corenotes issue 19

Q U A R T E R L Y J O U R N A L O F T H E O F F I C E F O R C A T E C H E S I S

I S S U E 1 9 - A P R I L 2 0 1 5

Book Review

Saints and Eucharistic Devotion

Why the Resurrection?

Balancing Finances and Catechetical

Ministry

ACRE Assessments • Calendar • Graduate StudiesReligion Standards • Webinar

S U N DAY O F D I V I N E M E R C Y

COREnotes

In Memoriam

M i s s i o nWe believe that through our ministry we continue the mission of Jesus Christ by enabling the people of the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois to develop the gifts given them by the Spirit. In carrying out this mission, we strive to provide resources, service and leadership to all who are part of the educational mission of the Church: religious education, early childhood, elementary and secondary schools, and adult education.

We do this in the spirit of Jesus Christ.

S t a f f Jonathan F. SullivanDirector of Catechetical [email protected]

Chris MalmevikAssociate Director for [email protected]

Cynthia CallanExecutive Secretary for CatechesisSecretary for Youth andYoung Adult [email protected]

Jean JohnsonSuperintendent of Catholic [email protected]

Lori CassonSecretary for School [email protected]

Kyle HoltgraveAssociate Director of Youth and Young Adult [email protected]

Eugene Kazimierowski was the artist who painted the first Image of Divine Mercy which currently hangs in the Shrine of Divine Mercy in Vilnius, Lithuania. (from www.divinemercy.org).

For additional reading about St. Faustina Kowalska and the Divine Mercy visit EWTN: https://www.ewtn.com/Devotionals/mercy/stfaust.htm

The Image of Divine MercyDivine Mercy Sunday: April 12, 2015

As we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ in this Easter season, it is a good time to reflect on the meaning of the Paschal Mystery in our lives and for our ministry. The Church proclaims that

In the sacraments of Christian initiation we are freed from the power of darkness and joined to Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection. We receive the Spirit of filial adoption and are part of the entire people of God in the celebration of the memorial of the Lord’s death and resurrection. (Christian Initiation, General Introduction, no. 1)

As catechists this is not only true of us personally, but it is also the basis of how we form those in our charge. All catechesis finds its root, its hope, its end in the Paschal Mystery, because it is through that mystery that God’s promises to his people are completed:

If, then, we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him. We know that Christ, raised from the dead, dies no more; death no longer has power over him. As to his death, he died to sin once and for all; as to his life, he lives for God. Consequently, you too must think of yourselves as [being] dead to sin and living for God in Christ Jesus. (Romans 6:8-11)

In the RCIA, Catholic schools, PSR programs, and adult faith formation sessions, the Paschal Mystery should have pride of place and be a constant touchstone for our teaching and formation. As catechists it is our privilege to lead people to a relationship with Jesus Christ. This relationship finds its culmination in Baptism, Confirmation, and Holy Eucharist, because these sacraments unite us in an un-changeable way with the life of Christ.

My prayer for you in this blessed season is that your life and ministry will be increas-ingly touched by a radical encounter with Christ and his Pascal Mystery. Have a happy and blessed Easter!

April 2015 | 3

Over the years that I knew him, Russell mentored me in catechetical leadership and helped introduce me to other leaders in catechesis across the country. He also imparted a number of lessons — both explicitly and implicitly — that have helped to shape my own approach to catechesis:

1. Focus on Jesus and the rest will follow. If there is one quote that I will always remember from Russell, it is this: “I don’t generally trust anyone who talks about the Church more than they talk about Jesus.” Russell’s point was not to downplay the importance of the Body of Christ — rather, it was that our focus should be on Jesus and helping others to deepen their relationship with him. Russell had little patience for ecclesiastical gossip (in that he was a big fan of Pope Francis’!), a habit I admit to indulg-ing in from time to time. Russell always challenged me to keep my focus on Jesus Christ in my life and in my ministry.2. Catechists make room for all of God’s people. Russell had very definite opinions about faith, spirituality, and the state of the Church. Yet I was always amazed at his ability to reach out to all the members of the Church and make sure they were included in his ministry, whether he agreed with them or not. Because he loved people Russell found it easy to move among various “types” of Catholics, which made him a very effective catechetical leader.3. Sometimes ministry requires savvy politics. At the 2009 NCCL conference Russell was part of a slate elected as board officers. After the election I made the observation that, at all the evening func-tions I attended during the conference, at least one member of that slate was also there greeting and talking with people. Russell, with a twinkle in his eye, replied “Funny how that worked out, isn’t it?” Russell was not above cajoling and compromising, recognizing that “the art of the possible” is also a necessary part of collaborative ministry in a fallen world.

I am deeply saddened that I will no longer be able to look for my friend at regional and national catecheti-cal gatherings, and I pray that one day I will get to sit across the table from him and enjoy his presence at the heavenly banquet.

Eternal rest grant unto Russell, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him.

May his soul and all the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace.

