In this post you will find:
Opening Prayer
Information Reminders
Professional Development Series - Partnering with Parents
Next meeting
​Comments

Information Reminders from September's Meeting.
1.  Statistic Reports Due November 1st.  Send to Regional Director.
The regional director tallies up all parish statistics in the region into a report that will then be combined with the other regions.  The diocesan totals will then be sent to Fr. Elmer for the diocesan report. Always keep a copy of your report as well.

• PDF of Statistical Report
• Instructional Sheet

2.  Youth Week! Two separate events scheduled in one week!  Choose one or both!

• October 18 - Chris Padgett at St. John the Evangelist. Sponsored by the Diocese of Syracuse Office of Faith Formation.  Registration for this event is located HERE
• October 22 - Justin Fatica - Sponsored by the collaborating parishes of the Eastern Region for all parishes to experience.  Click HERE for more information.  Please let Dick Vetere know approximately how many students will be attending (dvetere@syrdio.org).  

3.  Fall Faith Formation Event - November 11 at Sky Armory with Kevin Dowd, PhD.
Please encourage your catechists to attend this workshop day! Share the following promotional materials with them via email, parish website and/or handout flyers.

• Promotional Video
• Promotional Flyer - 8 x11
• Promotional Flyer - Quarter sheets
• Website Information And Registration (Group registration available)

4. Office of Faith Formation Survey/Study
The Diocese is helping the Office of Faith Formation vision for a future that meets the parish needs and expectations to provide effective catechesis.  Within this process of study, a survey will be sent to all pastors and all Catechetical Leaders within the next few weeks.  Please make sure you complete the survey which will take about 15 minutes.  This is VERY important that everyone participates.  The survey will be sent via email from Hezel Associates.  We will send a notification from our office to let you know that it has been sent.

5.  Roadshow - Pastoral Leadership - The overall theme for the 2017-2018 Road Shows is "Equipping Missionary Disciples."  The Road Shows will focus on what diocesan offices offer by way of training, initial and ongoing education/formation, leadership development, and opportunities for certification and advanced study.  Presenters for the October 2017 Road Shows include:  Lisa Hall (Family/Respect Life); Fr. Lou Aiello (Permanent Diaconate); Bob Walters (Youth and Young Adult Ministry.Opportunities for ministry leadership and education.  First one in the east is October 26, here at St. John’s.  

​6.  Last Month's Meeting Slides - September, 2017
Slides Click Here
If you did not review last month's meeting, please take a look at the slides. There was A LOT of information, plus the professional development piece.

Next Meeting - Advent
Our next meeting is not until December 7 & 8.  As we did last year, the meeting will permit those wanting to attend Mass can join us at St. John the Evangelist.  More info to come.
This will be our Advent Reflection - Spiritual Development.  Over the next 5 weeks, your weekly update will include a retreat type resource on the Kerygma Experience.  Do as much or as little as you want.  It will be a prayerful journey to prepare for Advent.  Then in Advent, we will take this deeper.  We will also have time for sharing.  
January meeting we will return to professional development series.

Comments:
I am leaving this comment area open if you would like to share insights from the material, ask questions, or suggest a topic for professional development.

This month's meeting is formatted differently this time due to the large amount of materials.  You can download this as a ppt, but note that the pages are set up as 8.5 X 11.   If you are a google user, you can add to your own drive.  Everyone should be able to view from below.  
I am also providing you with the direct link to this slide presentation which can be found by clicking HERE.
At the bottom, you will find icons to click to next slide or to view full screen.

Lots of info this month!  Please scroll through completely to see:

• Confirmation Requests
• SuperGrant Updates from Dick Vetere for Collaborative Parish Initiative 
• Super Grant Upcoming Dates 
• CL Gatherings/Meetings for 2017-18
• PCA Gatherings for 2017-18
• Reaching out to Parents - Living as Missionary Families & Intergenerational approaches
• Summer Sizzler with JoAnn Paradise "Standing in the In Between"
• Save the Date - Fall Conference Event 11-11-2017
• Technology in Ministry Workshops & Support
• Office of Youth Ministry - Youth Rally & NCYC Trip

PCA Meetings:
In addition to regular meetings in our central gathering space, I would like every PCA to schedule at least one meeting among themselves in which I may attend.  I would prefer these meetings to be held sometime within the first half of the catechetical year. Please use my calendar listed on the front page of the Eastern Echo to search for available dates as you plan among yourselves.  I do expect every PCA to schedule one small group meeting as such. If you do multiple meetings already within your PCA...that is AWESOME!  I only need to come to one of your PCA meetings.

