Schedule of Catholic Conferences in March and April 2009

February 27, 2009

The following Catholic organizations will be hosting a conference in March or April:

3/16/2009  – 3/17/2009 
NABCA – National Association of Black Catholic Administrators
2009 NABCA Spring Meeting – Building Relationships for the Future
Brimingham, AL
A professional organization devoted to strengthening African American persons involved in authentic roles in dioceses for community building. NABCA’s mission includes evangelizing faith communities, the unchurched and the wider community; developing members’ leadership skills; and collaborating with others to implement the National Black Catholic Pastoral Plan.
 
3/29/2009  – 4/1/2009 
NACPA – National Association of Church Personnel Administrators
2009 NACPA Convocation
Chicago, IL
The membership organization for personnel and human resource professionals within the Church. NACPA’s mission is to advocate for workplace justice rooted in Gospel values by promoting comprehensive church personnel systems; strengthening working relationships among church leaders, ministers and employees; developing church personnel and human resources skills and competence; and identifying and addressing church and societal issues which affect the church in its role as employer.

4/14/2009  – 4/16/2009 
NCEA – National Catholic Education Association
106th Annual NCEA Convention
Anaheim, CA
The official organization for Catholic educators in elementary schools, secondary schools, religious education programs, seminaries, chief administrators of Catholic education and boards/councils of Catholic education. NCEA’s mission is to advance the educational and catechetical mission of the Church.
 
4/14/2009  – 4/17/2009 
CLA – Catholic Library Association
2009 CLA Convention – Leadership, Direction Service
Anaheim, CA
The membership association of individuals and organizations involved with Catholic libraries. The mission of CLA is to provide leadership for professional development, coordinate the exchange of ideas, offer spiritual support, promote Catholic and ecumenical literature, and foster community.
 
4/14/2009  – 4/16/2009 
NPCD – National Association of Parish Catechetical Directors
17th NPCD Convocation: “Leadership. Direction. Service.”
Anaheim, CA
An organization within NCEA’s Department of Religious Education, NPCD is an association for parish catechetical leaders. It’s mission is to support members in their role of advancing the catechetical mission of the Church and to enhance the professional development of parish catechetical leaders.
 
4/22/2009  – 4/25/2009 
NADD – National Association of Diaconate Directors
NADD Convention 2009
Chicago, IL
The membership association for directors of diaconate programs. NADD’s mission is to serve as a documentation and resource center, to develop professional expertise, promote research, training, and self-evaluation procedures, and to facilitate communication.
 
4/26/2009  – 4/29/2009 
CPPCD – Conference for Pastoral Planning and Council Development
2009 CPPCD Annual Convention: Persevering in Mission to Build the Body of Christ
Plymouth, MI
The professional membership organization for Catholic Church leaders who are responsible for planning, research, and council development at the diocesan and parish levels. CPPCD’s mission is to promote and advocate consultative processes that foster effective planning for the pastoral life of the Church.
 
4/27/2009  – 4/30/2009 
NCCL – National Conference for Catechetical Leadership
2009 NCCL Conference: Focus on Adult Faith Formation
Dearborn, MI
The official organization of diocesan, parish, academic, publishing,and other catechetical personnel. NCCL’s mission is to enrich and strengthen the ministry of catechesis throughout the Catholic dioceses of the US.
 
4/27/2009  – 4/30/2009 
CADEIO – Catholic Association of Diocesan Ecumenical and Interreligious Officers 
2009 CADEIO Annual Program
Phoenix, AZ
The official membership organization for diocesan ecumenical and interreligious officers. CADEIO seeks to stimulate an exchange of ideas, experiences and networking among the ecumenical officers of the dioceses, to promote programs that further work of Christian unity and interreligious cooperation, and to cooperate with other organizations.
 
4/27/2009  – 4/30/2009 
NFPC – National Federation of Priests’ Councils
2009 NFPC Convention – The Parish of Tomorrow – Today!
San Antonio, TX
The membership association for priests’ councils. NFPC’s mission is to promote priestly unity and fraternity, to provide a national forum for priests to discuss pastoral matters, to enable priests councils to speak with a common voice and to promote pastoral research.

Visit the ActiveParishioner.com Calendar for more details and future events.


The Pope’s Lenten Message for 2009

February 25, 2009

The Vatican has assembled a helpful webpage for Lent 2009.  The site includes the Pope’s Lenten message, as well as the schedule of the Pope’s liturgical celebrations for Lent.  It also includes Lenten hymns from the chorus of the Sistine Chapel and from the Pontifical Institute of Sacred Music.  Both the text and audio are provided for the hymns.  It is great to see the Vatican continue to expand its use of technology by posting musical podcasts.



The Vatican Launches Site on YouTube

February 17, 2009

Most people have heard of YouTube by now, a free online website that allows users to both post and view short videos.  In its ongoing journey to utilize modern technology, the Vatican has now started its own YouTube site at www.youtube.com/vatican

As of mid-February, the Vatican has posted 48 short videos, each about a minute long.  Most of these are excerpts from press conferences, highlights of gatherings, or speeches by the Pope.  A voice-over is provided in Italian, English, Spanish and Dutch.

Although the video clips are too short to provide extensive information, they do serve the wonderful purpose of letting people take a peek at life inside the Vatican.  In general, Catholics have an image of the Vatican based on written statements that are published, and quotes that are picked up by the media.  These video images provide a much fuller glimpse into the people, lives, events and processes that are responsible for our worldwide church.   Currently, most images focus on the Pope or other Vatican official speaking while an audience listens.  It will be interesting, as time passes, to see if the videos start to pick up more of the interactive dimension of life in the Vatican.


Pope’s Prayer Intention for February 2009

February 1, 2009

Every month, the Pope prays for a specific intention. You are invited to join the Pope and Catholics from all over the world in praying for this intention.

For the month of February 2009, the prayer is “that the Pastors of the Church may always be docile to the action of the Holy Spirit in their teaching and in their service to God’s people.”


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