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August 10, 2006
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Greetings and welcome to Faith
Formation Update, a free monthly e-newsletter for catechetical leaders with
a focus on parish catechesis beyond textbooks and classrooms. I'm Judith
Dunlap. In each issue I offer a brief starter and my "Every
Family" column. My co-worker and fellow religious educator Joan
McKamey offers media resources and ideas in her "Seen
and Heard" column. Our co-worker Chuck
Blankenship suggests other faith formation resources for adults from St. Anthony
Messenger Press in his column, "Sowing Sampler." Finally,
we encourage YOU to share views and program ideas about this month's topic on our online
bulletin board, "Faith Formation Forum."
Blessings on your work!
—Judith Dunlap
p.s. You're receiving this either because you
signed up, or because you're a loyal customer of St. Anthony Messenger Press. We will
never send you unwanted e-mail. There is an unsubscribe link at the bottom of this page.
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August is our “What’s New” edition
of Faith Formation Update, meaning, of course, what’s new from St. Anthony
Messenger Press/Franciscan Communications (SAMP/FC). I’ve chosen to review a series
that was introduced in our Spring 2006 catalog. Gathered in His Name is referred
to as a resource for small Christian communities (SCC), but its value extends way beyond
SCC.
The series offers several guides, including one for leaders.
Each guide offers six sessions that contain information, reflections, spiritual exercises
and excellent life-centered questions for discussion. The sessions offer a variety of suggestions
for encouraging personal growth in the faith and helping small groups interact and grow
together. Guide topics include everything from Scripture and sacraments to 20th-century
saints and lessons from Vatican II.
I was just telling my own parish DRE that Gathered in His Name would
be a great adult resource for a variety of adult faith-formation venues. For example, our
parish is involved in intergenerational catechesis. We use the Generations of Faith model.
(See www.CMDnet.org.) Many
of the individual sessions in Gathered in His Name would serve well for the adult
segments of our gatherings. In addition, the sessions suggested to get SCC groups started
(appropriately called Making
Connections) could be adapted to help in the formation of any small group in the
parish. (Click
here to view a sample session from Making Connections.)
I gave a brief talk about the series at the summer picnic for small
groups at my own parish this June. (I’ve been in a parish SCC for over 15 years.)
The biggest selling point for me is that that there is no preparation for participants
before the group meets. The informational input (the teaching) is neatly assigned to readers,
offering a few minutes of background information before reflection and sharing.
Each six-week session approaches a specific topic. Making
Connections, The
Sacraments, The
Gospel of Mark, The
Gospel of Matthew, The
Old Testament, Great
Twentieth-Century Catholics, The
Spirit of Vatican II and Lent
and Easter are titles presently offered in the Gathered in His Name series.
Margo Doten, a veteran catechetical leader with small groups, is currently working
on several more titles.
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I only kept a daily journal one time in my life. It was
the winter I was expecting my fourth child. My family and I had just moved to another state.
I knew nobody, not even the neighbors. I only kept the journal for two months—with
three little ones in diapers (non-disposable), and a first grader, there was no time. That’s
one of the reasons I decided to write Bringing
Home the Gospel: A Weekly Journal for Catholic Parents. I thought that a once-a-week
journal might actually be doable for today’s busy parents.
Bringing
Home the Gospels is designed for busy parents who want to share the faith with
their family and reflect on their own spiritual journey. Parents can begin the journal
anytime of the year and follow Jesus’ life according to the Gospel of Luke. Each
reading is followed by a short reflection written especially for parents. Since the
readings are from the Sunday Gospels, the journal can also be used in conjunction with
the liturgical year—Cycle C.
Each reflection is followed by a “Family Response” question
or suggestion that gives parents an opportunity to talk with their children about God and
the things that are important to their family. There is plenty of room in the journal for
parents to reflect on how the gospel touches their particular circumstances. There is also
space to record the everyday happenings and significant events in their lives. (Click
here for a sample of the book.)
I wish I had continued that journal I began so many years ago. I could
read about how I evolved from a stay-at-home mom to a working mom. I would particularly
like to have had a record of when our fifth child was born. And when I finally realized
I would never be Carol Brady, or any of those other TV super-moms, who never lost their
tempers or watched leftovers change colors in their refrigerators
Short as it is, that two-month journal has become one of my treasured
keepsakes. Each time I read it I am taken back to that tiny house on St. Matthew Street,
and I can reconnect with that young, struggling mom who tried so hard to be perfect. The
plus is that when I read the pages out loud, my adult children get to go back with me and
hear about those days—giving them a verbal picture of their early years that is so
much more authentic than any photograph or video. My hope is that this weekly journal offers
the same gift to today’s young parents.
