December 8, 2014, Volume VIII, Number 49
Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, Monday, December 8, 2014
St. Juan Diego, Tuesday, December 9, 2014
St. Damasus, Thursday, December11, 2014
Our Lady of Guadalupe, Friday, December12, 2014
St. Lucy, Saturday, December13, 2014
Question of the Week
For the ThirdSunday of Advent, December 14, 2014
“The spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me,because the LORD has anointed me...”Recall the times when you were anointed with holy oils in the name of God through the sacraments of the Church. Do you still feel the Spirit of our Lord within you? What will you do to become more aware of the presence of God in and around you every moment of the day?
Saint of the Day:St. Juan Diego
On July 31, 2002, in the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Pope John Paul II celebrated Juan Diego’s canonization. Juan Diego, a poor Indian peasant, became the Church’s first saint indigenous to the Americas. Our Holy Father called the new saint “a simple, humble Indian” who accepted Christianity without giving up his identity as an Indian. Members of Mexico’s 64 indigenous groups were among the thousands present.
Our Lady of Guadalupe first appeared to Juan Diego at Tepeyac hill on December 9, 1531. The most famous part of his story concerns the roses gathered in his tilma being transformed into the miraculous image of Our Lady. Later in life, he lived near the shrine constructed at Tepeyac, revered as a holy, unselfish and compassionate catechist who taught by word and especially by example.
Comment:God counted on Juan Diego to play a humble yet huge role in bringing the Good News to the peoples of Mexico. Overcoming his own fear and the doubts of Bishop Juan de Zumarraga, Juan Diego cooperated with God’s grace in showing his people that the Good News of Jesus is for everyone. Pope John Paul II used the occasion of this beatification to urge Mexican lay men and women to assume their responsibilities for passing on the Good News and witnessing to it.
NCCL News
Slates of Officer Candidates
NCCL is pleased to announce the two slates of officer candidates for this spring’s elections. They were approved during the November Rep Council meeting. We offer our thanks to each of these 8 people who are willing to use their time and talents to serve on NCCL's Board of Directors from May 2015 - May 2018. Voting will take place during the 2015 Annual Conference. Watch for more details on the candidates and voting process in the coming months.
Slates of Candidates:
Lorraine DeLuca, presidentKen Ogorek, president
Mike Wagner,vice presidentLibiá Paez Howard, vice president
Mary Fran Cassidy, secretaryEllie Nelson, secretary
Michele Harris, treasurerJayne Mondoy, treasurer
Fr. Berard Marthaler, a Catechetical Giant: Rest in Peace
Fr. Berard Marthaler, OFM Conv, died on Sunday, November 30 from natural causes. He was 87 years old. You can read about his long and distinguished career at this web address:
Berard was one of the giants of catechesis following its renewal at the Second Vatican Council although many people in catechesis will be unfamiliar with his work because he didn’t publish many popular books or get invited to speak at diocesan or national conferences often. One title that was well-known and read by thousands was, “The Creed: The Apostolic Faith in Contemporary Theology”.
Much of what Berard did was in the background, whether being the mentor and guide for countless CUA grad students or the many years he served as executive editor for The Living Light, the official catechetical journal for the USCCB Department of Education. It was in these two roles that Berard was most closely connected to NCCL.
Neil Parent, NCCL’s retired executive director,related that Berard “wanted The Living Light to be a way for NCCL to tell its story and draw attention to its mission.” Over the years The Living Light, the only professional catechetical journal ever published in the USA, told NCCL’s story and promoted its issues.
According to Parent, Berard was a source of information and support for NCCL. “He kept us informed on developments taking place in the national church. He ensured that we were keyed in on important happenings and encouraged us to advocate with the bishops on major issues. He was a great source of information and counsel. He also supported keeping NCCL independent, believing that independence was essential for the well-being and future of catechesis in the US. He did not believe that a single organization embracing multiple and diverse ministries would be beneficial to catechesis.”
In 1987 Berard was the first person to be awarded the NCCL Catechetical Award for his contribution to catechesis. Please say a prayer of thanksgiving for Fr. Berard (Lawrence) Marthaler and for the contributions he made to our ministry. May he rest in peace.
(Many thanks to Dan Mulhall,RCL Benziger’s Director of Professional Development and Hispanic Ministry who worked with Fr. Marthlar on The Living Light 1998-2005, for providing this information.)
Great Resources on Sale
Don’t forget to review the list of resources on sale now from NCCL. Many of these would be great Christmas gifts to staff, catechists, or yourself, or great additions to your parish library.
Download the list of books and order form from . Supplies are limited on some titles.
Benefit NCCL with your Amazon Christmas Shopping!
For just a few extra seconds of your time, NCCL can benefit from your Christmas shopping on Amazon.
Enter through the NCCL Bookstore to make ANY purchases on Amazon and NCCL will receive a donation from Amazon. NCCL’s Amazon Bookstore:
Here’s how:
1. On NCCL’s homepage, select NCCL Shopping, then click “NCCL Amazon Bookstore.”
2. Click on the provided link; it should open in a separate window.
3. Select a book to purchase and add it to your Shopping Cart. If you do not wish to purchase one of these books, click on any one and add it to your cart; you can delete it before checkout.
4. After adding a book to your Shopping Cart, click “Proceed to Checkout.” Then, click “Continue” to go to Amazon Checkout.
