Penta Virtual Regional Congress
Date: September 25, 2021
Time: 8:30am – 1:00pm
This virtual Congress has been planned for Catechists focusing on their spiritual and emotional wellbeing as we move forward to new possibilities.
8:30am-9:15am – Welcome & Keynote Speaker Mari Pablo
Mari is a presenter for Ascension Press, a speaker for the Steubenville Youth Conferences, and has a Master’s degree in Theology.
9:15am-10:00am – Session 1
Joe Paprocki, DMin – “Re-gaining and Proclaiming Hope: The Emotionally Healthy Catechist”
In the wake of the Pandemic and in anticipation of re-engaging with others as a catechist, now is a good time for us to re-assess what we’re doing to regain and maintain our own emotional well-being and, most importantly, our sense of hope. In this presentation, Joe Paprocki, DMin, will identify strategies for paying attention to and strengthening our emotional well-being so that we can truly proclaim hope to those we teach.
National Consultant for Faith Formation for Loyola Press, has been in pastoral ministry for over 40 years, has authored over 20 books (including his most recent, Preparing Hearts and Minds: 9 Simple Ways for Catechists to Cultivate a Living Faith), and presented in over 150 dioceses in North America. Joe received his Masters Degree from the Institute of Pastoral Studies (Loyola University of Chicago) and his Doctor of Ministry Degree from the University of St. Mary of the Lake (Mundelein Seminary). Joe blogs about his catechetical experiences and insights at www.catechistsjourney.com.
10:15am-11:00am – Session 2
Deacon Arthur Miller – “Keeping the embers hot”
The Holy Spirit continues to accompany us no matter how far we stray from the fire of salvation. The Spirit works to keep the embers of God’s endless love aglow. Today we shall nurture those embers that all too often are cooled by difficult days and fearful nights. Together through the heat of a loving community and a loving God we shall rekindle that fire and glow once again.
Deacon, author, radio and former television host, Viet Nam era veteran and veteran civil rights worker. Deacon Miller is the retired owner and president of A. Miller investments. Miller was ordained for the Archdiocese of Hartford in 2004. He recently retired as the director of of the Office for Black Catholic Ministries. Besides his assigned parish, he is the Chaplin at the Hartford’s Capital Community College and Adjunct faculty for Holy Family Retreat Center. He is a bi-weekly contributor to the 2021 USCCB daily video reflections. Deacon Miller is a certified trainer in Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s nonviolence philosophy as well as a Certified Spiritual Director and is a board member for the Connecticut Center for Nonviolence. To this day he continues to address 21st-century examples of the societal tendency to embrace violence.
11:15am – 12:00pm – Session 3
Fr. David Loftus – “Forward With Faith & Hope”
St. Paul reminds us that tribulation gives rise to endurance, endurance leads to character, and character gives rise to hope (cf Rom 5:3-4). In this session we will consider our experience as a community of believers in service of the evangelizing mission of the Church, shaped as it has been by our experience of pandemic. Then we will explore the promise and the potential of our ministry as catechists in which we reach out to the hearts of those whom we serve, and there seek to sow the seeds of the Good News of Jesus.
Fr. David Loftus serves among God’s people at Our Lady of Lourdes Church in Northridge. He has enjoyed experience at both the local and national level in Catechetical ministry, and continues to have a heart for sharing the Good News.
12:00pm – 12:15pm – Wrap up & Closing Prayer
12:15pm – 1:00pm – Click to Connect (C2C): Breakout rooms for sharing and networking with other attendees
To register for this great event, CLICK HERE, and be sure to select “CATECHISTS Track in English” in your registration form.
This year, our Congress will once again be virtual but this time we have combined all five regions to form one, PENTA Regional Congress. The theme for our PENTA Congress is: “A New Beginning.” In moving forwards from 2020, we are excited for the new possibilities for our ministries.