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In my experience as both a catechist and catechetical
leader, I’d often look to two sources as I began planning for faith-formation events:
the tried-and-true and the new. As you’re anticipating your needs for this coming
program year, I’d like to introduce you to a new audiobook that you will find useful
in your adult ministry. As the days of summer wind down and the hectic days of fall activity
at the parish approach, I encourage you to listen to this resource for your own personal
growth and professional enrichment. You’re likely to find even more uses for it and
gain more insights from it than I share here.
What is it? It’s the first-ever audiobook by Franciscan Father
Richard Rohr: Adam’s
Return: The Five Promises of Male Initiation. Richard, the founding director of
the Center for Action and Contemplation in Albuquerque, NM, has studied and spoken extensively
over the years about male spirituality. I’ve selected a clip from early in the book
to share with you (RealMedia | Windows
Media). Richard’s research and experiences working with men worldwide have led
him to conclude that the American culture lures men away from the ancient wisdom of male
initiation. He reintroduces us to male wisdom in a way that will engage anyone who is a
man, who is mentoring a young man or who wants to understand men better.
I see several uses for this audiobook of Adam’s Return in
parishes. First, listen to it first; then share it with other members of your parish staff
and your pastor. Plan an adult faith formation offering on the topic of male spirituality
based on its content. Offer it to the Saturday morning men’s group (or start one!).
Offer it to Christ Renews His Parish men’s groups who continue to meet after giving
their weekend. Share a copy with your marriage preparation teams/sponsor couples. Put a
copy on the shelf of the parish lending library.
Richard Rohr has a large following. His message is true to the gospel
and resonates with peoples’ lived experiences. He challenges people to grow beyond
where they are. And he does it in a way that not only inspires them to do so but also keeps
them coming back for more challenges. If you’re new to him, give him a try. You’ll
be glad you did. If you already know Richard, you’ll love him all over again. Plus,
this isn’t talks repackaged into a book; some of the stories will be familiar, but
there’s new material here.
What’s new? I hope you have some renewed energy and gain
some excitement from new ideas and products. God bless you all as you prepare for a busy
time in parish life.
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Franciscan Communications and St. Anthony Messenger
Press have long been producing and selling excellent video products for catechists and
pastoral ministers. Now you can obtain many of the most popular titles in a new format:
DVD. That means DVD quality, DVD convenience and—most exciting of all—new value
pricing! The best-selling program, A
Walk Through the Mass, has sold thousands of copies at $39.95 each in VHS format.
Now you can have this Catholic Update Video program on DVD for only $19.95. The
extremely popular series by Father Michael Himes, The
Mystery of Faith: An Introduction to Catholicism (ten 20-minute presentations covering
the basics of the Catholic faith), is now available on a DVD set for only $49.95 (more
than a $200 savings from the original VHS format).
This fall, DVD programs are being made available for RCIA, First Communion
preparation and Confirmation preparation, and for children learning the Catholic basics.
Other RCIA titles include Becoming
Catholic, Adult
Baptism: Explaining Its Meaning and Forming
RCIA Sponsors. For First Communion preparation programs, titles include Eucharist:
Celebrating Christ Present, First
Communion: Taking a Place at the Table and the best-selling Grandma’s
Bread (which also includes, on the same disc, the Spanish version, El Pan de
la Abuelita).
For Confirmation preparation you can get Sacrament
of Confirmation, Teen
Discipleship and Spirit & Community (which
includes the Catholic Update Video programs Spirit Alive in Community as
well as A Child’s View of Community). For grade-school-aged children two
Ikonographics sets are available: The
Sacraments featuring Gaynell Cronin and Jack Rathschmidt, O.F.M.Cap., and Catholic
Basics for Kids, which includes the Ikonographics programs What Is the Bible?, What
Is a Sacrament?, What Is the Church? and A Tour of Our Parish Church.
Both of these sets are available on single DVDs for the value price of $19.95 each.
Perhaps you already own VHS copies of these programs. Perhaps your
copies are worn and need replacing. Now is a great time to update your catechetical library
with these valuable and affordable DVDs.
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Share your ideas on adult faith formation at our online bulletin board. Our editors will screen and post your thoughts, and you can learn from others' ideas. Submit your ideas by clicking here. |
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