5. From that page, use the Amazon search bar to find the items you’re looking for. NCCL will now get credit for every purchase you make.
6. If you do not wish to purchase the firstbook that you placed in your Shopping Cart, you can now delete it at any time.
A percent of your purchase will be donated to NCCL.
The 2014 Annual Appeal is for: Technology at the service of Catechist Formation.
Quality catechist formation is a concern at every level of catechetical leadership from PCLs to DCLs to publishers and the USCCB. NCCL wants to develop a process for CLs to share their best practices, to help members learn from each other about what is effective in various settings, and to update some of the information (including theological language)and formatting of our Echoes 3.0 materials which are based on Echoes of Faith Plus. Please contribute generously!
Thanks to those who have already contributed:
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Sr. Rose Marie Adams
Leisa Anslinger
Sara Carey
Cathy Cornue
Lorraine DeLuca
Katie Dubas
Pam Fischer
Carol Ann Gaddis
John Gaffney
Ken Gleason
Marinell High
Justin Huyck
Dennis Johnson, Jr.
Josie Longoria
Elizabeth Marcil
Gary Pokorny
Bryan Reising
Peter Ries
Judy Snyder
Frank Zolvinski
CL Weekly, December8, 2014 Page 1
2015 Annual Conference & Exposition, May 18-21, Buffalo
2015 White Papers: Ministerial Applications of Evangelii Gaudium for the Domestic Church
Throughout the Exhortation there is a call to conversion and to joy in every aspect of a disciples’ life. This year’s White Papers will focus on how the ideas in Evangelii Gaudium might be applied to families – the domestic church – with “new ardour, methods or expression” that deepen their joy for their faith. We hope that everyone will start to reflect on this theme. The application form will be available in the near future.
Webinar: Eucharist – Food That Satisfies Our Deepest Hunger
Two-part Mini-retreat:
Tuesday, December 16, 1:00 pm EST
Tuesday, January 13, 1:00 pm EST
Explore the rich beauty of the Eucharist, both sacramentally and liturgically, with Tom Quinlan as he draws upon Scripture and stories from his personal journey of life-in-faith to help reveal the intimate and saving power of Jesus in the Eucharist. The goal of this retreat-style experience is two-fold: Invite you into reflection on your own life of journey and communion with God…and model for catechetical leaders, in a practical way, what can be done in parent First Eucharist prep sessions to foster conversion in them.
A Certificate of Attendance will be offered to all participants.
Register for this free, live webinar series:
Part One, Tuesday, December 16, 1:00 pm EST,
Part Two, Tuesday, January 13, 2015, 1:00 pm EST,
Tom Quinlan is the Director of the Religious Education Office in the Diocese of Joliet, Illinois. He is the Co-Chair of NCCL’s Evangelization Committee. Tom holds a Masters of Divinity from University of St. Mary of the Lake and has presented at national conferences and for dioceses on a variety of faith and ministry topics. His wife, Kristi, is a parish catechetical leader.
Follow SadlierReligion on YouTube to see recorded Webinars:
Daily On-line Advent Retreat
The Sisters of Saint Joseph, Third Order of St. Francis, developed their first on-line retreat which began on the first Sunday of Advent. Their retreat gives you a new spiritual gift to open each day of Advent. Click on the link below to read Sunday's Gospel and special reflection. We have been invite you to join them in their Advent prayer.
Survey on National Religious Education Week
Lori Dahlhoff, Executive Director of NCEA Religious Education Department, asks for your input on National Parish Religious Education Week. The feedback you provide will be vital in planning for the future. A development team of parish, diocesan, and national leaders from multiple ministry organizations is discerning what a national celebration highlighting parish catechesis might look like for 2015 and beyond. Your responses to the survey questions will help this team in its work. The questionnaire should take 2 to 7 minutes to complete.
A Familiar Scene… begin a new custom
This is a familiar scene these days. Why not begin a new custom?
When you see a car with a Christmas tree on top, just say this simple prayer:
God bless the home and all who will gather at that tree
and grant them joy and peace.
Thanks to Joyce Crider of Visual Dynamics Publishing for passing along this note.
Share the Good News with Digital Tools
You are invited to share the Good News with Digital Tools! Learn how via Digital Discipleship Boot Camp - Online Learning, February 3 – June 21, 2015. Register today!
Pope: Only A Humble, Childlike Heart Knows God
“Only those whose hearts are like the young” are able to receive the revelation of God, said Pope Francis during his Mass at Casa Santa Marta this week. Pope Francis said that through Christ’s prayer, he reveals to Christians the inner life He has. That revelation is given to “the humble of heart, the meek, who feel the need to pray, to open up to God, who feel poor; only he who goes forward with the first Beatitude: the poor in spirit.” The Holy Father said that those who do not do “this theology on their knees, humbly” will not understand anything. “Only with this poverty is one capable of receiving the revelation that the Father gives through Jesus,” the Pope said. Pope Francis called on Christians to follow Christ’s path of humility, meekness and poverty during the Advent season, “so that he can come to save us, to free us.”
Pope Francis' Prayer Intentions for December
The Holy Father's universal prayer intention for this month is:
“That the birth of the Redeemer may bring peace and hope to all people of good will”.
His intention for evangelization is:
“That parents may be true evangelizers, passing on to their children the precious gift of faith”.
Feedback/Comments on this issue of CL Weekly should be addressed to this week’s writer, Joanie McKeown, Interim Co-Administrator of NCCL:
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