Congress

Our thanks to all prsenters and participants for making Congress 2009 a success!

Congress is an annual day-long faith formation event.  Come participate in Mass with the Archbishop, celebrate the Faith, learn from amazing speakers and mingle with fellow Catholics. Speakers and sessions cover topics ranging from the local parish to the worldwide scene. With many exhibitors, Congress is also the place for you to shop, browse, and gather ideas. 
 

Keynote

Fr. John C. Cusick

Fr. John Cusick, director of Young Adult Ministry for the Archdiocese of Chicago, is an enthusiastic and humorous internationally known speaker, author and retreat master. His zeal for young adults and returning disenfranchised Catholics back to their faith has brought many back to the Church. Fr Cusick is the co-founder of the very successful Theology-on-Tap speaker series and initiator of many ministry programs in Chicago.

The Mass is Ended…Go!”

To worship the Lord is to imitate the Lord; as we draw near to Him and receive Him in Word and in His Body and Blood, we become more and more like Him. Then, we become members of His Body on His mission. In his Keynote Session, Fr. Cusick will show us how worship helps us sustain the vision of Christ in the world. When we are filled by Christ and we go out to serve, we continue to build the Kingdom of God.
 

Featured Sessions

How do I answer the question “Why Should I Go to Church?"

Session A
Fr. John C. Cusick    
10:45am - noon

There are an increasing number of adults who are asking this question. Many parents simply do not see any need whatsoever to attend church consistently on Sunday, but they will drop off their children for their religious education classes without entering the church building themselves. This workshop will not only address this question of “why?”, but will answer it with the understanding of our Catholic tradition. This workshop will be helpful to parish leaders, those in ministry, young adults, and parents.
 
Fr. John Cusick is the Director of Young Adult Ministry for the Archdiocese of Chicago.

The Communion of Saints

Session B   
Fr. John Horgan   
10:45am - noon

We often talk about the Communion of Saints, but we rarely talk about how the saints can inspire and liven up our classrooms, meetings and RCIA evenings.  Well known for his extensive knowledge regarding saints, Fr. John will offer catechists and facilitators numerous models within the church.  In this “Year For Priests”, Fr. John will highlight some of the diocesan and parish priests among the saints.
 
Fr. John Horgan is the pastor of Sts. Peter and Paul Parish in Vancouver.

Morning Sessions

 

Solitude in God’s Presence

Session C
Makani Marquis
10:45am - noon

Is it possible to find solitude in the city? Can we become aware of His presence, moment by moment, in today’s culture? And how can we cultivate God’s presence more deeply in our ministry work?  Discover the value of prayer, silence and solitude with a hermit who spends half the year in the wilderness exploring silence and the presence of God. 
 
Makani Marquis lives in solitude for 6 months of the year as a hermit in the mountains of Idaho. Formerly known as Paul, Makani’s new name reflects his new experience and direction with the Lord.

Ignatian Spirituality

Session D
Deacon Ugaban Teo
10:45am - noon

Ignatian Spirituality sees God as actively involved in the world and intimately involved with us in every moment and place. We will discover how to pray as St Ignatius did, to have a sense of God’s presence and to discern his desires for us and to become fully aware of our relationship with Jesus Christ. Religious education takes on a fresh purpose and meaning through the Spiritual Exercises and Ignatian Spirituality.

Deacon Teo Castro Ugaban, SJ is a Jesuit from Vancouver. He is currently studying at Regis College at University of Toronto and serves at Our Lady of Lourdes Parish in Toronto.

Protecting God’s Children

Session E
Chuck Luttrell & Clayton Imoo
10:45am - noon

The Archdiocese of Vancouver is in the process of implementing a brand new policy designed to protect the children that are placed in our care.  This will require parishes to take steps to ensure an overall effective risk management policy for parish ministry. Come to this session to learn the key elements of the policy, and to discuss the implementation strategy taking place over the next six months.
 
Chuck is the Director of the archdiocesan Office of Religious Education and Clayton is the Director of the archdiocesan Youth Ministry Office.  For the past two years, Chuck and Clay have served together on the archdiocesan Risk Management Committee. 

