EncountErEvangelization & Catechesis

of Children, Youth & Families Fall 2017

ISSN 2369-8578

Atlantic catechetical Association

Annual General Meeting & conference

In This Issue:• Atlantic Catechetical Association: Annual General

Meeting & Conference• Catechesis for Parents: Walking Together -

Archdiocese of Saint Boniface• Catechetical Sunday: Archdiocese of Winnipeg• Alpha and Discovery: Hitting Our Stride -

Archdiocese of Vancouver• Fostering Faith in and through Grandparents: A

Celebration of Grandparents in the Diocese of Hamilton

• A Continuing Adventure in Intergenerational Catechesis: Diocese of Saint-Jean-Longueuil

• Duc in Altum: A Journey for Young Adults• Inter-Diocesan Catechists Fall Formation 2017 -

Archdioceses of Winnipeg and Saint Boniface• Living Faith: An Approach for Cradle-to-Grave

Catechesis - Archdiocese of St. John’s• Alberta’s Evergreen Catholic Schools Commits

Fundraising Efforts to Toonies for Tuition• On the Bookshelf

This past autumn, 125 catechists, coordinators and clergy from the four Atlantic provinces

met in Sydney, on the eastern tip of Cape Breton Island in Nova Scotia. The Atlantic Catechetical Conference featured a weekend full of talks, activities and resources for continuing the journey ‘back home.’ In addition to the unique location – this was the first ACA conference held in the Mi’kmaw community of Membertou – the weekend also offered a new perspective on catechist formation.

“Themes in past conferences have often centred around pedagogy, learning patterns or teaching methods,” says Debbie Aker, Planning Chair of the ACA conference and catechetical coordinator for the Diocese of Antigonish, NS, which hosted this year’s conference. “This year, we focused on an inner exploration for the catechists themselves: what nurtures and feeds them?”

The conference symbol was a flower, blossoming with the care and feeding of the faith and ‘living water.’ The four-petalled bloom highlighted the four areas of exploration: • Teachers of the Good News• Inviters to Service• Builders of Community• Leaders of Prayer

Fuelling the exploration was Sr. Janet Schaeffler, a renowned educator, facilitator and spiritual guide who captivated the audience with stories, activities cont’d on p. 2

and tools for further personal discernment. One resource lists 57 Forms and Methods of Prayer, from Blessings to Visual Journaling. Another asks questions that are both simple and searching, for example: Who and what have influenced you? Who and what have helped you realize that there is more to life than what meets the eye? She also shared her prescription for spiritual growth: “Take a different prayer-idea each week and deepen your relationship with God.”

The weekend also featured breakout sessions with local presenters, including a moving presentation on Mi’kmaw spirituality by parishioners from the indigenous community of Eskasoni. “Indigenous communities were essential in the formation of our diocese and they continue to be a rich source of spiritual guidance,” Aker says.

The diocesan social justice committee also provided conference participants with USB keys containing electronic copies of Laudato Si’: Pope Francis’ encyclical On Care for Our Common Home, connecting spiritual development to our awareness of and respect for our external environment.

“Our spiritual journeys are unique to each of us, but there are many ways for us to reach out and find support,” Aker says.

For more information, please contact:

Jennifer HattCommunications OfficerDiocese of Antigonishjennifer@dioceseofantigonish.ca

catechesis for Parents: Walking together Archdiocese of Saint Boniface

For many dioceses across Canada, prioritizing adult formation is an area of great focus. In

June 2013, the Archdiocese of Saint Boniface Service of Catechetics responded to the need for adult formation and developed our diocesan catechetical policy in three areas: • Ongoing program of catechesis• Sacramental catechesis• Catechesis for parents. The focus of this article is the third area: catechesis for parents.

Sacramental times are a natural window for parents to have a deep desire to make their faith more meaningful and to strengthen their relationship with God and the Church. Our policy requires that parents of children receiving the sacraments of Reconciliation, Eucharist and Confirmation receive a minimum of six hours of catechesis for each of the three sacraments, for a total of 18 hours. Parents are only required to

complete these sessions for their first child, but may choose to participate again as their other children go through sacramental preparation. It is recommended that the sessions take place at the same time as the children gather for their sacramental catechesis.

