurtz of Louisville, Kentucky, who represented USCCB at
the April 14-15 symposium sponsored by Christian Churches Together (CCT). Archbishop
Kurtz's remarks followed keynote addresses by Rev. Jim Wallis of Sojourners and U.S. Rep.
John Lewis of Georgia.
On April 15, dozens of Christian leaders signed an official response to
King's letter and presented it to Rev. Bernice King, the youngest
daughter of Martin Luther King, Jr. They also participated in an
ecumenical prayer walk through historic Kelly Ingram Park, a central
location for demonstrations during the Civil Rights Movement. Rev.
King called on those gathered to "make sure their words move their
shoes." Dorothy Cotton, education coordinator of the Southern Christian
Leadership Conference (SCLC), emphasized the need to resume the
struggle for justice in today's multicultural context.
The full text of Archbishop Kurtz's remarks and additional information on the event is available
online: www.usccb.org/beliefs-and-teachings/ecumenical-and-interreligious/50thanniversary-response-to-letter-from-birmingham-jail.cfm
Love your neighbors: Uphold the American Tradition of an Immigrant Nation
The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops and Catholic Relief Services are currently
reviewing the details of the Gang of Eight’s Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and
Immigration Modernization Act of 2013. You are encouraged to stay informed and read the
USCCB (http://www.usccb.org/news/2013/13-069.cfm) and CRS (http://newswire.crs.org/crswelcomes-senate-immigration-proposal-urges-congress-to-address-causes-of-migration/) press
releases.
The humanitarian disaster unfolding along migration routes north
is also of great concern to the Church, making it critical for
immigration reform legislation to include a way for future
migrants to have legal and safe ways to come to the U.S.
Kidnappings, trafficking, sexual assault, torture and death among
migrants is widespread. In 2009 alone, more than 18,000 wouldbe migrants were kidnapped on their journey to the U.S. For
more information about the specifics of the Senate immigration
reform proposal and ways to get involved, see
http://www.confrontglobalpoverty.org/.
Survey Shows Strong Catholic Support For Immigration Reform
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A large majority of Catholics support immigration reform legislation that provides a path to
citizenship for the 11 million undocumented immigrants in the country, according to a recent
survey sponsored by the Office of Migration Policy and Public Affairs of the U.S. Conference of
Catholic Bishops (USCCB). Overall, 77 percent of Catholic voters support a proposal that allows
earned citizenship through meeting requirements like registration, paying a fine, paying taxes
and taking English classes, the survey shows.
Archbishop José H. Gomez of Los Angeles, chairman of the USCCB
Committee on Migration, embraced the results of the survey. “It is clear
that Catholics understand the importance of this issue,” Archbishop
Gomez said. “As an immigrant church, Catholics from all walks of life
understand the migration experience and accept the Gospel’s call to
welcome the stranger.”
Most Catholics support the bishops’ call for the creation of an
immigration system that respects basic human rights and dignity while
ensuring the integrity of our borders, according to survey results. As
immigration reform takes center stage in the public square, this data
makes clear that the Catholic population is behind current efforts to
reform the broken immigration system.
Key findings include:
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Eight-four percent agreed that requiring undocumented immigrants to register with the
government as a condition to remain permanently would improve national security.
Seventy-five percent said that enforcement of laws should be based upon humane values
that deports violent criminals but finds ways to work with people who have come to find
a better life.
Sixty-one percent said that immigrants were good for the economy.
Sixty percent agreed that an enforcement-only policy featuring deportations has a
devastating social impact upon family unity.
Sixty-nine percent agreed that the U.S. can ensure the safety of our border and treat all
people humanely, even those who come illegally.
Sixty-seven percent agreed that the Church has a moral obligation to help those in need,
even if they are here illegally.
Fifty-seven percent stated that they would cross the border in search of work in order to
feed their family.
Sixty percent of Catholics who attend Mass once a week or more rate this issue as
extremely or very important to them.
