Called to Greatness

Do you hunger for more? Come and learn how God may be calling you to serve the poor and vulnerable through respect life and charity and justice outreach ministries. Come to the annual archdiocesan conference—“Called to Greatness: The Gift of Self in Life and Ministry.” Join volunteers from across the archdiocese and beyond in this Year of Faith celebration to pray, learn, collaborate and support one another as we deepen our understanding of the dignity of the human person and Catholic social teaching. All are welcome!

Click here to download a summary of the keynote presentations and workshops, including the schedule and room location.

Sponsored by Archdiocese of Washington:

• Department for Charity and Justice
• Department of Life Issues
• Office of Black Catholics
• Department for Family Life
• Department of Hispanic Pastoral Affairs
• Office of Young Adult Ministry

Saturday, April 27, 2013
DeMatha Catholic High School
4313 Madison Street
Hyattsville, MD
Doors open for Registration at 8:00 a.m.
Opening Prayer 9:30 a.m.

Click here to register online.

Cost: $15.00, for advance registration and $20 at the door. Fee includes lunch. On-line registration ends April 23, after which registration will be at the door.

Click here for map of campus, including parking lots.
Click here for driving directions to DeMatha High School.

Haga click aquí para obtener un resumen sobre la conferencia principal y los talleres en español.

Please help promote the conference. Give a copy of the flyer to friends and fellow parishioners who may be intersted.

• English flyer (Color or Black and White)
• Spanish flyer (Color or Black and White)

Schedule
(Scroll down for information on keynotes and workshops.)

Learn more about our keynote addresses and speakers!

Keynote 1: 10:00 – 11:00 AM
Venturing all for Christ: Our Call to Serve
Dr. Jonathan Reyes, Ph.D.
Executive Director, Department of Justice, Peace and Human Development, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops

Our faith calls us to aim for great things in our service of the Gospel. As the founder of the Little Brothers of Jesus put it, “absence of risk is a sure sign of mediocrity.” The saints had the courage to risk all because they were willing to give all. This is what makes Christian service of the most vulnerable different. It is rooted in a total donation of self. Reflection on these themes can help us to deepen our commitment to our faith and our work as we seek “to bring the hope of the Risen Christ to every corner of the world.” (Benedict XVI)

This keynote will be in English with Spanish translation.

Keynote 2A and 2B: 1:25 – 2:25 PM
Keynote 2A and 2B run simultaneously.

Keynote 2A: 1:25 – 2:25 PM
Put a Ring on It: Why Marriage Matters to Children, Couples, & Communities
W. Bradford Wilcox, Ph.D.
National Marriage Project and Associate Professor of Sociology, University of Virginia

Today, a growing number of young adults believe that children are just as likely to thrive in one family type as in another. Love makes a family; family structure is irrelevant. There is only one problem with this view: It's not true. Professor Brad Wilcox of the University of Virginia will explain why children, adults, couples and communities are more likely to thrive when kids are raised in an intact, married family. He will also consider implication that this has for outreach ministries.

This keynote will be in English.

Keynote 2B: 1:25 – 2:25 PM
El Regalo Trinitario personal en la Parroquia
Rev. Juan Molina, O.Ss.T., Ph.D.
Director para la Iglesia en América Latina
en la Conferencia de Obispos Católicos de los Estados Unidos

En esta charla veremos cómo nuestro involucrarnos personalmente en los esfuerzos de promover la Vida, la Paz y la Justicia en nuestras parroquias expresa nuestra participación en la vida de Dios-Trinidad de amar y cuidar la creación. Además de hablar brevemente sobre el Misterio de la Trinidad, veremos lo que el Papa Benedicto XVI dijo sobre la misión de la Iglesia y cómo el Papa Francisco esta desarrollando y promoviendo la Vida, la Paz y la Justicia. Para finalizar, veremos de qué manera el promover estos valores en nuestras parroquias expresa nuestro regalo de vida personal a la comunidad. 

La charla principal será en español. (This keynote will be in Spanish.)

Workshop Information!

Workshops are offered in three sessions:
8:20 – 9:15          Workshop Session A (Early Bird)
11:15 – 12:10      Workshop Session B
2:40 – 3:35          Workshop Session C

We are still finalizing the workshops. Below are some which we are currently planning on offering.

There is Still Room at the Inn: Stories of Hope and Empowerment in the Holy Land
The challenges of the Holy Land cause deep concern for many. This workshop presents three speakers with hands-on practical experience in the Holy Land discussing reasons for hope and signs of empowerment for the people there. Learn how you and/or your parish can get involved in fulfilling outreach ministry in the Holy Land.