Implementation over the last four years is happening to varying degrees within the Archdiocese. Some parishes have taken huge steps, moving from one information or rehearsal meeting prior to the celebration of the sacrament to implementing sacramental and ongoing catechesis for the first time in decades. A small rural parish is still in the initial stages; the volunteer catechist has brought together three parents to discuss the topics of the diocesan program. Together they have watched videos on the topics and have contacted me to get direction from the Archdiocese.

“Catechesis is a responsibility of

the entire Christian community. Christian

initiation, indeed, ‘should not be the

work of catechists and priests alone, but of

the whole community of the faithful’.”

(General Directory for Catechesis, no. 220)

Mindful that each parish has its own rhythm, we walk together accordingly. We also understand that at times there are pastoral concerns within a family that require adaptations to our process. The Service of Catechetics sends an online diocesan follow-up survey to parent participants so that together we can assess, adapt and encourage.

In one of the parish sessions about the Trinity, we ended with parents writing on strips of decorative paper a thanksgiving prayer for the effects of the Holy Spirit they have witnessed, and a prayer of petition for the action of the Holy Spirit. We then linked the prayers to form a chain, and prayed together in thanksgiving and petition. The candidates (their children) had finished their age-appropriate catechesis and joined us silently, witnessing their parents praying together. The parents, as models of lifelong learners and witnesses, in this way prioritized adult formation within our Archdiocese. I am truly privileged to share in this journey and look forward to seeing the power of the Holy Spirit continue in the lives of the families in the Archdiocese of Saint Boniface.

For more information, please contact:

Koreen HrizaiCoordinator of CatecheticsArchdiocese of Saint Bonifacekhrizai@archsaintboniface.ca

It helped me to connect with my child spiritually because of the discussions we would have

during the sessions and then continue outside of the sessions. Also, it has helped me to have an

even better understanding of my faith and the importance and meaning of the sacraments. It

challenged me to [go] deeper in faith and live by example for my children. I’m thankful we had the

opportunity for these parent sessions.- Anonymous

The sessions opened up my eyes, and taught me how to read and interpret the bible. A very

good and important insight for me, as I grew up and attended a Catholic school for most of my

school years, but never understood the bible as I understand it now. Thanks.

- Anonymous

Very helpful in knowing more of God’s love for us.- Anonymous

catechetical Sunday Archdiocese of Winnipeg

This year, the theme for Catechetical Sunday focused on “Missionary Disciples in the Vineyard

of the Lord.” Archbishop Richard Gagnon, in his letter, said that “Catechetical Sunday is a wonderful opportunity to reflect on the role that each person plays, by virtue of their Baptism, in handing on the faith and being a witness to the Gospel.”

The Archdiocese of Winnipeg celebrated Catechetical Sunday as well as the blessing and commissioning of catechists on September 17, 2017, at Good Shepherd Parish in Portage La Prairie. The presider at Mass was Archbishop Gagnon, concelebrated by Fr. Gerald Langevin, pastor of Good Shepherd Parish, and Fr. Peter Nemcek, Vocation Director of the Archdiocese of Winnipeg. Catechists from the six deaneries of the Archdiocese attended.

In his homily, Archbishop Gagnon focused on forgiveness, because he said the Cross of Jesus is the very heart of the Bible, the Holy Scriptures, and stands at the centre of the Good News of Jesus Christ and gives us hope. This message of hope needs to be passed on to others, beginning with the younger generation, the young people. According to Archbishop Gagnon, this is missionary work of the highest order, and this is where the catechist comes in as helper of the parents in their role of raising their children in the faith. Being a catechist is a calling, because each person has been touched by the divine love of Christ. It is a duty because catechists are sent by Jesus. The work of the catechist is a joy and privilege, because as St. Paul said in Romans 14:7-9, “We do not live to ourselves, and we do not die to ourselves. If we die, we die to the Lord; so then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord’s,” and this is the source of our joy and privilege. He concluded his homily by thanking the catechists for saying yes to their calling.