REACHING OUT TO PARENTS
One of the concerns that most parishes note when it comes to parents is the need to engage them more. The USCCB catechetical theme, Living as Missionary Disciples, can provide an opportunity to foster "missionary families" as Pope Francis describes in "Amoris Laetitia".  In response to this, I would like to help parishes implement intergenerational events.  You may want to first "look in" as other CLs plan, organize and implement an event.  St. Bernard's in Waterville has been doing such events for the past few years and has offered to be a host parish.  More details will come later.  I would like a few other parishes to be host parishes, even if this is your first time, as I will help you every step of the way.  Please email me soon to look at possible dates in December, January, or February to plan an event that other parishes may also "look in and or be a part of."

When a Pastor Leaves, OSV - When it’s time for a pastor to leave a parish, it can be a difficult transition and even more difficult to say goodbye. This pamphlet explains the reasons why your pastor may be leaving and why that change may be necessary, even positive, in the life of the parish. While acknowledging the challenges that come with a pastor transition, this pamphlet guides you in how to respond in charity, giving ideas for you to help your pastor leave gracefully as well as tips for how to welcome your new pastor with an open heart.
Order packs of 50 for $16.95 through OSV

Also available in English.
For a non-reproducible PDF of this pamphlet, click here. The PDF is meant for review only and should not be reproduced in any form.

The meeting on March 9 &10 focused on "Divine Pedagogy" with presenter Robin Kennovin from Our Sunday Visitor.  We began the meeting with prayer as we always do, but our prayer began with honoring and praying for Bishop James Moynihan.  Please take time to also pray with the power point of images. Then continue prayer by "going to the well."

If you would like to review Bishop Moynihan's pastoral letter written in 2001, click here and download the pdf.  Equipping the Saints for the Work of the Ministry.

This engaging workshop is based from an address from Pope Francis to the International Congress on Catechesis that emphasizes the importance to catechists and their value to the New Evangelization, for ministering to those at the periphery.  Three workshops are upcoming in the east.  Please encourage your catechists to join us at one of the events... OR...call me to schedule the 2.5 hour workshop at your parish/PCA.

• March 15 from 6-8:30PM at St. John the Evangelist, New Hartford - FLYER
• March 29 from 9:30AM-12PM at St. Helena's, Sherrill - FLYER
• March 29 from 6-8:30PM at St. Joseph's, Oneida - FLYER
• ​For more Heart of the Catechist events around the diocese, visit faithformationevents.weebly.com

FLYER
The next Faith Formation Leaders' meeting is April 27 & 28. Please note this will be held at Mt. Carmel's Salerno Room. Kevin Dowd is being sponsored by Pflaum Publishing Group.  Kevin will present “Using Scripture in Catechesis”.   Dave Barocsi, the area representative from Pflaum will offer dinner and breakfast to "lift your spirits!"

I was so happy to welcome Robin Kennovin, Catechetical Consultant for Our Sunday Visitor.  Robin outlined five aspects of divine pedagogy and related them to how OSV incorporates these in "Faith Alive!". Divine pedagogy refers to the gradual and relational way God teaches us.  The five aspects she talked about were:

1. Invitational
2. Incarnational
3. Communal
4. Structured & Comprehensive
5. Perpetual

Please visit the OSV website where you can find out more about Faith Alive, and all the excellent publications they create.  

     The eastern region Collaborative Young Adults have begun a new working relationship with the already established young adult group from St. Louis Gonzaga.  The group has done several young adult mixers and fund raisers.  Over 100 young people raised $6000 for Children's Miracle Network and $3000 for the Good News Foundation.  
    The group from St. Louis Gonzaga is working now with Dick Vetere to have a nice evening of socializing and networking. 
     Please invite the young adults from your parish.  
     To get large posters or distribution postcards, please contact Dick Vetere at dvetere@syrdio.org

We would really appreciate posters being placed around the community, ie grocery stores, colleges, etc.  

Click here for small handout sheet template of the above poster.