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; NOCERCC@cmnonline.com

Mid-summer finds us preparing the brochure and finalizing plans for the 1998 annual convention celebrating NOCERCC’s twenty-fifth anniversary. Entitled 25 Years: Continuing the Pilgrimage, it will be held on February 16-19 at the Bahia Hotel in San Diego, California. Special focus will be given to the ongoing formational needs of priests now and in the future. Speakers will include Rev. Raymond Carey, Rev. John Linnan, C.S.V. and Rev. Michael Himes. Rev. Allan Deck, S.J. will give a workshop on The Internationalization of the Clergy. The convention packet will be mailed to the membership in early fall.

I attended Region XI’s spring meeting in Los Altos, California in May. Besides the usual sharing, members were joined by Rev. James Oberle, S.S. for a presentation and discussion on retirement issues of priests. Jim is a fine presenter and has a wealth of information and experience on this topic as well as on pastoral care of the elderly, tasks of aging, spiritual growth and development. The members discussed the region’s successful New Pastors Program and agreed to be a sponsor and consultant for the Cultural Orientation Program for International Priests (COPIP) coordinated by Rev. Allan Deck, S.J. and Rev. Ken McGuire, C.S.P. at the Center for Pastoral Life at Loyola Marymount University.

Enclosed is an order form for Convention Booklet 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994. Thanks to Francis Tebbe, these convention presentations are now bound in one volume. They should prove to be a valuable resource both personally and in your ministry to priests.

We are presently revising the Membership Directory. If you have any address or telephone number changes, please notify us by August 15.

The following regions have scheduled meetings for the fall:

Region VI September 2-3 Sylvania, OH

Region III October 1-2 Mt. Pocono, PA

Region XI October 13-14 Los Altos, CA

Region IV October 28 Atlanta, GA

Region IX November 3-4 Liberty, MO

Region I November 6 Brighton, MA

Region VIII November 10-1 St. Paul, MN

Region V November 17-1 Memphis, TN

Circle your calendar and plan to attend and experience NOCERCC on the regional level. It is a great opportunity to compare notes, share ideas, programs, and enjoy the support of others in the same ministry.

May the summer days ahead afford you time for rest, recreation and renewal.

The thirty-sixth R.P.I. was held for the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, OH (June 9-12). Over 270 priests attended. Convocations scheduled for the fall include Bismarck, ND (September 1-4), Jefferson City, MO (September 22-24), Belleville, IL (October 13-16) and Salina, KS (October 20-23). Convocations are confirmed in six dioceses in 1998. For information about scheduling R.P.I. convocations in your diocese or province, contact the National Office.

The third National Conference on Catholic Preaching is scheduled for September 21-24 at the Cincinnati Marriott Hotel in Cincinnati, Ohio. “Enkindle in Us the Fire...” will focus on current critical issues involved in Catholic preaching. The conference will be highly participative in its methodology, with facilitated large and small group discussions. There will also be Special Interest Sessions as well as “preaching events.” The conference is scheduled from Sunday evening through Wednesday noon for the convenience of Sunday preachers.

Contact: Conference Services by Loretta Reif, P. O. Box 5226, Rockford, IL 61125; 815-399-2150; Fax: 815-332-3476.

Peter’s Way International announces its Annual Roman Catholic Clergy Retreat and Study Pilgrimages to the Holy Land, January 6-15, and January 20-29, 1998. Entitled Holy Land: In the Footsteps of Jesus, both will be led by retreat master, author and scripture scholar Rev. Stephen C. Doyle, O.F.M. Cost is $995.00 from New York.

Contact: Peter’s Way International, 25 South Service Rd., Suite 240, Jericho, NY 11753-1065; 800-443-6018; Fax: 516-997-4388; e-mail: ptrsway@coil.com.

Jesus Caritas is an international organization with over 1,500 members. Fraternities of four to seven priests meet once a month and focus their attention on Jesus present among them and for them. Contemplative prayer, devotion to the Eucharist and simplicity of life are encouraged. Informational material for use by the groups are available at no cost.

Contact: Rev. Paul M. Esser, 5700 Washington Ave., Racine, WI 53406; 414-886-0530; Fax: 414-886-0737.