In their 2003 pastoral letter, “Strangers No
Longer: Together on the Journey of Hope,” the
U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops outlined
several policy goals for immigration reform. To
read more, go to
http://www.usccb.org/news/2013/13-073.cfm. You can download the pastoral letter at
http://www.usccb.org/issues-and-action/human-life-and-dignity/immigration/strangers-noCL Weekly, Monday, April 22, 2013
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longer-together-on-the-journey-of-hope.cfm. More information on immigration reform can be
found at www.justiceforimmigrants.org.
Peacebuilding in 2013:Pacem in Terris at 50
The Institute for Policy Research & Catholic Studies at The Catholic
University of America is a community of scholars and researchers engaged
in the analysis of public policy issues related to Catholic social thought. The
work of the institute serves and speaks to the university, the Church, the
country, and the disciplines of its fellows.Texts for the speeches of Cardinal
Turkson and Bishop Pates’ which were given at the Peacebuilding in
2013:Pacem in Terris at 50 Conference, are now available online
(http://ipr.cua.edu/) . Complete videos from the conference will be made
available in the next few weeks at ipr.cua.edu. Feel free to view the videos
online for any of the sessions you might have missed.
Pope Francis Says Catholics Still Need to Enact Teachings of Vatican II
In his homily April 16, Pope Francis said Christians must struggle with the temptation to tame
the Holy Spirit. "To speak plainly: The Holy Spirit annoys us," he said. The Spirit "moves us,
makes us walk, pushes the church to move forward."
But, too often, he said, Catholics are like the Apostle Peter on the
mountaintop when Jesus is transfigured. They, like Peter, say, "Oh, how
nice it is to be here all together," but "don't bother us. We want the Holy
Spirit to sleep. We want to domesticate the Holy Spirit, and that just
won't do because he is God and he is that breeze that comes and goes,
and you don't know from where."
The Holy Spirit is God's strength, the pope said. The Holy Spirit "gives
us consolation and the strength to move forward," and the moving
forward part is what can be a bother. People think it's better to be
comfortable, but that is not what the fire of the Holy Spirit brings, Pope
Francis said.
While Catholics today may be more comfortable speaking about the Holy Spirit than they were
50 years ago, it doesn't mean the temptation to tame the Spirit has diminished, he said.
Pope Francis said reactions to the Second Vatican Council are a prime example. "The council
was a beautiful work of the Holy Spirit," he said. "But after 50 years, have we done everything
the Holy Spirit in the council told us to do?" The pope asked if Catholics have opened
themselves to "that continuity of the church's growth" that the council signified. The answer, he
said, is "no."
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Catholics seemed willing to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the council's opening in 1962, he
said, but they want to do so by "building a monument" rather than by changing anything. At the
same time, Pope Francis said, "there are voices saying we should go back. This is called being
hard-headed, this is called wanting to domesticate the Holy Spirit, this is called becoming
'foolish and slow of heart,'" like the disappointed disciples on the road to Emmaus. The full
report from Catholic News Service can be found at
http://www.catholicnews.com/data/stories/cns/1301701.htm.
NCCL and The Catechesis in Preaching Initiative
The U.S. Catholic bishops have published a new document on preaching,
Preaching the Mystery of Faith: the Sunday Homily (January, 2013). The
focus of the document is this: the heart of Sunday preaching is to foster
an encounter with God. Former Pope Benedict stated in his Apostolic
Exhortation Sacramentum Caritatis (#46), “Given the importance of the
word of God, the quality of homilies needs to be improved.” This new
writing signals a tipping point: the American bishops recognize that
preaching matters and that we need help.
What does this mean for catechetical leaders?
Catechesis means to echo the gospel: in John Paul II’s Apostolic Exhortation Catechesi
Tradendae (#5), the core of catechesis is to put “people… in communion… with Jesus Christ.”
The homily builds upon this foundation of echoing: “The homily takes up again the journey of
faith put forward by catechesis, and brings it to its natural fulfillment” (CT #48). Sunday
preaching and catechesis therefore need to work together for the transmission of the Christian
faith. Ideally, preachers and catechists also work together.
Looking for data upon which to build effective catechetical preaching
The new USCCB document advocates for a greater emphasis on
catechesis in preaching. As we begin to implement this teaching, we
have to clarify: what is catechetical preaching? Parallel to the fifty-year
catechetical effort that has asked, “What does effective catechesis look
like?” will be the upcoming homiletical effort to envision, “What should
effective catechetical preaching look like?” Both at the national level
and in the parish, catechetical leaders need to be a part of this
conversation.
