Strong Catholic Families Webinar Series
Families Celebrating the Sacraments: From Formation to Transformation
In the fall of 2017, NFCYM hosted a three-part webinar series for pastoral and ministry leaders and teachers on engaging parents around the sacramental touchstones within a family’s life. Our goal is to inspire leaders to come up with creative and engaging practices and processes that will transform the traditional Sacramental prep process into an integrated and holistic Sacramental Living plan for families that will empower them to live their faith as a Domestic Church between Sundays.
View each session below (if you did not originally register to watch a session it will ask you to register before you are able to view it).
Session 1: Thirteen: Engagement or Exodus?
According to research done by Saint Mary’s Press, thirteen is the median age that Catholic youth disaffiliate with their faith and join the rising tide of “nones” in the country. It is also often the age at which many young people are completing their final step of full initiation. What’s the connection and what critical role does the family play within the sacramental dynamic?
PRIMARY PRESENTER: BOB MCCARTY, D MIN
Bob McCarty is a pastoral trainer and consultant, serving as the coordinator for the Saint Mary’s Press (SMP) research project on disaffiliated young Catholics.
Moderator: Andrea Kopp – NCEA
Panelists:
- Tom East – Director, Center for Ministry Development
- Barbara McGraw Edmondson Ed.D. – Chief Leadership and Program Officer, National Catholic Educational Association
- Fr. Frank DeSiano – President, Paulist Evangelization Ministries
- Amy McEntee – Pastoral Associate for Youth Evangelization, St. Helen Catholic Church, Cincinnati
Session 2: A New Way of (Sacramental) Living
The exodus of young people from our Church signals the urgency of taking a long, hard look at what we’re doing (or not doing!) in forming their faith, especially their experiences of the Sacraments. If Baptism, Penance, Eucharist, Confirmation and Matrimony aren’t launching our people into lifetimes of sacramental Catholic living, then why not?… and what will? This session explores how our conventional practices of sacramental prep all too often inoculate our people from faith rather than infecting them with it for life!
PRIMARY PRESENTER: DR. SEAN REYNOLDS – MUSTARD SEED CONSULTANTS
Dr. Sean Reynolds is an author, adjunct professor, and 40+ year veteran of full-time Catholic ministry in diocesan, parish, high school and retreat settings. He holds degrees in theology, organizational development and applied ministry leadership. As one of the pioneers of the Strong Catholic Families movement, now in 60+ dioceses across the U.S. and Canada, he is a national idea leader and presenter on the faith prospects of our children and their families. Dr. Reynolds lives in Cincinnati, Ohio with Leah, his wife of 35 years. He is a founding partner of Mustard Seed Consultants, LLC and can be reached at [email protected].
Moderator: Michael Theisen – NFCYM
Panelists:
- Andrew and Terri Lyke – Founders of the ArusiNetwork
- Cari White – Campus Minister, St. Edward High School, Lakewood OH
- Diane Kledzik – Associate Director for Evangelization, Small Christian Communities and Adult Faith Formation, Diocese of St. Petersburg
- Michele Youssef – Catechetical Consultant, Archdiocese of Los Angeles
Session 3: New Paradigms in Play
Sacramental ministry calls for faith leaders to be committed to a formation and transformation that leads to living out the sacraments within the family and the faith community. This session will reveal successes and new methods and possibilities for embracing the fullness of sacramental living through vibrant sacramental ministry.
Moderator: Margaret Matijasevic – NCCL
Panelists:
- Mary Rose Verret – Founder/Director, Witness to Love
- Karen Kane – Director of the Office of Divine Worship and Sacraments, Archdiocese of Cincinnati
- Denise Utter – Director of Parish Faith Formation at the Catholic Community of St. Jude in New Lenox, Illinois.
- Linda Moses – Pastoral Associate, Christ the King, Dallas, TX
- Colleen Gerke – Marriage and Family Catechist, St. Clement Parish, Cincinnati, OH