September 2021
Faith Formation/Youth Ministry Update
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This monthly e-newsletter serves catechetical and youth ministry leaders in the Diocese of Green Bay by furnishing them with updates, events and other resources helpful to them in their ministry of fostering households and communities of discipleship.
Discover Jesus. Follow Jesus. Worship Jesus. Share Jesus with others.
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Notices, Updates, Events
Generally useful information.
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Next Office Hour: Thursday, Sept. 2; 1pm
Hey, that's tomorrow!
Welcome to Office Hour, a virtual meeting of RE/YM folks in our diocese during which we pray together, share useful information and offer encouragement and support in your ministry.
Now that it's September (where did August go???), we can talk about the FCC Relaunch and its break-the-mold approach to catechetical certification and the opportunities for formation and evangelization it offers!
We'll walk through signing up for Franciscan at Home, answer questions about the mentoring aspect, tracking catechists' progress, and offer ideas for group presentation of Franciscan at Home workshops.
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Meeting ID: 869 9363 0041 |
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Nuts & Bolts for New Administrators
September 16: Live and in-person
The next workshop in this series is scheduled for Thursday, September 16, (live, in-person) on the Diocesan Campus. It'll be from 9am-2:30pm and includes Mass and lunch.
We have an all-star cast coming to talk to you briefly on a number of critical topics, along with a full compliment of handouts with other useful information to help you in these early days of your new ministry!
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Big News!
Bishop Adds to Approved Text List
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Dear Catechetical Leaders,
After careful review by our Diocesan Office of Child & Youth Faith Formation, I am pleased to approve the Catholic Connections Handbook for Middle Schoolers and the Second Edition Church History (supplement), both by St. Mary's Press. These texts are approved for middle school age children, to be used by parishes and Catholic schools in the Diocese of Green Bay.
Know of my prayerful support for you as you continue to offer God's love and goodness to our students of this diocese. May the Holy Spirit bless and guide your instructional ministry as you use these texts as a means to draw our youth closer to Jesus Christ while discovering their path to missionary discipleship. With gratitude and hope-filled blessings, I remain
Sincerely yours in Christ,
The Most Reverend David L. Ricken, DD, JCL
Bishop of Green Bay
August 27, 2021
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Did You Miss the FCC Relaunch Event on August 23? |
We sent out a follow-up message with a host of useful links and resources to help with your registration and orientation to the new FCC platform Franciscan at Home. Use the link at left to have a look at that message.
The instructions there will help you get registered as a leader, register your catechists and start looking at workshops.
Our next Office Hour (September 2) will be our first live, virtual walk-through of the process. (See above for Zoom link)
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2021-22 RE/YM Calendar Change
Regarding KREWE in September
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As we are still in the process of finding a new Child and Youth Faith Formation Assistant Director, we will be temporarily pausing KREWE and are cancelling the September 24-26th Fall Summit. Please stay tuned as KREWE will be back winter 2022, God willing.
Thank you for your patience.
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What's 'Catholic in Motion'?
Have you seen this on your social media feed?
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As part of an on-going effort by the Re-Engagement team at the diocese, a social media campaign on Facebook and Instagram will be launching on September 13th across the entire area. This campaign uses the algorithms developed by social media to find those who are searching for Jesus, faith, trust, hope and other variables. It also searches for those that were once Catholic but no longer identify or who are Christian but may not have been Catholic. It also includes a focus on identifying families with young children and young adults.
People will be presented with imagery that, when they click on it, will redirect them to a micro-site at (link at right). Depending on your own searches, you may even see these ads in your personal social media feed. More information will be coming but please feel free to reach out to Justine Lodl or Lori Paul with any questions about this campaign.
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The Vocation Office is hosting an Andrew Dinner on September 29th for young men who are open to the priesthood. We would like you to personally invite those young men that you think have the qualities that make for a great priest. This is a great event to accompany those young men as they discern God's will. It is also a great way to get your pastor or deacon involved in their lives and invite them to accompany the young men as well. Please see the provided link for more information, a downloadable liability form (for all participants), and online registration.
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Parish Life Line Zoom Meetings: Please join us on Wednesday, September 15 at 9:30am when our guest will be Cathy Lins, whose topic will be "Trauma-Informed Parishes". |
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Previous recordings and
resources.
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Meeting ID 953 114 988
Password 916480
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Rosary Event to Commemorate Fatima: Let's Pray Together
Wednesday, October 13
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The Miracle of the Dancing Sun occurred on October 13, 1917 in Fatima, Portugal.
Accounts of the event state that after a period of rain, the dark clouds broke and the Sun appeared as an opaque, spinning disc in the sky. It was said to be significantly duller than normal, and to cast multicolored lights across the landscape, the people, and the surrounding clouds. The Miracle of the Dancing Sun was witnessed by thousands and led to the conversion of many souls.