As a result, The Center for Preaching, Evangelization, and Prayer is
collaborating with the National Conference for Catechetical Leadership
(NCCL) in the Catechesis in Preaching Initiative, beginning with a
survey, focus groups and interviews at the annual NCCL conference in Cleveland, in May of
2013. Following the conference, the survey will be available to the membership online. The
voice of catechetical experience is invaluable as a source of input at this dawn of catechetical
preaching.
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REGISTER ON-LINE - $329
Not only is the registration brochure available for download but you can
register for the conference on-line. If you already have “Saved Me a
Place”, then complete your registration on-line as well. It will save you
the time from emailing or faxing page 5 of the registration brochure to the
NCCL Office. Now that registration is on-line, Save Me a Place is no
longer being accepted for registration.
It’s an exciting schedule. Please go to www.NCCL.us and Download the
2013 Conference Brochure. Give one to a friend. Post it on your
FaceBook page. Encourage others to register. Why not Tweet about the
conference to your friends and colleagues. The conference starts on
Pentecost Sunday, less than fifty (50) days away. Don’t delay, register
now.
White Papers Available for Download
Anne Comeaux, chair of the 2013 White Papers, along with her committee members; Kathy
Gallo, a diocesan leader from Evansville, IL, Carol Stone, a director of Adult Formation in a
parish (with RCIA leadership) in the Diocese of San Diego and Juan Carlos Farias an
Archdiocesan staff person responsible for a large vicariate in Chicago, have announced the three
people who have been selected to present their papers at the NCCL Conference and Exposition
in Cleveland, Thursday, May 23.
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Sara Blauvelt, "Called to be Witnesses in the New Evangelization - Lessons from the
Saints"(https://nccl.wildapricot.org/Resources/Documents/2013%20Conference/Evangel
ization%20Learning%20from%20the%20Saints%20-%20Sara%20Blauvelt.pdf)
Matt Halbach, "New Pope, New Evangelization, New Return to Old (but Good)
Ideas"(https://nccl.wildapricot.org/Resources/Documents/2013%20Conference/New%2
0Pope,%20New%20Evangelization%20-%20Matt%20Halbach.pdf)
Greg Petrucci, "Exploring Essential Underpinnings for the Successful Cultivation of
'A Culture of Witness'"
(https://nccl.wildapricot.org/Resources/Documents/2013%20Conference/Exploring%20E
ssential%20Underpinnings%20-%20Greg%20Petrucci.pdf)
To accommodate conference attendees, the learning session will be repeated on Thursday
morning, May 23. The first session is #510 and is held from 8:00-9:15 am and the second
session is # 610 and is held from 9:30-10:45. In addition to reading the three white papers,
Learning session participants are encouraged to read Disciples Called to Witness: The New
Evangelization, A statement by the Committee on Evangelization and Catechesis
(http://www.usccb.org/beliefs-and-teachings/how-we-teach/new-evangelization/disciples-calledto-witness/index.cfm), as this was the point of reference for each of the white papers.
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Each member of the panel will have 5-7 minutes to present how their paper relates to the
USCCB document which was the point of reference. After all three presentations are complete,
the Learning session attendees will be invited to make comments or ask questions of individual
panel members regarding their papers. The white papers can be found on the NCCL website
under the News and Events tab by clicking on White papers 2013 under Conference 2013.
FCH Pre-Conference 2013 - For all Catechetical Leaders!* SIGN UP NOW
NCCL Forum on
NCCL Foro de
Catechesis with Hispanics
Catequesis con Hispanos
The tremendous growth in the Catholic Hispanic populations in our parishes gives us new
opportunities to evangelize. This year the Federation for Catechesis with Hispanics, (FCH) will
hold their annual pre-conference on Sunday, May 19th in Cleveland. Join us in this conversation
on the new evangelization and the Hispanic community.
Mar Muñoz- Visoso, the Executive Director of Cultural Diversity in the
Church, will lead us in a discussion regarding New Evangelization in
the Context of Catechesis with Hispanics. In addition to Ms. MuñozVisoso’s presentation, FCH will also work on some intentional action
steps as we further the vision of catechesis with Hispanics.
