Pope Benedict XVI's Address to Catholic Educators

This afternoon in Washington, DC, Pope Benedict XVI delivered an inspirational message to representatives of Catholic Colleges & Universities, Elementary, and High Schools. The Diocese of Green Bay was represented at the meeting by Dr. Joe Bound, Diocesan Director of Education. A transcript of the Holy Father's address follows:

ADDRESS OF POPE BENEDICT XVI

TO THE COMMUNITY OF CATHOLIC EDUCATION

CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY OF AMERICA, PRSBYLA AUDITORIUM

17 APRIL 2008

Your Eminences, Dear Brother Bishops, Distinguished Professors, Teachers and Educators,


"How beautiful are the footsteps of those who bring good news" (Rom 10:15-17). With these words of Isaiah quoted by Saint Paul, I warmly greet each of you - bearers of wisdom - and through you the staff, students and families of the many and varied institutions of learning that you represent. It is my great pleasure to meet you and to share with you some thoughts regarding the nature and identity of Catholic education today. I especially wish to thank Father David O'Connell, President and Rector of the Catholic University of America. Your kind words of welcome are much appreciated. Please extend my heartfelt gratitude to the entire community - faculty, staff and students - of this University.


Education is integral to the mission of the Church to proclaim the Good News. First and foremost every Catholic educational institution is a place to encounter the living God who in Jesus Christ reveals his transforming love and truth (cf. Spe Salvi, 4). This relationship elicits a desire to grow in the knowledge and understanding of Christ and his teaching. In this way those who meet him are drawn by the very power of the Gospel to lead a new life characterized by all that is beautiful, good, and true; a life of Christian witness nurtured and strengthened within the community of our Lord's disciples, the Church.


The dynamic between personal encounter, knowledge and Christian witness is integral to the diakonia of truth which the Church exercises in the midst of humanity. God's revelation offers every generation the opportunity to discover the ultimate truth about its own life and the goal of history. This task is never easy; it involves the entire Christian community and motivates each generation of Christian educators to ensure that the power of God's truth permeates every dimension of the institutions they serve. In this way, Christ's Good News is set to work, guiding both teacher and student towards the objective truth which, in transcending the particular and the subjective, points to the universal and absolute that enables us to proclaim with confidence the hope which does not disappoint (cf. Rom 5:5). Set against personal struggles, moral confusion and fragmentation of knowledge, the noble goals of scholarship and education, founded on the unity of truth and in service of the person and the community, become an especially powerful instrument of hope.


Dear friends, the history of this nation includes many examples of the Church's commitment in this regard. The Catholic community here has in fact made education one of its highest priorities. This undertaking has not come without great sacrifice. Towering figures, like Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton and other founders and foundresses, with great tenacity and foresight, laid the foundations of what is today a remarkable network of parochial schools contributing to the spiritual well-being of the Church and the nation. Some, like Saint Katharine Drexel, devoted their lives to educating those whom others had neglected - in her case, African Americans and Native Americans. Countless dedicated Religious Sisters, Brothers, and Priests together with selfless parents have, through Catholic schools, helped generations of immigrants to rise from poverty and take their place in mainstream society.


This sacrifice continues today. It is an outstanding apostolate of hope, seeking to address the material, intellectual and spiritual needs of over three million children and students. It also provides a highly commendable opportunity for the entire Catholic community to contribute generously to the financial needs of our institutions. Their long-term sustainability must be assured. Indeed, everything possible must be done, in cooperation with the wider community, to ensure that they are accessible to people of all social and economic strata. No child should be denied his or her right to an education in faith, which in turn nurtures the soul of a nation.


Some today question the Church's involvement in education, wondering whether her resources might be better placed elsewhere. Certainly in a nation such as this, the State provides ample opportunities for education and attracts committed and generous men and women to this honorable profession. It is timely, then, to reflect on what is particular to our Catholic institutions. How do they contribute to the good of society through the Church's primary mission of evangelization?


All the Church's activities stem from her awareness that she is the bearer of a message which has its origin in God himself: in his goodness and wisdom, God chose to reveal himself and to make known the hidden purpose of his will (cf. Eph 1:9; Dei Verbum, 2). God's desire to make himself known, and the innate desire of all human beings to know the truth, provide the context for human inquiry into the meaning of life. This unique encounter is sustained within our Christian community: the one who seeks the truth becomes the one who lives by faith (cf. Fides et Ratio, 31). It can be described as a move from "I" to "we", leading the individual to be numbered among God's people.