Before Mass ended, the catechists were commissioned and blessed by the Archbishop. During the commissioning, the catechists were asked to be familiar with the Word of God so they can share it with simplicity and love. They were also asked to allow the

light of the Word of God to penetrate their lives so they can show the world our Saviour Jesus Christ. Each catechist was given a candle, which they lit from the Paschal candle, a symbol of Christ as the Light of the World.

At the reception following Mass, one catechist shared that his purpose and calling is becoming clear to him, and that being a parent himself, he wanted to make sure that his faith is being passed on not only to his children but to other children, too. Catechists are being called as one of the missionary disciples in the vineyard of the Lord. In today’s world, we need more catechists to help the Church in handing on and spreading the Gospel of mercy, hope and love of Jesus Christ to all generations. The harvest is plentiful, but the labourers are few. We need more missionaries of love, as Archbishop Gagnon said at the conclusion of his homily, because it is the very core of our faith.

For more information, please contact:

Zalde Santos Early Years Faith Formation Coordinator St. Edward the Confessor Church, Winnipeg, MBzsaints21@gmail.com

Alpha and Discovery: Hitting our StrideArchdiocese of Vancouver

When more than 100 people turn up for a parish’s first faith study event, it’s a sign

that evangelization efforts are working, says Msgr. Gregory Smith.

The pastor of Christ the Redeemer Parish in West Vancouver says the Alpha program has been a priority at the parish for several years.

“This year, we decided to go big or go home.” The parish sent invitations to every family in the parish boundaries, Catholic or not, to Mass on Christmas Day. At that Mass, and on several following occasions, the pastor talked about Alpha during his homily. (Alpha, a video-based introduction to faith featuring Anglican founder Nicky Gumbel, asks basic questions about the meaning of life and the existence of God.)

“As a result, we had the largest Alpha we’ve ever had,” he reports. An estimated 160 people joined Alpha at the start, and after the first few weeks, three-quarters of them were coming back regularly.

He decided to harness that energy. Once the weekly Alpha program had run its course, the parish offered Discovery, a six-week faith formation program by Catholic Christian Outreach (CCO). About 75 Alpha alumni signed up.

The parish launched the Discovery program in August for all parish leaders, including readers, parish and finance council members, and extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion.

“We hit our stride with the combination of Alpha and Discovery being very flexible and meeting a number of needs,” the pastor said.

“To have strong parish leadership, you need to have well-formed leaders, and the first aspect of their formation is their spiritual lives,” he added.

Much of the new focus on evangelization in the archdiocese is in response to the priorities outlined by Vancouver Archbishop J. Michael Miller, CSB, last year: Make Every Sunday Matter, Get Closer to Jesus, Strengthen Marriages and Families, and Develop Parish Leadership.

As part of the Get Closer to Jesus priority, which encourages the faithful to develop a personal relationship with Jesus, the Archbishop urged parishes to use Alpha and Discovery as tools.

Corinna Siy, Archdiocesan Ministries and Outreach coordinator, counts 13 parishes hosting the evangelization program right now, and there could be more. “I don’t think we’ve ever had this many parishes running Alpha before,” she said.

Brian Joel, a parishioner at St. Matthew’s in Surrey, is one of 58 parish leaders trained to run Discovery faith studies across the Archdiocese of Vancouver.

He heard about Discovery when a friend invited him to participate. “Each week, my questions were being answered. I knew God loved me, but this time it was different. I began to really understand how much God truly loves me and longs for that personal relationship with me.”

Now Joel runs his own Discovery faith study at St. Matthew’s, helping other men understand God’s love for them. Many have gone on to lead faith studies themselves or have become involved in other parish ministries.

Amber Zolc, a coordinator at the Archdiocesan Ministries and Outreach Office, calls that “spiritual multiplication.” A former missionary with CCO, she said she has personally experienced and witnessed transformation in people’s lives through the program.

