The Newsletter of the Religious Education Office New Wine in Old Wineskins: Is Your Parish Pg. 2 Letter from the Culture a Roadblock to Change and Growth? Director

By Deacon Keith Strohm Remember when you came back from a conference or day of formation fired up to share Loving Witness what you experienced and implement what you learned—only to run into disinterest and a Pg. 4 of Persons with “we’ve never done it that way here before” attitude? Or when you Disabilities sat in planning meetings with a ministerial team, parish council, or

parish staff and you spent countless hours launching a solid strat- Millennial Pg. 6 egy—only to see it land with a dull thud? Maybe you’ve been Church lucky enough to never experience any of this before. Conference I have. Many, many times. And so have countless volunteers, council members, parish staff, and ordained leadership that I know and have supported over the past 30 years. It’s heartbreak- Pg. 7 Welcome Echo Apprentices ing and demoralizing to see the energy, passion, and work behind implementing a good idea or new approach to things translate into so little fruit.

We often think that the problem must Pg. 8 V Encuentro be the quality of what we attempt, or Priorities its execution. Frequently, our desire to roll out new approach- es to ministry or a new way of doing things runs afoul of our community’s culture. A culture in this context represents the assumptions that a group of people make (often unconscious- ly) together that shapes their behavior and how they see the Pg. 9 Ministry Grants world around them. Culture, therefore, becomes the environ- ment in which ideas, strategies, and activities are analyzed, evaluated, celebrated, and, possibly, rejected. Leadership Pg. 9 Development Catholic parishes and dioceses are becoming acutely aware of the very real issues that we are facing, and they are creating Assistance pastoral strategies to address the problems. The challenge is that very few of them are looking at intentionally changing the culture within their communities. We are trying to put new wine Pg. 10 Best Practices in old wineskins. Peter Drucker, one of the most famous man- In Catechesis for th agement gurus of the 20 century famously said that “culture eats strategy for breakfast.” Catholic Identity

In other words, until we begin to change the culture within our organization, even the very best strategies will not make a difference.

That’s why the REO is bringing me to the Blanchette Center to offer a day of formation on Pg. 11 The Empathy January 18, 2018 from 9:30 am to 4 pm. We will focus on the 5 Paradigm Shifts Leaders Project Must Make to Renew Parishes and help you see how to become fruitful communities of missionary disciples. This isn’t just another day of learning “theory.” I’m committed to focus- ing our time together on practical application and “hands on” work. This will be a day Cathedral Visits whose sole purpose is to give you tools that you can use immediately to work on cultural Pg. 12 change. & Cathedral Day

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The Newsletter of the Religious Education Office Leaven www.dioceseofjoliet.org/reo Winter 2018 A Time to Sow Tom Quinlan, Director Catholic Formation on Same-Sex Marriage: An Important and Nuanced Conversation

My experience tells me that you can tell anyone anything, at least most of the time. It just de- pends on how you say it.

Studies have shown the importance of tone and affect in our interpersonal communications. We could deliver great news with a scowl or an off-putting tone and people will receive it negatively. And we can share something challenging with empathy and people will often respond well.

I open with this insight for its own benefit to you in your many, many occasions of pastoral inter- action with people. I also share it as an element related to an important pastoral-theological- social issue of our time. The issue: Addressing same-sex marriage (and all that surrounds this topic) from a Catholic perspective.

The data out there seems to be confirming what I think most of us are experiencing anecdotally in our ministry, social circles and perhaps our families. There is a pervasive misperception about what the Catholic Church teaches about peo- ple who are gay, lesbian, and transgender. As catechetical leaders, we must consider ourselves “on” for helping to clari- fy the Church’s position and place it within the larger context of the good news of Jesus Christ.

Further, I’d like to challenge you to help your parish more broadly consider how to pastorally catechize parishioners on this. Other- wise, we leave it to society to define who we are and what we be- “...there is a pervasive mis- lieve as the Church. And that will never lead to a good outcome. perception about what the Let me begin to unpack this with a key, primary premise. As Cath- olic leaders, we must never qualify or compromise the fullness of Catholic Church teaches Church teaching on homosexuality or, indeed, all of human sexuali- about people who are gay, ty. This is a foundational point. It must be Catholic teaching that we help to form people in, not our inclinations and opinions. But, lesbian, and transgender.” the second point follows closely. Clarity must always contain a full measure of compassion. Why? Because this is the face of God revealed in Jesus. And because the reception of the Gospel and Church teaching will be greater in this post-modern world when it is delivered with dialogic patience rather than didactic judgment.

