Zeni Fox

Professor, Pastoral Theology,
Immaculate Conception Seminary, Seton Hall University



Varieties of Gifts, But the Same Spirit, Varieties of Ministries,
But the Same Lord (I Corinthians)




In the Church today, we have a renewed unfolding of this vision of ministry. Why is this so? What are the gifts of this moment? The challenges? We will explore answers to these questions, drawing on Scripture, Church documents (including Co-Workers in the Vineyard of the Lord) and the experience of lay and ordained leaders in the Diocese of Des Moines, and the church in the United States.


Thursday, October 19, 2006
9:00 AM - 3:00 PM
All Saint’s Parish Hall
216 All Saints Drive, Stuart, Iowa 50250

$25.00 per person, morning hospitality and lunch included

For more information: 515-237-5058
Email: formation@dmdiocese.org
Web: http://www.dmdiocese.org/
Then click “Faith Formation”



Zeni Fox workshop • registration form

Name:
First Last

Address: Street City State ZIP

Telephone: (______) (day) (______) (evening)


E-mail:

Parish:


¨ Register me for the October 19 workshop with author Zeni Fox @ $25.00 each

Send completed form and payment to:
Diocese of Des Moines, Faith Formation - Sherri
601 Grand Avenue, Des Moines, IA 50309

Ø Total Enclosed $__________

North American Forum on the Catechumenate Institute in Ankeny in July!

Focus on Initiation: "Concerning the Baptized" RCIA resource days Co-sponsored with North American Forum on the Catechumenate and The Diocese of Des Moines, IA. Thursday-Saturday, July 20-22, 2006. Meeting Facility...Our Lady's Immaculate Heart Parish, 510 East First Street, Ankeny, IA 50021, 515/964-3038
Concerning all the baptized adults we welcome-
the Catholics preparing for confirmation,
the fellow Christians to be received into the Catholic communion,
the adults baptized but never formed as Christians-
Are they similar to the Catechumens, or different? Are their journeys to the Eucharist all the same?
Information and brochures...Department of Faith Formation, Diocese of Des Moines, 601 Grand Ave., Des Moines, IA 50309, www.dmdiocese.org then "Faith Formation" or formation@dmdiocese.org or 515/237-5058.

EDUCATIONAL CONSULTANT NEEDED FOR IRMS

Iowa Religious Media Services is seeking qualified applicants for the position of Educational Consultant. IRMS is an Iowa-based ecumenical resource center providing access for its members to a collection with over 7500 titles in an assortment of media. The Educational Consultant performs a variety of duties including public relations and promotions, consultation with a multi-denominational client base regarding their resource needs, oversight of the screening and purchasing of new additions to the collection, and the maintenance of the IRMS web site as well as other I-T functions. A more detailed position description may be downloaded from this link. Salary is commensurate with experience.To learn more about this position and to apply, go to www.irms.org and click on the link under Employment Opportunity.

Sr. Diana Ortiz at Drake; St. Catherine's!

Speaking Truth to Power: Confronting the Role of the
U.S. in Supporting Acts of Torture Around the Globe - Sr. Dianna Ortiz, OSU
Saturday, May 6, 2006
10am- 12 noon
St. Catherine of Siena Catholic Student Center
Drake Newman Community
1150 28th St.
Des Moines, Iowa
515-271-4747
After making her final vows as an Ursuline nun, Sister Dianna Ortiz became a missionary in Guatemala in 1987 and dedicated herself to teaching the Mayan children of San Miguel Acatan. This simple decision would place Dianna in the heart of unforeseen and incredible danger and alter the course of her life.
In Guatemala, while working with people who had been victimized by one of the most oppressive regimes of Latin America, she received warning to stop her work and to leave the country. She did not heed the warning. As a result, on November 2, 1989, she was abducted and forced to endure unspeakable horrors of torture. While under torture Sr. Dianna made a promise to those whose screams of pain she heard: "If I survive, I will never forget you. I will tell the world what I have seen and heard."
Despite grave personal suffering, Sr. Dianna did not succumb to her daily nightmares and flashbacks. Neither did she forsake the vow she had made in solidarity with the thousands of innocent Mayans and other Guatemalans who had suffered torture and murder. She has confronted her ordeal by speaking out against torture and seeking the truth about the extent of torture and murder, its perpetrators and the role of governments, both of Guatemala and the United States, by filing lawsuits, giving interviews, and testifying at length before investigators of multiple United States government agencies. In 2002, her courage and determination resulted in the publication of her memoir, _The Blindfold's Eyes: My Journey from Torture to Truth_. This enormously difficult task required reliving her nightmares to detail the shattering effects of torture on her life, and the lives of other victims, her long slow journey towards healing, and her efforts to bring her perpetrators to justice, while the governments of Guatemala and the United States sought to protect them.