“The strategy is really a simple one: to proclaim, equip and commission,” she said at the archdiocesan launch of Discover Discipleship on October 5.

For more information, please contact:

Agnieszka Krawczynski The B.C. Catholicakrawczynski@rcav.org@BCCAgnieszka

“Those who have received the Good News and who have been gathered by it into the community of salvation can and

must communicate and spread it.”(Evangelii Nuntiandi, no. 13)

“Indeed, anyone who has truly

experienced God’s saving love does not

need much time or lengthy training to go out and proclaim

that love.”(Evangelii Gaudium, no. 120)

Both the Office for Catechesis and the Office for Discipleship in the Diocese of Hamilton are

seeing increases in the number of grandparents seeking assistance. More and more often, grandparents are calling in on behalf of their grown children to get details about the Sacraments of Initiation for their grandchildren. They are more than willing to assist in the busy-ness of life with preparatory programs and parish meetings. However, this desire to pass on the faith to the next generation is not all that fuels our senior disciples. At the same time as they are turning their attention to First Communions and Confirmations for grandchildren, they are seeking faith development opportunities for themselves.

David Dayler, who is Director of the Discipleship Office, began offering seniors workshops over three years ago. They began with typical Bible study-type sessions, but the offerings have grown to cover topics such as spirituality and prayer, Vatican documents, and personal growth in faith. At the end of each series, participants are already asking what’s next, and many of the programs have waiting lists. It’s a clear indication of their interest and the need.

It is this realization that grandparents need and want faith development themselves, as well as support and encouragement for their vital role in passing on their faith to younger generations, that inspired our Celebration of Grandparents in the Diocese of Hamilton on Saturday, September 9, just in time for the secular celebration in Canada of Grandparent’s Day on September 10. We had an overwhelming response to the day, with many requests for us to make this an annual event.

We’ve come to some conclusions about offering a day like this for seniors in terms of format and content that may be helpful for your own planning. First, we have found that a half-day retreat format works best. We begin with Mass and offer hospitality so everyone can get comfortable and begin meeting one another. At this year’s event, we offered two reflections on Fostering Faith IN and THROUGH Grandparents. We began with David’s talk “Get up! Look! Hope!” David led the discussion on what story of faith we have to share and how we can best share it. A comfort break following the talk allowed the discussion to continue on a more informal basis. Then Anne spoke on the many ways that grandparents can be the role model of a faith lived well in very ordinary, everyday ways, with her talk “A Recipe for Faith.”

We find that providing some basic faith resources for sale is greatly appreciated by our participants. Bibles, including large-print editions, prayer books for children, and the “Living With” series from Novalis – small booklets on Living with the

Fostering Faith in and through Grandparents

A celebration of Grandparents in the Diocese of Hamilton

Rosary, the Liturgical Year, the Holy Spirit – are all enjoyed. David’s book Sharing Our Story: How Grandparents Today Pass on the Catholic Faith and Anne’s book A Recipe for Faith: Choosing and Using the Best Ingredients were new releases this fall, and we were happy to share them on the day.

Along with our small book sale, we invited members of a local parish with an active Catholic Grandparents Association (CGA) group to come to speak to those interested in this ministry in their own parishes.

Connie Bogorus, the head of the CGA group at her parish in Guelph, Ontario, attended with a few of the group’s members to share how the CGA can support grandparents in small-group settings in their own parish. As Connie and her husband, Eric, had just returned from the first annual CGA conference held in association with the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, they were full of enthusiasm and energy to answer questions and share their experiences.

It was a great day with lots of laughter and good discussion. There isn’t just one kind of grandparent out there. There are plenty of seniors who may never be grandparents but have just as important a role in the lives of family and friends, and they need support and encouragement. We felt it was an important moment to help these seniors reflect on the gift of faith they have received and affirm the gift of faith they have to offer.