How is the case to be made for our faith and teaching here? First, it is helpful to start with a simple, impassioned state- ment of truth, owned by us personally and as the Church: We do not hate gay people. To the contrary, we are called (indeed, required) to love, respect, and treat them with the fullness of dignity that they deserve. There must be no reser- vation here.

Until younger people today hear us and believe us on this point, I think we have little hope of gaining credibility in their minds so as to enter into deeper dialogue. (I use dialogue because people today, especially young adults and adoles- cents, refuse to be talked at. We have a better chance to bring them to an embrace of Catholic truth and wisdom through engagement rather than lecture.)

So, it must start with a head-on address of the big lie that society is perpetrating (and some Catholics are complicit in) about gay, lesbian and transgender people and the Church. (This could lead to a whole, big complicated conversation about how some Catholics actually think and speak about homosexuals and homosexuality.) At this point we can and should step back from specific, narrow issues (like same-sex marriage) and explore the broad platform of Catholic moral thought…the Catholic worldview. It is here, from a more global perspective, that the beauty and power of Church teach- ing becomes more evident and can start to persuade.

The foundational questions are “Who is God?” and “Who is the human person?” The God question is huge. For purposes here, I think it is helpful just to name that God is a community of persons who live in love…the Trinity. With a super- abundance of love welling up interiorly, God chose to create all that is, especially human beings, to experience and par- ticipate in this divine love. This can be a wonderful and rich theological exploration! Continued on page 3

Page The Newsletter of the Religious Education Office 2 Leaven www.dioceseofjoliet.org/reo New Wine in Old Wineskins… continued from p. 1

During the day, we will talk about how to move from:  A culture of Institutional Faith to a culture of Intentional Faith  A culture of Engagement to a culture of Encounter  A culture of Maintenance to a culture of Mission  A culture of Programs to a culture of People  A culture of Avoidance to a culture of Accountability

This day won’t be a silver bullet! Changing culture is difficult and painstaking work. It will, however, provide tools and a focus for your parish’s effort. If you know we need to see radical transformation in our parishes, and you’re not sure how to get there, I hope that you will come to this important event. If you are tired of working hard and seeing little change in your community, I hope to see you on January 18th. The question isn’t whether or not our parishes can experience transformation and renewal—the question is whether or not we have the will to live differently as parish communities. (See insert for more information and to register.)

A Time to Sow, continued from p. 2

As to the other fundamental question upon which Catholic teaching stands, “Who is the human person?”, this groundwork must be laid before we have a chance to win the argument with society on any and all fronts, such as wealth and poverty, the environment, laws and justice, social structures, and human sexuality.

The human person is God’s pinnacle of creation, created out of divine love and called to reflect it. Human persons are invited to participate in the ongo- ing generation of love and creation with God. This is a profound view of the person. It implies partnership with the Creator of the Universe and invitation to live each day in deep meaning and holy purpose, both within the heart of God and out in the world.

Attempting to understanding the human person is not just a theoretical exercise in philosophy and theology. It requires us also to look at the nature we are given by God. Nothing more brilliantly frames this than Theology of the Body, which rightfully demands that we pay attention to how God made us, including physically and, yes, sexually. This natural law approach is helpful because it gives us deep insight into what God was thinking and intending for our human sexuality. Even for those who might wish to dismiss the Bible and totality of Divine Revelation, there is a hard-to-deny conclusion in our nature that we were made man and woman for two interwoven purposes: Love-and-Life.

Our culture’s inclination to separate out these two purposes greatly complicates the discussion. That is a worthwhile, important rabbit-hole to explore. But due to the limitations of this article, let’s tackle this in future discussions.

Another complication is the question of how is it that many gay, lesbian and transgender people seem to be so oriented in their nature. Does this not weaken the natural law case? I have, at times, told people with whom I’m having this dis- cussion that this would be one of the questions I’d love to ask when I get to Heaven. It cannot easily be dismissed. The question and the concern it represents should be treated with care and respect and compassion…light on the judgment as that is for God and the person to sort out. But it does not have the power to dismiss the clear plan of God for sex to be between man and woman in committed love leading to life (both literal and metaphorical) family-building and society- building. This is what must be understood as normative. To displace this as normative creates a tremendous vacuum with many dangerous cultural consequences.

