Fear can be a great motivator. When I was growing up, religion classes at St. Casimir School regularly included filmstrips (the great cutting-edge technology of the 1960s) from the St. John’s University Sound Filmstrip Catechism that always seemed to include a depiction of God speaking in an angry voice and/or people burning in hell. For most of us growing up at that time, the primary reason for going to church was to avoid the fires […]
Recently, I had the opportunity to hear a presentation by Colleen Moore, the Director of the Echo program from the University of Notre Dame’s Institute for Church Life. The name “Echo” comes from the Greek word for “catechesis” meaning “to echo into” or “to resound.” The Echo program assists the Church in strengthening faith formation by recruiting highly qualified recent college graduates to earn a master’s degree in theology from the University’s Department of Theology while […]
One of the many benefits of my frequent travels around the country is the opportunity to meet so many diocesan catechetical leaders. I am especially excited to meet young leaders – forty-ish and younger – who make up what I call the “new generation” of catechetical leaders (not the “next” generation, because they are already HERE and making their presence felt!). The Church, and the catechetical ministry per se, is blessed to be energized by […]
Today was a most extraordinary day at the National Conference for Catechetical Leadership in Atlanta! First, the NCCL is a phenomenal opportunity to meet and mingle with some of the most innovative and successful catechetical minds (and hearts) in the United States. It is also a tight-knit group (all 600-700 of us!) so each year’s conference is like a family reunion. It is so wonderful to see and chat with peoplethat I never get to […]
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