Remain in Me - A Process of Reflection on Take, Bless, Break, Share
The Remain in Me series helps facilitate a process of encounter, understanding, and response to Christ’s abiding presence in the Eucharist.
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Based on Cardinal Cupich’s Take, Bless, Break, Share: A Strategy for Eucharistic Revival, each reflection session unpacks one of five central themes of our sacramental and liturgical lives through engaging video content, Scripture, prayer, individual reflection and small group discussion.
The five-part Remain in Me series, developed by the Office of Lifelong Formation and the Office of Divine Worship, is perfect for both parish-wide gatherings and small group faith dialogue. Each session was designed to be complete within a 90-minute timeframe in mind but can easily be adapted based on your parish needs. Presented in a user-friendly format via Microsoft Sway, Remain in Me allows group facilitators to simply scroll through the presentation and lead participants through the process. These sessions and other parish resources are available at EucharisticRevivalChicago.org/resources.
For questions on parish implementation, please contact Deborah Breakey.
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PreCana Encounter Weekend
A Great Success!
Our Inaugural PreCana Encounter Weekend was an absolute success. The event was held at the beautiful campus of University of Saint Mary of the Lake in Mundelein, IL. This event was filled with great speakers, activities, prayer and reflection for engaged couples on the sacrament and vocation of marriage.
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The Archdiocese of Chicago offers PreCana courses for couples to learn about the sacrament of marriage and prepare their hearts leading up to their wedding day and after. Here is more information.
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Annual PreCana Facilitator Weekend
Our Annual PreCana Facilitator Weekend offered a wonderful time together building community and camaraderie. We had wonderful speakers for sharing and discussion on the beautiful grounds of University of St Mary of the Lake.
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All married couples feeling called to marriage ministry and interested in facilitating PreCana sessions to inspire engaged couples in the vocation and mission of marriage are invited to complete the following interest form. Upcoming Training dates are June 8, 2024 for the Spanish Program and June 15, 2024 for the English Program. Here is more information.
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Morning with Mary,
Mother of God
Saturday, Dec. 9, 2023
An Advent Season Morning of Prayer, Reflection and Sacred Music devoted to Our Lady and the Season!
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The National Shrine of St. Maximilian Kolbe at Marytown is very excited to present this year's Morning with Mary speaker, Fr. Edward Looney! Fr. Edward serves as a pastor in the Diocese of Green Bay, Wisconsin and currently serves as president of the Mariological Society of America. Fr. Edward is the author of popular Marian devotionals including A Heart Like Mary’s, A Rosary Litany, and How They Love Mary. And his voice is recognizable from his work on EWTN Radio and Television, and Relevant Radio.
Fr. Edward Looney is also an expert on the apparitions of Our Lady of Champion, which will be the subject of his presentation. These are the only approved Marian apparitions in the U.S. They occurred in Champion, Wisconsin in 1859 and have been the object of much recent notoriety with the official name change that took place this year. In April The National Shrine of Our Lady of Good Help announced its official name change to The National Shrine of Our Lady of Champion.
SCHEDULE (Main Chapel)
8:30 am - Rosary
9:00 am - Talk: "The Message of Our Lady of Champion, Her Good Help, And Our Response"
11:00 am - Sacred Music Concert
Noon - Holy Mass
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Celebrating the Season Around the Archdiocese
Consider experiencing one or more of these cultural celebrations:
- Simbang Gabi - We again invite you to participate in this annual pre-Christmas novena beloved by Filipino Catholics everywhere. Join Filipinos from these parishes in preparing for the birth of our Savior by honoring the Virgin Mother. Invite family and friends, Filipino and non-Filipino.
- Posadas - Latino Catholics often celebrate a novena of pilgrimages starting Dec. 16, reenacting Joseph and Mary’s search for shelter. At the end of the pilgrimage, after being refused several times, Joseph and Mary are allowed in and there is a celebration with sweets and hot drinks. Many archdiocesan parishes host their own posadas.
- Oplatki - Many Polish, Lithuanian and Slovak Catholic families celebrate Christmas Eve by sharing an “oplatki,” or special Christmas wafer, before the family meal. The large wafers are similar to a Communion host, prefiguring the eucharistic meal that is to come at Christmas Mass.
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The Art of Leadership: Practical Conversations with Catechetical Leaders
Tuesday, January 16, 2023
1:00pm-2:30pm (on Zoom)
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Topic: Exploring Family Faith Formation
All catechetical leaders are invited to join this upcoming “Practical Conversation” where we will share best practices and explore first steps and creative ideas related to family faith formation.
Don't miss this opportunity to connect with other catechetical leaders throughout the archdiocese! Register here.
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NCCL Online Professional Development Courses
New in 2024
In 2024 NCCL is introducing Professional Development Courses that provide a one-month focused learning experience with:
- 2 Live Presentations by the course instructor on Zoom from 1-2:30 pm ET
- Community Forum for connecting with course participants and the instructor
- Online Resources to assist you in applying the knowledge from the course to your ministry
NCCL selected the following topics based on input from their summer survey and the interest finder at the Fall NCCL Convocations:
- Catechesis on Prayer & Prayer Practices
- Instructor John Michael Reyes
- Tuesdays February 6 & 13
- Leadership Skills & Practices for Catechetical Leaders
- Instructor Dr. Dan Ebener
- Thursdays March 7 & March14
- Building Intercultural Competence in Catechetical Ministry
- Instructor: Sr. Ruth Bolarte IHM, D.Min.