Three Things I Learned from Russell Petersonby Jonathan F. Sullivan

Russell Peterson, former director of catechesis for the Diocese of Belleville, died on March 20 after a sudden and brief illness.Russell was a man of great faith, warm hospitality, and incisive humor. He was also one of the first diocesan catechetical leaders I met after joining the curia staff at the Diocese of Spring-field in Illinois. Russell was a regular fixture at meetings of the diocesan catechetical directors of the Province of Chicago. His insight and friendship were always appreciated by those of us

who worked in other Illinois dioceses.

April 2015 | 3

&

Finding the right structural approach for tuition and fees is an important aspect of any parish program, a necessary consideration for the fiscal health of the program and the parish. There are a number of values that should be fac-tored into the structure that is created.

Since every parish is different and operates in a unique context, setting specific tuition policy broadly is very difficult. I offer practical suggestions here, in hopes they might be helpful and spark additional thought from parish catechetical leaders like you.

Many parishes minister under financial strain. Many finance councils are looking to parish catechetical ministry to increase revenue, cut costs, or hold costs steady…in general to become more self-sufficient. In some cases this may be possible and even appropriate. However, it is vital that those calling for a reduction in parish subsidy understand that catechetical ministry is not an option or a luxury. In fact, Canon Law declares that Catholic faith formation is a right of the faith-ful and an obligation on the part of every parish to provide.

While some parishes may have legitimate concern that its faith formation ministries should generate more rev-

enue on their own behalf, a very substantial level of parish support is both necessary and proper. It is espe-cially critical today that parishes accept and fulfill their responsibility to provide catechetical ministries to all their people…including and especially, for the adults of the parish. I am gratified that, increasingly, our parish-es are gaining this recognition that evangelization and catechesis are key components to stemming the decline in the numbers of active and practicing Catholics, and in strengthening the parish community.

From my experience in two dioceses, I am inclined to think that many parishes could generate more revenue and in a more just manner. My primary suggestion is to create a two-tiered tuition structure, whereby those families who are active stewards of the parish are re-warded with a discount off of the base price. In such a system, the base tuition would likely go up, perhaps more than modestly. (Any parishes doing so would need to consider a wide set of variables in determining an appropriate base tuition adjustment.)

A criterion or a set of criteria would be established by the parish to allow for the delineation of families that would qualify for the “discount” from those that would not. As a parish Director of Religious Educa-tion, I found that the best wording to use was partici-pating and non-participating to describe the difference

Optimally and Justly Structuring Religious

Education Tuition

Tom QuinlanDirector, Religious Education Office

Balancing Finances Catechetical Ministry

4 | CORE notes April 2015 | 5

between those who qualified for the discount and those who did not. This wording seemed the most clear and the least off-putting to parishioners in the parish I served.

In the example of the religious education program I led in the 1990s, parishioners qualifying for the reduced tuition rate paid roughly half of the normal, undiscounted rate, which was paid by non-qualifying parishioners, as well as those with (and wishing) no parish affiliation. The bottom line was that a greater burden was placed on families not active and supportive of the parish, resulting in an overall revenue increase. The cost to active, participating families was marginally reduced. This seemed more just for everyone. (This also strengthened my ability as DRE to offer assistance to those with legitimate financial need, so that no family was ever turned away because of an inability to pay…partially or at all.)

A critically important ministerial point must be included here. A two-tiered tuition structure such as this should be implemented only with the underpinning of a strong evangelizing/re-evangelizing spirit among parish leaders and a commitment to an intentional plan of outreach and invitation to all parishioner-families for whom the favorable tuition rate does not apply. I cannot stress this enough!

Every opportunity for communication, by letter, phone and in person, should be conducted with a generous pastoral tone. Par-ish leaders must take great pains to seize the opportunities cre-ated in such a tuition structure to gently explain both the ratio-nale for the tuition structure and the broader context of active home and parish faith life which are necessary to the fostering of effective faith development in minors. I call these “re-evan-gelizing conversations.”

While this can be time- and energy-consuming for the parish catechetical leader, these interactions with parents can truly be fruitful moments of grace. As a DRE, I learned how important these opportunities were and gave increasing emphasis to the in-viting of families into greater relationship with the parish. There was nothing more important I could be doing than discussing the active practice of Catholic faith with non-participating parents.

One might think these conversations were strained. To the con-trary, in almost all cases; parents were receptive to discussing the dynamics of their family’s faith practice, so long as I ap-proached them in a gentle way and from a positive perspective. Many parents would make a commitment to begin to live up to the criteria established for receiving the lower tuition. I would grant the discount with enthusiasm but also with a word of ac-countability. If they failed to meet or surpass the criteria (in our case, the admittedly modest threshold…and imperfect gauge…of 26 parish envelopes per year) then the higher non-participat-ing rate would apply and they would be billed for the additional amount.