For more information, please contact: Anne JamiesonDirector, Catechesis OfficeDiocese of Hamiltonajamieson@hamiltondiocese.comorDavid DaylerDirector, Office for Discipleship & Parish LifeDiocese of Hamiltonddayler@hamiltondiocese.com

A continuing Adventure in Intergenerational catechesis

Diocese of Saint-Jean-Longueuil

The Saint John Paul II Pastoral Unit of the Diocese of St. Jean Longueuil is moving

forward with our ongoing exploration of the Inclusive Intergenerational Community Gatherings (IICG) approach to lifelong faith education.

Recently, families and parishioners from eight parish communities gathered at St. Mary’s Parish in Greenfield Park to celebrate the Consecration of Canada to Mary, Mother of God. We were fortunate to have children as young as four, teens, parents, RCIA candidates as well as the young at heart — even some 90-year-old participants. What a blessing!

Following a gathering song led by a very talented group of musicians, the group as a whole reflected on a passage of scripture (John 19:25-27) before making their way to small-group settings for further scripture reflection. Each of the small groups spent time reflecting in an age-appropriate manner with a number of hands-on, interactive activities.

Coming back together as a large group, we shared our experience and our new knowledge. Just as we are taught to call God “Abba,” Father, the groups considered ways to appreciate, acknowledge and learn to rely on Mary as our spiritual “Mom” through child, teen and adult perspectives. These included various art forms: song, dance, visual arts and of course, praying a living family decade of the rosary.

The Pastoral Team is so grateful for the dedicated hours of work of so many volunteers, including catechists for the small-group activities, musicians,

artistic directors (both visual arts and dance), the leaders of the family living rosary, as well as the logistical co-ordination involved with welcoming over 150 participants.

On a cool and cloudy Sunday afternoon in October, our Pastoral Unit was alive at St. Mary’s with so many beautiful visual images of Mary and ending with the joyful sounds and voices of Salve Regina! Most of all, every single person present learned something new about Mary, a Mother for all Generations: our Mother, a treasure given to us by Jesus.

For more information, please contact:Karen deKoninckPastoral Agent, Diocese of St. Jean Longueuilkdekoninck@yahoo.com

Duc in Altum: A Journey for Young Adults

The upcoming Synod on Youth, the Faith and Vocational Discernment is an amazing, grace-

filled opportunity to reflect and respond as a Church to the deep needs of young people in search of happiness and true love. In my own life, I experience dialogue with young people as a transforming moment. So, let’s zoom in a bit on Synod 2018 in order to dive deeper into a very pertinent and fruitful program called “Duc in Altum”!

One of the lines of the preparatory document caught my eye: “Promoting truly free and responsible choices, fully removed from the practices of the past, remains the goal of every serious pastoral vocational programme.”1

“Duc in Altum”: A Year for Your Future – a ministry of the Salesian Sisters of St. John Bosco – is the name of a unique structured journey for young adults in their 20s and early 30s. Its aim is to nurture and equip young adults in view of “free and responsible choices.” Since 2005, hundreds of young adults in Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto and Kingston have experienced Duc in Altum.

Duc in Altum – which means “put out into the deep” (Luke 5:4) – was inspired by (and since tested by) the vocational questions of young people that emerged during the 3rd Continental Congress for Vocations (Montreal, April 2002) as well as World Youth Day 2002 in Toronto. At the Vocation Congress, an unplanned but Spirit-filled Young Adult Statement surprised and captured Congress participants and expressed how Catholic young adults were searching “for objective mentors who are truly open to God’s will for us, and can serve as wisdom figures.”2

The preparatory document on Synod 2018 points out that “Within the fluidity and insecurity previously outlined, the transition to adult life and the building of a personal identity increasingly require a ‘reflective course of action.’” Well, guess what? Duc in Altum structures one possible and life-giving “reflective

course of action”3 sustained over time, as opposed to a one-off encounter. The journey offers a respectful environment, a consistent and supportive group, and several tools to nurture, train and equip Catholic young adults who are searching for happiness and meaning in their lives. From the very first group, participants have called themselves “Ducers,” one who “puts out into the deep.”