This same dynamic of communal identity - to whom do I belong? - vivifies the ethos of our Catholic institutions. A university or school's Catholic identity is not simply a question of the number of Catholic students. It is a question of conviction - do we really believe that only in the mystery of the Word made flesh does the mystery of man truly become clear (cf. Gaudium et Spes, 22)? Are we ready to commit our entire self - intellect and will, mind and heart - to God? Do we accept the truth Christ reveals? Is the faith tangible in our universities and schools? Is it given fervent expression liturgically, sacramentally, through prayer, acts of charity, a concern for justice, and respect for God's creation? Only in this way do we really bear witness to the meaning of who we are and what we uphold.


From this perspective one can recognize that the contemporary "crisis of truth" is rooted in a "crisis of faith". Only through faith can we freely give our assent to God's testimony and acknowledge him as the transcendent guarantor of the truth he reveals. Again, we see why fostering personal intimacy with Jesus Christ and communal witness to his loving truth is indispensable in Catholic institutions of learning. Yet we all know, and observe with concern, the difficulty or reluctance many people have today in entrusting themselves to God. It is a complex phenomenon and one which I ponder continually. While we have sought diligently to engage the intellect of our young, perhaps we have neglected the will. Subsequently we observe, with distress, the notion of freedom being distorted. Freedom is not an opting out. It is an opting in - a participation in Being itself. Hence authentic freedom can never be attained by turning away from God. Such a choice would ultimately disregard the very truth we need in order to understand ourselves. A particular responsibility therefore for each of you, and your colleagues, is to evoke among the young the desire for the act of faith, encouraging them to commit themselves to the ecclesial life that follows from this belief. It is here that freedom reaches the certainty of truth. In choosing to live by that truth, we embrace the fullness of the life of faith which is given to us in the Church.


Clearly, then, Catholic identity is not dependent upon statistics. Neither can it be equated simply with orthodoxy of course content. It demands and inspires much more: namely that each and every aspect of your learning communities reverberates within the ecclesial life of faith. Only in faith can truth become incarnate and reason truly human, capable of directing the will along the path of freedom (cf. Spe Salvi, 23). In this way our institutions make a vital contribution to the mission of the Church and truly serve society. They become places in which God's active presence in human affairs is recognized and in which every young person discovers the joy of entering into Christ's "being for others" (cf. ibid., 28).


The Church's primary mission of evangelization, in which educational institutions play a crucial role, is consonant with a nation's fundamental aspiration to develop a society truly worthy of the human person's dignity. At times, however, the value of the Church's contribution to the public forum is questioned. It is important therefore to recall that the truths of faith and of reason never contradict one another (cf. First Vatican Ecumenical Council, Dogmatic Constitution on the Catholic Faith Dei Filius, IV: DS 3017; St. Augustine, Contra Academicos, III, 20, 43). The Church's mission, in fact, involves her in humanity's struggle to arrive at truth. In articulating revealed truth she serves all members of society by purifying reason, ensuring that it remains open to the consideration of ultimate truths. Drawing upon divine wisdom, she sheds light on the foundation of human morality and ethics, and reminds all groups in society that it is not praxis that creates truth but truth that should serve as the basis of praxis. Far from undermining the tolerance of legitimate diversity, such a contribution illuminates the very truth which makes consensus attainable, and helps to keep public debate rational, honest and accountable. Similarly the Church never tires of upholding the essential moral categories of right and wrong, without which hope could only wither, giving way to cold pragmatic calculations of utility which render the person little more than a pawn on some ideological chess-board.


With regard to the educational forum, the diakonia of truth takes on a heightened significance in societies where secularist ideology drives a wedge between truth and faith. This division has led to a tendency to equate truth with knowledge and to adopt a positivistic mentality which, in rejecting metaphysics, denies the foundations of faith and rejects the need for a moral vision. Truth means more than knowledge: knowing the truth leads us to discover the good. Truth speaks to the individual in his or her the entirety, inviting us to respond with our whole being. This optimistic vision is found in our Christian faith because such faith has been granted the vision of the Logos, God's creative Reason, which in the Incarnation, is revealed as Goodness itself. Far from being just a communication of factual data - "informative" - the loving truth of the Gospel is creative and life-changing - "performative" (cf. Spe Salvi, 2). With confidence, Christian educators can liberate the young from the limits of positivism and awaken receptivity to the truth, to God and his goodness. In this way you will also help to form their conscience which, enriched by faith, opens a sure path to inner peace and to respect for others.