We are currently experiencing a very dark time in our world. Just as Our Lady of Fatima asked Lucia, Francisco and Jacinta to pray the rosary, we are asking our RE catechists, stafff and students to pray the rosary together at the start of your October 13th programs. We recommend having students gather in the church. If that is not possible because of space, a time-coordinated effort to pray simultaneously in each classroom might work, or if you have a public address system in your facility you might have a group of students lead the rosary over that. Our Lady asked the children to pray. This day is to honor her request.
FYI, the Catholic Schools of our Diocese will be praying the rosary together at 9am that morning as well, and the other WI dioceses and Relevant Radio will be participating, too.
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Diocesan Discipleship Seminar
October 21 at the Resch Expo
Free, Online Registration Open Now!
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Bishop Ricken has asked all parish staff, priests and pastoral leaders, Catholic school presidents and principals to attend, as well as the entire diocesan Curia, as we gather together as one body in Christ. (Parish staff includes those paid 10+ hours or anyone else considered to be parish staff.) |
Individual AND Group registrations accepted. Please coordinate with your parish admin to avoid duplicate registrations; thanks! |
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October is World Mission Month |
Pope Francis' theme is “We cannot but speak about what we have seen and heard” (Acts 4:20). World Mission Sunday is October 24, 2021.
Pope Francis reminds us that, “as Christians, we cannot keep the Lord to ourselves, recall with gratitude all those men and women who by their testimony of life help us to renew our baptismal commitment to be generous and joyful apostles of the Gospel.”
Every school, parish and family in the world can participate. Every student is a missionary, sharing our love for Christ’s Gospel with one another, supporting the Church most in need.
If you have any questions or would like a missionary speaker, please contact Cindy St. Aubin, World Mission Director.
Two colorful info sheets for your use (both are bi-lingual; Spanish/English):
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Just for Kids Art & Essay Contest
Yes, it IS September and that IS a Christmas tree! Deadline for contest is just 3 short months away!
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In partnership with World Mission Services, The Compass presents its annual Christmas essay/art contest once again this year. The top three artwork winners from each age group, K-8, will be chosen by a diocesan panel.
This winning artwork will also be sent to the Missionary Childhood Association National Christmas Artwork Contest. Twenty-four national winners will be selected by MCA and this winning art will appear as e-greeting Christmas cards at www.missio.org/resources and will have their art displayed at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington D.C., during the 2021 Advent and Christmas seasons.
Additionally, two grand prize winners’ art will also be featured on the official Christmas cards for the National Director of the Pontifical Mission Society in the United States. Please see HERE for more information.
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Calendar
Upcoming dates you should know about.
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Our upcoming events have been updated and will continue to be updated throughout the year.)
Dates to Keep in Mind:
Sep. 2: Office Hour, Live on Zoom (see above)
Sep. 16: Nuts & Bolts for New Administrators
Sep. 19: Catechetical Sunday
Oct 13: Start RE programs with the Rosary in commemoration of Fatima apparition
Oct. 21: Diocesan Discipleship Seminar for Parish Leaders at the Resch Expo
Oct 24: World Mission Sunday
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Resources
Studies, media, and materials to help you do what you do.
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Our at-home resource page can be found HERE!
it gets updated as new information becomes available.
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If you're using Sophia Institute's Spirit of Truth (Parish edition), you might like to know that you can add the Digital Edition to your print books for
From Ascension, a free article entitled "Discovering Unity through Faith" which shows how you and your students can find strength in differences and to grow in unity with all God's children.
The Catechetical Institute (Franciscan University of Steubenville) hosts a free, 1hr webinar on September 7th called "How to Effectively Reach Parents to Truly Enable Them, Not Just Exhort Them". Two chances to join-in: at 2pm CST or at 7pm CST
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Word on Fire is offering a free eBook, Catholicism after Coronavirus: A Post-COVID Guide for Catholics and Parishes, intended to answer the question 'where do we go from here?'' Practical advice from those on the frontlines of the Church's response to the pandemic, meditations on bereavement, spiritual formation, evangelization and more. Download this new eBook for free at wordonfire.org/covid.
Catholic Current by the USCCB offers many resources to use in the month of September, including important dates, saints, prayers, weekly bulletin inserts and social media posts, shareable images and more. Many resources available in Spanish and English.
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Share Your Wisdom!
Have a resource that you've found helpful in training staff or engaging students? Watched a video that deepened your faith and led you closer to Jesus?
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If you need anything; prayers, a listening ear, or other support, please do not hesitate to contact us. We appreciate ALL that you are doing to advance His kingdom!!
Maximus Cabey, Director
Child & Youth Faith Formation
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Quick Links
Information at your fingertips.
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"Diocese of Green Bay RE/YM"
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Families & Schools of Discipleship | Diocese of Green Bay
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