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

The time for our twenty-fifth anniversary convention is quickly approaching. Scheduled for February 16-19, 1998 and entitled Twenty-five Years: Continuing the Pilgrimage, this convention will be NOCERCC’s fourth gathering in San Diego. Previous conventions were held there in 1980, 1991, and 1994.

Besides the keynote presentations, a number of Interest Sessions are scheduled. Fr. Ray Carey will continue the conversation on the topic of his initial presentation entitled, Transformational Spirituality of the Parish Priest: A Developmental Enterprise. Jesuit Father Allen F. Deck will address the topic of Internationalization of the Clergy with the assistance of Paulist Father Ken McGuire with whom he pioneered the Cultural Orientation Program for International Priests (COPIP) at Loyola Marymount University in 1994. Other interest sessions with topics suggested by the membership will also be included.

We welcome more than 20 exhibitors, mostly Associate Members, who will be present at the convention this year. We are especially grateful to those sponsoring socials and refreshments breaks: The New Life Center, St. Mary’s Seminary and University, North American College, Marianella Pastoral Centre, St. Luke Institute, Trinity House, Ministry to Ministers, and Formation Consultation Services, Inc.

A number of tours sponsored by Enjoy California Enterprises will be available to con

vention participants. A representative of the tour company will be present at the time of registration. A description of the tours is in this edition of NewsNotes.

Enclosed also in this issue is a press release on this year’s convention. Please help us publicize the convention by sending a copy to your local diocesan newspaper and including it in your office newsletter or bulletin.

We are saddened at the news of the death of Francis Tebbe’s mother, Mary E. Tebbe, who passed away of a heart attack on January 9. Please remember Mrs. Tebbe, Francis, and his family in your prayers. Continue also to remember Tony Zeigler, a past president of NOCERCC, who continues to battle with cancer.

I hope to see you in San Diego!

Paul J. Murray, C.F.X.

Eight R.P.I. convocations are scheduled thus far in 1998 for the dioceses of Lafayette, Louisiana (April 27-29), Baton Rouge, Louisiana (May 4-6), San Francisco, California (June 7-9), Worcester, Massachusetts (June 8-10), Toledo, Ohio (July 6-8), Gaylord, Michigan (September 15-17), Stockton, California (September 21-23), Metuchen, New Jersey (October 5-8). For information about R.P.I. and scheduling a convocation in your diocese or province, contact the National Office.

Saint Meinrad School of Theology announces a homiletics workshop on May 26-29, 1998 entitled Preaching and the Art of Storytelling with Tom Boomershine. Workshops will include: Faith and Spirituality in the Media by Fran Trampeits, S.C.; Preaching as Spiritual Formation of the Congregation, by Ron Knott; Preaching with Youth, by Don Kimball; and Preaching and Listening by Rick Stern.

Contact: Office of Continuing Education, Saint Meinrad School of Theology, St. Meinrad, IN 47577; 800-730-9910; FAX: 8120357-6977; e-mail: con_ed@saintmeinrad.edu.

The new Center for Continuing Formation at St. Mary’s Seminary and University in Baltimore announces two 1998 sabbatical months:

Contact: Dr. Christa Klein, Dean, Center for Continuing Formation, St. Mary’s Seminary and University, 5400 Roland Ave., Baltimore, MD 21210; 410-864-4100; FAX: 410-864-4110; e-mail: StMarysCenter@aol.com.

You will have the opportunity to visit with staff members, Dr. Christa Klein and Melvin Blanchette, S.S., Director of Continuing Formation of Priests, at their exhibit table during the NOCERCC convention.

Notre Dame Center for Pastoral Liturgy announces its pastoral liturgy conference, Church and Eucharist: the Many Presences of Christ, June 15-18, 1998, on the campus of Notre Dame. General sessions with John Baldovin, S.J., Maxwell Johnson and Theresa Koernke, I.H.M. Numerous workshops and working sessions explore the many presences of Christ. Scholarships are available, with special consideration for applicants from minority communities.

Contact: Center for Pastoral Liturgy, Box 81, Notre Dame, IN 46556; 219631-5435; FAX: 219-631-6968; e-mail: ndcpl.l@nd.edu.

The National Association for Lay Ministry announces its 22nd annual conference entitled Ministering in the Spirit: from Communion to Mission, May 28-31, 1998, at the Radisson South Hotel, Bloomington, MN. Keynote speakers include: Fr. Ray East, Monika Hellwig, Patricia O’Connell Killen, John Haughey, S.J. Contact: National Association for Lay Ministry, 5420 South Cornell Ave., Chicago, IL 60615-6061; 773-241-6050; web site: www.nalm.org.

Visit NOCERCC’s new web site:

http://cmnonline.com/nocercc.htm

1998 Anniversary Convention. I look forward to celebrating with you our special convention, Twenty-five Years: Continuing the Pilgrimage, in beautiful San Diego, California during the week of February 16-19. At the awards dinner on February 17 we will honor Reverend John L. Heagle with the President’s Distinguished Service Award, and five past or current NOCERCC directors nominated by their regional member on the Board. I invited Reverends Dan Danielson, Nick Rice, and Frank Callahan to join us for the special anniversary dinner on February 19. They were influential in guiding the events that led to the founding of NOCERCC on February 19, 1973. Your presence during those days will help us celebrate our past 25 years and help set the direction for the future.