Workshop at St. Joseph Educational Center Next Weekend!

Program on Sacramental Healing
Saturday, April 29th
The St Joseph's Educational Center is pleased to present Fr. Bruce Morrill, S.J., of Boston College, on Saturday, April 29th, in the media center (library) of Dowling Catholic High School, 1400 Buffalo Road, West Des Moines. Fr. Morrill will be giving five, one-hour lectures on "Divine Worship and Human Healing.' The lectures begin at 9:00 a.m. There is a break for lunch (noon to 1:30), and the lectures resume from 1:30-3:30 p.m. The public is welcome to attend any or all of the lectures. Lunch is not provided. It is not necessary to pre-register; simply show up the day of the lectures. There is a suggested donation of $20, but no one will be turned away.

The gospels portray Jesus as a teacher and healer, two crucial activities entwined in his prophetic mission. Empowered by the Spirit of the Risen Christ, the Church continues the mission of glorifying God by witnessing to the paschal mystery revealed in the life-stories of human brokenness and healing-the very heart of the Christian liturgy. Divine Worship and Human Healing theologically unfolds how the people's pastoral-liturgical work of healing and reconciliation discloses God's love and mercy amidst the community of faith. Engaging such concerns as forgiveness, illness, grieving, and death, the class explores the type of knowledge about God and the human condition that emerges in practicing the Rite of Penance, Pastoral Care of the Sick, and Order of Christian Funerals.

Triduum and Easter Blessings

Praying that you, your families and your faith communities know the blessings of God in real and profound ways this season. As a friend and colleague of mine in Madison, Wisconsin said in an email today, "Let us claim the resurrection!"

Blessings
Cheryl

You're Invited!

You are invited to participate in an Easter retreat day, "Many gifts, but the same Spirit." Sponsored by the Diocese, this retreat day is especially for people engaged in pastoral ministries and leadership with their parish communities.

The retreat day will be held Saturday, April 29, at Creighton Retreat Center, near Griswold. There will be hospitality from 8:30 a.m., opening prayer at 9:30 a.m., and the day will conclude by 3:00 p.m.

The retreat day will be led by Marie Hilton, director of liturgical ministry and formation at Creighton University, Originally from Shenandoah, Marie was pastoral minister at Queen of Apostles parish, Council Bluffs, before joining the campus ministry staff at Creighton.

Pre register by April 21, by email (formation@dmdiocese.org) or by telephone (515/237-5058). There is no fee for the retreat day; a donation for lunch will be accepted.

A flyer about the retreat day is available on the diocesan web site: Go to www.dmdiocese.org, then click "Faith Formation." For more information, contact the Office of Lay Ministry Formation (515/237-5058).

St. John's Bible Presentation in Ankeny!

Sunday, March 5, 6:00pm in the Banquet Room at Our Lady’s Immaculate Heart Church in Ankeny we will be exploring the Illuminated Bible, the first handwritten Bible in 500 years. Brian Woods from Liturgical Press will be here to give a presentation and we will have on hand a full size reproduction of Gospels and Acts and some of the Illuminations from the Pentateuch. The Bible is written in beautiful calligraphy and wonderfully illustrated. Contact Amy Hoover at 964-3038, amy@olih.org for more information.

ILLUMINATING THE WORD

An exhibition of the illuminated Bible
now through Easter Sunday, April 16
at the Joslyn Art Museum, Omaha


Since March 2000, scribes and artists in Wales have been meticulously handcrafting The Saint John’s Bible, the first illuminated Bible commissioned since the advent of the printing press more than 500 years ago. Commissioned by Saint John’s University and Abbey, Collegeville, Minnesota, and under the artistic direction of Donald Jackson, one of the world’s foremost calligraphers, the Saint John’s Bible and this exhibition offer a glimpse at the process of incorporating ancient art forms with modern techniques in a celebration of the traditional arts
of bookmaking and modern science and sensibility.

While the manuscript is still in progress, this exhibition gives a revealing glimpse of the tremendous undertaking and celebrates book, art, and scripture. Illuminating the Word features nearly 100 pages from the first three finished volumes (Gospels and Acts, Pentateuch, and Psalms) of The Saint John’s Bible. The pages selected for the exhibition display the exquisite contemporary renderings and medieval craftsmanship of this project, scheduled for completion in 2007. Additional items in the exhibition are Jackson’s process sketches, tools from his scriptorium in Wales, as well as other manuscripts, Bibles, and art from special collections at Saint John’s University.