The two-tiered system worked well insofar as it strengthened the revenue generation of the program (and it allowed me better assist families with legitimate financial need). But much more


importantly, the system gave me, as DRE, many chanc-es to try to re-evangelize our many, less church-going parents. The tuition structure highlighted the impor-tance of active faith practice and caused a great many families to endeavor to become more active. Indeed, a fair number did!

Now, a very important point must be made about the criteria a parish may wish to use to establish participat-ing parishioner status: Parishes may never name an amount of money contributed as a minimum thresh-old for gaining a participating status and, thus, a favorable rate for tuition. (To do so would violate IRS rules for tax-exempt institutions.) In other words, while I was able to set a minimum envelope usage as a criterion for families in the religious education pro-gram I directed, I could make no specific requirement as to the amount contributed. (I did often discuss with parents the importance of financial stewardship and the ways money is used to support the pastoral life of the parish.)

One further suggestion for increased revenue genera-tion in a way that retains justice is to have multiple registration deadlines from late spring through to early fall. After each deadline, an additional $10 or so could be added to the tuition. In the system that I oversaw, there were two deadlines, after which a slight increase occurred. Not only did this bring in a bit more mon-ey, but it encouraged parents to register earlier, which helped on the administrative end of the program. It was a win-win. (Families new to the parish were charged the pre-deadline amount.)

I want to also express my support for the concept of the “multiple-child” discount, which many of our parishes have in place. It is a way of affirming and assisting families with two or more children by offering reduced rates of tuition after the first child. Again, this can only be done with full consideration given to the broader fi-nancial landscape of the catechetical program and the parish.

I hope my thoughts on the often touchy subject of “tu-ition” may be of some help, especially if you are in need of exploring new ways to provide financially for your program. What I have shared is meant mostly to help your parish begin to tackle the issue, not provide ready-made answers.

Beyond the particular matter of tuition and income generation, my greatest hope is that your parish will provide, pro-actively, the resources for excellent and effective adult faith formation and evangelization min-istries. In so doing, more and more adults (parents and others) may experience conversion in their faith lives and resume or begin a close relationship to Christ and the Church, and thus respond to the call to be generous stewards of the parish.

Quality adult outreach and faith formation that foster conversion is, in the end, the only real and sustainable way to resolve the financial squeeze so many parishes struggle with today. Put bluntly, one could say “Evan-gelize or die!” All other solutions, including what I’ve addressed here, are mere short-term “tinkerings.” Resurrection?

6 | CORE notes

Why the

Resurrection?

Rev. James V. Schall, SJ

6 | CORE notes

Each year, the feast of Easter celebrates an event that most people, if they thought about its meaning, would like to accept as true but which seems impossible. This event is the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, who was crucified, after a dramatic trial involving the Roman governor, one Pontius Pilate, and several Jewish leaders—Annas, Caiphas, among others.

How does one come to terms with this account? Does it make any sense whatsoever? Why does anyone need to bother with it? Basically, the only reason we might need to concern ourselves with it is that it is true.

One way to deal with this event, whatever happened, is to deny that it ever occurred. In that case, one could say that it is a piece of fiction or wish-fulfillment, like other tales that are handed down. The trouble with this view is that considerable evidence exists that attests to the actuality of this event. Scholars and philosophers over the centu-ries have explained these events in various ingenuous ways in or-der to avoid having to admit that something of monumental, world-historic importance did happen in Jerusalem when Tiberius was the Roman Emperor. Even in the Gos-pels themselves, we find efforts to maintain that Christ’s body was stolen, not resurrected. Others claim that He never died. He man-aged to slip away somehow, never to be heard of again.

It is a first principle of classical Christianity that, if anything in this account that has been handed down to us is irrational, unhistori-cal, or impossible, it must be reject-ed, even by the firmest of believes. If Christ was not who He said that He was, we have absolutely no reason to listen to or believe in Him.

In this sense, the biggest skeptics about the truth of the Resurrection are, or ought to be, Christians themselves. This approach means that not only do the facts of time and place have to be coherent, but the understanding of what is going on has to be logical and explainable. It has been the considered judgment of philosophical Christians, reflecting on the evidence, that no effort of archeology, critical analy-sis, historiography, or science to dislodge the facts and thus the truth of this event’s reality has been successful. They remain open to consider any new hypothesis or evidence to the contrary.

In fact, these endeavors to prove that the Resurrection is a non-event have proved to be a primary, though indirect, ba-sis to establish the truth of the event. Throughout history, each “proof” that this event did not happen has served, on examination, to suggest that it did, when the reasons given for its falsity are examined and found wanting or dubious. Such examination, in fact, has been a major impetus to the increase in philosophic acumen within philosophy itself.

But we have two sides of this consideration. One side has to do with the history of the events surrounding the death and Resurrection of Christ. When and where did it happen? Why was there an issue? Why did the actors do what they did? Does it fit in with the time in which it was supposed to have happened? When it comes down to it, we know of the Resurrection of Christ through the testimony of certain

of His disciples, through the action and words of His enemies or pa-gan historians. We have no pho-tographic or local media coverage, of course. But the reports of those who did witness the event have been faithfully handed down to us. We have no reason to maintain that these witnesses were liars or deceivers. They simply recorded what they saw and heard. Most of them died for what they saw and heard.