Convention Drawing. Once again, if you have not already done so, I encourage you to be a partner in building up the endowment fund by participating in the convention drawing which will take place on February 19. To date, we have sold 75 tickets. Thanks to all who have responded. The endowment fund stands at $75,833.75, still short of the $100,000.00 goal we set. You can help us to get closer to our goal by inviting your family and friends to buy a ticket and so help us celebrate twenty-five years of service to directors of continuing education/formation.

Executive Director. During the upcoming convention days, you will have the opportunity to meet the three candidates who will be interviewed for the position of Executive Director for NOCERCC. Two of the candidates came through advertisements. The third candidate came as a result of my personal invitation. I hope to make a recommendation to the Board of Directors at its post-convention meeting. Please keep this interview and selection process in your prayers.

Catholic Coalition on Preaching (CCOP). The CCOP Executive Committee met in Chicago on December 14. We spent most of our meeting reviewing the evaluations of the September conference and planning the 1999 colloquium on preaching. In general, the evaluations of the 1997 conference were very positive. The goal of the 1999 invitational colloquium is to gather church leaders who have influence and decision-making authority about preaching, to examine the state of Catholic preaching, to identify areas of greatest need in Catholic preaching, to articulate specific goals for the improvement of preaching, and to motivate various constituencies to implement these goals. We also decided to recommend three additional projects to the Governing Board at its next meeting on March 28-29.

NFPC. Last month, I was invited to participate in the review process of NFPC’s mission statement which is part of its year-long process of renewing its strategic plan. In order to include more of NOCERCC’s constituencies, I decided to include this issue on the agenda of our pre-convention Board meeting and invited Reverend Donald J. Wolf, president of NFPC, to join us for this conversation. NFPC’s mission statement reads: The National Federation of Priests’ Councils is an organization which represents, networks and serves Presbyteral Councils, Associations of Priests and Priests of Religious Institutes of Men and provides forums for the continuing professional development of individual priests and a voice for their concerns. Please send any comments to me or the Board member from your region.

Sister Death. Franciscans cherish a poetic prayer written by St. Francis in which he praises God for making all creation as brothers and sisters to one another. The last stanza of the prayer was composed as St. Francis was dying: “Be praised by Lord for Sister Bodily Death, from whom no mortal person can escape.” Those words stick in my throat these days. My mother, Mary, died unexpectedly and suddenly early Friday morning, January 9, after suffering a fatal heart attack. My father died on October 19, 1994. Once again, my family designated NOCERCC as the recipient of memorial donations. My two sisters, brother and I beg your prayerful remembrances as we mourn the loss of our dear mother.

Francis S. Tebbe, O.F.M.

Direction Ministries announces an intensive 12-day Spiritual Direction Workshop to be held in San Antonio, Texas, July 20-31. In the tradition of the classic spiritual masters this workshop integrates the academic with the experiential, focusing on the dynamics of spiritualization process. It serves beginners as well as seasoned directors and is limited to 21 participants. Contact Direction Ministries, 334 W. Kings Highway, San Antonio, TX 78212; 210-822-8761.

John Sprague, NOCERCC Advisory Council member and President of Thomas More Publishing, announces the publication of Educating for Life: A Spiritual Vision for Every Teacher and Parent, by Thomas Groome. With ecumenical sensitivity, Groome draws upon the core conviction of Catholic Christianity and its rich educational tradition to weave a way of education that has universal appeal.

Also available from Thomas More is Spirit Beyond 2000: A Prayer Journal, a second of a series of journal/workbooks for spiritual preparation for the millennium by Mark Link, S.J. Contact: Thomas More Publishing, 200 East Bethany, Allen, TX 75002; 800-527-5030; FAX: 972-727-2751

Sunday Preaching: Brief Homilies for the Sundays of the Three Cycles by homiletics and liturgy professor Charles E. Miller, C.M. puts emphasis on the importance of brevity for effective preaching. Each reflection is meant to be a starting point for the preacher. Available from Alba House, 2187 Victory Boulevard, Staten Island, NY 10314-6603; 800-343-2522; FAX: 718-698-8390.

Catholic Common Ground Initiative, a collection of foundational documents and talks on the initiative by the late Cardinal Joseph Bernardin and Archbishop Oscar H. Lipscomb with a preface by Msgr. Philip Murnion is available in paperback from Crossroad Publishing, 370 Lexington Ave., New York, NY 10017; 800-395-0690; FAX 212-532-4922.

Meetings, Bloody Meetings dealing with the practical side of running an effective meeting and its sequel, More Bloody Meetings, which aims to develop the social skills of being a chairperson, are available to rent from the National Office at a cost of $25.00 per tape.