Congress 2008 Speaker List
Session B
B-01 The Sacramental Minister: Who? Why? How? Where? When? And What Exactly is it Anyway?
This presentation will be an insiders experience of being a Sacramental Priest. We'll look at what the role consists of, what the rewards are, what some of the challenges are, etc. My experience of this has been delightful, but that is not to say that there haven't been difficulties. I'll share some of those with you, as well as the neat stuff. All in all, I'd recommend this session for priests who are considering this role, priests who think this role should be abolished before it gets off the ground, and for deacons or lay leaders who are thinking of taking on parish administration, since you will have to find priests to do this element of parish work.
Rev. William J. Axe, O.SS.T. is a member of the Order of the Most Holy Trinity, better known as The Trinitarians. He is currently the Sacramental Minister at St. Agatha Church in mid-city Los Angeles. Over his 34 years as a priest, he has been a teacher in both high schools and universities, a parish priest, and a prison chaplain. Interesting aspects of his ministry include his work in archaeology in the Middle East, and work with an AIDS hospice in New Orleans. He was volunteering at the hospice and running a retreat center for his full-time job in New Orleans when Hurricane Katrina blew him westward to Southern California
B-02 SAINTS AND MARTYRS
Although we are often accused of praying to saints, in fact many Catholics today know little to nothing about saints, and rarely if ever refer to them in prayer or devotion. We will take a look at what Pope John Paul II wrote about the highest expression of unity between Christians of different denominations in the life and the witness of the martyrs and saints, and we will consider the references to martyrs and saints in the New Testament and in the official liturgy of the church, and talk about some ideas and suggestions of how catechesis and spirituality which refers to the saints can be a source of inspiration and enrichment. (Communion of Saints in the Ecumenical Dialogue is the title of my Masters Thesis at the Angelicum Seminary in Rome.)
Rev. Gregory J. Beaumont is Pastor of Holy Family Catholic Church in Kingsburg, with its mission churches in Traver and London. After completing a biology degree at UC Davis, and working in the field of agricultural research for two years, he studied for the priesthood at Mt. Angel Seminary in Oregon and at the University of St. Thomas Aquinas in Rome, where he earned a Masters of Theology with a focus on Ecumenism (Christian Unity).He is currently the Ecumenical Director for the Diocese of Fresno, and has served as a priest for 12 years.
B-03 Our Vision for the Future: Youth / Young Adult Ministry in Culturally Diverse Parishes
More and more of the Diocese of Fresno's youth and young adult Catholics are from Hispanic/Latino families. At the same time, recent studies have shown that they and their parents often have different expectations about youth and young adult ministry than their non-Hispanic peers. For this and other reasons, they may have a hard time "fitting in" with the existing parish groups. What can be done to create programs that are more welcoming to youth and young adult Hispanics? This workshop will show you what makes the faith lives of youth and young adult Hispanics distinct from other young Catholics, as well as strategies to improve and expand your ministry with this burgeoning segment of the young Catholic Church within the Diocese of Fresno.
Walter Mena is Director of Department of Programs of Instituto Fe y Vida.
Due to unexpected circumstances the original presenter, Dr. Carmen Mara Cervantes, was not available.
B-04 RCIA: WHAT DOES THE RITE SAY?
Take a fresh look at the document: Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults. Walk through the phases and stages of RCIA with members of last years diocesan training group as we look again at what the text gives us for the process of welcoming new adult members into our Church. Bring a copy of the Rite, if you have one. Bring your questions and your experiences. Further formation will be offered by this team to those who are interested. Repeat of Session A-04.
Martha Danks-Ferguson is a staff member at St.Anthony of Padua Parish, Fresno, and has been involved in different ministries of RCIA since 1980.
Rosemary DeGracia is a Master Catechist, is the RCIA director at Fresnos St. Paul Newman Center. She is a graduate of the diocesan New Wine adult ministry formation program.
Arlene Kalchik - Arlene Kalchik has been involved in Fresnos St.Paul Newman Center RCIA team for 5-6 years and is currently in the diocesan New Wine adult ministry formation program
John Kauffman - John Kauffman has been a catechist since 1972 and currently is the parish manager of St. Joseph Church, Bakersfield. He leads a Bible study and has been involved in RCIA since 1984.
B-05 Reach Your Teens, Guaranteed!
This course will help you facilitate meaningful conversations with teens about values, relationships, and faith. Special emphasis is placed on utilizing popular music and other modern media to establish a connection with youth. Help young people realize that God uses media to reach them. Whether you are a catechist, teacher, youth minister, or parent, this course will provide simple, practical strategies you can use to make Church relevant to our youth.
