General Sessions
**Topics Subject to Change
Thursday, August 24, 2023 | 9:00am
Invitation and Encounter: Evangelizing Through the Sacraments: Dr. Timothy O'Malley, Director of Education, McGrath Institute for Church Life
In this presentation, participants will have an opportunity to think about the relationship between the celebration of the sacraments and evangelization. The sacraments are always evangelizing, and therefore it’s not quite right to say that people are “sacramentalized” but not “evangelized.” Nonetheless, the task of the catechist is to invite men and women to fruitfully participate in the gift of love that God wants to give in the sacraments. How do we invite Catholics in the Archdiocese of Milwaukee to meet Jesus Christ in the sacraments and then to offer the return gift of ourselves to God? Answering this question is key to fostering missionary discipleship in our age.
Friday, August 25, 2023 | 3:00pm
Empowered Witnesses: Embracing the Holy Spirit in Evangelization: Kristin Bird, Executive Director, Burning Hearts Ministries
“It must be said that the Holy Spirit is the principal agent of evangelization: it is He who impels each individual to proclaim the Gospel, and it is He who in the depths of consciences causes the word of salvation to be accepted and understood.” (Evangelii Nuntiandi, 75)
In the ever-changing landscape of evangelization, we must remain open to the promptings of the Holy Spirit, embracing flexibility and adaptability in our approach.
We can learn to discern the signs of the Spirit's movement in our ministries, seizing new opportunities for outreach and growth. Uncover the power of prayer in shaping our hearts and minds to be attuned the to the Spirit’s direction, opening our hearts to the transformative power of the Holy Spirit as the primary evangelizer. Embracing the guidance and empowerment of the Holy Spirit will revolutionize our ministries, infuse our efforts with divine grace, and lead us to become dynamic and authentic witnesses of the Gospel.
Saturday, August 26, 2023 | 9:00am
The Catechist My Kids Need: Andre Lesperance, Senior Content Creator and Ministry Consultant, the Evangelical Catholic
Giving kids the opportunity to discover the riches of Catholic life in Christ is a sacred undertaking shared by parents and catechists. But the challenges we face in this task are many. Drawing on his experience as a father, teacher, coach, and ministry professional, Andre will share three ancient principles and five practical habits in an interactive session to support you in being a happy and effective catechist.
Saturday, August 26, 2023 | 2:15pm
Becoming Eucharistic Catechists: Fr. Joe Laramie, SJ National Director, Pope's Worldwide Prayer Network & National Eucharistic Preacher for the USCCB Eucharistic Revival
Jesus' heart beats for us, and that love pours itself out especially in the Eucharist. If we want to lead those we teach closer to the heart of Jesus, we must be intimately in touch with Him first. We will close our day exploring the love Jesus offers us in the Eucharist, then encountering Him there through prayer and Adoration.
WORKSHOP TOPICS
Thursday, August 24, 2023
10:45am
- Making Intergenerational Family Sessions Engaging - Dr. Kathie Amidei
- Evangelizing Through Creation - Joe Meyer
- Strengthening Relationships with Parents - Michael Marchand
- The proclamation of the scriptures in the sacraments - Dr. Mike Brummond
2:45pm
During these "Deep Dive" sessions, we'll be joined by national and local experts on how to set up your preparation process as an encounter with Christ for your candidates and their families. The same topics will be repeated on Friday in a shorter session - so if you work with more than one, you won't have to sacrifice too much!
- First Reconciliation & First Eucharist - LeAnn Rogan
- Confirmation - Michael Marchand
- RCIA - Dr. Timothy O'Malley
- Setting up parish touch points to be encounters with Christ (new families, funerals, Baptism) - Kristin Bird
Friday, August 25, 2023
10:30am
- Beholding, Bearing, and Becoming: The Art of Liturgical Formation - Dr. Timothy O'Malley
- Integrating Hispanic/Anglo Ministry - Lorianne Aubut
- Developing Teen Leaders - Michael Marchand
- The Art of Accompaniment - Kristin Bird
1:45pm
We'll be joined by national and local experts on how to set up your preparation process as an encounter with Christ for your candidates and their families. These are a shortened repeat of Thursday's Deep Dive session to allow you to select a 2nd topic.
- First Reconciliation & First Eucharist - LeAnn Rogan
- Confirmation - Michael Marchand
- RCIA - Doug Ulaszek / Kim Mandelkow
- Setting up parish touch points to be encounters with Christ (new families, funerals, Baptism) - Krisitin Bird
Saturday, August 26, 2023 - 10:30am | 11:30am | 1:15pm
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Children's Ministry Track
- Evangelizing through Beauty - Kris Krannenberg
- Let's Play: Games to Enhance Catechesis - Maureen Rotramel
- Using Scripture in your Lessons - Sue Devine Simon
- Introduction to Catechesis of the Good Shepherd - Samantha El-Azem
- Pray Always Pray All Ways- Dr. Kathie Amidei
- Grounding Children in an Authentic Anthropology - Mike Gutzwiller
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Youth Ministry Basic Track:
- Small Group 101 - Andrew Schueller
- The Art of Welcome - Michael Marchand
- Core Team Basics - Andrew Schueller
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Youth Ministry Advanced Track:
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Adult Evangelization Eucharistic Revival Track
- How to Establish an Intercessory Prayer Team for Eucharistic Revival at Your Parish - Margaret Rhody
- How to share Your Personal Witness of Jesus Christ Truly Present in the Eucharist and "Invite One Back" to Mass - Margaret Rhody
- How to form Eucharistic Missionaries through Emmaus 90 at Your Parish - Margaret Rhody
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Adult Small Group Training Track
- Forming an Adult Small Group - Andre Lesperance
- Facilitating Your Group Through Common Challenges - Andre Lesperance
- Accompanying Others - Andre Lesperance
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Métodos Catequéticos
- Métodos Catequéticos - Lorianne Aubut
- Dios se hizo comida, ¿cómo hablar sobre la Eucaristía? - Fr. Carlos Londoño
- Historia de la Salvación - Gabriela Cabrera Sandoval
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