In this highly abridged consideration of Catholic thought on complex issues, we now move to the question of same-sex marriage. Whatever society may wish to do with the concept of marriage, the Church can never embrace an under- standing of it that deviates from the intent for this sacred institution (and for our sexuality) that is imprinted on our very

Continued on p. 5

The Newsletter of the Religious Education Office Page Leaven www.dioceseofjoliet.org/reo 3 The Loving Witness of Persons with Disabilities by Peter Newburn

Imagine meeting the Pope! What would you want to communicate to him? One of the Diocese of Joliet’s own, Bridget Brown, re- cently had that opportunity. Bridget Brown is a successful young woman whose vitality and confidence seem to capti- vate everyone she meets. She is a national public speaker and workshop presenter and a person-centered planning coach who works with young adults with disabilities to help them find their own voice. Bridget has Down syndrome. Bridget and her parents, Blasé and Nancy Brown, from Our Lady of Mount Carmel Par- ish in Darien, were numbered among 420 people from around the world present for a Vatican-sponsored conference entitled “Catechesis and Persons with Disabilities: A Necessary Engagement in the Daily Pastoral Life of the Church,” held Oct. 20-22 in Rome. The purpose of the conference was to try to Bridget Brown, a self-advocate living with Down Syndrome, receives a blessing from Pope Francis at the October conference at the Vatican on exchange best practices of inclusion of people “Catechesis and Persons with Disabilities.” with intellectual and physical disabilities into the life of the Church, specifically from a catechetical point of view. Bridget has a message for Pope Francis, and anyone who will listen. In an interview, she states: “I’m here to help peo- ple to understand that people with disabilities can be included in their communities and be a part of their congregation.” At the conference in Rome, Bridget had the opportunity to give the Pope a letter focusing on the fact that “I might be a member of the last generation with Down syndrome.” An estimated 6 million people worldwide were born with “I have a full and wonderful life, Down Syndrome. However, pregnancies in which the baby is diagnosed with it are being terminated at high rates in and I am filled with joy to be countries where abortion is allowed. For instance, Denmark alive. I absolutely love my life. boasts a 98 percent termination rate of babies who test pos- itive for Down syndrome, followed by the United Kingdom at God is not boring!” 90 percent, and the United States at an estimated 85 per- cent. Iceland has, for all intents and purposes, “eradicated” it. “The world may never again benefit from our gifts,” Bridget said, explaining that she does not “suffer” from the condition. “I have a full and wonderful life, and I am filled with joy to be alive. I absolutely love my life. God is not boring! God is good; He’s above all. God created the heavens and the earth, animals, and human beings. And that’s very cool,” she said. Bridget described meeting the Pope as a “mountaintop experience.” Italian Archbishop Salvatore Fisichella told the conference that outreach to people with disabilities is “not only obligatory, but urgent,” and that failures to do so are “symptoms of a culture that’s little inclined to respect the full dignity of every person.” Fisichella is the President of the Pontifical Council for Promoting the New Evangelization, and thus, in effect, the pope’s point man for missionary efforts and catechesis. Mary O’Meara, Executive Director of Special Needs Ministries for the Archdiocese of Washington, DC, hopes to see the involvement of people with disabilities into parish life being about creating relationships rather than about creating a

Continued on p. 5

Page The Newsletter of the Religious Education Office 4 Leaven www.dioceseofjoliet.org/reo The Loving Witness... (Continued from p. 4) program. “I’m coming to know you as my brother or sister in Christ, and how I can help you walk in your journey with the Lord,” she said. “It’s not about programs, it’s about peo- ple.” “What people want more than anything is to belong,” says Sheila Hollins, mother of two children with disabilities. The challenge is to “help parishes to create a welcoming, in- formed, comfortable ministry, eventually led by people with disabilities themselves.” Pope Francis stated that within the Christian community, people with disabilities can themselves increasingly “be catechists, even with their testimony, to transmit the faith in a more effective way.” To the extent that people with disabilities are “welcomed, loved, included in the community and accompanied to look to the future with confidence,” a true path of life develops and “lasting happiness is experienced.” This goes for everyone, but even more so the most fragile, he said, adding that faith is “a great companion” which Bridget Brown’s website is allows people to feel God's presence closely, no matter their condition. Butterfliesforchange.org. She is available for speak- Peter Newburn is the Secretary for Pastoral Concerns for the Diocese of Joliet, ing engagements and with responsibility for Disabilities Ministry. workshops .

A Time to Sow - Continued from p. 3 bodies. The love-and-life design is undeniable for those wishing to be intellectually honest. For those of faith and good will, what God intends should matter.