On Wednesday of that week, we will elect three new officers. The
process for electing these officers, as outlined in our “Structure and
Guidelines,” is that on Sunday we will hold nominations. The criteria
for candidates are that they are members in good standing, meaning,
they have attended the last two consecutive meetings and have paid dues
(NCCL). The person can self-nominate or be nominated by another
member. As we move forward, we need good people to help us advocate for catechesis with
Hispanics, please consider nominating someone or nominating yourself. Some of the gifts FCH
can benefit from are communications and grand writing.
*All NCCL members are welcome! No additional fee is required for NCCL Conference
participants. Most of the day will be conducted in English with some Spanish. Be sure to
register now in order to participate in any of these events. You can view the most –updated
schedule for FCH events at https://nccl.wildapricot.org/Default.aspx?pageId=1578134.
¡Todos son bienvenidos!
FREE Professional Development Webinar–THIS Tuesday, April 23, 2013
CL Weekly, Monday, April 22, 2013
Page 13
Ave Maria Press, in partnership with the National Conference for
Catechetical Leadership, the National Association for Lay Ministry, and
National Federation of Priests' Councils presents a series of free, online
workshops on professional development for
parish ministers. This webinar Cultivating
Contemplation in Your Parish through
Photography, is offered on Tuesday, April 23
at 3:00 pm EDT. You can register at PDW04.23.2013 (http://tiny.cc/a84jvw). For a
complete listing of professional development webinars in this series, please visit
www.avemariapress.com/webinars.
Cultivating Contemplation in Your Parish through Photography
Tuesday, April 23, 2013, 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM EDT
Join Christine Valters Paintner, PhD, the online Abbess of
www.AbbeyoftheArts.com, as we explore the gifts and possibilities
photography can offer parish communities. The lens of the camera will
be our guide in learning how to engage folks in contemplative practices
of prayer and new ways of seeing the world around them. Christine’s
special love is bringing together the gifts of monastic tradition with the
power of the expressive arts, and offering tools and practices to
cultivate one's inner monk
and artist. Christine Valters
Paintner is the author of Eyes of the Heart:
Photography as a Christian Contemplative Practice,
The Artist's Rule: Nurturing Your Creative Soul with
Monastic Wisdom, and Water, Wind, Earth & Fire:
The Christian Practice of Praying with the Elements.
Seeking Volunteers Who Teach Family Life Courses
The University of Dayton’s VLCFF program worked with Dan Mulhall of RCL
Benziger to develop a 3-week certification course for teachers and catechists
who teach Family Life courses. The course is now developed and is ready for its
test flight. We are looking for a diocese that would be willing to organize a small
group of students to take this course as a pilot. If you are interested in this
course or would like to discuss it in more detail, please contact Richard Drabik
at VLCFF at rdrabik1@udayton.edu.
CL Weekly, Monday, April 22, 2013
Page 14
Pontifical Mission Societies Launch Song Contest
Celebrating mission in the Year of Faith, the Pontifical Mission Societies have launched their
first-ever song contest for young Catholics. Contestants will be asked to create original songs
(lyrics and music), in either English or Spanish, with content drawn from, but not limited to both
the themes of the Year of Faith and World Youth Day. Two divisions are featured: Adolescent
(grades 9-12) and Young Adult (ages 18-29).
The official entry form, with contest rules, may be downloaded
from their dedicated web page for youth and young adults. All
entries must be uploaded to our special contest website –
www.propfaith.net/SongContest2013 by May 31, 2013.
“Through this contest, young people are called to give their faith
a ‘voice,’” said Father Andrew Small, OMI, National Director, in
announcing the song contest. “In this way, the young Church
may inspire us with their vibrant, missionary faith.”
One grand-prize winner will be chosen in each division
(Adolescent, Young Adult); two honorable mentions will be
named as well for each division. The judges for the contest are
contemporary Catholic music-artists. Winners will be
announced in August, and an awards ceremony will take place
this October – “Mission Month” – in New York City. Winning entries will be featured as part of
the resources produced by the Pontifical Mission Societies to encourage young
people and young adults in their understanding and outreach as missionaries, and
given national and international distribution.