Moreover, the Board discussed the regional structure, reviewed a proposal about an additional staff person for the National Office, considered a research proposal from CARA, received reports from Tom Bevan on the work of the Bishops’ Committee for Priestly Life and Ministry and the Bishops’ Ad Hoc Committee on Sexual Abuse, and a report from Bernard Stratman regarding the activities of NFPC. Working in six focus groups, we brainstormed possible action plans on several topics.

Additionally, we welcomed Archbishop Rembert Weakland, O.S.B., Archbishop of Milwaukee, to facilitate a session on the Common Ground Initiative. The Sunday afternoon session with Archbishop Weakland was enlightening and thought-provoking. We are most grateful to him.

Comprehensive Priestly Formation was the topic of NOCERCC and the Seminary Department of the NCEA meeting last November 23. On June 20 I met with Archbishop Favalora, Father Reker, Bishop Morneau, and Father Bevan, respective chairs and executive directors of the Bishops’ Committees on Priestly Formation and Priestly Life and Ministry, about this matter and the possibility of establishing a Task Force to design curricula for the major transition moments in the life of the priest. The Board and Advisory Council discussed this matter during our recent meetings. I will present a proposal about this matter during the September 7-8 meeting of the PL&M.

The Endowment Fund currently totals $62,868.01 or 62% of the goal. Once again, I am asking every member to buy one ticket and sell at least one ticket for the special drawing at the 1998 convention. Tickets will be sent to you in November.

The NOCERCC Advisory Council met with the Executive Committee on June 26-27. In a joint session with the Board of Directors, the Advisory Council provided us with valuable advice on our projects. We are deeply grateful to John and Patricia Sprague (Allen, Texas), Nancy and David Sinutko (Southfield, Michigan), David and Della Lawrence (Livonia, Michigan), Rev. Paul L. Golden, C.M. (Niagara University, New York), Rev. Rudy Juarez (Davenport, Iowa), Rev. David Garcia (San Antonio, Texas) and for their continued commitment to and support of our mission. Rev. Joseph Alexander (Eunice, Louisiana) and Dr. Stephen and Amy Ross (Fort Wayne, Indiana) were unable to join us for the meeting.

Priestly Relationships: Freedom Through Boundaries, a print and video resource for use by priests in relation to understanding issues of sexual boundaries, is available. A letter and brochure announcing this resource went to each bishop, provincial, director of continuing education, president of presbyteral councils, vocation director, and rector/president of seminaries and schools of theology in this country. On June 19-21, I was in Kansas City for the NCCB meeting and distributed a copy of the resource to each Ordinary. I am pleased with the initial reception the resource has received. Thanks to the eleven-member NOCERCC Task Force for their work during these past two years.

CMN Online Service currently is our way to connect the membership electronically. Catholic Ministry Network (CMN) in Livonia, Michigan is a company founded to provide online services to Catholic ministry professionals and organizations. David and Della Lawrence, the co-founders, initially gave the Officers, the National Office, and each member of the Board of Directors a free subscription to the online service. In 1997 they extended that service to all NOCERCC members. This service is an important way we can network and resource each other as well as conduct “working sessions” in a private forum they have created for NOCERCC. Please consider joining by contacting them for more information (313.462.1955, FAX: 313.432.0448, e-mail: info@cmnonline.com). I am pleased to announce that David and Della plan to create a website for NOCERCC in the coming weeks. We are most grateful to David and Della Lawrence for this significantly large in-kind contribution.

The History of NOCERCC project is proceeding. Grant money and in-kind contributions will make possible the publication of a History of NOCERCC. This book will be a concrete celebration and significant contribution to the organization’s mission. It will be a chronicle of the only national organization that was founded in the 20th century concerned solely with and involved in the continuing education and ongoing formation of the presbyterate.

Publications are valuable resources. I compiled the Organizational Handbook in June 1992 providing an accessible written record of policies, procedures and guidelines, role descriptions and historical data. This eighty-page document continues to provide resource information that before was relegated to memory. Updates and pages are added as policies and procedures are revised and established.

A companion document was always seen as a complementary development. We needed a manual that would contain general information as well as policies and procedures for the continued smooth running of the National Office. The process of designating and collecting information for this manual began in 1992. The project was given specific attention in 1995. Requiring more revisions and spanning more years than we anticipated, I am pleased that the concept has become a reality with the publication of an Office Manual. I am grateful to Paul Murray for his important and valuable assistance in this project.