A second side of this consider-ation of the Resurrection is not so much the record of the event and how we know it, but “Whether it makes sense?” This second issue arises out of the original testimo-ny, but it has its own logic and life. Hearing all the observations and explanations of the witnesses and the credibility of those observers

to be consistent over the centuries, we still recognize that anyone could still say that it just does not cohere. It is not possible to hold its truth.

Thus, we have to ask: “Why the Resurrection?” In this sense, we do not want to rehearse the history or facts as they were known but whether this Resurrection fits into any order whereby its intelligibility is not just a contradic-tion that we “must” believe because it is “irrational”—Credo quia absurdam. If it is “irrational” or “absurd”, as I said be-fore, we cannot believe it. We need to know then: “Why does it make any sense so that its explication is not inwardly incoherent?”


How does one go about dealing with this latter question? We are guided in this, no doubt, by what Christ said of Him-self, what Paul and the other writers said of Him, as well as by the reflections on this same topic by thinkers over the centuries. We are not the first ones to ponder these issues. Indeed, they are intended to be reconsidered, reflected on by each member of each new generation of mankind.

Obviously, the first question we must ask ourselves is this: “Who was resurrected from the dead?”

We have obscure instances of “near-death” experiences and recovery from death for a short period of time. Even in the New Testament, we have the account of the raising of Lazarus and of the son of the Widow of Naima. But these men subsequently died. The point of Christ’s Resurrection was that He did not die again. Why not? Because of who He was: Christ was a man, but He was the Word made flesh. He belonged to the Godhead. “I and the Father are one.” The Resurrection was part of a divine plan whereby death would be overcome. God did not arrange for human death from the beginning. What He intended from the beginning was for each particular human person to receive the gift of eternal life. It is in this background that we must think of the Resurrection.

The rational creature known as “man” was intended to re-main what he was, namely a man, a peculiar kind of animal. He was not to become a god or an angel. Moreover, God did not first create the cosmos and subsequently create man within it. He first intended to create man, to associate him within His inner Trinitarian life. The cosmos was the lo-cus in which the central drama of man’s choice about what he would be was to be carried out. The cosmos is for man, not man for the cosmos. Man was intended, from the be-ginning, to live a life that was beyond his own given nature. In this sense, he was invited to choose God, not have God “forced” on him. God could not cause him to choose Him without man’s own choice. The whole drama of man’s Fall in which he chose not to accept God’s initial invitation not to die continues with the Incarnation.

God the Son became incarnate in the world in order that man could repair the damage that was caused by his rejec-tion of God’s original plan. God is under certain restrictions. In a sense, it is the problem of all friendship. That is, we can-not be anyone’s friend, even God’s, if we do not choose to

do so. No one can be our friend unless we choose to let them be our friend. God is bound by the same restriction. If eternal life were to be filled with robots who are there whether they like it or not, it is not the real inner, Trinitar-ian life of God. Such a world is not even worth existing.

The penalty for man’s disobedience was death. But death could be overcome by God who is life. The path to this overcoming of death was by the Cross, not by some glori-ous, triumphal appearance in the world. Death comes to every man. Yet, man is not complete if he is not body and soul. Thus, even a doctrine of the immortality of the soul, a valid position, does not provide a complete answer to the question of human destiny. Man is a whole, body and soul, both in his sins and in his virtues. His life must be judged as to how it was lived. The resurrection of the body is due eventually to every man, whether he dies in sin or in glory. The reason for this is that man is neither properly awarded nor properly punished unless he is finally a whole. The Res-urrection of Christ is the first step in humanity’s coming back to what each person was intended to be.

The Resurrection of Christ is both an announcement of what we are intended to be, but also an invitation to accept this final status of eternal life. There is no salvation without freedom. There is no freedom without the possibility of rejecting God’s plan for us.

Why the Resurrection? It lets us understand that God’s plan has been worked out. Because of it, we have an explanation of why we exist and what we can be, if we choose. And we must choose. In this sense, our choices about what we are and how we live decide what we shall be. The Resurrection explains the truth of our particular being, why we exist, why we are the beings in the universe who not only are what they are, but who choose what they shall be as essential to what they are.

Rev. James V. Schall SJ taught political science at Georgetown University (in Washington DC) for many years. He is the author of numerous books.

This article by Rev. James V. Schall, SJ, was original-ly published on MercatorNet.com under a Creative Commons Licence. If you enjoyed this article, visit MercatorNet.com for more.

www.mercatornet.com/articles/view/why-the-resurrection

Christ was a man, but He was the Word made flesh. He belonged to the Godhead.

“I and the Father are one.”