It comes as no surprise, then, that not just our own ecclesial communities but society in general has high expectations of Catholic educators. This places upon you a responsibility and offers an opportunity. More and more people - parents in particular - recognize the need for excellence in the human formation of their children. As Mater et Magistra, the Church shares their concern. When nothing beyond the individual is recognized as definitive, the ultimate criterion of judgment becomes the self and the satisfaction of the individual's immediate wishes. The objectivity and perspective, which can only come through a recognition of the essential transcendent dimension of the human person, can be lost. Within such a relativistic horizon the goals of education are inevitably curtailed. Slowly, a lowering of standards occurs. We observe today a timidity in the face of the category of the good and an aimless pursuit of novelty parading as the realization of freedom. We witness an assumption that every experience is of equal worth and a reluctance to admit imperfection and mistakes. And particularly disturbing, is the reduction of the precious and delicate area of education in sexuality to management of 'risk', bereft of any reference to the beauty of conjugal love.


How might Christian educators respond? These harmful developments point to the particular urgency of what we might call "intellectual charity". This aspect of charity calls the educator to recognize that the profound responsibility to lead the young to truth is nothing less than an act of love. Indeed, the dignity of education lies in fostering the true perfection and happiness of those to be educated. In practice "intellectual charity" upholds the essential unity of knowledge against the fragmentation which ensues when reason is detached from the pursuit of truth. It guides the young towards the deep satisfaction of exercising freedom in relation to truth, and it strives to articulate the relationship between faith and all aspects of family and civic life. Once their passion for the fullness and unity of truth has been awakened, young people will surely relish the discovery that the question of what they can know opens up the vast adventure of what they ought to do. Here they will experience "in what" and "in whom" it is possible to hope, and be inspired to contribute to society in a way that engenders hope in others.


Dear friends, I wish to conclude by focusing our attention specifically on the paramount importance of your own professionalism and witness within our Catholic universities and schools. First, let me thank you for your dedication and generosity. I know from my own days as a professor, and I have heard from your Bishops and officials of the Congregation for Catholic Education, that the reputation of Catholic institutes of learning in this country is largely due to yourselves and your predecessors. Your selfless contributions - from outstanding research to the dedication of those working in inner-city schools - serve both your country and the Church. For this I express my profound gratitude.


In regard to faculty members at Catholic colleges universities, I wish to reaffirm the great value of academic freedom. In virtue of this freedom you are called to search for the truth wherever careful analysis of evidence leads you. Yet it is also the case that any appeal to the principle of academic freedom in order to justify positions that contradict the faith and the teaching of the Church would obstruct or even betray the university's identity and mission; a mission at the heart of the Church's munus docendi and not somehow autonomous or independent of it.


Teachers and administrators, whether in universities or schools, have the duty and privilege to ensure that students receive instruction in Catholic doctrine and practice. This requires that public witness to the way of Christ, as found in the Gospel and upheld by the Church's Magisterium, shapes all aspects of an institution's life, both inside and outside the classroom. Divergence from this vision weakens Catholic identity and, far from advancing freedom, inevitably leads to confusion, whether moral, intellectual or spiritual.


I wish also to express a particular word of encouragement to both lay and Religious teachers of catechesis who strive to ensure that young people become daily more appreciative of the gift of faith. Religious education is a challenging apostolate, yet there are many signs of a desire among young people to learn about the faith and practice it with vigor. If this awakening is to grow, teachers require a clear and precise understanding of the specific nature and role of Catholic education. They must also be ready to lead the commitment made by the entire school community to assist our young people, and their families, to experience the harmony between faith, life and culture.