In the Catholic worldview, the most positive system of thought on Earth (see participation in God’s life of love and crea- tion!), the guardrails that are in place help us to live in freedom and joy, cooperating with God’s plan for us and the world. Divine Revelation and natural law call us to only one definition of marriage, the one that has been in place for the entire breadth and depth of history. Without this grounding in God’s perceivable Will, the definition of marriage can stretch fur- ther into additional forms open to human imagination and proclivity. Can you say “slippery slope”?

All this said, I want to conclude where we began, with an emphasis on our pastoral tonality as we engage groups or individuals on this topic. We must be with people in By all means we should be clear and confident in our unpacking of the beautiful Catholic framework. But this should not, in any way, look like their struggles to under- smugness and judgement. stand and accept the call We must be with people in their struggles to understand and accept the call to living in God’s love. We must be gentle, patient, and kind in our to living in God’s love. engagement. We must do all we can to not give people, especially young people, the sense that there is no place for them among us if they doubt or have difficulties with aspects of Catho- lic faith. We accompany them patiently, as our Pope suggests, looking for opportunities to provide them a greater vision for life and love than what society presents.

As I mentioned earlier, I share a sense of my compassion for people who experience same-sex attraction in their nature. For Millennials it seems especially helpful to convey empathy and authenticity. This affect seems to allow people to stay open and not shut down, even when they are hearing things they may, at present, disagree with. It is, I believe, how Je- sus approached these encounters and turned them into moments of grace and opportunities for conversion.

Please consider how to frame the question and form parishioners, parents, catechists and students (age-appropriately) on the same-sex marriage issue from a positive Catholic perspective. It requires us to pan back from any particular mor- al question and help people see the beautiful divine picture of creative love and God’s plan for us to live in this love. Af- firm the dignity and value of every person and assert all that we are for. And remember, absenting ourselves from this key point of contention in our society does not make it go away. Doing so only surrenders the topic to lesser voices that are increasingly holding sway, winning the hearts and minds of our young people.

The Newsletter of the Religious Education Office Page Leaven www.dioceseofjoliet.org/reo 5 Millennial Church Conference: Register Online Now! By Sheila Stevenson

If your parish is wrestling with the question: “How can we en- gage Millennials?”, then the Millennial Church Conference is an event that you will not want to miss. Priests, parish staff, leadership teams and lay volunteers interested in reaching out to young adults are invited to Blanchette Catholic Center, Thursday, February 22, 9:30 am - 4:00 pm - to learn about the lived reality of a generation that is leaving the church in droves. Millennials are the largest segment of the population in the USA at this time and also represent the largest demo- graphic leaving the church.

In a recent CARA (Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate) study, it was found that the typical age for Millennials leaving the church is 13, with 63% of those surveyed stating said they stopped being Catholic between the ages of 10 and 17; 23% left before age 10.

What happened? Where do we go from here? Pete Burak, Sarah Kaczmarek and Pete and Emily Burds, our presenters for the conference, will answer some of these questions and provide strategies through the lens of evangelization and discipleship.

The conference will cover the following topics: The Characteristics of the Millennial Generation; What has the Church Been Saying to Young Adults?; Effective Strategies for Engaging Millennials; The Basics of Catholic Evangelization & Discipleship.

Pete Burak is the director of i.d.9:16, which is an outreach of Renewal Ministries, in Ann Arbor, Michigan that gathers young adults and forms them for discipleship. Sarah Kaczmarek is the National Director of Alpha Youth, and Pete Burds is the director of Campus and Young Adult Minis- try for the Archdiocese of Milwaukee.

Come and meet these dynamic young adult leaders who are millennials Pete Burak – they are eager to meet your parish team and want to help lead young Sarah Kaczmarek people back to the church that they love!

See the enclosed flyer for more information, or register online here: http://conta.cc/2hg7Rs6

Sheila Stevenson is Director of the Office of Young Adult and Youth Ministry of the Diocese of Joliet

Page The Newsletter of the Religious Education Office 6 Leaven www.dioceseofjoliet.org/reo Welcome to our 2017-18 Echo Apprentices By David Spesia

Mentoring is an essential element of both Christian discipleship and leadership formation. And mentoring implies a partner- ship—a growing together in relationship, in communion, with one another.

The Diocese of Joliet is honored to welcome a second group of future catechetical leaders for a two-year cycle of parish service and coursework toward a M.A. in Theology. These “Apprentices” are paired with Mentors at their respective parish- es through the University of Notre Dame’s Echo Program, which is sponsored by the McGrath Institute for Church Life. It is a unique blending of communities working together—including the university, the diocese and the host parishes—and investing in our next generation of leaders.