BOOK REVIEW

Becominga Parish of IntentionalDisciples

Sherry Weddell’s 2012 Forming Intentional Disciples: The Path to Know-ing and Following Jesus sent shock waves across the Catholic catechetical and evangelizing communities. At the time I wrote that the book

has appeared at precisely the moment it is needed in the life of the Church… and I believe every bishop, pastor, evangelist, and catecheti-cal leader should have a copy and study it carefully. I know I will be.

Since then I have read the book several times, led a discussion of the book in our curia offices, given away hundreds of copies through the Office for Catechesis, and incorporated Sherry’s reflections into my work and presen-tations.

So it is without hyperbole that I say I have greatly anticipated the release of Becoming a Parish of Intentional Disciples.

In this new book Weddell takes on editorial duties, collecting reflections from representatives of parishes who have set out to become centers of discipleship. It is a slimmer book than its predecessor — almost half as long — but relentlessly focused in its translation of Weddell’s first book for parish life.

There aren’t a lot of new theological insights in Becoming a Parish of Intentional Disciples. Instead each chapter offers stories and reflections on the real lived experience of “in the trenches” disciples who are committed to sharing the Gospel and helping others encounter Jesus in their lives and churches.

Weddell herself contributes a chapter based on her popular keynote talk recounting the lives of an extraordinary group of saints in the late 16th and early 17th centuries who transformed the lukewarm, corrupt Christian community in France into a vibrant, faith-filled Church. Keith Strohm writes about the importance of prayer in energizing the work of intentional discipleship, while Fr. Michael Fones, OP, offers an excellent reflection on the role and dignity of the laity in the mission of the Church.

Bobby Vidal connects intentional discipleship to the work of the New Evangelization by demonstrating the importance of embracing new meth-ods, ardor, and expression — especially as they are expressed through the charisms present in a parish. Katherine Coolidge and Fr. Chas Canoy both offer reflections on how their parishes built up a community of disciples, and Jim Beckman dispels myths about youth ministry that stand in the way of forming teens as disciples of Jesus Christ.

Becoming a Parish of Intentional Disciples is an excellent companion piece to Forming Intentional Disciples and is a must-read for anyone look-ing for inspiration and real-life examples of disciple-making. As before, I recommend it to all bishops, pastors, evangelists, catechetical leaders, and anyone interested in the formation of disciples in the Church.

Jonathan F. Sullivan


The Saints and Eucharistic Devotion

by Norbertine Fr. Alfred McBride

Someone once said to St. Teresa of Avila, “If only I had lived at the time of Jesus . . . If only I had seen Jesus . . . If only I had talked with Jesus.” Teresa responded, “But do we not have in the Eucharist the living, true and real Jesus present before us. Why look for more?” (Rebecca Jordan, “Inspiring Saint Quotes on the Eucharist,” April 30, 2010, www.starofthesea.net/index.php/our-parish/blog/203- inspiring-saint-quotes-on-the-eucharist [accessed July 14, 2010]).

St. Thomas Aquinas tells us,"O precious and wonderful banquet that brings us salvation and contains all sweetness! Could anything be of more instrinsic value? Under the old law it was the flesh of calves and goats that was offered, but here Christ himself, the true God, is set before us as food." (Feast of Corpus Christi. Cited in Liturgy of Hours, Vol III, p. 610)

These saints, among many others, were devoted to the Mass and also to devotions associated with the Eucharist. Devotions to the Eucharist are invitations to prayer and contemplation. On Holy Thursday, after Jesus had transformed bread and wine into his Body and Blood and given the Apostles their First Communion, he proceeded to invite them to prayerful union with him. As they looked at him and the chalice in front of him, they heard him say, “I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever

remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit, because without me you can do nothing” (Jn 15:5). They had received the Sacrament, but they had to live in faith-filled union with Christ so they could serve others. Prayer would help them do this.

Eucharistic devotions such as adoration, holy hours, visits to the Blessed Sacrament, and Eucharistic Congresses are all forms of prayer that increase our interior union with Christ. They help us gain more benefits from the Mass and deepen our desire to serve others. Placing yourself before the tabernacle is a commitment to be a sturdier branch on the vine, a healthier member of Christ’s Body, a heart open to the unseen power of prayer. Michael McDevitt writes, “The power of prayer is not about your power, but the power you have allowed inside. Christ himself is the unseen power. You are infused with a power far beyond anything you can imagine. St. Paul urges us to live by this faith: ‘We look not to the things that are seen, but to the things that are unseen; for the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal” (2 Cor 4:18)” (Michael McDevitt, The Unseen Power of Prayer [Huntington, IN: Our Sunday Visitor, 2008], 24).

Prayerful participation in the Mass needs the support of eucharistic devotional prayer to keep alive the

Someone once said to St. Teresa ofAvila, “If only I had lived at the time ofJesus . . . If only I had seen Jesus . . . Ifonly I had talked with Jesus.” Teresa responded, “But do we not have in theEucharist the living, true and real Jesuspresent before us. Why look for more?”(Rebecca Jordan, “Inspiring Saint Quotes on the Eucharist,” April 30, 2010,www.starofthesea.net/index.php/ourparish/blog/203-inspiring-saint-quoteson-the-eucharist [accessed July 14, 2010]).