A New Role for Evangelization

Session F
Rennie Nahanee & Fr. Vincent LaPlante
10:45am - noon

How does a First Nations Catholic bring the message of the Gospel to First Nations Communities after the Pope’s apology for the treatment of Catholic Residential School students and the start-up of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission? Rennie and Fr. La Plante will share some of their experiences of evangelizing among First Nations people.
 
Rennie is the archdiocesan Coordinator of First Nations Ministry. He has served at St. Paul’s Indian Catholic Church in North Vancouver for 23 years as a Music Minister and Lay Leader. Fr. LaPlante is the pastor at St. Paul’s Indian Church.

Living the Gift

Session G
Jen & Stefan Spicer
10:45am - noon

Live The Gift, that is, the gift of Faith, the gift of our humanity, and the gift of being created male and female in the image and likeness of God. Learn the basics of Pope John Paul II’s Theology of the Body with Jen and Stefan and learn how you can be a gift in your classrooms, in your workplace, and in your homes. They’ll share with you how this teaching has beautifully impacted their life together as a young married couple and also individually as children of God.  
 
Jen and Stefan Spicer are moved to live the “Apostolate in Homes”, Humane Vitae 26. They are parishioners at St. Mary’s Parish in Vancouver.

Encouraging Positive Behaviour

Session H
Joy Jose
10:45am - noon

“What is the child’s action telling me?” Every behaviour persists for a reason. Catechists and parents need to understand the goals of misbehaviour to be able to instill positive discipline among their children. They also need to know the alternative ways of dealing with bad behaviour which we sometimes think is normal for a particular developmental stage. This workshop aims to equip catechists with ways on how to encourage positive behaviour among children, especially in the catechetical setting.
 
Joy Jose is a certified BC Provincial Instructor and has been a Parent Educator and Life Skills Facilitator. She currently works for the Vancouver School Board as a Multicultural Liaison Worker serving 122 schools in Vancouver.

Young Adults: A Pastoral, Practical Approach

Session I
Dr. Kate DeVries
10:45am - noon
Session will also be repeated in the afternoon – session R

Exactly where are all the women and men in their 20s and 30s, and how do we get them actively involved? Kate will present information on young adults and what they are seeking. She will then offer pastoral and practical strategies for finding, inviting and engaging people in their 20s and 30s, married or single, into greater participation and leadership in the Church.

Dr. Kate DeVries is the Associate Director of the Young Adult Ministry Office for the Archdiocese of Chicago. Kate earned her Doctorate in Ministry and Masters Degree in Divinity from Catholic Theological Union in Chicago. She also holds Masters degrees in Pastoral Studies and Special Education.

Afternoon Sessions

 

Praying Through Creative Arts

Session J
Deacon Ugaban Teo
1:15 - 2:30pm

How does God use “art” to relate to us?   Prayer through the arts is an invaluable meditation and teaching tool. The task of creative arts through prayer is to address the foundational two-fold question of relationship: what do I want to tell God and what is God telling me? This session will expose us to both visual arts and poetry and will  challenge us to look beyond ourselves.
 
Deacon Teo Castro Ugaban, SJ is a Jesuit from Vancouver. He is currently studying at Regis College at University of Toronto and serves at Our Lady of Lourdes Parish in Toronto.

Christ in our Prisons

Session K
Maureen Donegan, Gerry Ayotte & Fr. Makato Watanabe
1:15 - 2:30pm

Ask people to name the darkest places in our society, and many will probably answer “prisons”. Ask a prison volunteer or chaplain to describe where they have most often met Christ, and they will probably answer “prisons”. Prison ministry gives witness to the unbounded power and will of God to redeem and transform. In recent years the number of Catholic volunteers in our local ministry has grown exponentially. This session will explore the underlying faith stance and practical responses of the church to those in prison and those affected by crime.
 
Maureen Donegan has been Coordinator of Catholic Charities Justice Services for the past 7 years. Gerry Ayotte has been involved in Corrections ministry for over thirty years, and is Chaplain at a variety of Institutions. Fr. Makoto Watanabe has been Chaplain at Mission and Ferndale Institutions in the Fraser Valley since 2002.

Sound of Heaven

Session L
Brian Butcher
1:15 - 2:30pm

An introduction to Gregorian Chant: St. Augustine said that “he who sings, prays twice,” and in this workshop you will receive not only a brief introduction to the history and theology of chant, but practical training in how to read chant notation and sing your prayers in this most ancient and beautiful way.
 
