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Do you know the seven spiritual works
of mercy?
If you said no, you can get the answer
by attending the "Why Catholic?" program September 13 and
20. Contact the
Parish Office for more
information.
What is the "Why
Catholic?" program?
The
Diocese of Jefferson City is promoting a program called Why
Catholic? Information sessions for Why Catholic? will kick
off this fall, but just what is it? How will it work in the
diocese of Jefferson City?
"Why Catholic?" is a unique adult faith formation process
developed by Renew International. It is centered around the
evangelizing mission of Jesus. It is solidly based on the
Catechism of the Catholic Church. It is supported by leader
formation, retreats, faith enrichment sessions, rich
resources, and ongoing pastoral support.
"Why Catholic?" encourages and enables parishioners to
become evangelizing Catholics by offering a concrete
approach to help adults form their Catholic faith and
connect its teachings to their everyday lives. With its
thorough exploration of the Catechism of the Catholic
Church, this process encourages learning in a prayerful
small-group setting.
The faith-sharing materials offer 48 sessions on Catholic
beliefs, sacraments, morality, and prayer with direct
Catechism quotes, scriptural references, and reflection
questions. The four faith-sharing books are based on the
four major themes of the Catechism. The books were reviewed
by the U.S. Bishops’ Ad Hoc Committee to Oversee the Use of
the Catechism, have an Imprimatur, and were tested in small
groups.
The "Why Catholic?" process is comprehensive, containing a
full range of elements in both English and Spanish. It
includes orientation, small community leader formation,
faith formation and enrichment sessions for all
participants, retreat experiences, an invitation video, and
family-oriented bulletin inserts.
For Families: Renewing Family Faith: We Believe, We
Celebrate, We Live, We Pray connects parish families to the
Catechism topics and the Why Catholic? process. Content-rich
and interactive the Renewing Family Faith newsletter for
families is an excellent resource that reinforces the Why
Catholic? in the home and also may be used for whole parish
catechesis.
Although parishes are not mandated to participate, Bishop
Gaydos is very enthusiastic about the program and strongly
encourages parishes to consider it. In the Diocese of
Jefferson City, Why Catholic? will be implemented in a five
year timeframe.
Year One
Introduction and Sign Up
Fall and the Winter of 2008-2009
Regional
Information Sessions will provide parish leaders an overview
of the Why Catholic? process and how it responds to an
identified need today. Adults desire to connect with their
Catholic beliefs and renew their identity as Catholics.
Parishes will be offered the opportunity to sign up or
indicate a follow-up contact at this meeting.
Regional Launching Why Catholic? Workshops will assist
pastor/pastoral staff, Why Catholic? teams, and other key
catechetical leaders to successfully implement Why Catholic?
as a total parish experience. Includes practical suggestions
for inviting maximum participation and for using Why
Catholic? in a variety of settings.
Regional Evangelization “Nuts and Bolts” Workshops will help
Why Catholic? Teams deepen their understanding of Catholic
evangelization and explore the relationship between
evangelization and catechesis. Offers practical concrete
strategies for outreach to active and inactive Catholics.
Year Two
Book One The Creed
Fall and Winter of 2009 and 2010
Regional Small
Community Leader Formation Workshops– On-site formation
workshop for teams and small group leaders with strong
catechetical content and methods for integrating adult
learning. Workshops will address the themes in the
Profession of Faith book.
Regional Faith Formation and Enrichment Sessions – In-depth
faith formation workshops on key topics from each of the
four pillars of the Catechism for all participants and
leaders. Theme for Year One: Scripture and Tradition: The
Braid of Revelation.
Book One The Profession of Faith: What We Believe (12
Faith Sharing Sessions, Six in the Fall and Six during Lent,
for Small Groups in Parishes) – The first book in the
series, The Profession of Faith: What We Believe, looks at
the truths that we, as Catholics, believe and explores the
basic tenets of our faith. It offers insights on what it
means to be a Catholic following “the oldest Roman
catechism, the Apostles’ Creed.” It is based on part one of
the Catechism of the Catholic Church.
Regional Retreat Experience – RENEW-led retreat for parish
participants around the theme of each book is held in the
Spring. Using the theme of Discovering God in the Ordinary,
it will provide an opportunity to reflect on God’s love and
presence as experienced through creation, God’s people, the
communion of saints and everyday experience.
Year Three
Book Two Sacraments
Fall and Winter of 2010 and 2011
Regional Small Community
Leader Formation Workshops will address the themes in the
Celebration of the Christian Mystery book.
Regional Faith Formation and Enrichment Sessions will
develop the theme The Body of Christ: Christ’s Presence in
the Liturgy
Book 2: The Celebration of the Christian
Mystery: Sacraments (12 Faith Sharing Sessions, Six in the
Fall and Six during Lent, for Small Groups in Parishes) –
The first four sessions of The Celebration of the Christian
Mystery: Sacraments focus on the liturgy and an
understanding of the sacraments. Then follow two sessions on
Baptism, one on the sacrament itself and another on the Rite
of Christian Initiation of Adults. The latter offers
reflections on the Rite and on its meaning for us and our
parishes. The last six sessions focus on the other six
sacraments.
Regional Retreat Experience will develop the theme Bread for
the Journey.
Year Three
Book Three Morality
Fall and Winter of 2011 and 2012
Regional Small Community
Leader Formation Workshops will address the themes in the
Life in Christ: Walking with God book.
Regional Faith Formation and Enrichment Sessions will
develop the theme Living Gospel Values in the 21st Century.
Book 3: Life in Christ: Walking with God (12
Faith Sharing Sessions, Six in the Fall and Six during Lent,
for Small Groups in Parishes) – The first six sessions of
Life in Christ: Walking with God center on the Beatitudes,
on our freedom and responsibility, conscience, virtues, sin,
mercy, moral solidarity, moral law, grace, and the Church.
The second six sessions focus on the implications of the Ten
Commandments.
Regional Retreat Experience will develop the theme Walking
with Christ: Living the Beatitudes.
Year Four
Book Four Prayer
The Fall and Winter of 2012 and 2013
Regional Small Community
Leader Formation Workshops will address the themes in the
Christian Prayer: Deepening My Experience of God book.
Regional Faith Formation and Enrichment Sessions will
develop the theme Prayer: Many Methods, One Purpose.
Book 4: Christian Prayer: Deepening My
Experience of God (12 Faith Sharing Sessions, Six in the
Fall and Six during Lent, for Small Groups in Parishes) The
first three sessions of Christian Prayer: Deepening My
Experience of God focus on prayer and how God communicates
with us. The next six sessions look at different forms of
prayer and some difficulties we experience in prayer. The
last three sessions offer a deeper look at the prayer that
Jesus taught us, the Lord’s Prayer. All cover what the
Catechism says about the concept of prayer, and include
various styles of prayer for participants’ use.
Regional Retreat Experience will develop the theme Sitting
by the Well: Meeting Jesus in Prayer. |