St. Thomas Aquinas tells us,"Oprecious and wonderful banquet thatbrings us salvation and contains allsweetness! Could anything be of moreinstrinsic value? Under the old law itwas the flesh of calves and goats thatwas offered, but here Christ himself, thetrue God, is set before us as food."(Feast of Corpus Christi. Cited in Liturgyof Hours, Vol III, p. 610)

These saints, among many others,were devoted to the Mass and also todevotions associated with the Eucharist.Devotions to the Eucharist areinvitations to prayer and contemplation.On Holy Thursday, after Jesus hadtransformed bread and wine into hisBody and Blood and given the Apostlestheir First Communion, he proceeded toinvite them to prayerful union with him.As they looked at him and the chalice infront of him, they heard him say, “I amthe vine, you are the branches. Whoeverremains in me and I in him will bearmuch fruit, because without me you cando nothing” (Jn 15:5). They hadreceived the Sacrament, but they had tolive in faith-filled union with Christ so

they could serve others. Prayer wouldhelp them do this.

Eucharistic devotions such asadoration, holy hours, visits to theBlessed Sacrament, and EucharisticCongresses are all forms of prayer thatincrease our interior union with Christ.They help us gain more benefits fromthe Mass and deepen our desire to serveothers. Placing yourself before thetabernacle is a commitment to be asturdier branch on the vine, a healthiermember of Christ’s Body, a heart opento the unseen power of prayer. MichaelMcDevitt writes, “The power of prayeris not about your power, but the poweryou have allowed inside. Christ himselfis the unseen power. You are infusedwith a power far beyond anything youcan imagine. St. Paul urges us to live bythis faith: ‘We look not to the thingsthat are seen, but to the things that areunseen; for the things that are seen aretransient, but the things that are unseenare eternal” (2 Cor 4:18)” (MichaelMcDevitt, The Unseen Power of Prayer[Huntington, IN: Our Sunday Visitor,2008], 24).

Prayerful participation in the Massneeds the support of eucharisticdevotional prayer to keep alive the 2continuing relationship with Christ. Thebranches need the vine. Devotional,meditative prayer is one way to do this.Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta put itthis way: “You are called to do morethan say, ‘I love you, Jesus.’ You arecalled to be your brother’s and sister’skeepers.” The motivation and power todo this comes from prayer, often done


before the Blessed Sacrament asBlessed Mother Teresa did every day.She said, “The fruit of silence is prayer.The fruit of prayer is faith. The fruit offaith is love. The fruit of love is service”(McDevitt, 137).

Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen believedthat his daily hour of prayer before theBlessed Sacrament was essential for hisministry as a priest. “The Holy Hourbecame like an oxygen tank to revivethe breath of the Holy Spirit” (Treasurein Clay [New York: Doubleday, 1980],202). Sheen constantly promotedmeditative prayer before the BlessedSacrament. “We become like that whichwe gaze upon. Looking into a sunset, theface takes on a golden glow. Looking atour Eucharistic Lord for an hourtransforms the heart in a mysteriousway” (Sheen, 198).

The Eucharistic procession thataccompanies the feast of Corpus Christiis a devotion that stirs the hearts ofmany to feel Christ’s loving presencemore vividly. The pageantry that bringsthe Eucharist into city streetscommunicates the warmth and intimacyof this mystery. In 1264, Pope Urban IVextended the feast of Corpus Christifrom Liege, Belgium, to the wholeChurch and commissioned ThomasAquinas to compose a liturgy for it. Thepope hoped the feast would improvethe faith of the people in Christ’s realpresence in the Eucharist andcounteract the heresy that denied it.The hymns and prayers and sermonsThomas provided were strongcatechetical tools that turned the tide infavor of a comprehensive faith in theEucharist.

All these testimonies emphasize theChurch’s faith in the doctrine of the realpresence of Christ’s Body, Blood, soul,and divinity in the Eucharist. It wasJesus himself who defended this gift andmystery when he foretold it in his Breadof Life Discourse: “I am the living breadthat came down from heaven. . . .

Whoever eats my flesh and drinks myblood remains in me and I in him” (Jn6:51, 56). His listeners protested, “Thissaying is hard; who can accept it?” (Jn6:60). Jesus did not back off. Hechallenged the apostles to believe him.Peter spoke for them. “To whom shallwe go? You have the words of eternallife” (Jn 6:68). In the holy meal of theLast Supper, Jesus fulfilled his promiseby changing bread and wine into hisBody and Blood. In the Mass andEucharistic devotions, we have thistreasure of grace and prayer that is thesummit and source of the Christian life.

In the sixteenth century, the denialof the Real Presence occurred again,along with a repudiation of the Mass asmaking present the redemptivesacrifice of Jesus. The Church’sresponse through the Council of Trentstrongly reaffirmed these Eucharistictruths and sponsored the revival ofEucharistic devotions initiated in theMiddle Ages.