This workshop will be presented by speakers from the Holy Family Hospital (Bethlehem), the Custody of the Holy Land, and the Holy Land Christian Ecumenical Foundation.

We are One World, One Church
Helping rebuild after an earthquake in Haiti. Strengthening early childhood education in Lesotho. Building water and sanitation projects in Pakistan. Supporting economic development programs around the world. After exploring experiences of impoverishment and suffering throughout the world today, this workshop will consider the transformative role of our global church and how to raise our voices together for peace and justice worldwide. This workshop will draw from the experiences of Catholic Relief Services, the international relief organization founded by the U.S. Catholic Bishops in 1943, meeting the needs of the poor and vulnerable around the world.

Alsy Acevedo, Communication Officer for Latin America and the Caribbean, Catholic Relief Services

Serving the Poor who Come to your Parish. The St. Vincent de Paul Society can Help You.
Jesus calls us to care for the poor and vulnerable. But answering this call is not easy. Through the Society of St. Vincent de Paul we are strengthened in our personal spiritual development and friendships to bring Christ to those living in poverty. We are eager to share with you the wisdom of almost 200 years of seeing the face of Christ in those we serve. This workshop is especially for parishes looking for a better way to serve the poor. Learn how the Vincentian spirituality of the St. Vincent de Paul Society, the extensive intra-parish network, and the guidelines can provide your parish with the help it needs to better respond to Jesus' call to care for the poor.

Alice Garvey, President of the archdiocesan Council of St. Vincent de Paul and Bill Garvey, President of the St. John Neumann Conference

Building the Capacity of Parishes and Schools to Serve the Poor and Vulnerable
Catholic Charities programs help parishes and schools better meet the Gospel call to serve those in need. Teresa Volante and a parish volunteer from Southern Maryland will present the different programs available at Catholic Charities to support you and your parish in serving the poor and vulnerable--everything from answering the knock at the door when someone has a crisis, to growing and enriching already existing programs at your parish, to building new ministry projects at your parish. Learn specific information about the Parish Service Project Program, including the start-up funding available, and hear from a parish that has worked with the program, as well as learn about ongoing support and education available through the Parish Partners Program.

Teresa Volante, Catholic Charities Parish Partners Program Manager and Catholic Charities staff.

Enriching Faith; Enriching Soil
Bill Dinges grew up in a farming community in western Kansas and knows the joy of dirt on his hands. He will speak about why Catholics should care about Creation, drawing on Church social teaching and the Catholic theological tradition. He will also discuss the importance of fertile, living soil to our longtime survival and then illustrate how you can improve your own soil through composting. Reflecting the call of the new evangelization, he will also speak of his experience with young people and how care for the environment is a way to draw them to the life of the Church.

William Dinges, Ph.D., is a Professor of Religious Studies in the School of Theology and Religious Studies at Catholic University of America where he teaches a Honors Course on God, Ethics, and the Environment. He is also a member of the archdiocesan Care for Creation committee.

From Atheist, to Agnostic, to Protestant, to Catholic: How My Faith Makes a Difference as I Serve Others
For more than 12 years, Nathaniel Hurd has been an advocate and policy advisor on international humanitarian crises. He was an un-baptized atheist, agnostic, baptized Protestant, and is now a Catholic. Nathaniel worked in secular workplaces for a decade and is now with World Vision, a Christian international relief, development, and advocacy, non-governmental organization. He will draw from his life experience as he reflects on how encountering, being in relationship with, and living Jesus Christ in the Sacraments, teachings, and life of the Church makes a difference to his professional life and how he goes about it.

Nathaniel Hurd is a policy advisor for conflicts and disasters at World Vision.

Ecumenism and Interfaith Relations in Social Ministries and Life Issues – Benefits and Challenges
There are many opportunities in the Washington area for Catholics involved in social ministry and life issues outreach to join with people of other faiths to serve people in need, which promotes the common good and builds community. But what happens when Gospel imperatives appear to be at odds with one another? Must they collide? Must one be sacrificed? Might there be a way to move forward with integrity? This workshop will consider some of these questions and help you be more confident in ecumenical and inter-faith situations.

Fr. Avelino Gonzales is pastor of St. Joseph’s Church on Capitol Hill and archdiocesan ecumenical and interreligious officer. Fr. James Gardiner, SA, is director of special projects at the Franciscan Monastery of the Holy Land.