Aaron Del Monte has spent his entire adult life dedicated to teaching and ministering to young people. He is currently the Vice President of Development at Cornerstone Media, Inc., a non-profit youth ministry resource that uses popular music as a powerful communication tool. Aaron and his wife, Sherry, are the Coordinators of Youth Ministry and High School Youth Ministers at Good Shepherd Catholic Church in Elk Grove, California. Aaron also enjoys working as a consultant for Harcourt Religion Publishers. Aaron and Sherry are proud parents of their children, A.J. (7), Angelina (5) and Analisa (5 months). HE IS SPONSORED TODAY BY Harcourt Religion Publishers.
B-06 THE THEOLOGY OF THE BODY: A FAMILY LIFE CURRICULUM
Based on Pope John Paul IIs The Theology of the Body, Clovis OLPH school students in grades 5-8 receive multimedia presentations held in one-hour sessions over four days. The primary elements of the curriculum discuss Puberty, Hygiene, Boundaries, and Sexuality within the context of The Theology of the Body. The kick-off includes a rally celebrating the Lords life-giving love to us, his children. The format also separates the children by age and gender with age-appropriate messages as the week progresses culminating in an ending prayer service. Come and see how this exciting program can be used for the youth in your parish and/or school.
Carlos Flores, RN Trauma Coordinator, has worked for Childrens Hospital Central California for 21 years. His wife, Sally, is also a Registered Nurse. They have four sons ages 8, 10, 14, and 23. Their three youngest attend Clovis Our Lady of Perpetual Help school. Carlos is the Vice President of the OLPH School Board, a member of the OLPH Raphael Health Ministry program, and is a lector.
Sally Flores RN, BSN, FCN, has been involved in health ministry since 2001. Sally enjoys providing health programs to parishes and faith groups in order to increase health and wholeness in faith communities. These programs foster the call to Jesus healing mission in the parishes by providing health education, resources and a compassionate response to those who thirst for Gods love. She is also currently enrolled in the diocesan Master of Arts in Pastoral Ministries program.
B-07 The Changing Religious Landscape: How are world events and personal experiences coupled with a technologically fast-paced world influencing religious culture amongst younger people today?
Mike Hayes, author of Googling GOD: The Religious Landscape of People in their 20s and 30s will lead us through the latest trends and discuss what we know about the changing religious desires of today and what we can to do to help people stay connected to faith.
Mike Hayes co-founded BustedHalo.com with Fr. Brett Hoover, C.S.P., in December 2001. In addition to his work at BustedHalo, Mike serves as the President of the board of directors for the National Catholic Young Adult Ministry Association. A frequent speaker on ministering to young adults, Mike is the author of Googling GOD: The Religious Landscape of People in their 2s and 3s with Paulist Press. In 2004, Mike received a Catholic Press Association Award for his article Transformation and the 20's and 30's Crowd that appeared in Share the Word magazine. Before working in ministry, Mike produced radio talk shows at WFAN and WOR in New York and also covered major league baseball for NPR and WOR. Mike and his wife, Marion, are residents of Queens, New York.
b-08 NURTURING YOUR FAMILYS FAITH LIFE WITH 21ST CENTURY RESOURCES
Exciting developments are occurring every day in the world of Catholic New Media as faith-filled people take advantage of free and accessible Internet technology to create great Catholic programming. Learn how to access and enjoy great free Catholic programming from your computer. An overview of the best in Catholic programming on the web will also be shared.
Lisa Hendey is the webmaster of www.CatholicMom.com and the host of the weekly Catholic Moments podcast. She has written on faith and family topics for several publications, including Our Sunday Visitor, the National Catholic Register, Catholic Exchange and Faith and Family Magazine. Lisa hosts the Catholic Mom television show which airs several times weekly on KNXT-TV, Channel 49 and highlights faith and family resources on the Internet. Visit Lisa at www.lisahendey.com for additional information. Lisa and her husband Greg and teenage sons Eric and Adam are active parishioners at St. Anthony of Padua Parish in Fresno.
B-09 Faithful Citizenship: Bringing Faith and Action to the Public Square
Elections focus attention on a faithful citizens responsibilities to promote the common good, but after the polling booth, the need to communicate with our representatives continues. The Catholic Legislative Network, sponsored by every diocese in California, is a powerful new way to make an ongoing difference in our communities, the state, the nation and the world. As Catholics we have no home in any party and face continuing policy challenges. How do we make the tough choices on candidates and initiatives, communicate with our elected officials about the common good, bring the poor and vulnerable to the attention of our elected representatives? This workshop will explore these and other questions as we prepare for the Presidential election, and explain how to use the Network to make a difference. The email-based system applies Catholic social teaching to the important issues of the day from the life and dignity of the human person to solidarity with the poor. It contains a powerful set of tools Catholics can use to be faithful citizens every day. And it will help Catholics make a difference in the public square.
