International Eucharistic Congress

The 50th International Eucharistic Congress is being held in Ireland beginning this Sunday on the Feast of the Body and Blood of Christ.  The website has many good resources for the event and for our pondering and reflection as well.  I recall watching some of the proceedings from last year's congress and found it to be inspiring and insightful.  Here is the link should you be interested.

http://www.iec2012.ie/index.jsp?p=108&n=145

A Note from the North American Forum on the Catechumenate

Making Christian Initiation Rural and Small-Town Friendly

with

Michael Clay

Wednesday - May 30 - 2012

7 pm GMT (UTC), 3:30 pm Nfld, 3 pm AT, 2 pm ET,

 1 pm CT, 12 noon MT, 11 am PT, 9 am HAST

(1 hour long live webcast)

Some ministers know Christian initiation very well but struggle to make it work in the rural and small-town setting.  Others know rural and small-town life well but struggle to implement Christian initiation in a way that is faithful to the ritual text.  This webinar will bring Christian initiation and rural/small-town ministry into a dialogue so the participants may become more confident in their efforts to apprentice others into the Faith in the rural or small-town parish.  

Msgr. Clay is a pastor in the Diocese of Raleigh, NC.  He has served the Church in parochial, diocesan and national ministry.  He received his doctorate from The Catholic University of America in liturgical studies and focused on the adaptation of the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults in the rural and small-town setting.  He has presented workshops in over 70 dioceses in the United States and Canada on the pastoral implementation of the Catechumenate and is the author of A Harvest for God:  Christian Initiation in the Rural and Small-Town Parish, published by Liturgy Training Publications.

Click here to register with PayPal online

(or by FAX: 202-884-9747)

Program fee: $25 USD in advance for 1 registration. $10 for each additional person if listening/watching from the same computer.  Please list additional participants on the registration form or attachment.  Registration closes May 29 for mailed, online and faxed submissions.  Important and necessary additional Webinar registration/login information will only be sent to the primary participant.  Important - primary email contact is used on the webinar day to logon, not secondary participants.  Be mindful of the time zone you are in relative to the N America Eastern Time Zone.

To view PowerPoint and listen to the webinar, you will need a computer (PC or MAC) with an internet connection and speakers and/or headphones.  Please remember to disable screen savers and power-down options to avoid missing any of the presentation.  You may use a phoneif you only wish to listen. A number will be provided but long distance charges may apply.  Complete connection instructions will be sent after we receive your registration.   If you have questions please call Forum at (202) 884-9758 or email online@naforum.org.

Click here to register with PayPal online

(or by FAX: 202-884-9747)

Online registration with PayPal is now available through the NAForum web site.  Checks, credit card or PayPal payment required by May 29

Paulist Evangelization Ministries Presents:

Stupmed about Evangelization Teams?

Forming Teams for the New Evangelization

Thursday, 31 May 2012 at 3:00 pm ET

Online for free!

Are you stumped about how to get started?

Are you unsure about the next steps?

Do you need others to help you out? 

With this free online webinar, Fr. Frank DeSiano, CSP, president of Paulist Evangelization Ministries and a long-time practitioner of evangelization techniques, will give a webinar on forming evangelization teams.  The webinar will cover some fundamental steps in inviting people onto a team, initial steps in the team's formation, and the process of undertaking evangelization efforts.  Many parishes seem stumped when it comes to evangelization teams; Fr. DeSiano's webinar will help with many of the basic issues that surround creating evangelization teams.  Registration is free. Follow the link below!

http://www.myeventpartner.com/AccountManager/RegEv.aspx?PIID=EA57DF87844A

An on-line learning opportunity for RCIA coordinators and catechists from Paulist Evangelization Ministries

Based on his book Why Not Consider Becoming Catholic?, Fr. Frank DeSiano, President of Paulist Evangelization Ministries, offers four presentations of 40 minutes each and invites participants to join in conversation that will help us speak about faith in a way that contemporary seekers can understand and find appealing.  Course runs online from February 20 to March 18, 2012.  Participate at your convenience, 24/7. Save 50% with groups of three or more.  Learn more and register at www.pemdc.org/considerbecomingcatholic.aspx.

AWAKENING...FROM PAULIST EVANGELIZATION MINISTRIES

If you have difficulty viewing this message, please click here.

FOR THE NEW EVANGELIZATION!

Lent is coming...Let's Reach Out!!!

Parishes across the United States talk about the effectiveness of  Awakening Faith: Reconecting with your Catholic Faith for helping Catholics awaken a faith that is deep in their hearts.  We know that many Catholics do not practice regularly—not because they have no faith,  but because of a lack of priorities. You can invite and challenge these Catholics to reconnect with their  faith through Awakening Faith, an easy-to-use, inexpensive, discussion-based program used in thousands of parishes. Learn more. Order your materials today. CLICK THE LINK FOR MORE INFORMATION! http://www.pemdc.org/programs/awakeningfaith.aspx

Webinar Series from Ave Maria Press

This is a free offering that might appeal to you as we move closer to Lent. 
I have participated in the webinars offered by Ave Maria Press in the past and I have found them to be beneficial.  They generally last an hour and are true to the timing.