Here I wish to make a special appeal to Religious Brothers, Sisters and Priests: do not abandon the school apostolate; indeed, renew your commitment to schools especially those in poorer areas. In places where there are many hollow promises which lure young people away from the path of truth and genuine freedom, the consecrated person's witness to the evangelical counsels is an irreplaceable gift. I encourage the Religious present to bring renewed enthusiasm to the promotion of vocations. Know that your witness to the ideal of consecration and mission among the young is a source of great inspiration in faith for them and their families.


To all of you I say: bear witness to hope. Nourish your witness with prayer. Account for the hope that characterizes your lives (cf. 1 Pet 3:15) by living the truth which you propose to your students. Help them to know and love the One you have encountered, whose truth and goodness you have experienced with joy. With Saint Augustine, let us say: "we who speak and you who listen acknowledge ourselves as fellow disciples of a single teacher" (Sermons, 23:2). With these sentiments of communion, I gladly impart to you, your colleagues and students, and to your families, my Apostolic Blessing.

St. Mary and St. Joseph Inter-Parish Religious Formation (IPRF) Contributes 308 Service Hours in Honor of Pope Benedict XVI

Dozens of young people from the religious education program at Appleton, Wisconsin's St. Mary and St. Joseph parishes are preparing for the visit of Pope Benedict XVI to the U.S. by volunteering in the community in honor of his birthday on April 16. A total of 308 hours of service are pledged by 42 students from the parishes to be completed by May 31.

This service project is part of a national effort by Catholic schools, colleges, parish religious education programs and seminaries called, “Birthday Blessings for Pope Benedict XVI: A Gift of Public Service from U.S. Catholic Youth and Students.” To see the current tally, visit the “Birthday Blessings” website.

In late February, the National Catholic Educational Association (NCEA), a national organization representing Catholic education at all levels, issued the invitation to Catholic young people to do voluntary acts of service in honor of the pontiff’s birthday. Pope Benedict will turn 81 on April 16, the second day of his six-day visit to the United States April 15-20.

The “Birthday Blessings” project allows each student to choose how to spend his or her time volunteering. Acts of service are broadly defined as anything that helps another person or improves the environment. Service is already a component of the faith formation program and many public schools. The service that the young people do will be enriched by prayer. Before engaging in the service, students are encouraged to pray a brief prayer, asking God to bless the pope. Some of the ways students at IPRF, who range in age from 5 to 17 are volunteering include: visiting a nursing home, participating in “Sack-it to Goodwill,” collecting books for a children’s hospital, making food for the warming shelter, helping at St. Vincent DePaul, collecting food for St. Joseph food program, collecting clothes for Community Clothes Closet, collecting items with a Girl Scout troop for an orphanage in Zambia, traveling with a group to our sister parish to deliver clothing, participating in a run/walk to honor cancer patients, helping the elderly with yard work, and various projects for Earth Day.

“Our parishes and the people in the Fox Cities give great examples of service,” said Andrew Russell, Director of Religious Education, “These young people have learned the importance of service and are realizing that it is a response to their faith. Our pastors and parishes are very proud of all our young people.”

Catholic School as a Foundation for Life

We often tend to forget that some of our most respected leaders in business, government, and the not-for-profit world owe much of their success to their formative years as students in Catholic elementary and high schools. BusinessWeek.com, in a story from the Associated Press, recently highlighted John Lechleiter , who was installed April 1 as CEO of phamaceutical giant Eli Lilly and Co., which earned nearly $3 billion last year. The article includes information on Lechleiter's memories of high school:

"His journey to the top is deeply rooted in his Catholic faith and lessons he learned growing up as the oldest of nine children in Louisville, Ky.

Lechleiter remembers the excitement he stirred at home when he won a $300 scholarship to cover a year's tuition to Saint Xavier High School in Louisville.

"My mother told me later that was the greatest day of my dad's life because he really hadn't quite figured out how he was going to swing that, knowing that there were eight others coming behind," he said.

His parents wound up sending all their children to Catholic high schools and private universities. But the brood grew up modestly. Lechleiter shared the attic of their family home, which his dad refurbished, with four brothers. Food never stuck around long. 'Dinner was served, breakfast was served and lunch was served,'he said. 'But the cookies were gone.'

A large family taught Lechleiter how to negotiate, cooperate and get along with others. It also taught him the importance of education. He tore through high school, taking advanced chemistry, physics and calculus classes.