Subdeacon Brian Anastasi Butcher is a Ph. D. Candidate in Theology (Eastern Christian Studies) at St. Paul University in Ottawa, and currently a sessional lecturer at Redeemer Pacific College/Trinity Western University.

Pastoral Planning & Liturgy

Session M
Msgr. Mark Hagemoen
1:15 - 2:30pm

The Synod study paper on Mass and Sacraments (2002) points out that, “The Mass not only recalls the events that saved us, but actualizes them, makes them present.” As the Sacred Liturgy is the highest expression of a parish community's faith in our Lord Jesus and the Church’s mission in the world, how a parish worships provides a key foundation for the spiritual vigour of other facets of parish life. During this year in which the Archdiocese is focussing on Liturgy as it implements the Synod, this session will reflect on the influence of the Mass and Sacraments on pastoral planning. Topics will include: comparing pastoral planning with service planning; major features of pastoral plans with reference to the celebration of the Mass and Sacraments; pastoral plans and spiritual formation.
 
Msgr. Hagemoen is the pastor of St. John the Apostle Parish in Vancouver and the Episcopal Vicar for Pastoral Services and Moderator of the Curia for the for the archdiocese.

Fishing for Souls

Session N
Fr. Anthony Ho
1:15 - 2:30pm

Word, Example, and Prayer are the three essential means to pass on the Faith to others and to draw people to it. Join Fr. Anthony Ho to explore each of these three means of Evangelization. Father will give practical advice as how to apply these in daily life as he shares his experience as a priest, catechist, group leader, and blogger.
 
Fr. Anthony Ho is currently the Assistant Pastor at St. Patrick’s Parish in Vancouver. He writes a bilingual column, Pax Sinica, for The B.C. Catholic newspaper.  www.fatheranthonyho.com 

Creating Lifelong Faith Formation

Session O
George Barrett
1:15 - 2:30pm

What are the ways to reach the entire community and engage them in lifelong learning? Come, find out how planning a systematic and intentional catechetical program is as easy as 1, 2, 3! We will share resources that span from early childhood to maturing adults, professional development, and more—everything you need is right at your fingertips.
 
George Barrett, is the sales manager for Our Sunday Visitor Curriculum Division with 27 years of Catechetical Experiences. George has worked in parishes, school and diocese.  He is filled with a passion for lifelong faith formation.

In Solidarity with the Poor

Session P
Fr. Ken Forster, OMI
1:15 - 2:30pm

Does God love the poor more/less than the rich? Why must we give priority to the poor? Who are the poor? And what makes the “Poor in Spirit” grateful Christians? Fr. Ken will answer all of these questions as well as examine how the Church is in solidarity with the poor both locally and internationally. He will draw on his experiences of working with the poor in the downtown eastside, as well as his recent trip to Kenya.
 
Fr. Ken is a native British Columbian who joined the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate as a young man.  He spent nine years as a missionary in Kenya, and is currently the Pastor of Sacred Heart Parish in Vancouver.

Fostering a Vocations Culture

Session Q
Fr. Hien Nguyen
1:15 - 2:30pm

In this Year for Priests, we are all called to support our priests and encourage new vocations to the priesthood. Fr. Hien Nguyen will share his story of fleeing communist Vietnam and discerning a call to the priesthood in Vancouver. He will also offer practical suggestions on how we can help men and women respond to the Lord’s call.
 
Fr. Hien Nguyen is the Vocations Director for the Archdiocese of Vancouver.

Young Adults: A Pastoral, Practical Approach

Session R
Dr. Kate DeVries
1:15 - 2:30pm

Exactly where are all the women and men in their 20s and 30s, and how do we get them actively involved? Kate will present information on young adults and what they are seeking. She will then offer pastoral and practical strategies for finding, inviting and engaging people in their 20s and 30s, married or single, into greater participation and leadership in the Church.

Dr. Kate DeVries is the Associate Director of the Young Adult Ministry Office for the Archdiocese of Chicago. Kate earned her Doctorate in Ministry and Masters Degree in Divinity from Catholic Theological Union in Chicago. She also holds Masters degrees in Pastoral Studies and Special Education.

Congress is hosted by the Offices of Evangelization, Religious Education, Service & Justice, and Youth Ministry