National Organization for the Continuing Education of Roman Catholic Clergy

1337 West Ohio Street, Chicago, Illinois 60622-6490 312/226-1890 Fax 312-829-8915

The time for our twenty-fourth annual convention is quickly approaching. Scheduled for February 3-6, 1997 and entitled Preaching and the Art of Storytelling, this convention will be NOCERCC’s third gathering in Orlando. Previous conventions were held there in 1981 and 1990.

In November, the management of the Sheraton Plaza, this year’s convention site, informed us that the hotel had been purchased by another hotel chain and renamed the Adam’s Mark Hotel. We have been assured that all the details of our contract will be honored.

Besides the keynote presentations, a number of Special Interest Sessions are scheduled. Sr. Joan Delaplane, O.P. will continue the conversation on the topic of her keynote address entitled, Emmaus Every Sunday. David and Della Lawrence will offer two sessions on Catholic Ministry Network Online.

Rev. Stephen DeLeers, the continuing education director from the Archdiocese of Milwaukee, will offer a session on Wednesday, February 5, entitled Preaching Effectiveness Seminars: A New Approach to Improving Preaching. Steve is Assistant Professor of Homiletics at St. Francis Seminary and holds a D. Min. from Aquinas Institute.

Other topics for Special Interest Sessions suggested by the membership are: Tensions Between Administration and Pastoral and Sacramental Ministry; Diocesan Planning; Motivating for Continuing Education; Programs for the Newly Ordained; Third Age Options: Life After Retirement.

We welcome the 14 Associate members who will be exhibitors at the convention this year. We are especially grateful to The New Life Center, St. Mary’s Seminary University, St, Meinrad’s School of Theology, and North American College for sponsoring refreshment breaks.

Enclosed in this issue of NewsNotes is a press release on this year’s convention. Please send a copy to your local diocesan newspaper and include it in your office newsletter or bulletin.

I hope to see you in Orlando!

An R.P.I. convocation was held in the Diocese of Monterey (November 21-22). Two others are scheduled this winter: the Dioceses of Fresno (January 20-23) and San Bernardino (January 29-30). For information about RPI and scheduling a convocation in your diocese or province, contact the National Office. Financial assistance is available.

Jesus Caritas Priests Fraternities/USA announces its bi-annual Month of Nazareth ‘97 to be held in Menlo Park, California. The values of making this month program include a relaxing atmosphere with brother priests from around the nation.

Contact: Fr. Tom McCormick, 6690 E. 72nd Ave., Commerce City, CO 80022; 303-289-6489; Fax 303-289-6480.

Drs. Joseph and Eileen Connolly invite you to sign up for a week of personalized coaching and skill development at one of their upcoming Institutes in Effective Group Leadership. The next Institutes are: February 2-8 in Los Angeles, June 22-28 in St. Louis, July 6-12 in San Francisco, and July 20-26 in Fairfield, CT.

Contact: Communications Center, 214 S. Meramec Ave., St. Louis, MO 63105; 314-863-7267; Fax 314-863-7263.

The Drawing to raise money for the Endowment Fund will take place on February 6, 1997 during the convention business meeting. Two prizes of $2,500.00 will be awarded. Send your ticket in now!

Extra tickets are available at the National Office.

New Ways Ministry announces a national symposium on Gay/Lesbian Issues and Catholicism to be held March 7-9, 1997 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Designed for Church leaders and ministers, the symposium will explore the Church’s traditions, contribute to the further development of teaching, and educate Church people about gay and lesbian Catholics.

Speakers and workshop leaders include Sidney Callahan, Joan Chittister, OSB, Bishop Matthew Clark, Margaret Farley, RSM, Bishop Tom Gumbleton, Richard Isay, MD, and Richard Rohr, OFM.

Contact: New Ways Ministry, 4012 29th St., Mt. Ranier, MD 20712; 301-277-5674; Fax 301-864-6948.

The Presidents and CEOs of the Catholic Coalition on Preaching (CCOP), thirteen national organizations with a deep interest in the continuing development of Catholic preaching, met in Chicago on November 23-24. From the establishment of the Coalition in early 1990, NOCERCC has been an active member. The goals of this meeting were to explore future directions for the Coalition, put a new organizational structure in place, and discern the leadership for the new structure.

We reached a consensus that the purpose and goals of the CCOP should be broader than just sponsoring a biennial national conference, and that we might even determine that the conference is not the most effective vehicle for our goals since it draws mostly those who are committed to quality preaching. We agreed that future efforts would: focus more directly on priests who are currently doing most of the preaching; be inclusive of all the non-ordained preachers, especially women; increase participation by bishops; consider regional conferences or preaching workshops.

After extensive discussion, we resolved to restructure CCOP in order to make it better able to carry out these new priorities and to give the CCOP greater stability. A Governing Board (the Presidents and CEOs of the sponsoring organizations and two Bishops) and an Executive Committee of four officers were constituted. The Steering Committee for the biennial national conference remains.

Through a discernment process, we nominated and discussed each of the five candidate’s merits and ability to facilitate the achievement of this newly restructured CCOP by serving as President. I was elected to serve as President and Chair of the Governing Board. The group affirmed Sr. Elizabeth Ann Schaefer, O.P. (Executive Director, Dominican Leadership Conference) as Vice President, Rev. Charles E. Bouchard, O.P. (President, Aquinas Institute of Theology) as Secretary, and Rev. Eugene F. Lauer (Institute for Church Life, University of Notre Dame) as Treasurer. The CCOP Executive Committee will meet on Sunday, January 19, 1997 and the newly constituted CCOP Governing Board will meet on Friday, February 14, 1997.

