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A FRESH WAY TO SEE THINGS WITH APPRECIATIVE INQUIRY

Background about the Asian-Pacific Young Adults Catholic Conference

The Third Edition of the Roman Missal: An Opportunity to Offer General Liturgical Catechesis in All Parishes

A Reflection on Paul’s Words and the Purpose of the Festival of Faith

Maria Garcia, the natural family planning coordinator for the Archdiocese of Chicago, is being appointed the liaison to Spanish-speaking countries by WOOMB International, the teachers of the BillingsOvulation Method of natural family planning.

Spred Training courses are offered in the Fall and Spring of each year. Training occurs on Saturdays from 1:00 to 6:00 pm. One course, Introduction to Spred ministry, lasts for 3 Saturdays. The other, Spred Role Training, is a 2 Saturday course.

Cardinal Meyer Center: 17 Agencies of the Archdiocese of Chicago

In February, people’s thoughts turn to love, romance, and marriage. Family Ministries has developed a beautiful full color perpetual calendar called Moments and Memories to help strengthen marriage and fundraise for the office. A couple can use the calendar over the years; each page has a beautiful photograph, an inspirational scripture or quote, and space to jot down things that happened. Then as the years go by, the couple can remember what happened that day, cementing their memories and strengthening their bond.

Blending Faith, Knowledge and Skills to Transform Parishes Since 1984

I invite you to take time during this month of February to learn about the cultural heritage and contributions of African Americans, Haitian Americans and other people of African descent who helped build our country in the United States of America.

“I think this trip is one of the most important things that has happened to me,” wrote Gerard Manalo, a Senior at Mount Carmel High School. “I’ve never met so many amazing people in my life… I can’t wait to go next year. Thank you for the opportunity to go.”

In the earlier part of his pontificate, Pope John Paul wrote the apostolic exhortation Familiaris Consortio. In this exhortation, John Paul writes about the critical role of the family as a vehicle of evangelization.

The Archdiocese of Chicago, through the Office of Asian Catholics and participating host parishes, coordinates the yearly inter-parish celebration of Simbang Gabi from December 15- 23. This unique Filipino tradition of a 9-day novena of Masses before Christmas has become a source of great joy and anticipation for more than 70 parishes in Cook and Lake counties. Planned as a multicultural parish celebration, this liturgical event shares a rich Filipino tradition with the whole Church and with other culture groups, and has become a catalyst for evangelization, a continuing call to mission, welcome and integration into the life of the universal Church.

What does Guadalupe represents? Guadalupe symbolizes the hand of God interrupting human history through His Messenger, the Blessed Virgin Mary. She is the bearer of good tidings for a group of people representatives of the resulting sufferings of the Spanish “conquista”. The process of conquering and domination send a message of oppression, destruction and death, elements, which didn’t, embodied an evangelization based on the love of God.

We are moving! Well, 13 of the 18 agencies of the Department (85+ colleagues – not counting the staffs of the New World, Racial Justice and Office for Deaf Catholics) are moving to a new location. The date is Friday, December 19, 2009. On Monday, December 22, we return for two days to get our desks, files, computers and phones in working order; a long weekend for Christmas break follows. We return on Monday, December 29 for two days before the New Year’s break follows. Our first full week begins on Monday, January 5, 2009!

Fr. Rich Hynes, Director
Dept. of Evangelization, Catechesis, & Worship

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How many of us pray for the end of the world? How many of us actually look forward to the end of time? How many of us consciously long for the moment when all time will cease and the Reign of God will actually and fully be in our midst? Most likely this is something that not many of us think of very often.

Archbishop Silvano Tomasi, Vatican permanent observer to the United Nations, has noted that “The right to development is an inalienable human right by virtue of which every human person and all peoples are entitled to participate in, contribute to, and enjoy economic, social, cultural and political development, in which all human rights and fundamental freedoms can be fully realized."

What is Black Catholic History Month?

On December 19, 2008 125+ staff members of the Archdiocese will move into a new space: the Cardinal Meyer Center. From the 155 E. Superior the offices of Family Ministries, Councils, Respect Life, Peace&Justice, Evangelization, Racial Justice and ACCW are moving. From 640 N La Salle the offices for Catholic Missions, Irish Immigrants, Office for the Deaf and New World are packing as well. In addition Hispanic Catholics, Catechesis and Worship are in the initial throes of readying themselves to move their respected sites.

If there is anything about Catholics that is true across the board it is that we know how to celebrate. We are people of bells and smells and candles and incense, processions and hymns, color and light and we know how to remember. This is no more true than this year when on October 19, 2008 World Mission Sunday is celebrated in the midst of the Year of St. Paul and the 100th anniversary of the Catholic Church in the United States becoming a “sending church.”

During this month of October, at the same time that the World Synod of Bishops gathers in Rome to reflect on The Word of God in the Life and Mission of the Church, the Office for Catechesis and Youth Ministry and the Office of Catholic Schools will be hosting its annual Chicago Catechetical Conference, scheduled for October 17-18 at the Stephens Convention Center, Rosemont, Illinois.

St. Paul says if eating meat reserved for idols causes my brother to sin, I will never eat meat again, so that I may not cause my brother to sin. (Romans 7.13) St. Paul posits a behavior for the followers of Jesus, for the Sisters and Brothers in Christ: Our right to do something ought to be rejected if it can cause obstacles in faith to a fellow believer. This holds important applications for us in a presidential election year.