Steve Pehanich is the Senior Director of Advocacy and Education for the California Catholic Conference of Bishops. He had a successful career in public relations for aerospace, engineering and business firms. In the mid-1990s, Steve became executive director of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul of Santa Clara County. In that role he helped the Society in the United States expand its advocacy efforts He was also appointed to the City of San Jose Human Rights Commission. For the past three years he has coordinated public policy, education and other activities for the 12 Catholic Charities agencies in the state as the Executive Director of Catholic Charities of California. Steves column on social justice issues appears in many Catholic papers throughout California.
B-10 Life Teen Music Ministry 101 or "How to plan and pray a Life Teen Mass" Closed
As the Music Director for Fresnos Holy Spirit Life Teen program, Sue Peters has planned the music liturgy and led worship for hundreds of Life Teen Masses as well as numerous youth retreats, and Exalt Holy Hours (Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament accompanied by worship music). Sue will give you insight on any and everything you need to know in order to bring a Life Teen Mass into your parish including topics such as how to: form a Life Teen music ministry team, plan and lead a practice, choose and prepare music for the Mass, communicate with your youth minister or DRE and priests, etc. There will be a lot of opportunity for questions and answers, as well as praise and worship. Sue will leave you with some valuable resources to take back to your parish music ministers, DREs, and youth ministers and priests. This workshop will have specific information that will apply to the music ministers but will also appeal to all priests, religious, educators, laity, and youth workers with a heart for youth evangelization.
Sue Peters is a music minister, singer/songwriter, and recording artist. She has spent the past six years serving the community of Holy Spirit Catholic Church in Fresno, CA, as the Music Director for their Life Teen youth program. Sue has been blessed to have had the opportunity to minister alongside many nationally known speakers and musicians. Sue was invited by Spiritandsong.com to perform with Matt Maher at the 2007 National Catholic Youth Conference in Columbus, OH. In July, 2008, she was a guest worship leader under the direction of Tom Booth at the 2008 Steubenville Youth Conference in San Diego, CA. In November, 2007, Sue released her debut album of eleven original songs, titled Beautiful Brokenness. The single Beautiful Brokenness from her new album, was selected to be included in a 10-song compilation CD release, 2008 Best of New Catholic Music. Sue has received six years of music ministry training from Life Teen International. As a convert to the Catholic faith and a mother of three young children, Sue became concerned over the number of kids that were going to Protestant youth groups. Sue shares ministry with her husband, Chris, and their three beautiful children.
B-11 School of Ministry: Being Sent Forth by God
Through training, education, ideas, and different techniques, Sr. Donna will help to bring Our Vision for the Future to fruition. She will, however, also emphasize the great importance of prayer, listening to God, and allowing God to work freely within us, so that we continue to develop spiritually as adults and realize that ministry is serving with love and compassion, as God wishes us to serve. Repeat of Session A-13.
Sr. Donna Shanahan, C.S.J. , is a member of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet. She has been active for the last 19 years in retreat work and is a certified spiritual director. She served as a teacher for 18 years, as a staff member of the CSJ House of Prayer for 4 years, and for 9 years as a pastoral associate at St. Bridget of Sweden in Van Nuys, CA, and St. Agatha parish in South Central Los Angeles. Sister Donna is presently a freelance retreat and spiritual director and is also on the staff at St. Anthony Retreat Center in Three Rivers working on a part-time basis.
B-12 am a Catechist: The Dignity, Vocation and Mission of the Catechist
Being a catechist is one of our most treasured gifts that we receive from God when we are baptized. Many times however, in our schools, parishes and our communities, catechists are forgotten or they are not considered essential to who we are as Catholics. In this workshop, we will reflect on just how important being a catechist is. We will do this by examining the dignity, vocation and mission of a catechist. In the end we hope to get to the heart of the matter that being a catechist is a sacred vocation from God.
Victor Valenzuela is a National Religion Consultant for Bilingual Resources for William H. Sadlier, Inc. He has presented workshops to numerous groups both regionally and nationally. Victor has been in ministry for 20 years including classroom teaching, youth ministry, teacher training, and writing and development of new materials. He has a Bachelor of Arts from St. Joseph Seminary in Menlo Park, CA. Born in Arizona to parents of Mexican descent, he is fully bilingual and bicultural. HE IS SPONSORED TODAY BY THE William H. Sadlier, Inc., PUBLISHING COMPANY.