Perhaps the greatest eucharisticartwork from this period is Peter PaulRubens’s oil painting entitled TheDefenders of the Eucharist, created in1625. Rubens reached back to thegolden age of the Church Fathers as well 3as to outstanding saints of the MiddleAges and assembled seven of them inone scene, united in the one faith of theChurch witnessing their unity throughthe centuries of faith in the eucharisticpresence of Christ.

Today that painting is on display inthe Ringling Museum of Art in Sarasota,Florida. Beginning on the right side ofthe canvass, Rubens pictures St. Jerome,dressed as a cardinal receivingCommunion. Next to him stands St.Norbert, clothed in his white habit andcarrying the Eucharist beneath hisrobes. St. Thomas Aquinas stands in thecenter holding a book and extending hisother hand to heaven, a gestureproclaiming his defense of the Eucharist.Beside him is St. Clare of Assisi, holding


4

We drink of you our fountainhead, our thirsting souls to quench and fill. (O Jesus, Joy of Loving Hearts, Worship: A

Hymnal and Service Book for Roman Catholics (Chicago: GIA Publications, Inc., 1986), 605, second stanza)

Copyright © 2011, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Washington, D.C. All rights reserved. Permission is hereby granted to duplicate this work without adaptation for non-commercial use.

Scripture texts used in this work are taken from the New American Bible, copyright © 1991, 1986,

and 1970 by the Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Washington, DC 20017 and are used by permission of the copyright owner. All rights reserved.

a monstrance that displays the sacredeucharistic host. To her left is St.Gregory the Great, the pope who wroteso many works contained in the Mass.Then comes St. Ambrose, who wroteabout the Real Presence of Christ in theEucharist. Rubens finishes his gatheringof defenders of the Eucharist with St.Augustine, who included his reflectionson this sacrament in his famous treatiseon the Holy Trinity.

Rubens produced this paintingduring the Church’s CounterReformationefforts to defend andreclaim the authentic teachings aboutthe Eucharist and the devotions thatassisted believers to deepen theircommitment to this mystery of faith(see the John and Mable RinglingMuseum of Art, “Peter Paul Rubens andthe Baroque,” Galleries 1-2,www.willemswebs.com/ringlingdocents/pages/Galleries 1&2.pdf [accessed July14, 2010]).

The seven saints represented in thispainting summarize our belief in theEucharist. It is a sacrifice, the sacrificeof Jesus made present in a sacramentalway. It is a sacrament of the abidingpresence of Christ in the transformedbread and wine become his Body andBlood. It is a sacramental meal begun onHoly Thursday and available to us inHoly Communion.

This sacrament is available tomembers of the Catholic Church whoare in the state of grace. It is atransforming sacrament. The term“transubstantiation” means that thesubstance of bread and wine is changedinto the substance of Christ’s Body and

Blood. In receiving Communion, we tooundergo a gradual transformation intoChrist and are called to spread his lovegiven to us throughout the world.

I conclude with a few practices forparents and catechists to fostereucharistic devotions.1. Regularly attend weekend Mass

with the family. Come for prayerbefore and after Mass.

2. Adore the raised Body and Bloodof Christ at Mass with the silentphrase, “My Lord and my God.”

3. Participate in eucharisticadoration where possible.

4. Genuflect with reverence beforethe Blessed Sacrament.

5. Make visits to the BlessedSacrament altar individually andwith whole family.

6. Engage family in regularScripture study and catechesis onthe Eucharist.

7. Read lives of eucharistic saintssuch as St. Katharine Drexel andSt. John Neumann.

We taste in you our living bread andlong to feast upon you still.4

We drink of you our fountainhead,our thirsting souls to quench and fill. (OJesus, Joy of Loving Hearts, Worship: AHymnal and Service Book for RomanCatholics (Chicago: GIA Publications,Inc., 1986), 605, second stanza)


InvestINgO

RFutUre


ACRE Professional Development

Mickie Abatemarco, the associate executive direc-tor, Department of Religious Education, NCEA will facilitate an ACRE professional development workshop. These post assessment workshops are scheduled in three areas of our diocese for your convenience.

The workshops will be held Tuesday, April 28 at St. Peter, Quincy; Wednesday, April 29 at St. Agnes, Springfield; and Thursday, April 30 at St. Mary, Edwardsville.

You are asked to bring your post assessment reports to the workshop and Mickie will help you determine how best to use the results in improving your pro-grams. This workshop is for administrators (prin-cipals, DREs/CREs) and catechists who administer the assessment in the parishes and schools of our diocese. For more information about ACRE, visit the NCEA website at: www.ncea.caltesting.org/

Religion Curriculum Standards

In April 2015 Bishop Thomas John Paprocki approved a new set of PreK-8th grade reli-gion curriculum standards for the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois. These standards are designed to provide parish-based formation programs and Catholic schools a framework for what topics students should be catechized in year to year.