Hete is the basic information:  to register  click the button below!

In partnership with the National Association for Lay Ministry,   Ave Maria Press is pleased to present this FREE Webinar:      Bringing Lent Home with Mother Teresa Blessed Teresa of Calcutta, Nobel Peace Prize recipient and hero of the "poorest of the poor" has much to teach modern-day families, especially during the season of Lent. Join bestselling author, award-winning journalist, and EWTN television host, Donna-Marie Cooper O'Boyle, for a look at how her new booklet Bringing Lent Home with Mother Teresa equips families with the holy tools to together progress on their spiritual journeys while forging a blessed bond in the heart of the home. This is a must-attend webinar for parish ministers who are looking for new ways to reach families during the busy season of Lent. Donna Marie Cooper O'Boyle For a full schedule of presentations in the Ave Maria Press Professional Development Webinar series click here

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Father Ron Rolheiser to return to Iowa!

Save the Date!

Father Ronald Rolheiser, OMI

Living the Ups and Downs

           of our Faith:

Dark Nights and Doubt,

A Failure of Faith or

A Failure of Imagination?

Saturday, April 14, 2012
9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Location: TBA

More information will be coming from your diocesan office soon!

Co-sponsored by the Archdiocese of Dubuque and the
Dioceses of Davenport and Des Moines

Coming Home: Writing From the Soul

AN EARLY SPRING RETREAT FOR WOMEN

March 3-6, 2011


West Des Moines, Iowa - Hamilton's on Westown Parkway

Imagine gathering in a safe, quiet space with a group of vibrant women who have come to tend their souls with creative ritual, songs, dialogue and words. You will share your weekend with others who experience writing as an entrance to the deeper self. Take time to relax, reflect, and rejuvenate through greater discovery and celebration of your direction and purpose in life.

Joyce Rupp offers her extensive experience of spiritual growth through creative ritual and reflective conferences.  Mary Kay Shanley brings her respected skills of teaching at the University of Iowa Summer Writing Festival and other national writing workshops to lead the group through inventive processes that develop and hone writing abilities.
 
Total Fee:  $300 (includes snacks, beverages, 2 lunches, Saturday Evening dinner)
                    $50 payable with reservation assures your place at the retreat
                  $250 balance due by February 11, 2011
 
For more imformation email Mary Kay at mks@marykayshanley.com or call (515) 225-8425

Institute of Compassionate Presence Series to Begin!

The Institute of Compassionate Presence sponsored by the Servites (Sisters of Mary) will begin its 2011 series in April.  The purpose of the series is to "deepen the living of compassion in one's personal and professional life."

The ICP meets on the second Friday of the months from April through November; starting on April 8th.  Each day begins at 9:30 am and concludes at 3:30 pm.  The sessions are held at the Servite Center of Compassion in Omaha, NE.

Cost for the entire program in $500; a non-refundable deposit of $150 is due by March 1, 2011.  An early bird discount of $50 is available for those who register by February 1, 2011.

The program coordinators are Joyce Rupp, OSM and Mararet Stratman, OSM. 

For more information, contact Sr. Margaret Stratman, OSM at (402) 951-3026 or by email at scc@osms.org.  More details about the ICP can be found at http://www.osms.org/

Digital Catechesis?!

As the season of Advent winds down and we move more directly toward Christmas, I simply wanted to share a link to the The Digital Story of the Nativity  .  This is a creative representation of the Christmas story.  I hope you who are "digitally initiated" will find this intriguing and perhaps spur your reflection on the meaning of the Nativity anew!

Blessings!

ADVENT RESOURCES

Advent, the beginning of the new Church year will be here before we know it.  The Evangelization and Adult Faith Formation page of the Diocesan Website lists two very good resources for celebrating Advent and preparing for Christmas.  ( http://www.dmdiocese.org/evangelization-and-adult-faith-formation.cfm )

I would like to also draw your attention to the Center for Ministry Development website which is providing free resources linked to the Scriptures for each Sunday of Advent.  Here is the link.  http://www.fashioningfaith.org/index.php?option=com_ambrasubs&view=categories&categoryid=976&Itemid=131 

I do believe you will find these resources easy to use.

Roman Missal Coming in Advent, 2011

The Third Edition of the Roman Missal will replace the current Missal on November 27, 2011.  For more information about the Missal, please consult the Worship Office pages of the Diocese of Des Moines website (http://www.dmdiocese.org/) as well as the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops website (http://www.usccb.org/)

Fr. Robert Baron....WORD ON FIRE....now on WGN AMERICA!

Season Three to Begin!

