What impact, if any, have you seen because of the Year of Faith? What results have you seen and is there something NCCL can take forward to assist you in this new evangelization?

  • intentional efforts in parishes to introduce adult formation opportunities
  • Become familiar with the recent Congress that occurred in Rome this week; I attended with others through the NCEA Office which focused on the first moment of Catechesis written about in Pope Francis' encyclical, Light of Faith. I heard the Pope speak to us catechists gathered at this conference held at the Vatican-I have typed his reflections and plan to use them with catechists and parish catechetical leaders.
  • Nothing much happened with the Year of Faith. However, planning for new evangelization is happening.
  • I have seen a few of our current and former catechists actively working on developing their own faith.
  • In the Diocese of Gaylord, we have had monthly sessions on the Catechism across our Diocese in all Vicariate Regions. We have had tremendous response from the people to learn about the Catechism of the Catholic Faith. In fact, many have asked the Faith Development Office to continue with sessions like what we have done with the Year of Faith; they just would like it to be less often.
  • What helped me was connecting the Year of Faith to the New Evangelization. I was able to explain that living a life of Faith was our best method of Evangelization.
  • little to none. Our parish formed an evangelization committee, but not much else.
  • I have watched people become a little more "aware" of their faith through the weekly snippets I have been including in our bulletin.
  • More focus on the connection between catechesis and evangelization. All our efforts here flow from this connection and the Year of Faith has served as a reminder resulting in clearer articulation of the role catechesis plays in thenew evangelization
  • Increase in daily Mass attendance; some new faces in small group programming; new volunteers for Family Promise and Knights of Columbus and the Community of God's Embrace.

Have you noticed an increase in sacramental practice statistics, particularly in the sacraments of Eucharist and Penance (Reconciliation)?

  • Unfortunately , NO
  • No
  • No, not really.
  • Our participation in the Sacraments is unchanged.
  • No! Even though our pastor preached concerning the value of Eucharist and Reconciliation.
  • no
  • Not really.

What’s next? What do you see on the horizon after the Year of Faith and the New Evangelization?

  • Pope Francis' influence - more attention to Social Teaching
  • I know that the Vatican will offer two more congresses on Catechesis in the next few years. The next congress will focus on the sacraments.
  • Looking at ways to communicate with more people without more meetings. Use of e-mail etc. to get out the message
  • More programming in our parish that will bring in people who are of other faiths.
  • I see us moving in the direction of providing further Catechesis to the Vicariate Regions in the future.
  • I think Pope Francis has done the most for our Church's image with his focus on the Church's mission to be the Body of Christ.
  • more good ministry with parishioners.
  • We are planning on continuing to offer adults opportunities for formation. We are also looking at using the RCIA model for all formation in the parish.
  • That is the question of the day. Currently we are without a bishop so until the Holy Father appoints one, no new initiatives can begin.
  • A big push for Marian Consecration via Fr. Michael Gaitley's book "33 Days to Morning Glory." Fr. Robert Barron's programming on the New Evangelization will also be featured.

What are the trends you see in the catechetical ministry that need to be addressed?

  • ministry as Entertainment- competing with the Mega Churches
  • Developing catechists who realize they are more than volunteers or paid staff...they are called to this vocation. 2) To help our families choose faith and to guide them to see that it is faith in Jesus that informs their entire life.
  • Funding and training of volunteers
  • Changing the old format of catechesis to be less classroom model and more youth group model.
  • Lay ministers in our Diocese whom are employed to lead the Faith Development Ministries are fading. In fact, you could say that many positions of the laity are disappearing.
  • In our diocese the merger of parishes and partner of parishes in our cohort there is a need to use the social media to our advantage. We need to make telecommuting more efficient.
  • Certification has become ever-more daunting with the addition of seven more topics. Fewer consider it "doable." This saddens me.
  • Training for leaders and volunteers.
  • Due to the economic situation and the aging population I see many of the parishes in our diocese with catechetical leaders who are volunteer or part time and not very well formed. Often times our efforts to provide them with solid formation are not taken advantage of because they have other jobs.
  • Moving more people to get involved in Life-Long Learning.

What books/articles have you read that challenge your thinking in the area of catechesis?

  • Rebuilt Forming Intentional Disciples
  • The Light of Faith, by Pope Francis This is definitely the one to start with.
  • Prayerfulness by Robert Wicks. Need to help people connect beliefs with everyday life.
  • Faith Formation 20/20, The Dynamic Catholic, Extreme Makeover, Practice Makes Catholic.
  • The Four signs of a Dynamic Catholic by Matthew Kelly----the restructuring of our parishes is based on Prayer,Study,Generosity,and Evangelization.
  • "Why Religious Education Assessment is Important in the New Evangelization and the Year of Faith," by Kathy Schmidtt, in Momentum, Nov/Dec 2012
  • Rebuilt by Michael White and Tom Corcoran has challenged me to look at the engaged Catholic in a different light.
  • "The First Spiritual Exercises" Four Guided Retreats and the webinar "5 Ways to Bring Your Parish to Life Using the First Spiritual Exercises" by Fr. Michael Hansen, S.J.

What authors/writers are stimulating your creativity?

  • Sherry Weddell
  • Sherry Weddell, I love the materials coming from Franciscan Media on the New Evangelization, Pope Francis' encyclical, Lumen Fidae.
  • Robert Barron's new Catholicism - the New Evangelization DVD series
  • Joe Paprocki, Matthew Kelly
  • Faith Formation 2020 by John Roberto PCL becoming curators of content. The demographics of our faith communities have changed.
  • Richard Rohr, James Martin
  • Articles, blogs, books by Nick Wagner
  • Those mentioned above. "Rebuilt" by Michael White & Tom Corcoran

Which of the following two issues is the most pressing need in your diocese?

Answer Choices– / Responses–
The formation of catechetical leaders / 70%
7
Catechist formation / 30%
3
Total / 10

What could a collaborative effort between the USCCB Committee on Evangelization and Catechesis and the NCCL contribute to this need?

  • Grant writing for tuition funding
  • To share what came out of this Vatican Congress-I would love to help on such a committee.
  • Don’t know
  • Catechist formation needs to be made more user friendly!!! Currently, it is not evangelization centered... it is just seen as a series of hoops that individuals have to slug through.
  • I believe that the need for formation for both catechetical leaders and catechists are extremely important. Question becomes how to best accomplish this in a diocese that has no Catholic university or college, is very rural and geographically diverse, and with a lack of pastors who often do view this ministry as one of their priorities.
  • Diocesan wide appeal for the formation of adult small groups in each parish similar to the RENEW process in the early eighties.

What suggestions do you have that NCCL could offer to this committee which by working together on the same issue, could have a dramatic national effect on this need?

  • Formation/ Information to pastors
  • Funding key presenters; offer this in a central location of U.S. or in regions of the country to offer a conference on the First Moments of Faith, which is the first step in catechesis.
  • None
  • Using "new media" to evangelize.

Who do you know that might be able and willing to share his/her gifts to enhance the catechetical mission and possibly serve on an NCCL committee.

  • Michael King, Judith Jones, David Conrad
  • Myself...Barbara Bacci-Yugovich, M.A., PCL, former Assoc. Director in the Arch. of Detroit; 38 years in catechetical ministry.
  • Don't know of anyone.
  • Paul Schroeder workers for Benziger
  • I have let my NCCL membership lapse... but I'd be happy to if there is a need.
  • ????????????????
  • Shane Kamps - religion teacher at MCC