Tested to the Core: Why We Support Life and are Opposed to the Use of the Death Penalty
When Vicki Schieber's 23-year-old daughter Shannon was murdered in Philadelphia in 1998, her faith was tested to the core. She and husband Syl had raised Shannon and son Sean in their deeply held beliefs in Catholic social justice teaching on the sanctity of life. When the Philadelphia District Attorney ignored their wishes and sought death for Shannon’s killer, they stood by their beliefs, and have done so since. Vicki will share how her pro-life position and opposition to the death penalty are related and how a consistent life ethic opens hearts and changes minds and makes us a witness to God’s love. 

Vicki Schieber is education coordinator for Catholic Mobilizing Network to End the Use of the Death Penalty.

Heeding God's Call Regarding Gun Violence in the Metro DC Area - What Can Be Done About It?
Gun violence challenges our society for a response. Vatican II in Gaudium et Spes taught that "the Church has always had the duty of scrutinizing the signs of the times and interpreting them in light of the gospel" (para. 4). In this workshop we will hear how "Heeding God's Call," which started as a Christian response to the culture of gun violence and is now an interfaith effort, is responding to the signs of the times at Realco Gun Shop in Prince George's County, as well as at many other places around the country. We will also review some of the things the Catholic Church in Maryland and in the U.S. is doing about the problem of gun violence in our country. This workshop is sponsored by Pax Christi Metro DC-Baltimore.

Bryan Miller is Executive Director of Heeding God's Call, a faith-based and grassroots campaign to prevent gun violence focused on local action.  He came to gun violence prevention in the mid 1990's, after his only brother, FBI Special Agent Mike Miller, was one of three law enforcement officers killed by a lone gunman in a massacre at the District Building in Washington. 

"After Dad Shot Mom”: How Catholics can Promote Family Peace and Prevent Domestic Violence Abuse
The legacy of a violent night for a Catholic family was described in the Washington Post Magazine (March 3, 2013). In this case, the mother survived. However, in recent years, at least 102 people have died due to domestic violence in the geographic area covered by our archdiocese. Domestic abuse and violence is a complex problem but it is possible to get to a point of safety and healing. In this interactive workshop, learn what you--priest or parishioner--can do to promote family peace and prevent domestic abuse and violence.

Sharon O'Brien, Ph.D., Family Violence Research Consultant and Convener, Catholics for Family peace Organizing Group (www.catholicsforfamilypeace.org).

Project Rachel Ministry – Peace Starts Here: An Integrated Approach to Post-Abortion Healing
In this workshop, the presenter will give an overview of the negative emotions and behaviors that follow abortion and take you through the healing avenues available in the archdiocese for women and men who have lost children to abortion. If you have a friend or family member who has suffered from any pregnancy loss, and specifically, the loss that follows abortion, or you are interested in becoming a Project Rachel Ministry parish advocate, this workshop will equip you with knowledge and resources to share with your community.

Julia Shelava is the Director of Project Rachel Ministry for the Archdiocese of Washington.

Equipping the Pro-Life Generation: The Gift of Self and Human Sexuality
This workshop will look at the dignity of human sexuality within the vocation of Christian marriage as explained in the Vatican II documents and Humanae Vitae. The two ends of marriage – the union of the spouses and the transmission of life – as expressed by the marital act, call for a total gift of self that respects both of the spouses and the gift of fertility. Within this context, how does one respond to the questions of responsible parenthood and the cross of infertility?

Dr. Marguerite Duane, M.D., M.H.A., FAAFP, a board certified family physician and Adjunct Associate Professor at Georgetown University, is co-founder and Executive Team Leader of FACTS – the Fertility Appreciation Collaborative to Teach the Systems.

Pro-Life Issues: Abortion…and Beyond
How many of us know someone who has had an abortion? How many of us believe that abortion is an answer to an unplanned and inconvenient pregnancy? How many of us are post abortive and are looking for reconciliation? This workshop will explore the connections to the many life issues that lead people to believe that abortion is an option. The “causes” of abortion--poverty, lack of educational opportunity, the decline in the rate of marriage, joblessness, etc.--will be examined as some of the challenges to be addressed as preventatives for abortion. The workshop will present the opportunities for healing that the Church can provide and will present ideas for effective ministry to these vulnerable segments of the Black Catholic community in particular and all communities. This workshop is open to all interested in these issues and connections.