For several years, the convention presentations were published in a booklet as one of NOCERCC’s annual resource publications. In this way, the organization extended the convention to many more of its members as well as provided a record for those who participated in the event. In various ways directors of continuing education/formation capitalized on the research found in these presentations. We returned to our original process with Convention Booklet 1996, the publication of the major presentations at the convention in San Antonio, Texas. These presentations are valuable research by highly respected and competent colleagues.

Over the past several months, I collected and compiled the major presentations of past conventions for publication and distribution. Copies of this recent publication are available for purchase through the National Office.

The President and the Executive Director present reports at each meeting of the Board of Directors and a written report at the annual convention. Likewise, my quarterly mailings to the Board and my column in the bi-monthly newsletter keep the membership apprised and updated. At our recent meeting, I presented the Board with a coy of Report 1996-1997, a 36-page document that I wrote in May. I hope it is the first of what will be known as the annual report. A copy will be sent to each member, bishop and provincial.

Promotion expands awareness of who we are and what we offer as an organization. News releases about the convention sent to the members and numerous publications, the RPI convocations, attendance at other national meetings, articles published in newsletters of national organizations, involvement with PL&M and CCOP, grant proposals as well as solicitations for the endowment fund and other gifts, and with the recent publication of Priestly Relationships: Freedom through Boundaries, we keep announcing the good news about NOCERCC.

Catholic Coalition on Preaching (CCOP) work continues. We are attempting to focus our efforts more directly on priests who are currently doing most of the preaching; be inclusive of all the non-ordained preachers; increase participation by bishops; consider regional conferences or preaching workshops. As President of CCOP, I have been meeting with the CCOP Executive Committee, inviting other organizations and institutions to join, and preparing for the national conference and meeting of the CCOP Governing Board in September.

The third national conference on Catholic preaching, Enkindle in Us the Fire ..., is September 21-24 at the Marriott Hotel in Cincinnati, Ohio. I encourage you to attend.

CMSM invites the President of NOCERCC as a guest-participant at the annual assembly of the Conference of Major Superiors of Men. I purchased an exhibitor’s table for display of NOCERCC resources at this year’s assembly in San Diego on August 6-9. We currently have 66 religious provinces or congregations as NOCERCC members.

Peace and all good!

Francis S. Tebbe, O.F.M.

New from Thomas More, The Mystery of God: Celebrating The Millennium a set of three videos with study guide. Thomas More, P.O. Box 9521, Allen, TX 75013-9521; 800-264-0368; Fax: 800-688-8356.

The Spirituality of the Diocesan Priest, edited by Donald B. Cozzens, is a book of essays that not only looks at the role of the priest as a leader of a community of faith, but also reexamines the spirituality and identity of the diocesan priest. Contributors include Revs. Dennis Edwards and Robert Schwartz and Bishops Robert F. Morneau and Kenneth Untener. Liturgical Press, St. John’s Abbey, P. O. Box 7500, Collegeville, MN 56321; 800-858-5450; Fax: 800-445-5899.

The Parish of the Next Millennium by Rev. William J. Bausch is geared to help parish related groups working on future planning for parish goals and realities. Twenty-Third Publications, P. O. Box 180, Mystic, CT 06355; 800-321-0411.

The Priest: In Touch with Oneself is the title of a new three tape audio cassette program by Bro. Loughlan Sofield S.T. He focuses on today’s issues and their impact on priestly life. Topics include priest as person, clergy morale, priests’ expectations in the community, diocese and among parishioners and a look at the “critical stages” in the life of a priest. Alba House Communications, P. O. Box 595, Canfield, OH 44406-0595; 800-533-2522.

Spirituality in the Priesthood, three audio tapes by Rev. Ronald D. Witherup, S.S. of St. Patrick’s Seminary, Menlo Park, California, examines priesthood’s spirituality today, priestly identity, models for re-imaging priesthood, personality/prayer, the life of the Spirit and the challenges of Vatican II. Alba House Communications, P. O. Box 595, Canfield, OH 44406-0595; 800-533-2522.

40,000.00

10,000.00

Rev. Paul L. Golden, C.M.

Rev. Kevin Slattery

Rev. J. James Offutt

Rev. Thomas M. Mullin

(Ninth Edition; Summer 1997)

Members $10.00

Multiple copies $ 8.00

Members $15:00