Admission to Illuminating the Word: The Saint John’s Bible is included in general Joslyn Museum admission. Groups of 10 or more with reservations receive a discount of more than 20%. All school groups with reservations are free. Call (402) 342-3300 ext. 206 or e-mail groupsales@joslyn.org.

General Museum admission: $7 Adults, $5 Senior citizens (62+) and college students (with ID),
$4 Youth (5-17), Free children four and younger and Joslyn members.
Free admission on Saturdays from 10 am to noon

Hours: Tuesday through Saturday, 10 am-4 pm; Sunday, noon- 4 pm;

closed Mondays.

Guided tours: Docent-led public tours of the exhibition, free with admission, are offered on the following dates:
Wednesdays (Jan. 25; Feb. 1, 15; Mar. 1, 15, 29; Apr. 12) and Saturdays (Jan. 28; Feb. 11, 25; Mar. 11, 25; Apr. 8).
Tours meet in the atrium just prior to 1:00 PM.

Extensive resource materials are available for congregations, catechists, schools, groups:

Teacher packets: Contact the Joslyn Museum: 402/342-3300, extension 250
DVDs and videotapes: available through IRMS, 515/277-2920 or www.irms.org
Materials online: www.saintjohnsbible.org or www.joslyn.org/index.html

Stations of the Cross Resource from Joann Kimmel

At the last CLADD East gathering, Joann Kimmel mentioned a resource that she wanted to share. The link for the Stations of the Cross and Gifts of the Spirit she was speaking about is www.cornerstonemedia.org. (This is the same group that Anna Scally works with...see the previous posting about Anna)

IRMS Celebrations in April and August

This year marks the 20th anniversary of Iowa Religious Media Services, the ecumenical media resource that serves many of the main line Protestant denominations in the state of Iowa as well as the Catholic Diocese of Des Moines. April 30, 2006 there will be a re-covenanting service, whereby the congregations and denominations who partner to create IRMS will commit again to this ecumenical project.

On August 26th there will be another opportunity to celebrate as IRMS presents a formational opportunity with appeal to everyone who serves the ministry of faith formation. More information will be available on the IRMS website soon. Please visit www.irms.org for additional information.

Lenten Resources

Here are two resources for individuals, parishes and groups in the season of Lent. Both provide a good process for faith sharing and prayer by groups large or small; both are simple to use and inexpensive. An added advantage: both are built around the Sunday lectionary's readings for Lent, cycle B.

1. Annual Lenten issue of Today's Parish magazine. This year's Lenten issue is called “Renewing Our Covenant with God.” The sections include one focused on Ash Wednesday, one for each of the six Sundays of Lent, and an introduction to Triduum. (In addition, reflections based upon the lectionary cycle A readings for Sundays 3, 4, and 5-used when the scrutiny rites for the Elect are celebrated-are also provided.)
This annual Lenten issue by Today's Parish is widely used and 'user friendly.' It can be utilized by an individual or a small group. It can even be the framework for one or more large group session/ soup supper during Lent.
Cost: less than 100 copies, $2.49 each; 100-250 copies, $2.29 each.
For a free sample or to order, contact Twenty-third Publications-
email ttpuvs@aol.com
web www.twentythirdpublications.com
FAX 800/572-0788
phone 800/321-0411

2. Weekly group resource written by Fr. John Ludwig (St. John Parish, Norwalk). This process is intended for small-group use during the season of Lent. The materials include a weekly direction for the group convener or leader; a sign up form for distribution; the weekly Sunday lectionary's readings for cycle B; reflection questions and prayer materials for the group session. It can be utilized by a small group and can even be the framework for one or more large group session/soup supper during Lent.

Cost: available free of charge to parishes and staffs.
Sent electronically (31-page WORD document) as E-mail attachment.
To receive the file, send an E-mail request to: cfournier@dmdiocese.org or
Father Ludwig

North American Forum on the Catechumenate Opportunity

Thursday-Saturday, July 20-22, 2006

“Concerning the Baptized”

A Christian initiation institute
with North American Forum on the Catechumenate

Concerning all the baptized adults we welcome—
§ the Catholics preparing for confirmation,
§ the fellow Christians to be received into the Catholic communion,
§ the adults baptized but never formed as Christians—

Are they similar to the Catechumens, or different?

Are their journeys to the Eucharist all the same?


— Information and brochures —
Department of Faith Formation • Diocese of Des Moines • 601 Grand Ave., Des Moines, IA 50309
http://www.dmdiocese.org/, then “Faith Formation” • formation@dmdiocese.org • 515/237-5058

Sr. Donna Steffen here in March!

