How Young Catholics Will Save the Church
Last night I had the pleasure to present a Theology on Tap talk at St. Boniface parish in Edwardsville, IL. Entitled “How Young Catholics Will Save the Church,” it was my own thoughts on the gifts young Catholics bring to the Church and how those gifts will help the process of renewal in the Church. While I didn’t have an opportunity to make a video recording of the talk (I forgot my tripod!) I did have an audio recorder going. As I warned the group last night, these thoughts are in no way systematically laid out; they are closer to an extended reflection based on my own...
Read MoreCOREnotes Issue 06
The latest issue of the Office for Catechesis’ COREnotes goes out today; it features the second half of Fr. Paul Turner’s DAEC address, information on our diocese’s Confirmation of Catechized Adults, and an article on the evangelization of the family. You can also sign up to have the COREnotes delivered straight to your...
Read MoreCOREnotes Issue 005
My office’s latest catechetical newsletter goes out today. It features the first half of Fr. Paul Turner’s keynote address at last November’s Diocesan Adult Enrichment Conference and a tip for catechists by Dorian Speed. Open publication – Free publishing – More...
Read MoreNew CL Podcast – The Twitter Gang
The latest Catechetical Leader is now live! This month I discussed four articles with three of my catechetical friends from Twitter: Marc Cardaronella (@MCardaronella; www.marccardaronella.com); Jared Dees (@JaredDees; www.thereligionteacher.com); and Dorian Speed (@DorianSpeed; scrutinies.blogspot.com). Head over to www.CatecheticalLeader.org to download the episode — or subscribe on...
Read MoreGrowing in Holiness through Middle Management: Part IV – The Kingly Ministry of Christ
(Looking for the start of this series? Go to Part I, Part II, or Part III.) Of the kingly ministry, Pope John Paul II says Because the lay faithful belong to Christ, Lord and King of the Universe, they share in his kingly mission and are called by him to spread that Kingdom in history. They exercise their kingship as Christians, above all in the spiritual combat in which they seek to overcome in themselves the kingdom of sin (cf. Rom 6:12), and then to make a gift of themselves so as to serve, in justice and in charity, Jesus who is himself present in all his brothers and sisters, above all...
Read MoreGrowing in Holiness through Middle Management: Part III – The Prophetic Ministry of Christ
(Missed the beginning of this series? Check out Part I and Part II.) Of Christ’s prophetic ministry, Pope John Paul II says Through their participation in the prophetic mission of Christ, “who proclaimed the kingdom of his Father by the testimony of his life and by the power of his world,” the lay faithful are given the ability and responsibility to accept the gospel in faith and to proclaim it in word and deed, without hesitating to courageously identify and denounce evil. United to Christ, the “great prophet” (Lk 7:16), and in the Spirit made...
Read MoreVideo and Footnotes – Reaching Parishioners with Facebook
Tonight I offered a free webinar on using Facebook to build and strengthen relationships with parishioners. The video is now available: The following are some additional resources and recommended reading: Books Screen Saved: Peril and Promise of Media in Ministry, by Dan Andriacco Branding Faith: Why Some Churches and Nonprofits Impact Culture and Others Don’t, by Phil Cooke (you can also read my review of this book) Treasures Holy and Mystical: A Devotional Journey for Today’s Catholics, by Fr. Philip Neri Powell, OP Church Documents Inter mirifica (Decree on Social...
Read MoreGrowing in Holiness through Middle Management: Part II – The Priestly Ministry of Christ
(Missed the first part of this series? Start at Part I) The three-fold ministry of Christ is beautifully summarized in Pope John Paul II’s encyclical Christifideles Laici. Of the priestly ministry the pontiff says: The lay faithful are sharers in the priestly mission, for which Jesus offered himself on the cross and continues to be offered in the celebration of the Eucharist for the glory of God and the salvation of humanity. Incorporated in Jesus Christ, the baptized are united to him and to his sacrifice in the offering they make of themselves and their daily activities (cf. Rom 12:1,...
Read MoreGrowing in Holiness through Middle Management: Part I – Introduction
This past weekend I offered a breakout session at my diocese’s biennial adult enrichment conference entitled “Administration as Service: Practicing Leadership in the Light of Christ.” I had planned to record the talk; unfortunately my laptop zonked out on me the day before and, while dealing with an unfamiliar machine, I forgot to start my audio recorder. Instead of recording the talk in my office, I’ve decided to offer the major talking points as a series of posts. I began the presentation by offering a story told to me by Barb Rossman, the first CEO I worked with in...
Read MoreFootnotes and Further Reading – Marketing Your School Online
Today I offered a breakout session at the 2010 Diocesan Adult Enrichment Conference on school marketing in the internet era. The following are footnotes and suggestions for further readings for the attendees: Books Branding Faith: Why Some Churches and Nonprofits Impact Culture and Others Don’t, by Phil Cooke (you can also read my review of this book) The Cluetrain Manifesto, by Rick Levine et al (this dense book, written in 1999, was remarkably prescient about the impact the internet would have on business and society) Web Sites and Articles One Minute School Website Check Catholic...
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