FREE Professional Development Webinar–Tuesday, April 30, 2013
Ave Maria Press, in partnership with the National Conference for
Catechetical Leadership, the National Association for Lay Ministry, and
National Federation of
Priests' Councils presents a
series of free, online workshops on professional
development for parish ministers. This webinar
Bodacious!10 Discussion Starters about the
CL Weekly, Monday, April 22, 2013
Page 15
Feminine Genius during the Year of Faith, is offered on Tuesday, April 30 at 3:00 pm EDT. You
can register at (http://tiny.cc/8hylvw). For a complete listing of professional development
webinars in this series, please visit www.avemariapress.com/webinars.
Bodacious!
10 Discussion Starters about the Feminine Genius during the Year of Faith
Tuesday, April 30, 2013, 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM EDT
In this webinar Pat Gohn, author of the new book Blessed, Beautiful
and Bodacious: Celebrating the Gift of Catholic Womanhood and
Endow's Executive Director and Bodacious Foreword writer, Terry
Polakovic, discuss the top themes that celebrate the gift of womanhood
from a Catholic perspective. In this "Top Ten" style presentation, (with
apologies to David Letterman), Pat and Terry unpack the wisdom and
the beauty of the feminine genius, with a special emphasis on a
woman's blessed dignity, beautiful gifts, and bodacious mission.
Using a "best of" approach, these two educators will offer fast-paced
snippets quoting key resources and magisterial
documents that can be used as conversation starters
with women, as well as offering resources that can become the basis of local
parish curricula or discussion groups for women.
The new evangelization will never move forward without women understanding
their specific role in it. Here's a great place to start. Register at
https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/735584713.
October 4: Feast of St. Francis RESOURCES
Mark your calendars now for October 4, 2013! Join tens
of thousands of other Catholics who will learn about the
dramatic evidence of climate change and explore Catholic teaching on climate change. This
year's Feast of St. Francis program: "Melting Ice, Mending Creation: a Catholic Approach to
Climate Change." It's not too early to be looking ahead to your celebration of the Feast of
St.Francis.
We've now issued a Press Release (http://tiny.cc/ttrwvw) about this
upcoming event which you are invited to share along with this Flyer
(http://tiny.cc/aiswvw) to promote this program in your parish, school,
college or other organization.
This year our Feast of St. Francis program will highlight the a Pontifical
Academy of Science's Working Group (PAS) statement, Fate of Mountain
Glaciers in the Anthropocene (http://catholicclimatecovenant.org/wpCL Weekly, Monday, April 22, 2013
Page 16
content/uploads/2011/05/Pontifical-Academy-ofSciences_Glacier_Report_050511_final.pdf), combined with
viewing a "TED" talk by James Balog
(http://www.ted.com/talks/james_balog_time_lapse_proof_of_e
xtreme_ice_loss.html), the science photographer behind the
documentary film Chasing Ice, who documented
some of the most vivid evidence yet of climate change.
In their declaration, the PAS calls, on all people and nations to recognize the
serious and potentially irreversible impacts of global warming caused by the
anthropogenic emissions of greenhouse gases and other pollutants, and by
changes in forests, wetlands, grasslands, and other land uses. Read Summary
(first 5 pages) of the entire report here (http://tiny.cc/4eswvw).
The Coalition will offer a complete Educational Kit with Discussion Guide to accompany your
program along with all the resources you'll need to promote it and encourage further engagement
on these issues by your audience. These resources will be rolled out in the coming weeks and
months. Get this on your calendar now! SIGN UP NOW (http://tiny.cc/vgswvw) to register
your interest.
A Parish Guide to the New Evangelization
Longtime NCCL member and author Fr. Bob Hater has a new book entitled A
Parish Guide to the New Evangelization in which you will learn you will learn:
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How to overcome challenges to the new evangelization
How to motivate parishioners to evangelize
How to coordinate efforts at the parish level
How to effectively reach inactive Catholics
How to use the web and other media to promote your evangelization efforts
What sets Catholic evangelization apart from Protestant evangelization
How to jump start parish evangelization
But more importantly, you will discover what Fr. Al McBride, O.Praem., recipient of the NCCL
2011 Catechetical Award, wrote in his Forward. “Father Bob’s heart is in touch with the pulse of
today’s parishes. …Rarely do many pages go by without personal stories that ratify his
message.” It’s a practical book with lots of hope and inspiration. You can order The Parish
Guide to the New Evangelization: An Action Plan for Sharing the Faith. Catechetical Leader
will feature a complete review in a future edition by Representative Council member Pam
Fischer.
