|
Diocese of Allentown
Adult Formation Newsletter
|
|
|
Greetings!
Thank you for taking the time to read our newsletter and learn about all of the great offerings that we have planned for the coming months!
We hope that you are able to join us at some of the wonderful events and courses that we have available for you!
In Christ,
Office of Adult Formation
Diocese of Allentown
610-289-8900
|
|
|
|
The Institute for Catechesis and Formation
|
|
|
Learn Your Faith + Live Your Faith + Love Your Faith
|
|
|
Join us to enrich your faith with ICF courses taking place in the Winter and Spring of 2018!
|
|
|
An overview of fundamental Catholic teachings based on the founding Symbol of our Faith. This course provides catechists with a foundation in the basic tenets of the Catholic Faith, and is a good starting point leading to further study.
|
|
|
ICF 101 - Christian Anthropology
|
|
This course will examine who God is as the One who seeks to share Himself with His creation. A brief survey of Salvation History will be traced to Jesus Christ, the Redeemer who saves humanity, and teaches us what it means to be a human person.
|
|
|
The Sacraments are intimate, personal encounters between God and His people. This course will present an overview of these signs of God's love for us, by which He makes a personal connection with us and conveys grace - His very life within us.
|
|
|
The Church is the place of encounter between God and His people on earth. This course will provide a brief overview of the origins of the Church; Her identity as One, Holy Catholic and Apostolic; and what it means to be "the Body of Christ" on earth.
|
|
|
The Institute for Catechesis and Formation is intended to provide an opportunity for all of the faithful to delve deeper in their understanding of God's saving plan for us all.
|
|
|
Theology of the Body Seminars
|
|
|
Come join us for our seminars which will delve into Pope Saint John Paul II’s groundbreaking teaching known as the Theology of the Body!
These seminars are for anyone recognizing the need for a restored relationship with God, others, and the created world.
Each seminar will take place in the Religious Education building of St. Mary Parish in Kutztown from 9:30 to 11:30am on the dates listed below. The cost is $20 per seminar. Register at
www.allentowndiocese.org/icf!
|
|
|
Saturday, November 11, 2017
|
|
|
|
|
The Redemption of the Heart
|
|
This seminar will discuss the Fall in Eden and how it affects our relationship with God, each other, and the world around us. It won’t be all bad news; we will also explore how Jesus redeems our broken hearts and offers us a path to renewed relationship! The presenter will be Andrew Whitmore, a Ph.D. candidate studying at the Catholic University of America in Washington, DC.
|
|
|
Saturday, December 2, 2017
|
|
|
|
|
This seminar will discuss the different vocations of love that we are all called to and will show how each points to our ultimate end in God’s loving embrace.
The presenter will be William Hamant, Ph.D. of DeSales University.
|
|
|
Questions: Please email
or call 610-289-8900, Ext. 2021
|
|
|
Faith and Spirits
was created to provide a forum for all adult Catholics to learn more about their faith in a comfortable setting. It is offered at various locations throughout the Diocese with a variety of engaging speakers and intriguing topics. Come enjoy an evening out, a meal with friends, and an opportunity to deepen your faith!
|
|
|
Spiritual Battle: Good vs. Evil
|
|
|
|
|
Join us as
Rev. Stephen DeLacy
of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia explores how we are daily engaged in spiritual battle. Does Satan really exist? Can I lose Salvation? How does sin affect me? These questions and more will be discussed. There is no cost to attend and no registration is required. There will be menus available for ordering food and drink at your expense.
Monday, November 20, 2017
6:30 P.M.
Fegley's Allentown Brew Works
812 Hamilton St.
Allentown, PA 18101
Questions: Please email
or call 610-289-8900, Ext. 2021
|
|
|
TRUTH
What the Catholic Church Really Teaches
|
|
|
Formerly known as the Apologetics Forum, this free series will discuss topics within the Faith that many of our contemporaries disagree with or don't ascribe to. Many of us believe the Church's teachings but don't know how to speak about them with our neighbors, co-workers, and children. This series will change that.
TRUTH: What the Catholic Church Really Teaches
will prepare every day lay Catholics with the tools of how to discuss the challenging teachings of our great Faith.
|
|
|
Marriage, Divorce & Annulments
|
|
|
|
|
Have you ever been asked or wondered… Is an annulment just "Catholic divorce"? Can divorced people receive the Eucharist? Join us as
Msgr. Victor Finelli
discusses how to answer these and other common questions about the Church's teaching on marriage!
Wednesday, November 15, 2017
7:00 P.M.
St. Joseph Parish Hall
(Annunciation BVM Hall)
9 S. Broad Mountain Ave.
Frackville, PA 17931
Questions: Please email
or call 610-289-8900, Ext. 2021
|
|
|
2018 Diocesan Women's Conference
|
|
|
St. Charles Borromeo Seminary Lecture Series
Sponsored by the School of Theological Studies
|
|
|
Defending Adam After Darwin: The Origin of Sapiens as a Natural Kind
|
|
|
Presenter: Nicanor Austriaco, O.P.
|
|
|
Monday, November 13, 2017
7:00 P.M.
St. Charles Borromeo Seminary
St. John Vianney Auditorium
100 East Wynnewood Road
Wynnewood, PA 19096
|
|
|
Register for this event by clicking the rsvp link or by calling the School of Theological Studies at 610-785-6287.
|
|
|
Save the Date!
The March for Life in Washington DC will take place on Friday, January 19, 2018.
|
|
|
Advent Gospel Reflections Booklets
|
|
|
|
|
GET BISHOP BARRON'S ADVENT GOSPEL REFLECTIONS FOR FREE!