Of course, it is an investment that is already bearing great fruit. Katie Faley (St. Elizabeth Seton), Caitlin Sica (St. Margaret Mary), and Sean Driscoll (Holy Spirit) have brought an array of gifts and talents to their respective placements. As they live together in community and help one another continue to grow as missionary disciples, these courageous apprentices continue to help others follow the Master more wholeheartedly.

Let’s continue to keep them in our prayers as they continue their journey!

PHOTOS Top: Caitlin Sica, Sean Curtis and Katie Foley with Bish- op Conlon. Inset photo: Katie and Caitlin with Dr. Timothy P. O’Malley of The McGrath Institute for Church Life at University of Notre Dame at his October talk in our diocese.

Friendly Reminders from the REO Staff!

 Please email us information about any parish formation events open to the public to Karen at [email protected] so that we can add them to the website and let people know about your great offerings. It’s free publicity.  Please register in a timely manner for our events, so we can have an accurate count for seating and meals. You all coordinate events. You understand why.  We send out one big email per month which contains essential information you need for your ministry about events, resources , deadlines and such. Please be one of the people who open up the REO Update when you see it in your inbox. That will make us—and you–happy.

The Newsletter of the Religious Education Office Page Leaven www.dioceseofjoliet.org/reo 7 V Encuentro in the Diocese of Joliet: Identifying Priorities for the Future By William Becerra

In 2013, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) convened the V National Encuentro of Hispanic-Latino/a in the United States, a four-year process that combines evange- lization missionary activities and a consultation process, with the purpose of finding creative and pastoral responses to a growing U.S. Hispanic-Latino/a Catholic population.

Bishop Daniel Conlon officially launched the V Encuentro in the Diocese of Joliet on January 27, 2017. On November 11th, with the participation of more than 400 people, the dioc- esan celebration of V Encuentro took place at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel in Joliet. This historic moment was preceded and led by the office of Hispanic Ministry who invited all Catholics in the Diocese to participate.

Throughout 2017, thirteen parishes, the Diocesan Curia, and two apostolic movements reflected on the five sessions of the V Encuentro and advanced the consultation process. A total of 5,211 consultation pages were downloaded from the V Bishop Conlon receives a copy of the V Encuentro final Encuentro platform. An average of 1,000 persons participated document from parish representatives. per session in the consultation process.

The fruit of this consultation, a diocesan document compiling the learnings was drafted and submitted to Bishop Conlon. To read the document, go here: http://bit.ly/2jweU0B. . Four key areas were identified from process; we call them: Pastoral Priorities that require attention from everyone in- volved in pastoral work in the diocese of Joliet: (1)Youth/Young Adults, (2) Families, (3) Formation, and (4) Social Justice

(1) Youth/Young Adults: There is an immediate need to create spaces where this generation feels free to identify with their own expectations and where their cultural heritage, faith experiences, and life expectations are considered. The traditional approach to ministry with young adults has not resonated in the reality of Hispanic/Latino/a young adults. A new way of thinking and accompanying is needed. Initiatives must give priority to young people, which mean any pro- posed effort must intentionally be: from, for, with and by young people. The responsibility of the leader/youth minister must be of an advisor and companion, who promotes a shared leadership, not merely coordinating pre-planned activi- ties for young people that do not actively involve them. The purpose of this model is to empower leaders with a sense of vocation in a multicultural church. (2) Families: The consultation process confirmed the need for a more integral method in family ministry, one that goes beyond the aspects of faith and evangelization. We found more people requesting services in Spanish in the areas of counseling, effective inter-family dialogue, leadership, multicultural and trans-generational challenges, single parents, and other realities affecting the lives of Hispanic/Latino families. (3) Formation: Some parishes prepare their ministers, servers, and volunteers but there are still a sizeable number of people seeking more organized and systematic ways of learning their faith and being formed for the ministries in which they currently serve. There’s a desire for biblical formation and pastoral leadership, particularly in Spanish. (4) Social Justice: As expected, most participants in the consultation process view the lack of immigration status as one of the main obstacles to a full ecclesial integration. Many hope their churches and pastors would be more present with them, helping them navigate the predicaments of their complicated social situations. This reality can be viewed as an opportunity to connect with people’s everyday lived experiences, Catholic Social Teaching, and the possibility to devel- op lay leadership at the parish level. If we could describe the greatest lesson of the V Encuentro process, without a doubt, it was the opportunity to consult the people—a consultation from the grassroots asking the faithful what they think and to create the spaces where everyone can actively participate in the life of the Church. An authentic experience of empowerment indeed. William Becerra is Associate Director of the Diocese of Joliet Office of Hispanic/Ethnic Ministry

Page The Newsletter of the Religious Education Office 8 Leaven www.dioceseofjoliet.org/reo Let’s Imagine and Plan for Evangelizing Ministry in 2018-19! Ministry Grant Season Begins! By Tom Quinlan

From my perspective, there are three key limiting factors to moving ministry forward: A shortage of energy (or zeal), imagination and money. The first two are worthy of reflec- tion and could be their own full articles.