CL Weekly, Monday, April 22, 2013
Page 17
Without Evangelization Church Becomes Babysitter
Already known for his use of imagery in preaching, the Pope
offered an image Wednesday morning of a Church as a
"babysitter." The Church cannot be merely “a babysitter who
takes care of the child just to get him to sleep." That would make
her a "slumbering Church," he said.
Instead, the members of the Church, the baptized, must
evangelize. "When we do this the Church becomes a mother who
generates children," he said, capable of bring Christ to the world.
"Let us ask the Lord,” he concluded, “for the grace to become baptized persons who are brave
and sure that the Holy Spirit who is in us, received at baptism, always moves us to proclaim
Jesus Christ with our life, our testimony and even with our words.” “Mission,” he underlined, “is
key to ministry. A Church that does not go out of itself, sooner or later, sickens from the stale air
of closed rooms.” To read the full CNA report, go to
http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/without-evangelization-church-becomes-babysitterpope-warns/.
The Most Responsible Ad On The Internet
Sam Ferrigno shared these thoughts on HooplaHa. He noted that
“A recent video created by Dove will change how you see your
own face for the better.” It is a profound message and if you are
intrigued by what Dove and Sam have to say, you might want to watch the three (3) minute
video at Check it out at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XpaOjMXyJGk. Watch the whole
experience at: http://dove.com/realbeautysketches
A message from Dove:
Women are their own worst beauty critics. Only 4% of
women around the world consider themselves beautiful. At
Dove, we are committed to creating a world where beauty
is a source of confidence, not anxiety. So, we decided to
conduct a compelling social experiment that explores how
women view their own beauty in contrast to what others
see.
With the above video especially, the company features our collective anxiety about
physical appearance in a way that is refreshing and uncommon. Not once does a bar of
soap or a bottle of shampoo appear on screen. It is as if the company is using its media
clout to relieve that anxiety by improving our perceptions of our physical selves. …What
we’ve got to remember is that even if Dove is being tricky, there are plenty of
advertisements that manipulate us into thinking we’re not good enough and therefore
CL Weekly, Monday, April 22, 2013
Page 18
need their products to be better. Dove’s campaign to sell their products is different
because they’re not urging us to give them our money. Instead, the urgency is placed on
loving the bodies and faces we were born with. That’s not just good advertising; it’s
refreshing and responsible.
Holy Crocodile!: Stories of Saints and the Animals Who Helped Them
What a fun book. These are short stories, never more than a page with an
illustration that is pure delight and often wraps around the words. Many of these
saints will be new but regardless, the tales of the animals were almost all new to
me. I had never heard of St. Pachome and the Holy Crocodile. This book isn’t
just for children but for anyone who loves animals. If you are interested in how
the author was inspired by stories and pictures from her childhood, you can
check out her website at http://carolinecory.blogspot.com/. You can order Holy
Crocodile!: Stories of Saints and the Animals Who Helped Them.
Cardinal Bergoglio's Dialogues With Rabbi Released in Book Form
Unlike his immediate predecessor, Pope Francis' ideas and opinions are
not well known outside his home archdiocese, also because before he
was elected Pope he had written very little and given few interviews to
the media. The English translation of "On Heaven and Earth" – a 2010
dialogue between Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio and Argentine Rabbi
Abraham Skorka – hits bookstores on Friday.
Published by Image Books with the subtitle: "Pope Francis on Faith,
Family and the Church in the 21st Century," it offers precious insights
into Pope Francis’ thoughts on a wide variety of issues, from abortion
and same-sex "marriage" to euthanasia and capitalism.
