Volume XII, Issue XXIII June 6, 2022
 Greetings!            
‌
Safe Environment~ Welcome to DOSA ~ Circle of Grace
As you should be aware, we are moving to the Circle of Grace Safe Environment lessons for children and youth as of July 1, 2022. After that date, the only Virtus Programs we will be using in the diocese are: the adult modules and the Teen 2.0 module for those teens 16 -18 who are volunteers or paid staff.

After Bishop Estévez's approval in January, this program has been discussed at a variety of our gatherings wherein the decision was made to completely leave the Virtus children and youth modules behind. We are moving to Circle of Grace so that we can better tie in the Gospel with key elements of Safe Environment, an element we have found missing in the Virtus lessons for youth. This program is available to us from the Archdiocese of Omaha and we have bought the 5 year subscription. It very clearly ties into our religious education curriculum rather seamlessly and not as a separate component. Lessons are for K - 12 annually, with some grades having more than one lesson to be incorporated.

Besides the tie into Gospel elements, the program will be available in Spanish and English. This will be very helpful, particularly with the parent materials available. For parents, there are family pages with each lesson on current topics for conversations in the home.

Of course, this program meets the standards of the USCCB Charter for the Protection of Children and Youth and Young People. It also has the imprimatur of Most Reverend George K. Lucas, Archbishop of Omaha.

There will be no upfront costs to parishes and schools. The DOSA Safe Environment Office will fund the subscription and for the initial materials, Deacon Scott and I will provide binders and flash drives to our leaders. If you need additional copies of either, you are free to make them.

Training will be a must for leaders and key teachers/catechists. These will be conducted via Zoom and we hope to have a schedule for you by July 1. The lessons and materials will be posted on the diocesan website by July 1 so that you can get a head start on your planning for next year
MFP Graduation, 30th Anniversary, and recognition of Mrs. Pat Cook
Sunday, June 12 in the Cathedral Basilica
2:00 pm Mass for the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity with Bishop Estévez
Appetizer reception to follow in he back courtyard.
RSVP for food numbers please.
Choosing and Using Religion Textbooks in the
Diocese of St. Augustine
It's that time of the year again to answer the question: "Should we stay or should we go?" discerning whether the current religion textbooks are meeting the needs of the youth and their catechists or not. Here are some things to keep in mind:

The textbook is a road map in the hands of a trained catechist. It is not the catechist and does not take the place of someone who knows the Catholic faith and can share it with competence and passion.

Any curriculum or sacramental textbook must be on the USCCB list of textbooks found to be in conformity. This is a starting point for any search. The teacher manual and the student book must both have approval for all grades.
For schools: S and TM, for parishes P and CM.
The copyright should not be over 7 or 8 years old.

This link to the list is active on the office website and updates at least 6 times per year

Textbooks not found in their entirety are: Sophia Press (2018), Dynamic Catholic Sacramental Textbooks (2018), and the recently published collaborative textbook being produced by St. Augustine Institute and Ignatius Press. These cannot be in use in the diocese until they have been approved.

Parishes with schools should be using the same religion textbooks.

The same series should be used in all grade levels at one location.

Remember, the textbook is a tool. As such, each textbook series has its strengths and its weaknesses. The catechist is the key ingredient.

Here is an evaluation tool for religion textbooks:
For those interested in RCLbenziger products, Linda is running a 30% off shipping and handling until June 30th. Deferred payment as well.
Next Steps in Our Local Synodal Process
We have polished our document, run it through several filters and present it here:



The next steps will begin in August as Bishop Elect Pohlmeier meets with the synodal team and works toward a plan for implementation

In the meantime, enjoy the voices of the people of God in the Diocese of St. Augustine.
Eucharistic Congress June 17 -18, 2022
Keep your calendars open for our annual Eucharistic Congress, to be held on June 17 at Queen of Peace in Gainesville and on June 18 at St, Joseph in Jacksonville. The program and speakers will be essentially the same in both locations. Masses and keynote presentations will be livestreamed.