"He would have had the most rigorous course in every discipline St. X offered at the time," said Perry Sangalli, the school's current president. Sangalli graduated with Lechleiter's younger brother, Richard, who is chief financial officer for Louisville-based Kindred Healthcare."

To read the entire story, go to this link.

Adult Faith Formation or Adult Religious Education?

In an April update for "Connection to Education," adult faith formation director Julianne Donlon addresses a common question: is our mission to adults that of faith formation or religious education? Here's her opinion:

“In fact, every aspect of and event in parish life can be intentionally fashioned as an occasion for adult faith formation. For example, every parish meeting can begin with a reading of the upcoming Sunday’s Gospel, followed by a time of reflection and sharing.” (Our Hearts Were Burning Within Us, par. 112)

The term "adult faith formation" itself may seem new to many of us. It has become more common than the more familiar "adult religious education" or “adult catechesis”. I am often asked to clarify the difference between these terms so here goes! Adult religious education may bring to mind images of instruction, lectures,classrooms and catechisms. And while adult faith formation clearly includes instruction it also provides many other types of opportunities for people to grow and mature in faith.

Adult faith formation is far more common than most people even realize. It is often woven organically through the mission of parish life, social justice programs, catechesis, outreach work etc. Adult faith formation clearly happens in a variety of contexts. While the church has offered more formal instruction for its young members for millennia, most adult formation opportunities happened informally and sporadically within normal family and parish activities. While all parish centered events have the potential to be faith-formative many adults often engage in these events without bringing into focus their own faith or the relationship between their faith and life.

The goal of adult catechesis goes beyond providing programs and opportunities for adults to learn about their faith. It points to a process whereby the adult who has been evangelized becomes the evangelizer. Through adult catechesis our communities are transformed into evangelizing communities of lifelong discipleship. The church is concerned about adult faith formation today because it recognizes that unless it intentionally offers opportunities to help adults understand what Catholics believe and shows them how Catholics act, other voices and forces within the culture will influence them to believe and act outside the faith.

Pope John Paul II stated that an active Catholic is an informed Catholic. We cannot love what we do not know. As adults we need to seek out opportunities to have serious discussions guided by faith, to pray together and to be public witnesses to our Catholic faith. The process of transformation is essential to the ongoing process of more fully living out the Gospel vision as individuals and as faith communities. Every parish event is an opportunity for the adult to become the living message of Jesus!

Adult Faith Formation calls for a spirit of generosity, of curiosity, of imagination, and of commitment. All are welcome and encouraged to participate in the multitude of ways we deepen our faith as Christians: through full participation in worship, in mission and outreach work, in teaching, leading, praying, and giving and in joining classes that call out to us and to our interests.

Our Vision for Adult Faith Formation

In his monthly report for the Diocese of Green Bay "Connection to Education," Director of Education, Dr. Joe Bound, outlines his plans for the role of adult faith formation initiatives as part of the larger diocesan education mission:

"Over the past two months, I have used this column to outline the department of education’s shared strategic vision for our role in advancing lifelong Catholic learning throughout the Diocese of Green Bay. We recognize that our religious education programs, Catholic schools, and adult faith formation initiatives are equal partners in the viability of that vision. This month, I would like to highlight the importance of adult faith formation.

Without being the voice of doom and gloom, it is evident that the U.S. bishops recognize a crisis of faith in this country. Fewer and fewer Catholics attend Mass with any type of regularity. Many adults know little or nothing of their faith and often are placed in an awkward position when questioned by their children. Also, our society is increasingly secular and our American culture is more and more materialistic and utilitarian.

Two years ago, after conversations with Bishop Zubik, and a thorough reading of the National Directory on Catechesis and Our Hearts Were Burning Within Us, we set up a separate office within the department that focused strictly on adult faith formation.

Having traveled around the Diocese of Green Bay meeting folks involved in catechesis and having attended NCEA and NCCL conventions, I have learned that there are different approaches to adult faith formation. One size doesn’t fit all. The good news is that there are a variety of very successful adult faith formation programs in our Diocese.

