Enriching the Conversation -

An Adult Faith Formation Resource for Catholic School Communities

The CCSTA conference in September 2008, Catholic Education – A National Conversation, had chosen as its scriptural theme “A sower went out to sow …” Indeed, over the two days of creative presentations and invigorating conversations, many seeds were sown. One of those seeds took root in the Algonquin and Lakeshore Catholic District School Board in Eastern Ontario.

Inspired by the keynote presentations, delegates from the ALCDSB realized that the conversations that had taken place in Ottawa need not end with the close of the gathering. Excited about the possibility of sharing the keynote presentations through the DVDs made available by CCSTA, the Office of Religious and Family Life Education, as directed by the Board’s Catholic Character and Culture Committee, has created a framework for enriching the conversation.

Based on an adult faith formation model, 12 modules were designed around a common template. Each module begins by identifying a 10 to 15 minute segment from the keynote presentations.  The conversation is then extended through discussion questions, scripture references and linkages to other supplementary resources related to the particular theme raised in the video extract.

The resource includes the two DVDs produced by the CCSTA as well as a third DVD which features, from the Board’s system faiith day in October 2008, a homily by The Most Reverend Brendan O’Brien, Archbishop of Kingston, as well as the keynote address of renowned Catholic educator, Sr. Clare Fitzgerald, SSND.

The strategies employed in the resource seek to involve all stakeholders in the conversation. Thus, not only have school staffs in the ALCDSB found the resource helpful, but parent and parish groups as well.

The modules are presented in a fashion allowing the conversations to unfold in a variety of directions, depending on the time available to the users and their particular interests. As such, users can integrate a relatively short session into a regular meeting or design an entire workshop across the range of activities.

It is our hope that through the use of this resource, the value and importance of the conversations that unfolded in Ottawa in September 2008 will continue to find audiences for many years to come in our shared efforts to prosper Catholic education across Canada.  You can see some of the modules based on Catholic Education:  A National Conversation by clicking on the links below.

Introduction

Keeping Our Schools Catholic Part 1—The Summit Experience

Keeping Our Catholic Schools

For further information, contact the Office of Religious and Family Life Education of the Algonquin and Lakeshore Catholic District School Board at 1-800–877-345-5178 or e-mail Bronek Korcszynski korczyns@alcdsb.on.ca.