The third factor, money, will always be an issue. The lack of funding can put the brakes on a ministry initiative that would otherwise proceed. But a lack of money can also cause us to stop imagining exciting possibilities and can sap us of hope and therefore the energy needed to work on creating ministry initiatives.

With this in mind, I would like to encourage each of you to individually and collaboratively imagine possibilities for en- hancing faith formation and evangelization ministries at your parish in the 2018-19 year. I invite you to do so while keeping in mind that the Catholic Education Foundation annually funds numerous initiatives through the Ministry Grants funding program.

If your parish successfully applies for a Ministry Grant, checks are cut and dispersed in July, with the monies to be used for the named purpose in that fiscal year…in this case, 2018-19.

Dozens of parishes have received grant money to develop and expand their offerings in catechesis and evangelization. Many parishes have received multiple grant awards over the years. (In fact, parishes can receive more than one award in the same year.) Parishes have used these funds for development of ministries for adults, youth and children.

I encourage you to begin your imagining and planning now with other members of your staff and key parishioner stake- holders. The process can be fun, energizing, hope-filled…and result in significant funding assistance in the coming year…and renewal within the life of your parish.

The Ministry Grants application season begins early in the new year and goes into late spring. Application deadline is June 1st. To learn everything you need simply go to the Catholic Education Foundation website: www.CEFJoliet.org.

Contact Joe Langenderfer ([email protected]), executive director of the CEF, or me with any questions. Money Available for Your Development as a Catechetical Leader: Two Programs to Help

Whether you are interested in pursuing a degree…or simply wanting to do some online learning…to enhance your capabilities as a catechetical leader, there are two programs offered for funding support from the diocesan Catholic Education Foundation (CEF).

Leaders for the Future is a long-standing vehicle for providing substantial financial assistance to those in catecheti- cal leadership wishing to pursue a masters or bachelors degree in a related field. Financial support can extend for up to three years. More recently, those active in catechetical ministry in a parish of the diocese and wishing to enter into catechetical leadership have become eligible for funding support, too. Go www.CEFJoliet.org, to learn more. (So be sure to share this exciting possibility with those who might be called to a future in catecheti- cal leadership!) The application season begins early in 2018, with funds allocated for the 2018-19 year.

Online Certificate-track Studies through the University of Dayton’s Virtual Learning Community for Faith Formation (VLCFF) is also generously supported through the CEF. Now, catechists may join catechetical lead- ers in taking advantage of this wonderful program which allows for certificate-track courses to be paid for in full by the CEF! (Catechists would need the recommendation of their catechetical leader for participation.) Funding for this program is ongoing and available now! Feel free to contact Joe Langenderfer, executive director of the diocesan Catholic Education Foundation, or Joyce Donahue of the Religious Education Office for more infor- mation.

Please remember, even if someone is not interested in taking certificate-track coursework, that University of Day- ton’s VLCFF courses are always offered to all catechetical leaders, catechists and all parishioners of the Diocese of Joliet at a deep discount. (This is because the Religious Education Office is a supporting partner diocese with VLCFF.) Any course, any session, is a great bargain for all of us. I hope you will consider taking a VLCFF course soon. And please promote this great online formation avenue with your catechists and in the entire parish. To learn more, go to www.CEFJoliet.org. Application deadline is June 1st.