The five parishes of Neenah/Menasha, for example, collaborate on a robust adult faith formation calendar that offers diverse programs to many. There are many parishes with successful intergenerational programs, whose hybrid approach includes whole community catechesis within the framework of solid doctrinal teaching for the younger members of the parish. Other examples include the Credo program in Tigerton and Fr. Don Zuelger’s long-running bible study at St. Bernadette Parish in Appleton. At the diocesan level, we offer both basic and advanced religious certification programs and during the past year sponsored Fr. John Girotti’s “Know Your Faith” series as well as the Genesis to Jesus bible study.

On the front lines are the numerous parishes that offer sacramental preparation courses for parents, the theology courses, workshops, and symposia offered at St. Norbert College and Silver Lake College, the many catechetical articles in The Compass, the enrichment offered through Leadership and TEAM Days. “Living the Faith: Lake to Lake,” a collaborative effort of the parishes in Manitowoc, Kewaunee, and Calumet counties, provides solid cost-effective programming. All of these forms of adult faith formation provide a richness of experience, methodology, and learning outcomes.

Next month, I will use this space to outline a multi-step process that is currently being implemented in this critical area of catechesis."

Forming Disciples of Christ

Rosie Bartel, Green Bay's Religious Education Director, relies heavily on the General Directory for Catechesis and the National Directory for Catechesis to form the core of the diocesan strategic planning in this criticaL area. Here is a synopsis of her philosophy on "Forming Disciples of Christ:"

The reason we catechize is to bring people into communion and intimacy with Jesus, to help them have a relationship with Him. The object of catechesis is communion with Jesus Christ. The “General Directory for Catechesis” (GDC) describes the Christian life as a process of continuing conversion. Our growth in the faith never ends. “Living in Christ” means continuing to grow in our relationship with Him.

There are six fundamental task of catechesis. These six tasks are listed in the “General Directory for Catechesis” (GDC) and are discussed in detail in the “National Directory for Catechesis” (NDC), which states that each of the tasks corresponds to an aspect of faith in Jesus. The six tasks of catechesis are:

Promoting Knowledge of the Faith – This means teaching the “basics” of the faith, such as the Creed and key aspects of God’s self-revelation, found in Scripture and Tradition. This task of catechesis is a response to the individual’s desire to know. This desire comes naturally when individuals have had opportunities to encounter Christ and His message and have experienced an initial conversion.

Liturgical Education – This task involves helping others know about our celebrations in the faith, especially the sacraments. Liturgical education not only includes teaching about the form and the meaning of liturgical celebrations, but also helping individuals prepare their minds and hearts to enter into the mysteries of the faith.

Moral Formation - Moral formation is more than learning the Ten Commandments. It is about learning the moral teaching of Jesus, which is the fulfillment of the commandments and learning how to apply His teaching to our everyday lives.

Teaching to Pray – The GDC states, “When catechesis is permeated by a climate of prayer, the entire Christian life reaches its summit.” The “climate of prayer” in catechesis invites individuals into relationship with God. Prayer is conversation – talking as well as listening. This task of catechesis is accomplished by helping individuals enter into this conversation.

Education for Community Life – Catechesis prepares the Christian to live in community and to participate actively in the life and mission of the Church. Catechesis should prepare us to live and work with one another, both within the Church and in society as a whole. Catechesis should encourage a spirit of simplicity and humility, a special concern for the poor, particular care for the alienated, a sense of fraternal connection, common prayer, mutual forgiveness and fraternal love that embraces all these attitudes.

Missionary Initiation – This task involves preparing individuals to spread the Gospel to others by word and example. While only some may be called to other lands to minister in Christ’s name, all are called to live in such a way that they serve as witnesses of the faith to those who are around them.

In the NDC the bishops state that “all efforts in evangelization and catechesis should incorporate these six tasks”. In this way we pay attention to several different dimensions of faith, with the ultimate goal of forming disciples of Jesus.

Hearts in Ministry: Responding to the Call

The April 4, 2008 issue of the Diocese of Green Bay's "Connection to Education" includes an interview conducted by Julianne Donlon, Adult Faith Formation Director. This month's Hearts in Ministry topic is Theology of the Body:

Amber Yost of Elizabeth Ministries recently concluded her very popular Theology of the Body Study Group series which was sponsored by the Department of Education. Here Amber answers a number of questions regarding Theology of the Body, Elizabeth Ministries, and the challenges of responding to the Gospel values.