- Thursdays April 11 & 18
- Inviting, Forming, and Supporting Parish Catechists
- Instructor: Jayne Ragasa Mondoy
- Tuesdays May 7 & May 14
Tuition for each course is $50. For course and registration information here.
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McGrath Institute Digital Advent & Christmas Calendar
Once again, the McGrath Institute for Church Life is partnering with the Marian Library of Dayton, Ohio, to bring you a digital Advent and Christmas Crèche Calendar.
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Sign up here to receive a daily email from the first Sunday of Advent (or whenever you sign up) through January 8, 2024. Each email will include an image and description of a beautiful crèche, or Nativity set, from around the world, along with a brief prayer that you can offer for yourself and your loved ones.
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Advent Examination of Conscience for RCIA Groups
Team RCIA has created a daily visual guide for an Advent Examination of Conscience that you can share with your seekers, catechumens, candidates, and catechumenate team. Find more information and links to the visual guides here.
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8 Practical Ways to Get Ready for Advent
On Teaching Catholic Kids, you’ll find eight practical ways — including activities, blessings and feasts — for catechists and families to prepare to fully celebrate Advent with kids.
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The 8 practical ways to get ready for Advent include:
- Get or make an Advent wreath
- Bless your Advent wreath
- Set up a nativity scene
- Make a Jesse Tree
Read about these (and more) ways to celebrate Advent and find activity links here.
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Incorporating Unbaptized Children into the Parish Religious Education Program
January 25 and February 1 and 8, 2024
12:00pm - 1:30pm
Many parishes have children of catechetical age come forward each year seeking baptism. We want to best prepare them for the sacraments but are faced with challenges. The Church invites us to use the baptismal catechumenate as the model for all catechesis.
This three-session series, from the Catechumeneon Digital Institute, will explore how to adapt a traditional school-year religious education program to embody more of the rich vision for catechesis contained in the RCIA and how this approach enriches the spiritual development of both catechumens and baptized Catholic students.
The cost is $45 per computer. Register here. The registration deadline for this workshop is January 21, 2024.
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Parish Resources for Eucharistic Revival
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Did you know the Archdiocese of Chicago has a Parish Resources webpage for the National Eucharistic Revival? The webpage includes resources to help individuals and parish communities draw closer to Christ in the Eucharist and live as missionary disciples. Visit the Parish Resources webpage here, for resources related to:
- study & reflection
- worship
- children, youth & families
- mission & outreach
- and more!
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Post-Cana: Ways to Foster a Meaningful Marriage
It was another Saturday night in our house: The kids were asleep, the dog had been fed, the dishes were done.
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Finally, it was just us. Turning to my husband, I asked like I normally did, “Want to watch something?” He grabbed the remote, I grabbed us each a glass of wine, and we scrolled through our movie choices. Tired from a day of wrangling kids, we spent half the time staring zombie-like at the film and the other half absorbed in our own chores: some last-minute work emails and folding laundry. Physically, we were together on the couch, but emotionally and mentally, we were miles away. We were stuck in a robot-like ritual. This needed to change. Read More.
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NFP, the Theology of the Body, and Our Marriage
Many will tell you that the responsibility of being permanently faithful to one person is too great and that being open to life is too much of a burden.
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They say contraception brings with it freedom and life; however, we have found that it is in openness to God, to each other, and to new life that true freedom is obtained. This is what living Natural Family Planning (NFP) can help couples to experience. Read More.
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Beyond Cana Helps Make Good Marriages Even Better!
February 9-11, 2024
Dallas, TX
Beyond Cana® offers the time and tools to restore and strengthen marriages – with God and His direction for us at the center. This 2½ day retreat is designed to enrich the marriages of couples who want to focus on the communication, respect, love, and intimacy that are so integral to a good marriage. Read More.
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In the Name of Jesus
Join the IPS Scripture School of Loyola University Chicago and experience the Bible like never before! Their new program, In the Name of Jesus, follows the liturgical calendar, beginning at the start of Advent – year round! They will explore the richness and depth of every Sunday’s readings so that all may better participate in the Mass and meet Jesus in the Eucharist!
This weekly series is for you if:
- You want to know, understand, and love Jesus MORE!
- You want to deepen in your understanding of how much Jesus loves YOU!
- You want to better participate in Sunday Mass by engaging in thorough examination of the readings for the day!
- You want to make life-long friends in and through faith-based fellowship year-round!
In the Name of Jesus will meet online via Zoom, every week, all year! Learn more here.
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Saints, Mystics & the Eucharist
Over the last twelve months, this section of Taking Shape has introduced saints who had unique and extremely personal relationships with Jesus Christ through the Holy Sacrament of the Eucharist. Some of these stories seem difficult to believe, and yet is anything impossible for God? Each of these saints freely accepted the sufferings they received, offering them as an act of great love for Jesus. It was through Holy Eucharist they were sustained and strengthened.
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This month you are invited to get to know Blessed Mary of the Passion (1866-1912), who at the age of five fell in love with our Lord. Learn about Blessed Mary of the Passion, her amazing story of love for the Eucharist, and the miraculous events that she experienced by sharing this PDF poster with children and youth as you help them grow in wonder and awe of the miracles of God.
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