For RCIA Coordinators, Catechists, Sponsors & Teams —
“Discerning Disciples”

An afternoon workshop with Sr. Donna Steffen, S.C.
Author of Discerning Disciples: Listening for God’s Voice in Christian Initiation

Sunday, March 19, 2006 • 1:00 – 5:00 PM
St. Mary of Nazareth Parish Center, DM
Registration fee $15

Sr. Donna Steffen, S.C. is an educator and spiritual director in Cincinnati and a member of the North American Forum on the Catechumenate. She has been a director and consultant for Christian initiation on a parish, diocesan, and national level.

Christian Initiation presentation with Gerard Ausitn, O.P

Christian Initiation - Fr. Gerard Austin, O.P.
Saturday, February 4, 2006
9am-12 noon
Dowling Catholic
High School Media Center

($20 suggested donation but no one will be turned away)

The sacraments of Christian initiation whereby one becomes a Christian - baptism, confirmation, and first communion - have undergone significant changes throughout the Church's history.We will begin by examining the roots of Christian initiatory practice in the Hebrew Scriptures and the New Testament and the unified rite of the early Church, including the catechumenate and the question of infant baptism.
The unified rite of the early Church, however, suffered disintegration: communion was separated from initiation, the interval between birth and baptism was significantly shortened, and the interval between baptism and confirmation dramatically increased.
The liturgical reforms of the twentieth century renewed the catechumenate as the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA), but questions remain concerning the sacrament of confirmation, the present attempt at "Restored Order," and what role the eucharist will play in future developments in Christian initiation.

Fr. Gerard Austin, a priest of the Order of Preachers (Dominicans), holds a doctorate in liturgical studies from l'Institut Catholique de Paris. He teaches at The Rice School for Pastoral Ministry in the Diocese of Venice in Florida. Previously he taught for thirty years at The Catholic University of America. Fr. Austin is a past president of the North American Academy of Liturgy and the 2002 recipient of the University of Notre Dame's Michael Mathis Award. He is the author of Anointed with the Spirit: The Rite of Confirmation (Liturgical Press/Pueblo Books, 1986), and editor of Fountain of Life: NPM Studies in Liturgy and Church Music (Pastoral Press, 1991), as well as numerous book chapters and articles concerning the sacraments of initiation and ministry.

Information regarding Anna Scally

At the most recent CLADD meeting in Urbandale, folks were asking about good Catholic media for youth. I mentioned dj and speaker, Anna Scally. Here is the information you were asking about that day!





Anna Scally is the President of Cornerstone Media, Inc., in Santa Rosa, California. Anna is an inspiring workshop and youth rally speaker, youth ministry training consultant, and a disc jockey.
She is a columnist for Cornerstone Media’s Top Music Countdown quarterly poster, and also the host for the audio show Burning Issues, dealing with relevant youth topics. She was M.C. of the catechetical sessions for 77,000 young people at Mile High Stadium in Denver for World Youth Day.


Cornerstone Media, Inc. P.O. Box 6236Santa Rosa, CA 95406, USA

Phone: (707) 542-8273Fax: (707) 542-8278Email: cormedia@aol.com

Fr. Ron Rolheiser here in April!

We are pleased to be able to welcome author, spiritual director and internationally known speaker Fr. Ron Rolheiser to the Gateway Center in Ames, Iowa April 2-3, 2006. This event is being cosponsored by the 4 Iowa Dioceses. The conference title is The Community of Disciples in a Complex Time. More information is available by following the link http://www.dmdiocese.org/files/documents/468_brochure%20dm.pdf .

We on the diocesan faith formation staff believe Fr. Rolheiser's presentation will challenge and encourage each of us on our personal journey and all of us on our collective journey. Please consider adding this event to your THINGS TO DO THIS LENT list!

Retreat Opportunity with author, Kathy Coffey

Kathy Coffey, mother of four, author, presenter, retreat leader will join us for the annual retreat for Catechetical Leaders (and others) looking for God in the midst of winter’s sometimes barren days. Kathy will share with us her wit and wisdom, humor and humanity, sensitivities to the spirit and sense of the sacred in all of life’s moments.

Her many printed works include:
Immersed in the Sacred: Discovering the “Small S” Sacraments; Hidden Women of the Gospels; God in the Moment: Making Everyday a Prayer; Women of Mercy; and Experiencing God With Your Children

Proposed Schedule

Thursday, February 9

9:30 am Gather
10:00 am Session One
Noon Lunch
1:00 pm Session Two
6:00 pm Dinner
7:30 pm CLADD Meeting and Social

Friday, February 10

8:00 am Breakfast
9:00 am Session Three
Noon Closing Prayer

The retreat will include time for input as well as time for personal reflection.

