OUR LADY'S CATECHISTS

OUR LADY'S CATECHISTS is an association of men and women who are qualified to give religious instruction. Our postal courses include: "Sowing the Seed", for training parish catechists leading to a certificate of qualification, or as a personal development course with or without assessment. The Diploma course provides a more academic training. "Catholicism Made Simple", an introduction to the Faith for adults and youths 14-18 years, The Children's Section offers course for those children unable to attend Catholic Schools, and provides help for parents. Also The Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme "Service Through Religious Education – Roman Catholic" at silver and gold levels, and Young Parish Helpers Programme for youth to assist in parish catechesis. Parents, young people and adults, including Religious Brothers and Sisters and Parish Priests are invited to contact us at: Our Lady's Catechists, PO Box 111, Eccles, Manchester, M30 9WG

OUR OWN DIOCESAN EDUCATION CENTRE

CATECHIST SUPPORT PROGRAMME

• Bringing catechists and liturgy leaders in each local area together once a year for reflection and to share their experience and expertise.
• Providing general guidelines on children’s liturgy and sacramental preparation.
• Providing formal training in each local area in response to the expressed need

‘CHURCH FOR CHILDREN TOO’
A bi-monthly newsletter for leaders of ‘Liturgy of the Word with children’. Contains reflections and practical suggestions on the Sunday scriptures, as well as quotations from church documents and other useful resources. Guidelines for leaders, based on those produced by the Bishops’ Conference with additional practical suggestions on children’s spirituality, the environment for worship, structure, age, recruiting volunteers.

‘EXPLORING THE MASS’
A day of input, prayer and liturgy, finishing with Mass. Elements of the day:

• Definition and principles of liturgy
• Cycle and seasons
• Christ’s presence
• Structure
• Liturgical space

‘REFLECTION DAYS FOR MINISTERS OF THE WORD AND EUCHARIST’
For individual parishes or deanery groups, incorporating:

• Scripture sharing
• Input on the Word and the Eucharist
• Guidelines on the ministries
• Time for personal prayer and reflection
• Opening and closing Liturgy

‘PRAYER AND RITUAL IN MODERN FAMILY LIFE’

• A session exploring prayer for families and busy people using reflection, discussion, visual imagery and teaching. Contents include:
• Prayer in Scripture and the Catechism
• Using our ancient prayer traditions
• The place of ritual in family life
• Practical ways to nurture family spirituality

‘CREATING SACRED SPACE’
An evening of exploration of the great prayer traditions of the Church, using the Scriptures, icons, silence and liturgy.

‘FAITH FOR TODAY’
A course exploring the Catholic Faith and its relevance to the contemporary world. It aims to offer opportunities for individual faith formation as well as for parish and deanery development. The course is made up of 3 modules, each of which includes six weekly evening sessions and one Saturday. The content (which can be adapted and shortened to meet need) includes:

• Module 1: The Life of God: God, Jesus, the Scriptures and Tradition
• Module 2: Life in the Church: The Holy Spirit, the Church’s mission, gifts and ministry, and sacraments
• Module 3: The Church in the World: Prayer, evangelisation, justice and morality

STEWARDSHIP
A renewal process for drawing out the gifts in the parish in order to create greater commitment and involvement. Parishes which are interested undergo a short training programme of 3-4 evenings. The process is ideally used in the parish over Lent, reaching its climax at Pentecost.

PARISH DEVELOPMENT PROCESS
Offers parishioners and clergy an opportunity to look afresh at the parish and its mission, and to move confidently towards the future. The process includes prayer, reflection on personal experience, and input on Tradition and the Scriptures. The length of time and the number of sessions may vary but they key themes are:
1. Where are we? Reviewing the parish
2. The Mission and Ministry of Jesus
3. The Gifts of the Holy Spirit
4. Working together for the Kingdom of God
5. Looking to the Future

RCIA (‘Journey in Faith’)
Training, advice and recommended resources are available to get the programme going or breathe new life into tired format. Basic sessions on faith sharing and working with adults can also be provided for teams new to the process.

LANDINGS
A simple process for helping people revisit the basics of their faith and be drawn back into the parish community. Each session invites a parishioner to share his/her faith story before going on to explore the Trinity, the sacraments, prayer and Christian life. Can be used as a ready-made programme for working with parents of children who are making their First Eucharist.

RAINBOWS BEREAVEMENT SUPPORT
A school or parish based programme for providing support and healing for those grieving a death, divorce or any other painful transition in their family. The programme has been used successfully all over the world, with over 1 million children benefiting. Starting the programme requires a day’s training for volunteer facilitators who then use reflection, books, games and journals to help participants move through the grief cycle.

THE CATHOLIC AGENCY TO SUPPORT EVANGELISATION (C.A.S.E.)

CASE is hoping to recruit people from every background for what it describes as the most important job in England and Wales. There are currently a wide variety of evangelisation opportunities nationally which have yet to be taken up. Home Mission Sunday, on September 18th, will mark the start of the recruitment drive. Free resource packs are being sent to every parish and religious house. Mgr Baltrop added, "In the parable of the labourers in the vineyard, which will be read out at Masses on Home Mission Sunday, the Lord invites us all to work in the Lord's vineyard. This is an invitation which is given to each one of us today, and CASE is here to help every baptised Catholic be those modem day labourers.'