Deacon Al Turner is Director of the archdiocesan Office of Black Catholics and serves as a deacon at St. Joshepn in Largo.

In Spanish…
Respondiendo al llamado de Dios: defendiendo la vida, promoviendo paz y cuidando a nuestra madre tierra.
La Iglesia nos enseña que el respeto por la vida, justicia, paz y el cuidado del nuestro planeta son asuntos muy conectados. Enfrentamiento con ellos forma parte integral de nuestra respuesta al llamado de Nueva Evangelización. Este taller va a ayudar a los participantes reflexionar sobre algunos signos de los tiempos – particularmente el daño que estamos haciendo a nuestra madre tierra. También, se va a dar un enfoque especial a las enseñanzas de la Iglesia Católica en esta área y a su llamado a acción.

Otto Pérez es el coordinador del comité Latino de Justicia, Paz e Integridad de la Creación de la Iglesia San Camilio en Silver Spring, MD. Padre Jacinto Orzechowski, OFM es un fraile Franciscano que lleva a cabo su trabajo pastoral en la parroquia de San Camillo. También, el sirve como el dirigente de le Mesa Directiva de Justicia, Paz e Integridad de la Creación de su Provincia Franciscana.

Ministerio Proyecto Raquel – La paz empieza aquí: Un enfoque integrado a la sanación de pos aborto.
En este taller, el presentador dará a conocer las emociones negativas y los comportamientos que surgen después de aborto provocado, le enseñara las vías de sanación que están disponibles en la Arquidiócesis para la mujer y el hombre que han perdido a un niño através de un aborto provocado. Si usted tiene una amiga, o un miembro de su familia que ha sufrido la perdida de un embarazo, especialmente la perdida en un aborto provocado, o esta interesado en ser un partidario del Ministerio proyecto Raquel en su parroquia, este taller lo preparara con el conocimiento y los recursos necesarios para que los comparta con su comunidad.

Katherine Chicas, termina su carrera en Ciencia de Familia en la Universidad de Maryland, en Mayo 2013. Como parte de su carrera, Katherine ha estado trabajando 10 horas por semana en el Ministerio Proyecto Raquel el semestre pasado: tomando entrenamientos, ayudando con trabajo de oficina, haciendo seguimiento con llamadas telefónicas y ayudando con varios eventos de sanación en el Ministerio Proyecto Raquel.

De San Francisco de Asís al Papa Francisco – un llamado al servicio, un llamado a la grandeza.
El taller comenzará  con una presentación dramática de siete minutos de duración sobre el llamado a la renovación que San Francisco de Asís recibió de Cristo hace 800 años, y cómo la reciente histórica elección del Papa Francisco inspira a los católicos latinos a la grandeza a través de las obras de caridad y justicia. Después de esta breve presentación por el grupo “Utopía Franciscana” habrá una serie de testimonios sobre cómo los católicos de lengua hispana han sido inspirados y fortalecidos para actuar en la defensa de la vida, promoción de justicia y paz y salvaguardia de la creación.

Esperamos tener una representación por lo menos de tres parroquias.

Cultivando la Vocación de Servicio en la Parroquia
Este taller ofrecerá consejos prácticos sobre cómo promover de manera integrada los ministerios de servicio, caridad, justicia y provida en la comunidad parroquial (incluyendo el rol de los movimientos eclesiales) en la comunidad hispana parroquial.

Padre Roberto Cortés (párroco, Nuestra Señora Reina de las Américas)

Other Conference Highlights

• Hand-crafted Fair Trade articles, Just Haiti Coffee, Gifts and Crafts from the Holy Land, and many more tables from local outreach organizations like Welcome Home Ministries, L’Arche, Restoration Ministries, Living Wages, AIM, Gabriel Network, local pregnancy centers…and more.
• Music at the liturgy by St. Camillus Multicultural Choir and you!
• 2013 CRS Rice Bowl Parish Awards presented.
• Lunch provided by Three Brothers. Always good and nutritious! Registration fee includes lunch!
• Special thanks to the Franciscan Monastery of the Holy Land in Washington for lending for display during the conference a large Mother-of-Pearl crucifix, 69 inches high, 26.5 inches wide, and 13.5 inches deep. The most ornate crucifix in the monastery collection, this crucifix tells the life of Christ and was hand-crafted in the Holy Land over 100 years ago. It is truly magnificent. The Franciscan Monastery is one of the members of the Holy Land Advisory Committee to the Department for Charity and Justice. Learn more here.