The Newsletter of the Religious Education Office Page Leaven www.dioceseofjoliet.org/reo 9 Best Practices in Catechesis for “Catholic Identity” By Dr. Linda Andrejek “We have to help our young people to fall in love with Jesus!” While complet- ing interviews with Ecclesial Leaders for a recently completed doctoral dis- sertation on catechesis, I was overjoyed to hear this response from Bishop Edward Rice, then Auxiliary Bishop of St. Louis, to my question regarding the mission of catechesis. This wonderful response reminded me of St. John Paul’s Apostolic Exhortation, Catechesi Tradendae (On Catechesis in Our Time), “At the heart of all catechesis we find, in essence, a Person, the Per- son of Jesus of Nazareth….the primary and essential aim of catechesis is the Mystery of Christ….the definitive aim of catechesis is to put people not only in touch, but in communion, in intimacy, with Jesus Christ!” These wonderful reflections help set the tone for the following summary of the findings of my study titled, “Revitalizing the Catholic Identity of Schools: Ecclesial Leaders of the Catholic Church on Methods of Providing an Out- standing Catholic Formation and Education to Students.” Although the title of this study is directly related to Catholic schools, its findings also pertain to religious education programs, as one of the interviewed bishops stated. In this day and age in which young people are struggling to realize their purpose in life in a very secularized culture, the primary purpose of this study was to help Catholic institutions across our country to better provide an effective Catholic formation and education for young people. This need is great at this present time, since data from several polling organi- zations show that approximately four out of five Catholic youngsters fall away from the Faith as time goes on. Unfortu- nately, the same sources rank Catholic students lower in religious knowledge than any other group. These alarming sta- tistics confirm that a revitalization of the Catholic identity of our institutions is of paramount importance in order to help our young people stay strong in the truth and beauty of their Catholic faith. This great need prompted me to conduct this study based upon responses to interview questions regarding catechesis and Catholic identity which were posed to five bishops and three superintendents from various (Arch)Dioceses in the Midwest. The bishops I interviewed for the study included the late Cardinal Francis George, O.M.I., Archbishop of Chica- go, Bishop Daniel Jenky, C.S.C., Bishop of Peoria, Bishop David Ricken, Bishop of Green Bay, Bishop William Callahan, O.F.M.Conv., Bishop of La Crosse, and Bishop Edward Rice, Bishop of Cape Girardeau, MO, while the superintendents who were interviewed were Fr. John Belmonte of the Diocese of Joliet, Dr. Sharon Weiss of the Diocese of Peoria, and Mr. George Henry (now retired) of the Archdiocese of St. Louis. My study happened to coincide with the recent approval of the first Marian Apparition in the United States by Bishop David Ricken of Another common theme Green Bay in 2010. In this particular apparition, which took place in the that emerged from the findings mid-1800’s, the Blessed Virgin Mary asked a young girl (Adele Brice) to catechize the young people in the area in the truths of their Catholic of the study was that we need Faith. Given the catechetical illiteracy which is so rampant today, this to implement more faith message from Our Blessed Mother over 150 years ago is still very rele- vant today! Providentially, also, we are currently celebrating the 100th formation opportunities for Anniversary of Our Blessed Mother’s Apparitions in Fatima, Portugal in the parents of our students... 1917. It is clear that Our Heavenly Mother herself is directly intervening to help her children come back to Our Lord through her many approved Apparitions over the last century! Some common themes emerged from the responses from the interviewed bishops. All agreed with the need to revitalize the Catholic identity of our institutions, given the current secularization of society. In addition, they spoke of the need to focus on the basic truths of our holy Catholic Faith in order to resolve the catechetical illiteracy which is so prevalent at this time. Bishop Ricken of Green Bay summarized this dilemma very well when he stated that we lost two to three gen- erations of Catholics over the last few decades who don’t even know the basic truths of our Catholic Faith. For these reasons, catechists need to ensure that their students (and families) truly learn and understand the four pillars of the Catechism of the Catholic Church (i.e. Creed, Sacraments, Life in Christ, and Prayer). Along with knowing these truths intellectually, however, our students need to be provided with opportunities to move this knowledge into the affec- tive domain of the heart. Continued on p. 11

Page The Newsletter of the Religious Education Office 10 Leaven www.dioceseofjoliet.org/reo The Empathy Project: Walking in Someone Else’s Shoes By Carlos Briceño

Defined as those born between 1996 and 2010, Generation Z can be characterized in these ways: tech-savvy, global, visual, entrepreneurial, and con- nected. They love to learn through experience, col- laboration, creating, and relationships. In other words, they are natural changemakers.

With all that in mind, leaders of the confirmation program at St. Mary Immaculate Parish in Plainfield have embarked on an innovative program this fall to teach some of their students about the power of mercy. The program – called The Empathy Project – will guide St. Mary’s Gen Z Confirmation students during the 2017/2018 school year as they learn how to deepen their understanding as missionary disciples while performing Works of Mercy.

I am familiar with the project because I am a mentor to the adult catechists, parish leaders and youths, guiding them in a methodology known as Design Thinking, a process which helps people become innovative thinkers and leads them to uncover crea- tive solutions that often brings about an improved future result. It is usually referred to as human- Confirmation students from the St. Mary Immaculate Parish’s Em- centered because the first step in the process is em- pathy Project, along with their adult mentors, take a break from a pathy. brainstorming session during a recent meeting. Empathy, of course, is when you are able to put your- self into someone’s else’s shoes, seeing their world from their eyes. Why is this concept particularly powerful in today’s world? First, it is not used very often, and, secondly, the corporate world uses it to achieve great results. Pepsi and Proctor and Gamble have used empathy, in general, and design thinking, in particular, to conceive of innovative and successful products.