Here's What's Included:
- Full Gospel reading for each day of Advent 2017
- A short reflection from Bishop Barron
- Both English and Spanish text
- A beautiful and practical design
You only have to cover the shipping cost.
Click
here to get your free copy!
|
|
|
The Bible Timeline: The Story of Salvation
|
|
|
The Office of Adult Formation has a resource library that is available for parishes, prayer groups, and individuals to review. This month we will highlight one of our resources called
EPIC: The Early Church.
The Early Church is a 10-part program that presents in exciting and dramatic detail the first 500 years of the Church through the lives and events of the saints, philosophers, theologians, martyrs, and ruthless emperors.
- Discover beyond any doubt that early Christian Church was indeed Catholic.
- Discover the major people, places, and events of the first 500 years of Church history
- Recognize that the early Christian Church truly was the Catholic Church
- Gain a greater understanding of the teachings and dogmas of the Catholic Faith-and meet those who gave their lives to define and defend them
- Discover that many of the challenges facing the Church today are the same ones boldly confronted by the Early Church Fathers
- Learn how the heroic stories of the saints can challenge and affirm your own walk of faith...and much more!
|
|
|
For resources in our library visit
or Call 610-289-8900, Ext. 2027.
|
|
|
What is the unity that exists between the Old and the New Testaments?
|
|
|
Scripture is one insofar as the Word of God is one. God’s plan of salvation is one, and the divine inspiration of both Testaments is one. The Old Testament prepares for the New and the New Testament fulfills the Old; the two shed light on each other.
|
|
|
The Catholic Mirror:
Reflections on Our Life in Christ
|
|
|
Christians are by definition supposed to be disciples, that is, followers of Christ. But what does that mean on a practical level besides going to Mass on Sunday? There are many different angles that can be taken to answer this question, but we will take a look at it through the lens of the story of the rich young man in the 19th chapter of Matthew (v. 16-22).
The discourse begins with the young man asking Jesus what "good deed" he must do to "have eternal life". The young man's question can rightly be understood to be, "What good deed must I do to be happy?" Pope Saint John Paul II observed that "The young man senses that there is a connection between moral good and the fulfillment of his own destiny" (Veritatis Splendor, 8). The destiny that JPII referred to here is that of eternal beatitude, that is happiness.
Christ responded first by stating that there is only One that is good; God alone is good. He then pointed to the commandments as the key to entering eternal life, not as an arbitrary set of rules but as "a response of love" (VS, 10). God's commandments are gifts which "show man the path of life and they lead to it" (VS, 12). The way of discipleship is begun with acknowledgement of God's goodness and adhering to the commandments as an act of love and gratitude towards the Almighty. "Jesus shows that the commandments must not be understood as a minimum limit not to be gone beyond, but rather as a path involving a moral and spiritual journey towards perfection, at the heart of which is love for God" (VS, 15).
There is more to attaining eternal life than simply following the commandments, we must follow Christ who said, "If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come follow me" (Matthew 19:21). Selling all your goods and giving the proceeds to the poor isn't a real possibility for someone who has dependents, in fact it would contradict the duty to provide for those under one's care. However we can live simply and provide for the poor in ways that would not contradict our duty to those whom God has placed in our charge. The greatest treasure we have is our faith, so even greater than sharing our material goods would be the sharing of our spiritual goods by bringing those with whom we come into contact to Christ through prayer and evangelization. We are all called to love of neighbor, and as disciples, we are to live out this "vocation to perfect love" (VS, 18). Part of this vocation is to share Christ with others; just as Christ sent out his disciples ahead of him (Luke 10:1-12), so too he sends us to bring others to him.
The final and most essential aspect of discipleship is the following of Christ. "Being a follower of Christ means
becoming conformed to him
" (VS, 21). The beatitudes act as a kind of self-description of Christ to which we should adhere in order to become more like Christ, and the practice of which will conform us to him more perfectly. The commandments are not done away with but are elevated and fulfilled in true discipleship. "To imitate and live out the love of Christ is not possible for man by his own strength alone. He becomes
capable of this love only by virtue of a gift received
" (VS, 22). The gift which gives us this capacity is the grace bestowed upon us in the Sacraments.
"The Law, which by enabling sinful man to take stock of his own powerlessness and by stripping him of the presumption of his self-sufficiency, leads him to ask for and to receive 'life in the Spirit'. Only through this new life is it possible to carry out the commandments" (VS, 23). Most of us are readily aware, on some level, of our sinfulness. We know that we are constantly falling short in love of God and love of neighbor. Christ not only showed us the way to truly fulfilling the commandments by the example of his life, but he enables us to do it by bestowing grace upon us. This is why we are disciples. Discipleship means that we must recognize the good things that God has done in our lives and respond by a loving adherence to the commandments, including the command to “make disciples of all nations” (Mathew 28:19), following the example of Our Lord, and enabled by the graces he has given us in the Sacraments. Are you a disciple?
Let us Praise the Lord.
-And give him thanks.
|
|
|
Thank you for reading. We pray that you have a joyful end to the liturgical year. Hopefully we will see you at some of our events!
Deo Omnis Gloria.
Diocese of Allentown
Office of Adult Formation
2121 Madison Ave
Bethlehem, Pennsylvania 18017
610-289-8900
|
|
|
The Solemnity of All Saints on Wednesday, November 1, 2017.
|
|
|
Rick Dooley, Assistant Director
Office of Adult Formation
610-289-8900, Ext. 2027
|
|
|
Mary Fran Hartigan, Director
Faith Formation
610-289-8900, Ext. 2026
|
|
|
Click "Update Profile" below to choose what information you want to receive from the Diocese of Allentown. By clicking "Unsubscribe" you will be removed from
ALL
of the Diocese of Allentown's email lists.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