The only event that needs a pre-registration are the children's tracks that will be held only in Jacksonville. In order for the team to provide a safe environment with enough volunteers and materials, families are asked to register at least one week prior using the forms below. We cannot guarantee space for anyone who is not registered.




The Eucharistic Congress website has schedules, speaker information, procession information, directions, etc.


This weekend is also the kickoff weekend for the National Eucharistic Revival and the diocesan level activities
National Eucharistic Revival Committee Unveils Logo
Symbolism of the logo: The Logo A RISING SON Inspired by stained-glass windows, the logo for the Revival depicts a stylized Eucharist (chalice and host). The host doubles as a rising sun that is radiating light, embodying our hope for the dawn of a new day in the Church as the Revival opens hearts to Christ’s healing presence.




Links to the recordings of the three part Sadlier masterclass from last week with Bishop Cozzens and Dcn Matt Halbach





Becoming Eucharistic People: How to Prepare for the Eucharistic Revival
Free Webinar from Ave Maria Press

Timothy P. O'Malley
June 14th 3:00 PM
By now many of you have likely heard about the USCCB's Eucharistic Revival and you many have even heard critiques about its cost and that it's all about a single event in Indianapolis. In this webinar, Timothy P. O'Malley, author of Real Presence and Becoming Eucharistic People, introduces a more positive way of approaching the revival: as a chance to act on the idea--supported by many of the fathers of the Second Vatican Council--that the Eucharist builds the Church and the Church builds the Eucharist. O'Malley also will address how every US diocese and parish can become a Eucharistic community grounded in the self-giving love of Jesus Christ. This webinar will help you prepare for the revival.




Redescubriendo la Eucaristía: El misterio de la Eucaristía en la vida de la Iglesia parte de la serie Viviendo la fe y la vida
Presentado por Claudio Mora
1 de junio de 2022 a las 4 p.m. EDT

¿Quiere saber más sobre el último documento de los Obispos de los Estados Unidos, “El misterio de la Eucaristía en la vida de la Iglesia”?
Únase a Claudio Mora y escuche un mensaje especial del obispo Andrew Cozzens, presidente del Comité de Evangelización y Catequesis de la USCCB. Además, exploraremos este gran documento y aprenderemos sobre:
  • El verdadero significado de la Eucaristía
  • La presencia real de Jesús en la Eucaristía
  • Cómo aumentar nuestra fe en Él

Complete el formulario en esta página para registrarse a este seminario web gratuito. Incluso si no puede asistir en vivo, regístrese para recibir la grabación.

Fourteenth Annual Summer School of Theology
Fourteenth Annual Summer School of Theology
July 18 - 22, 2022
Wisdom Center, Marywood
Dr. Timothy O'Malley,
McGrath Institute at Notre Dame University
Real Presence: What does it mean?
Why does it matter?


Bishop Estevez is asking every pastor to send at least one representative to the week to become a facilitator for further studies at the parish level. This person should be involved in adult faith formation and be willing to share what they learn during this week with other members of the parish.

I have made a deal for discounts on Dr. O'Malley's two books:

Real Presence: What Does It Mean and Why Does it Matter (covered during the week)

Becoming Eucharistic People: The Hope and Promise of Parish Life.

Both have a cover price of $14.95. The deal I have negotiated until July 18 is $10 each with free shipping to my office. Each book has a free downloadable study guide. I have stock in now.
By your request,we have added the Echoes newsletter to our office website:
Basic Certification (Level I)
Our next offerings will be:

The Catholic School Special at St. Matthew is closed since we start on Tuesday June 7.

All in Two Weekends at St. Monica

We will host an all in two weekends at St. Monica in September on the weekends of September 10 -11 and September 24-25. Registration is now open:


In January, we will have an all in two weekends at Sacred Heart in Fleming Island.