B-13 "But the Rosary puts me to Sleep."
How do you find new ways to connect to the time honored and rich devotional life of the Catholic Church? Devotions are often the bridge between the heart and the head and therefore have an incredible capacity to inspire social action and change. It is the hope of this workshop that there will be discussion and storytelling on how to give practical understanding and expression to some of the most time honored devotions and doctrines such as the rosary, the scapular, doctrine of the immaculate conception, Lourdes water, and many more.
Glenn Valois has his Masters of Divinity from the Dominican School of Philosophy and Theology in Berkeley, CA. Glenn lived as Franciscan Friar for 6 years and is a Master Catechist. His wide and varied background, plus 13 years of catechetical experience, has allowed him a solid catechetical background. He is currently the Adult Faith Formation Coordinator for St. Mary Church in Walnut Creek, CA, but has been a catechist (preschool to high school), DRE, Director of RCIA, and has taught in Catholic schools.
Hmong
B-21 VOCATIONS AND CATECHETICS: TO TEACH AND TO PREACH
This session will be presented in the Hmong language.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church tells us that the faithful, who having been incorporated into Christ through Baptism, are made part of the people of God, the Church. The laity participate in their own way in the priestly, prophetic, and kingly functions of Christ. Laity are distinguished from clergy (Bishops, Priests, and Deacons those men who have received the Sacrament of Holy Orders) and those in consecrated life (those women who are Religious Sisters Nuns). But, we are all part of the Body of Christ. The Catechism also tells us that Catechetics is an education of children, young people, and adults in the faith of the Church through the teaching of Christian doctrine in an organic and systematic way to make them disciples of Jesus Christ. Those who perform the ministry of catechesis in the Church are called catechists.
Rev. Mr. Nai W. Her is one of the 22 men consecrated on January 11, 2003, by Bishop John T. Steinbock for the Diocese of Fresno into the Holy Order of Deacons. Deacon Her is currently serving the people of God in the Fresno parish of Our Lady of Victory.
Vietnamese
B-31 Cc đường lối tu đức v phương thức cầu nguyện trong lịch sử của Gio Hội Cng Gio.
'Tu thn, tch đức' l một lời dạy của thnh nhn khuyn nhủ con người cần phải thực hnh để trở nn con người ton thiện trong đời sống của nhn sinh. Học vin sẽ được hướng dẫn lịch sử về đường lối tu đức của cc thnh nhn trong 2000 năm sinh hoat của Gio Hội. Học vin cũng được hướng dẫn những phương thức cầu nguyện ph hợp cho từng c nhn ty theo nhu cầu, lứa tuổi v phi tnh.
Rev. Anthony Nguyen, C.Ss.R. Linh mục Antôn Nguyễn Đình Phúc là tu sĩ dòng Chúa Cứu Thế tỉnh Denver, CO. Thụ phong linh mục năm 1992. Đã từng sinh hoat tại các giáo xứ trong lãnh vực đào luyện các trợ tá Giáo Lý, các khóa Dự Bị Hôn Nhân, các lớp thánh nhạc và đào luyện ca trưởng. Tốt nghiệp cao học về Phụng Vụ, Âm nhạc, và Thần Học. Từng là thành viên trong Ban Đào Luyện Ơn Gọi và phụ trách Giảng Phòng của tỉnh dòng. Hiện đang phục vụ tại Giáo Xứ Đức Mẹ La vang, địa phận phận Orange, CA, đặc trách Phụng vụ, Giáo Lý và Thánh Nhạc
Thai
B-41 The Christian Life: Participation in the SAcramental Life of the Church
This session will be presented in the Thai language.
This workshop will focus on the understanding of the Sacraments and how the baptized can participate in the sacramental life of the Church. Participants will gather in groups to share their knowledge about the sacraments. They will also discuss the ways that they can help enliven the sacramental life of the Church where they belong. During the plenum, the result of their sharing will be collected and synthesized. The final activity will be a para-liturgy which will be highlighted with the renewal of the participants baptismal vows.
Rev. John Bosco Prasit Kruesuwan, C.Ss.R. has been a priest for eight years as a member of the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer (Redemptorists). Born in Songkhla, Thailand, he has received a BA in Philosophy in Thailand, a MA in Theology in the Phillipines, and a MA in Spiritual Direction (with honors) from Fordham University in Bronx, New York. Previously serving in parishes in Thailand and Berkeley, CA, Father John Bosco is currently attending the spiritual needs of the Thai, Khmmu, and Lahu communities in Visalia and Fresno.