What is TOTB?
The author of TOTB, John Paul the Great is perhaps the greatest mind since St. Thomas Aquinas. TOTB is a revolution in understanding of the complexities of love, attraction and sexual relationship. It is a refreshing vision in sharp contrast to the cheap images that the world offers.

Why is this such an important topic for adults?
TOTB inspires wonder and awe of the Lord and His Creation leading to true happiness that can only be found living life God's way. We can become so selfish without even realizing it. Even couples who were once romantic lovers can take each other for granted in time. What TOTB does is show us how each person and everything in this world is a gift from God that gives us a glimmer of his endless generosity and creativity which we'll fully experience in Heaven.

Why do you think TOTB has been so successful among adults?Young adults have a spirit of rebellion against the TV and marketing that have sold us cheap immitations of love. We are seeing the aftermath all around us and are not satisfied. We want to know that our relationships will make it and realize that there is nothing in this world that can guarantee that except to give ourselves whole-heartedly to Christ. So we are willing to give everything to Him. And how? In what ways? TOTB shows the ways. It is very counter-cultural, some would say old-fashioned. In our rebellion of the new ways that are failing, young adults are bring back the old ways with a profound new understanding. Older Adults are finding through TOB an understanding of Church Teachings related to relationships and sexuality.

What are the challenges of presenting TOTB to adults in this Diocese?
Making it accessible and affordable. Elizabeth Ministry provides practical resourcesa and study groups for TOTB. Elizabeth Ministry is a 501c(3) and needs funding to continue these offerings.

What things are you doing to build upon and expand the TOTB study group?
We are offering a TOTB Evening once a month for adults. For more information, go here. We will continue with our Young Adult (age 18-35) Audience Group which meets weekly.

Who has attended the TOTB study group?
We have 40 registrants ages 18 and up from many different parishes.

What are a few of the issues that adults are most curious to learn about?
Contraception, how it harms the body and the relationship and Natural Family Planning which is as effective in spacing childbirth but has opposite effects on the body and the relationship. Contrasting contraception and NFP is curious because they may be used for the same ends, however the difference is profoundly deeper than one would guess.

Outline the challenges of studying TOTB for adults.
What advice would you give to those who are thinking about studying TOTB?
Study it in a group. Meet frequently. Pray together. Have fellowship together. Build community, support of a small Christian community is so needed to live good Christian values in this world.

For more information regarding Theology of the Body go to this website.

Chaste Living: Parents Come First

Chastity education, and its place in Catholic schools and religious education programs, is a hot-button issue that affects parents, students, and administration. In his monthly "Connection to Education" column, Mark Salisbury, the Diocese of Green Bay Superintendent of Schools, recounted a recent meeting he attended with a representatives from one elementary school in the diocese.

"I had the pleasure of meeting recently with some parents, teachers and the school principal of one of our diocesan Catholic schools on the topic of the future implementation of new educational guidelines for catechesis in chaste living.

It was very fitting that parents, teachers and school administration came together for this discussion because it underlines a key principle that will be addressed in the guidelines, namely that as parents, we are the ones primarily responsible for the formation of our children in virtue, and in this case the particular virtue of chastity. Parish catechetical leaders and Catholic school staff assist parents with this responsibility. During our discussion together, it was obvious that everyone at the table understood from their personal experience the primary role (we could even say duty) of parents to educate their children in faith and morals.

The opportunity to assist parents in this area of their children's formation is an exciting and challenging one for Catholic schools. The parents at our meeting mentioned above clearly stated it is because of the way the Catholic school supports the values they are imparting to their children at home that they choose to send their children to a Catholic school. This unity of purpose between what our parents’ values and goals are and the goals and values of Catholic school education is an important basis upon which we will build our chaste living guidelines and programs.
In partnership with parents, our Catholic schools will join with parish catechetical leaders and the diocesan task force charged with developing this new program to implement various creative and quality programs over the next several years designed to assist parents with the moral formation of their children.

When parents, teachers, and administration collaboratively plan programming for chastity education in their Catholic school, in concert with the teachings of our Catholic Church and coordinated with parish religious education initiatives, great programming can result. The diocesan Department of Education is committed to assisting parishes and local school communities to engage in this meaningful planning work. In the months and years ahead we will make personal school site visits to help facilitate this collaborative planning process."