So what is Duc in Altum? It is an eight-month (usually from October to May) reflective and engaging journey that seeks to equip Catholic young adults to discern and to live in a fuller and freer way their vocational identity as adults in faith. The format of Duc in Altum is designed to sustain the search: there are eight group encounters, and a one-hour quality-time conversation with a spiritual companion in between each encounter.

The whole journey seeks to respond to the deepest questions of young adults: Who am I? Where am I going? How can I find true happiness? How do I know what God wants me to be and to do? How can I decide freely?

The group encounters focus on specific topics and tools for discernment. The areas covered include

1 Synod of Bishops, Young People, the Faith and Vocational Discernment, Preparatory Document. http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/synod/documents/rc_synod_doc_20170113_documento-preparatorio-xv_en.html

2 Young Adult Statement, 3rd Continental congress for Vocations (Montreal, 2002).3 Synod of Bishops, Young People, the Faith and Vocational Discernment, Preparatory Document.

personal identity, the Word of God, the Eucharist, Vocations (Marriage, Consecrated Life, Priesthood, and single life), Theology of the Body, Reconciliation, Discipleship, and Mission. The encounters include a variety of prayer experiences (Lectio Divina, Liturgy of the Hours, Eucharist and Reconciliation, Adoration, Via Lucis and the Rosary), formative and focused talks, reflection, music, community-building activities (meals, games), sharing, silence and journalling. In between the monthly encounters, the one-on-one hour-long conversation with a trusted spiritual companion personalizes the journey of each young adult.

Of course, to discern any choice seriously, young adults need to “put out into the deep”! This requires commitment and continuity. Unlike other programs, where one can pick and choose topics of interest, Duc in Altum is characterized as an itinerary of discernment where one cannot skip, choose or prioritize one aspect over another. It is a rich ecclesial, friendly context that walks with young adults every step of the way so they can gain clarity about themselves, their goals and their response to God. Duc in Altum requires a community that journeys together, as well as full and interactive participation. The whole journey is coloured by a unique spirituality for youth and by youth. We call it the Salesian Youth spirituality.

The expected outcome for participants is to conclude the year’s journey with an explicit desire to make the will of God the focus of their life choices and commitments and to be equipped to nurture this focus in today’s challenging world. As you can see, the mission of Duc in Altum is to form discerners with God and with a Church that cares about and accompanies young adults.

For more information on how to run the program in your area, or to be a participant in next year’s program in Ottawa, Kingston, Toronto and Montreal, contact ducinaltumcanada@gmail.com or visit our website: www.ducinaltum.ca.

Sr. Francine Guilmette, FMADuc in Altum Canada Coordinator(289) 597-2208

“Duc in Altum is a mindful, critical and hair-raising blessing. It is about time!”

-Participant, 2013

“Duc in Altum taught me the steps in discernment and helped me to make key decisions for my life.”

-Participant, 2015

“It provided me guidance and direction I needed to open my eyes to possibilities I otherwise would

not have considered.” -Participant, 2016

Inter-Diocesan catechists Fall Formation 2017

Archdioceses of Winnipeg & Saint Boniface

Fall Formation Sacraments, a joint effort of the Archdioceses of Winnipeg and St. Boniface

Services of Catechetics, took place in October, led by Judith Vasquez and Koreen Hrizai. With the option of attending two evenings at St. John Cantius Church or a full day at St. John XXIII Parish, approximately 80 catechists of the two archdioceses participated.

All catechists were reminded of the call to this beautiful ministry. Being a catechist is a vocation of service in the Church that has been received as a gift from the Lord and must in turn be transmitted. The catechist walks with Christ and must be adaptable in order to bring the message closer to the people.

The session opened with a beautiful Catechesis of the Good Shepherd presentation by Nancy Wood, assisted by Mme. Louise Fillion and Sister Bibiana Ikwun, HHCJ, on the sacraments of initiation: Baptism, First Communion and Confirmation. Some of the catechists’ experiences of this presentation brought forth trust in the Good Shepherd, a feeling of openness to the Lord and a desire to follow the Good Shepherd.