On a Journey Together

Living in Christ is the title for the third season of our process of evangelization and renewal in the diocese of Des Moines. Parishes will be beginning this season within the next month or so. If you have not yet participated and are interested in doing so, please contact your local parish. If you have been an active participant, contact your Core Team for information about the first large group and the schedule for the small faith sharing groups.




If you need to order materials, please contact Sherri Simmer, the administrative secretary for the Department of Evangelization and Catechesis at ssimmer@dmdiocese.org or (515)237-5058.

For more information, please feel free to contact Dr. Cheryl Fournier, director of Evangelization and Adult Faith Formation at cfournier@dmdiocese.org or (515)237-5006.

Dr. Ed Hahnenberg to Speak in Ames in March

Dr. Ed Hahnenberg, Ph.D


You may not know the name, but the person is well worth hearing!

Dr. Edward Hahnenberg, associate professor of theology at Xavier University in Cincinnati, Ohio will be the presenter at the All-Iowa Faith Formation Conference to be held at the Gateway Center in Ames, March 14-15.

Dr. Hahnenberg has published many articles in various magazines and journals and also to his credit are two fine books, A Concise Guide to the Documents of Vatican Council II and Ministries: A Relational Approach.

Dr. Hahnenberg’s topic for the March conference is Ministries at the Margins: The Call to Serve Christ’s Mission. He will be addressing the cultural reality in which we minister and serve the Church today. In commenting on the presentations for his time with us in March, Dr. Hahnenberg has stated, “This time demands a new look at strategies that will adequately equip the minister for service to the people of God and also a renewed sense of spirituality that will sustain the minister and the ministry as we move forward.”

Plan now to join us in March!
Registration information is available at http://www.iowafaithformation.org/

Paulist National Catholic Evangelization E-Learning Opportunities

The Paulist National Catholic Evangelization AssociationWashington, DC
You don't have to travel to hear from the experts! You don't need to set aside large blocks of time to join in discussions and meetings with students from all over the U.S.!
With PNCEA's Paulist Evangelization Training Institute, online courses on parish-based evangelization bring presentations from experts on reaching out to seekers & inactive Catholics and on sharing your faith with others. Presentations and discussions are open 24/7 and the time for joining in is at your convenience, day or night.
Click to register now for coursesthat begin on January 25, 2010!

30th Anniversary of Pope John Paul II Visit to Des Moines

What God Has Given and Human Hands Have Made

On Friday, October 2 and Saturday, October 3rd we will celebrate the 30th anniverary of Pope John Paul's historic visit to Des Moines.

Three organizations- the Diocese of Des Moines, Living History Farms and the National Catholic Rural Life Conference-are sponsoring a commemoration of the Holy Father's visit, to express our gratitude and to explore agriculture, feeding the world, environmental ethics, and spirituality.

For more information about the symposium, please consult the diocesan website at http://www.dmdiocese.org/

On a Journey Together Blog Launched

On a Journey Together:

A Process of Evangelization

and Renewal in the

Diocese of Des Moines

http://onajourneytogether.blogspot.com/

The Blog for the Evangelization and Renewal process in the Diocese of Des Moines is up and running. You can find it at the address listed above. Please feel free to share the blog address with your communities and the groups who might be interested in pursuing on-line conversation about the process.

Fall Creighton Course Announced...Introduction to Christian Ethics

The Diocese of Des Moines in partnership with Creighton University are co-sponsoring

Introduction to Christian Ethics


Dates: Friday, August 28, 2009 Registration 5:00– 6:00 pm
First session follows, 6:00—9:00 pm

Six Saturdays, 9:00 am to 3:30 pm:
August 29, September 19, October 10
October 24, November 21, December 12
Location: All Saints Parish Center, Stuart, Iowa

Instructor

Todd Salzman, Ph.D., is professor of Christian ethics and Chair of the Theology Department at Creighton University. He completed his doctorate at the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Belgium, in 1994 and has been teaching at Creighton University since 1997. He has published five books on fundamental moral theology, marriage, and sexual ethics, including his most recent book, The Sexual
Person: Towards a Renewed Catholic Anthropology (Georgetown University Press, 2008, co-authored with Michael Lawler) and over 35 scholarly articles.

Learning from a distance in your own home!

The Virtual Learning Community for Faith Formation through the University of Dayton offers adults the opportunity to learn more about their Catholic faith in the comfort of their own homes by way of the internet. Each course is limited to fourteen participants so that there is a sense of community among the learners as they embark on a five-week experience of learning, reflecting, sharing and responding to questions designed to reinforce the readings, discussion boards and exercises that are required for successful completion of the course.

The Diocese of Des Moines is a “partner diocese” which means that the per course cost is reduced from $90.00 to $40.00 for people within the diocese. Additional costs may be required for texts for each course (usually no more than $20.00).

For a list of courses being offered from May 24 through June 27, please visit the Virtual Learning Community for Faith Formation website at http://vlc.udayton.edu/ , or contact Cheryl Fournier in the Office of Adult Faith Formation at 515-237-5006 or by email at cfournier@dmdiocese.org.