Nick Zinos, a Catholic reviewer from St. Paul “recommends this book as a good introduction to
the personality of Pope Francis, but also as a fascinating encounter between two of the great
world religions. It failed to achieve the full five-star rating because although it is a good book, it
is not a great book. It is casual in tone, with each author sometimes getting slightly off topic, and
does not always delve as deep as one would like into the issues. However, these flaws are not
unusual among this genre of writing.”
You can read a press release detailing more information about the book at
http://www.zenit.org/en/articles/cardinal-bergoglio-s-dialogues-with-rabbi-released-in-bookform. ZENIT also published an excerpt from the book which can be found at
http://www.zenit.org/en/articles/excerpt-from-on-heaven-and-earth. You can order the book from
the NCCL Amazon Bookstore at On Heaven and Earth: Pope Francis on Faith, Family, and
the Church in the Twenty-First Century.
CL Weekly, Monday, April 22, 2013
Page 19
Attention NCCL Members: Buy a Book and Help NCCL- One Week Left
Support NCCL and enjoy Chris Weber’s highly acclaimed book,
Jesus-Style Recruiting
Visual Dynamics Publishing will donate $4.00
to NCCL for every Jesus-Style Recruiting book
purchased at $9.95, plus shipping until April
30th, 2013.
Just go the www.vdpublishing.net and click on NCCL OFFER.
To Believe
I could not believe when this girl, Jackie Evancho, started singing. I
understand she was second in America's Got Talent a couple of years
ago at age 10. You can watch this five minute video at
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=foUrBztgzZA or
http://www.staged.com/video?v=NtK.
Vatican office works to create community of 'one heart'
Traveling deep into the Amazon basin in a canoe filled with medicine, food and
young missionaries to visit remote villages sounds like an extraordinary
adventure, but for Father Peter Bui, it was part of a journey to share the love of
Christ with the poor. Father Bui said his strong family ties helped him discern a
call to priesthood, which led him to South America where he worked with high
school students. He returned to the United States to serve as a priest in the
Diocese of Phoenix, which he describes as "the perfect calling," and was called
to join the staff of the Pontifical Council Cor Unum in 2011.
According to Father Bui, someone from Rome must have asked one of his acquaintances, "'Can
you think of someone that could really work here and help us love the poor?' That person
proposed me." The council was established by Pope Paul VI in 1971. He said the name "Cor
Unum," meaning "one heart," reflected the council's purpose to be "a heart that beats in rhythm
with the heart of Christ, whose pity for the hungry multitudes reaches them even in their spiritual
hunger."
The council assists the pope in carrying out special humanitarian initiatives and gestures, such as
Pope Francis' recent donation to the Archdiocese of La Plata in Argentina in response to
flooding. The council responds to both natural and man-made disasters, and works with local
Catholic foundations to build schools, house refugees and provide spiritual and corporal aid to
CL Weekly, Monday, April 22, 2013
Page 20
victims of war around the world.
One of the challenges the council faces is responding to Pope Benedict XVI's call to foster and
maintain the Catholic identity of Catholic charities. As part of that process, Pope Benedict gave
Cor Unum greater oversight of Caritas Internationals, the umbrella organization for national
Catholic charities around the world. Father Bui said the council has been focusing on the role of
prayer in serving the community and has created spiritual exercises for the leaders of charitable
organizations to "renew the reasons why they give of themselves to the poor."
Father Bui said Pope Francis is following in the footsteps of his predecessors by promoting the
two pillars of the new evangelization -- 'confessio,' meaning witness, and 'caritas,' meaning love - by leading through example. Families and individuals can share Cor Unum's mission by doing
charitable work in their parishes and "can also act in the name of the church to bring the
compassion and love of God to people who are in need," the priest said.
Though he has traded his jungle canoe for a writing desk, Father Bui said when he is doing
administrative work, discussing funding or attending meetings, he often thinks of the people he is
helping even though they may be oceans away. "You can make of your desk an altar, to make
an offering to the Lord," Father Bui said, which is something that any worker, not just those at
the Vatican, can take to heart. "There is a saying of Blessed Mother Teresa of Kolkata -- 'doing
an ordinary thing with extraordinary love,'" Father Bui said. "I think that is what it is about here."
You can read he complete CNS article at
http://www.catholicnews.com/data/stories/cns/1301743.htm.