Room reservations are the responsibility of each participant. Please contact the Hotel Pattee and be sure to mention the Diocese of Des Moines.

Room charge is $119.00 + tax
Hotel Pattee
1112 Willis Avenue
Perry, Iowa 50220
www.hotelpattee.com
1.888.424.4286 or
1.515.465.6511

Cost for the retreat, including food, materials and social is $60.00 per person.

Registration fee increases $10.00
February 1, 2006

Contact Sherri Simmer, secretary for Faith Formation to obtain a registration form at ssimmer@dmdiocese.org or 515.237.5058.

The Chronicals of Narnia

(A colleague of mine in another Diocese created this synopsis and the questions for discussion; I post them here for your reflection and use)

THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA: THE LION, THE WITCH, AND THE WARDROBE

“Contemporary Communications media do not merely transmit information, they generate visual, audible, emotional, and in some cases, entirely virtual experiences for individuals and communities. Well-planned catechesis must employ these media so that the message of Jesus Christ can be effectively communicated in the real circumstances and culture of those who seek him.” National Directory for Catechesis, p. 287

On December 9, 2005, Disney will release The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe. For many this will provide an opportunity to revisit an enchanting story that they read as children or adults, but for many others it will be their first time visiting the world of Narnia. The Christian author of this eight book series is C.S. Lewis. Those who have read the series know that the books touched the depths of their lives, helped them to learn about good and evil, and develop new insights about the power and meaning of salvation.

Through imaginative stories, C.S. Lewis, with his knowledge of Jesus Christ and the biblical imagination, helps people to grow in their understanding of many truths found in the scriptures. The Chronicles of Narnia will help children and adults grow in their understanding of some of the great theological and spiritual truths of our Catholic faith.

The Chronicles of Narnia are about the adventures of Edmund and Lucy, and their coming to know Aslan the lion. In The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, C.S. Lewis wrote: “In reality however he (Aslan) is an invention giving an imaginary answer to the question, ‘What might Christ become like, if there were a world like Narnia and He chose to be incarnate and die and rise again in that world as He has done in ours.” C.S. Lewis in A Letter to A Friend.

The story begins when Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy tumble into the land of Narnia through a mysterious wardrobe, into a world of talking beasts, dwarfs and other wonderful creatures. The children discover that Narnia is in bondage, held captive by the evil White Witch, who made it winter all the time. There were prophecies about the end of the Witch’s reign when Aslan the great Lion, Son of the Emperor-Beyond the Sea, would return to Narnia. Upon reading, a story in a story is discovered for the story is really about the Gospel and our salvation. It’s a story of a personal salvation, sacrifice, redemption, restoration, and reconciliation. The story also shows the power of sin and its consequences, and how important it is to have a reverence of God.

There are many spiritual treasures to be discovered in reading the book, viewing the movie, and having family or small group discussions. The movie is a great opportunity to help families and parishioner use the media in a positive way to discover spiritual truths and ways to grow in their Catholic faith.

____________________________________________________________________
Discussion questions for: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe

What did you like best about the film or book?

How does the film or book relate to your own experiences of good and evil?
What stories of scripture does this story relate to?

Do some of the characters in the movie relate to Biblical characters? Who and why?

Have you had experiences that mean more than meet the eye, where the truth is discovered in the meaning and not the facts?

What are the consequences of sin, or how would you define sin and its effects in the Christian community?

Which aspect of the story relates to your experience of good and evil?

Which character in the story do you like best and why?

Why is it difficult for people to admit wrong? What would happen if people could be open about their mistakes and not hide them?

Sacrifice means doing something for another and not expecting something in return. We often sacrifice for others in our daily lives. What are some examples of how people sacrifice for others? What are some of the fruits of sacrifice?

Trust and obedience are key aspects of faith. How does God ask us to do things we don’t want to do, and what are the implications of such actions?

What religious truths have you discovered for your own life in this story, and how will it impact your actions and behavior?

___________________________________________________________________
The following resources can help parents and parishes discover some of the spiritual truths of The Chronicles of Narnia:

▪ A Guide to Narnia: 100 Questions About the Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, Ascension Press, http://www.ascentionpress.com/.

▪ A Family Guide to Narnia: Biblical Truths in C.S. Lewis’s The Chronicle of Narnia. Christin Ditchfield, Crossway Books, 1300 Crescent Street, Wheaton, IL 60817.

Just a reminder that the documentary concerning the St. John's Bible project will air tonight on IPTV at 8:00 p.m.