A reflection on the San Damiano Crucifix brought everyone together in prayer. A new experience for some of us, this cross was instrumental in St. Francis of Assisi’s mission of rebuilding the Church, and can be adapted by catechists as a reminder of our mission to do our small part in the building up of the Kingdom of God. The San Damiano Crucifix is a beautiful icon painted with the main figure of Christ and contains images of other saints and people related to Christ’s crucifixion.

Fr. Peter Nemcek, Director of Vocations for the Archdiocese of Winnipeg, opened Part 2, Sacrament of Service, sharing on Holy Orders, vocation and discernment. We are all called to holiness, to sainthood. All vocations are to be lived day in and day out, unlike a job, to which we devote only a certain number of hours daily. Fr. Peter discussed discernment, which is becoming aware of our call and responding to that call.

Judith Vasquez confirmed that the sacraments of service are for the service of others as she engaged in a presentation on the Sacrament of Marriage. In Christian marriage, there is a permanent and unconditional commitment, with Christ at the centre of the relationship.

Sincere thanks are extended to the parishes of St. John Cantius and St. John XXIII for providing space for learning and time for sharing with one another by hosting the workshops!

For more information, please contact:

Judith VasquezDirector, Catechetics and Faith DevelopmentArchdiocese of Winnipegjvasquez@archwinnipeg.ca

Living Faith: An Approach for cradle-to-Grave catechesis

Archdiocese of St. John’s

On September 22-23, 2017, catechetical leaders from across the Archdiocese of St. John’s came

together to dialogue and discuss our approaches to Family Catechesis. This provided for a two-day forum for all involved: pastors, parish catechetical leaders, hospital chaplains, seniors’ home chaplains, those involved with sacramental preparation and those involved with Liturgy of the Word with children.

We are engaged in a myriad of approaches with Family Catechesis. Living Faith, our weekly catechetical resource, continues to support needs throughout the Archdiocese. Our resource is distributed in our parishes, nursing homes, seniors’ homes, hospitals, penitentiary and to those who are homebound. It is available digitally by emailing familycatechesis@rcsj.org. This version contains many educational hyperlinks to further reflect on the weekly Gospels.

Along with our weekly resource, a series of Family Gatherings for parishes continue to be developed and shared among catechetical leaders for use in our parishes. Some examples include activities around Jesse trees, making Advent wreaths, Epiphany, Baptism of the Lord, Ash Wednesday, Stations of the Cross, and Marian gatherings. Accompanying this, we have developed a number of focus sessions for families celebrating Sacraments of Initiation. These are coupled with rituals developed to be incorporated in the weekly Sunday liturgy with the parish community. We also continue to develop and share a number of blessings used with families during liturgy. Examples include blessings for the start and close of the school year, the beginning of summer, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, and blessings for grandparents.

We continue to grow our catechetical resources. It is our intent to create digital space on our Archdiocesan web page for the sharing of resources

and best practices among catechists. Additionally, the creation of a Facebook page for catechetical leaders supports members on a daily basis. This year also saw us pilot a number of digital audiovisual resources, and we made available site licences to our parishes to access material for children and families. We will evaluate this venture at year end.

From our September meeting and reflection, we continue to engage with Family Catechetics, having met with much success throughout the year, particularly with the cooperation and support of Archbishop Currie. Indeed, the support and cooperation of our priests, parishes and ministries has especially assisted the Office of Evangelization and Catechesis in its work. We are blessed with all involved in this ministry as we look forward to an exciting 2017–18 in growing our initiatives to meet the needs of our local Church. Going forward, we continue to reflect on and engage with the following characteristics, which capture our approach to Family Catechesis:

The certainty that catechesis is for everybody, the knowledge that catechesis is more than religious education, that catechesis is the work of the entire Christian community, that catechesis and liturgy are integrally linked, the awareness that there are many kinds of families, a hope that we can empower families to grow in and share their faith, the intuition that catechesis is especially necessary in life’s transition moments, and guided by Pope Francis’ assertion that we must meet people where they are and accompany them.