GIFT OF LOVE: Music to Words and Prayers of Mother Teresa
James Bradley did a fine job composing the wise and spiritual words of
Mother Teresa into soothing, quiet music. It reflects on the meaning of
the messages in a way that you know God is talking to you. The phrases
like "... Do small things with great love." and "... the fruit of prayer is
faith" really grab your soul and let you think about your life. Peace,
hope, joy, and good works through love are the key themes of this
album, and they are one of the most important principles to life. You
can order GIFT OF LOVE, MUSIC TO THE WORDS AND
PRAYERS OF MOTHER TERESA.
APRIL – Poetry Month
This poem is by George Bilgere, an award winning poet, who is often
featured on Garrison Keillor’s The Writer’s Almanac. It’s worth
considering and possibly will bring a smile to your face.
CL Weekly, Monday, April 22, 2013
Page 21
Bridal Shower
Perhaps, in a distant café,
four or five people are talking
with the four or five people
who are chatting on their cell phones this morning
in my favorite café.
And perhaps someone there,
someone like me, is watching them as they frown,
or smile, or shrug
to their invisible friends or lovers,
jabbing the air for emphasis.
And like me, he misses the old days,
when talking to yourself
meant you were crazy,
back when being crazy was a big deal,
not just an acronym
or something you could take a pill for.
I liked it
when people who were talking to themselves
might actually have been talking to God
or an angel.
You respected people like that.
You didn’t want to kill them,
as I want to kill the woman at the next table
with the little blue light on her ear
who has been telling the emptiness in front of her
about her daughter’s bridal shower
in astonishing detail
for the past thirty minutes.
O person like me,
phoneless in your distant café,
I wish we could meet to discuss this,
and perhaps you would help me
strangle this woman on her cell phone,
after which we could have a cup of coffee,
maybe a bagel, and talk to each other,
face to face.
–George Bilgere
CL Weekly, Monday, April 22, 2013
Page 22
Knowing Jesus and His Message – Conociendo a Jesus y su Mensaje
This is an excellent resource.
Immediately following the Learning
Session on this resource at the NCCL
Conference and Exposition in San Diego,
the NCCL Bookstore sold over twenty
(20) copies of the book in English and
Spanish.
Based on the protocol used to evaluate
elementary religion series, the book used
fifteen standards for Pre-K and K
through Grades 7 & 8. Included with the binder is a CD with all the materials available for
duplication. This is an ideal help for any elementary catechist regardless of the series you might
be using. Check out the following and use the Order Form.

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PREFACE - Knowing Jesus and His Message (http://tiny.cc/nysql)
EXPLANATION - Knowing Jesus and His Message (http://tiny.cc/xuvw8)
Standards - Explained (http://tiny.cc/65wmc)
Normas y Fundamentos (http://tiny.cc/zfrg2)
ORDER FORM - Knowing Jesus and His Message (http://tiny.cc/9j0mb)
Looking For A Good Book?
Stop by the NCCL Bookstore. Purchasing books, CDs, DVDs, and other products on Amazon
through the NCCL Bookstore (http://astore.amazon.com/natioconfefor-20) helps support this
valuable online ministry.
If you are an on-line shopper and you frequent Amazon.com, please enter through the
NCCL Amazon Bookstore as the organization benefits from every purchase you make. It’s
an ideal way to support our ministry. Just go to our Home page (www.NCCL.org) and click
on the Store tab or click on http://astore.amazon.com/natioconfefor-20 and it will take you
directly to our bookstore. It doesn’t matter what you buy, as long as you enter through the
NCCL Amazon Bookstore, we get a percentage of your purchases.
We are just building our bookstore and adding titles every day, so if you have any suggestions
for books you believe should be available through our bookstore, please drop NCCL a note. All
books mentioned in CL Weekly are available at the NCCL Bookstore.
CL Weekly, Monday, April 22, 2013
Page 23
Please “LIKE” us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/NCCLonline – we
have over 330 LIKES
“FOLLOW” us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/NCCLonline – What’s
going on in your catechetical environment?
Feedback/Comments should be addressed to: lnagel@nccl.org
CL Weekly, Monday, April 22, 2013
Page 24