A copy of the standards is available at:www.dio.org/catechesis/religion-curriculum-standards.html

Information on implementing the diocesan cur-riculum standards will be provided to schools and parishes over the coming year. Please feel free to contact the Office for Catechesis with any questions.

Catechists Days

New this year, the Office for Catechesis will be holding two fall Catechists Days for parish catechists. Joe Paprocki will be our speaker; his topic will be “Disciples as Witnesses.”

The following link will give you up-to-date information.http://www.dio.org/catechesis/catechists-days.html

Webinar Catechist Formation Records

Chris Malmevik, Associate Director for Catechesis, recently held a webinar on Cat-echist Formation Records. Principals and parish catechetical leaders are responsible for maintaining (or appointing a designate to maintain) catechist formation records for all teachers and catechists. This training webi-nar demonstrates how to record and maintain these records. The webinar and handouts can be accessed at: www.dio.org/catechesis/catechist-formation.html

2015 Regionals

This fall Heather Gossart of NCEA will speak to Catholic schools faculties on the STREAM (Science, Technology, Religion, Engineering, Arts, Math) initiative. The following link will give you up-to-date information. www.dio.org/catechesis/regionals.html


Online Graduate Study Opportunities in Ministry and Catechesis

With the advent of new media technologies, studying for theology and ministry has gotten easier and easier. Here are three great programs available to lay ministers in our diocese who are looking for advanced study options.

Aquinas Institute of TheologySt. Louis, Missouri; www.ai.edu

Aquinas Institute is a Dominican-sponsored graduate school of theology and ministry located in downtown St. Louis. Most classes may be taken on-campus or online. Students from the diocese of Springfield in Illinois receive a substantial tuition discount thanks to a partnering agreement with the school. In addition, scholarships are available from the Office for Catechesis.

Academic Programs

• Master of Arts (MA)• Masters of Arts in Pastoral Studies (MAPS)• Master of Arts in Pastoral Studies in the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (MAPS)• Master of Divinity (MDiv)

• Graduate Certificate in Biblical Studies• Graduate Certificate in Pastoral Care• Graduate Certificate in Spiritual Direction• Graduate Certificate in Thomistic Studies • Doctor of Ministry in Preaching (DMin)

Quincy UniversityQuincy, Illinois; www.quincy.edu

Quincy University recently announced the creation of a new online Master of Religious Education. This 33-credit program involves 10 courses and a culminating experience to integrate classroom learn-ing while tailoring the program to your specific minis-terial situation.

Academic Program• Master of Religious Education (MRE)

Augustine InstituteGreenwood Village, Colorado; www.augustineinstitute.org

The Augustine Institute offers online graduate courses in theology with an emphasis on preparing lay minis-ters for the new evangelization.

Academic Programs• Master of Arts in Theology (MA)• Graduate Certificate

16 | CORE notes

COREnotes April 2015 - Issue 19S u n d a y o f D i v i n e M e r c y

This work is distributed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 United States License.

Office for Catechesis1615 W. Washington • Springfield, IL 62702 - 4757

217.698.8500 ph • 217.698.8620 fax • dio.org/catechesis

Mark Your Calendars - 2015 DatesOffice for Catechesis

Jonathan Sullivan - [email protected] Chris Malmevik - [email protected]

Jean Johnson - [email protected]

ACRE Professional DevelopmentTuesday, April 28, St. Peter, Quincy

Wednesday, April 29, St. Agnes, SpringfieldThursday, April 30, St. Mary, Edwardsville

See page 15 for more details

Parish Catechetical Leaders’ Meeting (CORE - Community of Religious Educators)Thursday, May 7, Knights of Columbus, Chatham

Confirmation of Catholic Adults Sunday, May 24, Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Springfield

Regionals - 6 Dates, 6 LocationsWednesday, August 5 - St. Anthony, Effingham

Thursday, August 6 - St. Ambrose, GodfreyFriday, August 7 - Little Flower, Springfield

Wednesday, September 9 - Our Lady of Lourdes, DecaturThursday, September 10 - St. Boniface, Edwardsville

Friday, September 11 - St. Franicis, Quincy

Catechists Days with Joe PaprockiSaturday, August 22, St. Ambrose, GodfreySaturday, August 29, St. Joseph, Springfield

Office for Catechesis, Youth and Young Adult MinistryKyle Holtgrave - [email protected]

World Youth Day 2016 July 25 - August 1, 2016, Krakow, Poland

Office for Worship and the CatechumenateEliot Kapitan – [email protected]

Wading Deeper Workshop for Catechumenate Ministers Friday & Saturday, July 24-25, Holy Family Parish, Litchfield

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Love your enemies and do good to them, and lend expecting nothing back; then your reward will be great and you will be children of the Most High, for he himself is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked. Be merciful, just as [also] your Father is merciful.

Luke 6: 5-36

16 | CORE notes

corenotes issue 19

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