But what purpose will all that serve to help confirmation students understand what’s involved in the Works of Mercy? De- sign Thinking works on the premise that you learn a lot through observation and asking questions, gaining insights into people’s pain points and problems; in other words, you make a great effort to look through the eyes of someone else through deep listening. Whatever creative opportunities exist — which aren’t seen or realized yet — can be uncovered through the power of empathy and the rest of the steps involved in the design thinking process, which include the follow- ing: define (the problem); ideation (brainstorming lots of potential solutions); prototyping (one or two solutions); and test- ing.

In years past, St. Mary has come up with the following suggestions for the youths’ Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy:

 Participate in food drives or serve a meal at the Daybreak Shelter (Feed the Hungry); Continued on page 12

Best Practices… continued from p. 12

Another common theme that emerged from the findings of the study was that we need to implement more faith for- mation opportunities for the parents of our students, since we lost two to three generations who did not learn the truths of their Catholic Faith when they were growing up, as Bishop Ricken mentioned. Let us all continue our efforts in revitalizing the Catholic identity of our institutions and in catechizing our young people in all the truth and beauty of our holy Catholic Faith! In this way, we can fulfill Our Lord's command to "Go and teach all nations," as well as lead all our brothers and sisters to the eternal joy, bliss, and love of Heaven for all eternity Dr. Linda Anderjek is Director of Religious Education at Sacred Heart, Lombard

The Newsletter of the Religious Education Office Page Leaven www.dioceseofjoliet.org/reo 11 Learn and Grow: Visit Our Cathedral

At right, Fr. Burke Masters talks with students from St. Mary’s in Paxton, who made the long journey to the Cathedral of St. Raymond in Joliet for a tour and learning session. What better way for students to learn about the larger church and to experience the impressive art and architecture of our diocesan home church. Religious Of course, any parish can make ar- Education Office rangements for a private tour, but our 16555 S Weber Rd diocesan Cathedral Days offer a Crest Hill, IL 60403 great opportunity for young people to 815-221-6100 interact with others from around the Fax # 815-838-2182 diocese while learning. This year, www. dioceseofjoliet.org/reo the Religious Education day is March

10th.

Tom Quinlan More information and registration Director forms will be available right after 815-221-6150 Christmas break. Watch your email [email protected] for more information.

Joyce Donahue Catechetical Associate Child & Adult Catechesis 815-221-6146 [email protected]

Denise Boisvert Consultant for Empathy Project…. Continued from p. 11 Early Childhood/Family 815-463-4292  Choose a family to buy a Christmas gift for during the parish’s Advent Giving Tree [email protected] project (Clothe the Naked);  Pray for God’s people to become involved with Habitat for Humanity, which builds Joan Gorski affordable homes for those who can’t afford them and provide items for a foster child Biblical Institute [email protected] in transition (Shelter the Homeless);  Visit people in the hospital (Visit the Sick) and those who are bereaved (Bury the Denise Klimas Dead); Consultant for Leadership [email protected]  Pray for the wisdom and courage to confront authentic wrongs when possible (Bear Wrongs Patiently).

Connie Smith Those are wonderful suggestions. However, the pilot project includes an added layer: Consultant for Rural Ministry many Gen Z youths want to use their intelligence and imaginations to impact the world [email protected] around them. By learning the Design Thinking process and harnessing the power of em- Madonna pathy, the teenagers will collaborate in teams, identifying issues of importance to them, Wojtaszek– Healy and then, because of how invested they will be in listening deeply to others, they will Consultant for Special Needs learn that being a missionary disciple includes the capacity to change the world through [email protected] their creative, imaginative and innovative solutions. Being merciful, then, becomes a personal and powerful testimony to the gifts and talents that God has blessed them with Karen Wojnarowski and the good they want to do for others. Administrative Secretary 815-221-6147 In addition, to teach youths not to be afraid to shout about their Works of Mercy “from [email protected] the rooftops,” St. Mary’s also applied for and won a grant from the Catholic Education Foundation to buy audio equipment for the youths to create podcasts so that they can chronicle their journeys as problem solvers and missionary disciples. This project, then, illustrates the New Evangelization in action.

Page The Newsletter of the Religious Education Office 12 Leaven www.dioceseofjoliet.org/reo