Having served the Conference Steering Committee since 1990, I believe CCOP is a very important and valuable collaborative endeavor for NOCERCC, conducive to our mission and ministry for and with priests.

Prior to the CCOP meeting in November, NOCERCC and the Seminary Department of NCEA held a joint meeting to initiate a conversation on how “to work toward a more comprehensive priestly formation” (Focus #2 in our Organizational Directions). Rev. James Walsh, Executive Director for NCEA Seminary Department, Rev. John F. Canary, Rector of the University of St. Mary of the Lake-Mundelein Seminary, Rev. Norman E. Bevan, C.S.Sp., President of Catholic Theological Union, joined Paul Murray and me at Techny for this first conversation.

Our session was beneficial and we decided on the following: to make a report to the NOCERCC and NCEA Seminary Department Boards on this meeting; to ask the NOCERCC Board to address how seminary and theological schools can support the mission and goals of NOCERCC; to request a joint meeting of the Bishops’ Committees on Priestly Life and Ministry and Priestly Formation; to inquire about grant money to conduct research on why priests leave during the first five years of priesthood; and to consider establishing a Task Force to design curricula for major transition moments in the life of the priest. These matters will be reported to the membership at the convention business meeting and be on the agenda of the June 1997 Board meeting.

Congratulations to Rev. Kevin Slattery (from Region V), Rev. Patrick Mascarella (Alternate from Region V), Sr. Sue Torgersen, C.S.J. (from Region VIII), and Rev. Robert Schreiner (Alternate from Region VIII) who were recently elected to serve as members or alternates for the NOCERCC Board of Directors.

I am pleased to announce that the NOCERCC Board of Directors affirmed my nomination to present the 1997 Pope John XXIII Award to Rev. Thomas R. Bevan, priest of the Archdiocese of Baltimore and Executive Director of the NCCB Secretariat for Priestly Life and Ministry, during our convention banquet in Orlando.

Tom’s commitment to the ministry of continuing formation of priests and dedication to the mission and goals of NOCERCC are exemplified by his service as diocesan director of continuing education for the Archdiocese of Baltimore (1976-1991), as a member of our Board of Directors from Region IV (1984-1988), and as Secretary/Treasurer on the Executive Committee (1985-1988). Moreover, as Executive Director of the NCCB Secretariat for Priestly Life and Ministry (1992-1997), he has nationally and internationally extended our mission and supported the life and ministry of all priests, participated in all the meetings of the NOCERCC Board of Directors, attended our conventions (Tom has been at all our conventions since 1977!), and worked with us on several special projects. Tom affirms us and honors our ministry of continuing formation of priests in the United States by accepting this award.

Likewise, I am happy to announce and welcome four new members to the NOCERCC Advisory Council. Dr. Stephen G. and Mrs. Amy Ross of Fort Wayne, Indiana and Mr. and Mrs. David and Della Lawrence of Livonia, Michigan join the other eight council members. Dr. Stephen Ross, a clinical psychologist is a member of the NOCERCC Task Force on the Boundary Issues Project, and David and Della Lawrence are founders of the Catholic Ministry Network. David and Della will be conducting Interest Sessions at our convention in Orlando.

May hope be our strength and God’s grace our help as we seek to fulfill the duties and face the challenges that life brings to us in 1997.

I look forward to seeing you in Orlando for our 24th annual convention!

Francis S. Tebbe, O.F.M.

40,000.00

10,000.00

St. Anthony Dominican Priory, New Orleans, LA

Serra Club, Saginaw, MI

Rev. Enrique Terriquez

Rev. Thomas DiFolco

Rev. H. Schmidt

Rev. John J. Houlihan

St. Joseph Province, Xaverian Brothers, Milton, MA

Rev. Don A. Piraro

Rev. Raymond Halligan, O. P.

Rev. Philip Fink, O.F.M., Cap.

Mr. and Mrs. Frank J.Settecerri

Ms. Anna Persich

Mrs. Mary E. Tebbe

Rev. William Hopkins

Ms. Jean Feterl and Ms. Myrna Angelucci

Rev. Francis S. Tebbe, O.F.M.

Rev. Dennis Strachota

Rev. Ronald W. Metha

Rev. John P. Hopkins

Mr. and Mrs. James J. Hanosh

New Life Center Development Series The Ministerial Counseling Role: Guidelines for Ethical Behavior by Thomas B. Drummond, Ph.D. is a book of self-supervision of persons in Church ministry, assisting them in the under-standing of their therapeutic relationships, their counseling and guidance situations, and their use of skills during these ministerial relationships. Available from the New Life Center ($14.50), P. O. Box 1876, Middleburg, VA 20118; 800-982-6216.

A Radical Challenge for the Priesthood Today: From Trial to Transformation by Dr. William D. Perry is a psycho-social analysis of priests that identifies the weaknesses and psychological problems of clergy as the real power and strength of their calling, which can bring forth a renewed spirit of ministry and service. Available from Twenty-Third Publications ($14.95), P. O. Box 180, Mystic, CT 06355; 800-321-0411.

The Quest for the Male Soul: In Search of Something More by Martin Pable, O.F.M., Cap. describes six stages of spiritual development in men which he bases upon Biblical Hebrew words and concepts. He shows how men can integrate a commitment to spiritual growth and service to others into the demands of their daily lives. Available from Ave Maria Press, Notre Dame, IN 46556-0428; 800-282-1865.

Men Vowed & Sexual: Conversations About Celibate Chastity was produced by the CMSM in 1993. Six video tapes and discussion guide may be borrowed.

Shadow on the Family: AIDS in Religious Life was produced by the CMSM and the Catholic Health Association in 1989. One video tape and leaders guide may be borrowed.