For more information, please contact: Anne Walsh or Ed ConnollyArchdiocese of St. John’sAWalsh@rcsj.org or EConnolly@rcsj.org

Alberta’s Evergreen catholic Schools commits fundraising efforts to

toonies for tuition

Every year, the Evergreen Catholic School (ECS) Division in Alberta chooses a charitable cause

for which the board’s staff and students collectively fundraise throughout the academic year. Often the cause is tied to the division faith theme for the year. This year’s faith theme is “In Christ, all are welcome, all belong.”

And so, ECS selected Toonies for Tuition to connect with that theme.

Evergreen Catholic School Division is a separate school authority within the province of Alberta, operated out of Spruce Grove. It includes 10 schools and a division office.

The Alberta Catholic School Trustees’ Association has made a commitment to support Toonies for Tuition, and each board was encouraged to contribute each year based on the number of students they have graduating.

ECS Superintendent Dr. Cindi Vaselenak explains how this initiative came to their attention and why they’re giving their full support to Toonies for Tuition this academic year.

“Our board chair, Gerald Bernakevitch, has been a huge advocate for Toonies for Tuition and has always encouraged schools to donate. It has always been on our radar and we donate,” she explains. “However, this year we decided to really push it because there is so much negativity in the papers about the need for publicly funded Catholic education, and Alberta could be in jeopardy of losing it. We wanted to make sure we support Catholic education publicly (especially in an

election year) and as one united division effort at a time, the value of Catholic education is publicly challenged.”

On August 31, ECS kicked off the school year with Faith Development Day (FDD). Staff from all schools attended along with office staff and the eight trustees.

“This year our keynote speaker was Roy Petitfils. Roy was chosen because his personal story is about getting a break in life. He was sponsored for Catholic private education (in Louisiana) as it was a better choice than public education in the US at that time. His Catholic education turned his life around,” explains Dr. Vaselenak.

That same day, ECS kicked off its fundraising efforts for Toonies for Tuition. The division office hosted a silent auction at the back of the parish church; staff throughout the division could bid on items during the day. Vaselenak was floored by her team’s contributions. “My office – only 22 people – contributed 35 different auction items, which included mostly services they could do or items they paid for. These were things like making 10 dozen Christmas cookies, or a staff Italian lunch, or a day where a superintendent would cover a teacher’s classes. Other division office people formed teams and came up with wonderful gift baskets, many themed around Canada’s 150th birthday,” she says. “The auction raised $4,000.”

The division office also donated the jeans money from last year (they pay a toonie to wear jeans to

work on select days). At the FDD Mass, they got permission to take up a collection for Toonies, which brought in another $1,150.

The division office has set a goal to raise $1 per child in the division. With 4,000 students in the division and a school goal to raise $3 per student, they hope to collectively raise $16,000. Each of the 10 schools will do a fundraising project for Toonies for Tuition throughout the year.

One school, St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic School, has already started to contribute to the goal. At the beginning of the school year, they hosted a bake sale attached to their Meet the Teacher night, and raised $1,300.

Later this fall, St. Marguerite, a K to 4 school, is doing an art show for Toonies for Tuition. Each class is creating a collaborative work of art that will be auctioned at parent-teacher interviews (pictured).

“We are off to a good start,” says Dr. Vaselenak. “To date, we have raised $6,800, and that is only our division office and one school.”

Every month, Dr. Vaselenak will report the grand total across the division and share stories about how schools raised the funds. With them already being past the 40 percent goal mark, they’re well on their way.

For more information, please contact:

Canadian Catholic School Trustees’ Associationccsta@ocsb.ca

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• A Recipe for Faith: Choosing and Using the Best Ingredients (Anne Jamieson)

• Accompanying, Discerning, Integrating: A Handbook for the Pastoral Care of the Family According to Amoris Laetitia (Jose Granados et al.)

• The Way God Teaches: Catechesis and Divine Pedagogy (Joseph D. White, PhD)

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