Level II, the Standard Level, is achieved online via 3 different options:


STEP (Satellite Theology) at Notre Dame
Searchlight Virtual School, Diocese of Palm Beach
VLCFF (University of Dayton Virtual School)
Continuing Formation Opportunities
Teaching Religion to Adolescents: Creative Strategies and Best Practices

Fee: $60
Five Weeks

featuring videos with master religious educators - Jared Dees, Max Engle, Thomas Groome, Patrick Manning, Theresa O'Keefe, Susan Reynolds  
Young people today are growing up into a world making complex demands of them: in school, the marketplace, personal relationships, and in the use of technology. Join us to explore the developing capacities and needs of adolescents. Draw from Scripture and Church teaching to increase your skills as a teacher (or parent) for helping teens understand and deepen their faith, strengthening them as they rise up to respond to the world around them. This course equips catechists and religion teachers with the resources and strategies needed to teach adolescents about the Catholic faith with inspiration and confidence. Drawing upon experts in theology, developmental psychology, and religious education, the course addresses pressing questions: Who are my students? What should I teach? and How do I teach it effectively?
Topics:
Introductory Week
Week 1: Who Are My Students?
Week 2: What Should I Teach?
Week 3: How Should I Teach? - Part 1. Adolescent Appropriate Strategies
Week 4: How Should I Teach? - Part 2. Holistic Student Formation
Time Commitment: 
A participant can expect to spend an average of 3-4 hours each week. This commitment includes both preparation and interaction online. 


Teaching Religion to Children: Creative Strategies and Best Practices

Fee: $60
Five Weeks

featuring video with Dr. Thomas H. Groome and master teachers; articles by Jane E. Ayer and Melinda Brown Donovan.
Sharing the treasure of Christian faith with the next generation can be a real challenge. It’s not enough for children to learn doctrine, but they need to find meaning in the faith for their lives .Focused on the elementary and junior high catechist and religious educator, this course is based on leading scholarship and practical experience from Thomas H. Groome and Jane E. Ayer. You will explore teaching as a vocation, the various types of learners, different approaches to presenting religious education material, and ways to create sacred space and pray with children in the classroom. This course is not dependent on any catechetical textbook series.
Topics:
Introductory Week
Week 1: Teaching as a Vocation and Modeling Jesus's Pedagogy
Week 2: Pedagogical Models and Being a Reflective Teacher
Week 3: Honoring the Senses and the Theory of Multiple Intelligences
Week 4: Creating Sacred Space and Ways of Praying
Time Commitment:
A participant can expect to spend an average of approximately 3-4 hours each week. This commitment includes both the assigned reading and interaction online.


The Engaged Parish
Jul 20, 2022 - Aug 23, 2022

5-Week Course
Overview
This course was previously titled "Adult Faith Formation for a Vibrant Church." Featuring video with Thomas Groome, Theresa O’Keefe, and Hosffman Ospino
Working for a more vibrant faith community? Adult faith formation plays a vital role in animating the local church. Yet, it often suffers relative neglect. This course is for anyone on a parish council or other ministry with adults. It explores the ways in which faith formation can happen anywhere members work together in the life of the church through evangelization, catechesis, and conversation about things that really matter. It considers the cultural issues of diversity in the parish and post-modernity in the greater society as the context for deepening adults' engagement in the faith community. It also reflects on the communities of practice that make up the parish, and how to leverage them in helping individuals grow in their faith.
This course has a required text: Jane E. Regan. Forming A Community of Faith: A Guide to Success in Adult Faith Formation Today. Twenty-Third Publications, 2014
Topics
  • Introductory Week: The Contemporary Context for Adult Faith Formation
  • Week 1: Connecting Evangelization and Adult Faith Formation
  • Week 2: Key Themes in the Catechetical Vision
  • Week 3: The Skill of Engaging Adults in Conversation
  • Week 4: Community of Practice: A New Perspective of Parish Life
Sadlier's Webinars on demand in Spanish and English