Catechumenate Support Group - December 7, 2006

Wow! What an event-full November! I hope most of you were able to participate in the Faith Formation Conference a few weeks ago. If you did, you heard Bishop McGrath’s terrific homily encouraging us to be risky in our faith. And just a week later, about 80 folks from all over the region came to share Vino & Vespers with the board members from the North American Forum on the Catechumenate.

With these two events, we continued to focus on the two key factors that catechumenate ministers like you named earlier this fall:

1. Do a better job with mystagogy (here's mystagogy even your mother could do)
2. Catechize the assembly about the rites to get them more involved (here's a handout you can copy to catechize your parish about the Rite of Acceptance).

Some of the topics that came up during Vino & Vespers deserve some further conversation. Let's get together and talk about some of these things:

• How do you know if the catechumens know enough? When are they ready to move to the next stage?
• How do you catechize on the “gray” areas? What’s the difference between “doctrine” and other important Catholic stuff?
• What are we doing to evangelize people in their 20s? What could we do better?
• What are some effective ways of involving the pastor in the rites and the preparation for the rites?
• What did you experience at the Faith Formation Conference and how has it affected you and your ministry?

Everyone who attends the meeting will receive a FREE copy-ready master of a bulletin insert that explains discernment and “readiness” for initiation which you can give to the assembly.

Get some practical answers to these and your other questions at the next Catechumenate Support Group Meeting.

Catechumenate Support Group

Thursday, December 7, 2006

12:30p - 2:00p

Chancery Offices, Third Floor

900 Lafayette Street, Santa Clara

Bring your lunch and your own questions to ask!

RSVP with Bernard Nemis at 408-983-0126

or online here

Other Catechumenate Support Group dates for the year:
Thursday, February 1, 2007, 12:30p – 2:00p, Saint Mary (Gilroy)
Thursday, March 22, 2007, 12:30p – 2:00p
Thursday, June 7, 2007, 12:30p – 2:00p

If your parish would like to host one of these gatherings, please contact Diana Macalintal at 408-983-0136.