NOCERCC Programs
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With over forty-five years of experience providing leadership for ongoing formation of priests and presbyterates, NOCERCC offers a variety of programs and resources for dioceses, religious communities, parishes, schools, and other organizations. -
Cultivating Unity
Cultivating Unity is a pastoral initiative of NOCERCC, the National Organization for Continuing Education of Roman Catholic Clergy, in partnership with CARA , the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate at Georgetown University, to foster the unity of priests and bishops, in response to The Basic Plan for the Ongoing Formation of Priests, promulgated by the Catholic bishops of the United States in 2000. Cultivating Unity is intended to be a transformational process engaging the entire diocesan presbyterate with its bishop in frank and faith-centered dialogue leading to a common rededication to priestly ministry. More information.
Ministering Across the Generations
Ministering across the Generations is facilitated by Dominic Perri, who serves as a faculty member for NOCERCC’s Cultivating Unity initiative. Dominic works throughout the United Stateswith dioceses, religious communities, parishes, and national Church organizations. More information.Priestly Generations in Dialogue
Priests and presbyterates need a new level of understanding to help them come to a better appreciation of their differences. Priestly Generations in Dialogue begins with a presentation of groundbreaking research on generational differences in U.S. society, applies that research to priestly generations, and provides each generational cohort—pre-Vatican II, Vatican II, post-Vatican II, and Jubilee era—the opportunity to share their unique experience. More information.Renewing Sunday Preaching
A convocation program developed and coordinated by NOCERCC with funding from the Koch Foundation, Our Sunday Visitor, and the Raskob Foundtation, Renewing Sunday Preaching is a convocation program developed and coordinated by NOCERCC with funding from the Koch Foundation, Our Sunday Visitor, and the Raskob Foundation. The program is intended for a bishop and the priests or priests and deacons of a diocese or for a provincial and other members of a religious community who preach at the Sunday Eucharist. More information.
Ministering Across the Generations: Effective Ministry to People of All Ages
How can you preach and minister to parish communities that include traditional aging Catholics, middle-age parents and techno-savvy youth and young adults? Each of these groups has a very different view of life and the Church—as well different expectations of the parish.
Ministering across the Generations draws upon groundbreaking research on generational differences in U.S.society and applies that research to ministry situations. The program helps participants to see that each generation of Catholics is different because each grew up in a different era of Church. These differing experiences led them to have very different understandings of the Church and parish life.
Using interactive presentation style that engages participants, the program addresses these issues:- What is each generation’s model of Church?
- What does each generation expect from parish life?
- How to attract teenage and young-adult Catholics to parish liturgies and programs;
- How to work most effectively with parish staff and pastoral councils that include a wide range of age groups.
Priests, other parish staff members, and parish volunteers can all benefit greatly from this program. Ministering across the Generations is facilitated by Dominic Perri, who serves as a faculty member for NOCERCC’s Cultivating Unity initiative. Dominic works throughout the United Stateswith dioceses, religious communities, parishes, and national Church organizations.
For more information on Ministering Across the Generations, contact the NOCERCC National Office by email at nocercc@nocercc.org or by telephone at 410-978-3676.
Priestly Generations in Dialogue: An Essential Conversation for Presbyterates
One of the great challenges facing presbyterates throughout the United States is the differences that exist among priestly generations. Young, middle-age, and older priests differ over issues of ecclesiology, theology, and even the role of the priest. These differences challenge the morale and unity of the presbyterate as well as its ministerial effectiveness. Attempts at promoting dialogue often serve simply to heighten the tension as groups entrench in their positions.
Priests and presbyterates need a new level of understanding to help them come to a better appreciation of their differences. Priestly Generations in Dialogue begins with a presentation of groundbreaking research on generational differences in U.S. society, applies that research to priestly generations, and provides each generational cohort—pre-Vatican II, Vatican II, post-Vatican II, and Jubilee era—the opportunity to share their unique experience.
The program is facilitated by Dominic Perri, who serves as a faculty member for NOCERCC's Cultivating Unity initiative. Dominic facilitates diocesan convocations and offers programs throughout the United States for dioceses, religious communities, parishes, and national Church organizations.
For more information on Priestly Generations in Dialogue, contact the NOCERCC National Office by email at nocercc@nocercc.org or by telephone at 410-978-3676.
Renewing Sunday Preaching
Renewing Sunday Preaching is a convocation program developed and coordinated by NOCERCC with funding from the Koch Foundation, Our Sunday Visitor, and the Raskob Foundation. The program is intended for a bishop and the priests or priests and deacons of a diocese or for a provincial and other members of a religious community who preach at the Sunday Eucharist.
The program has these goals:- To affirm participants’ dedication to preaching the Word of God and to encourage their best gifts in the preaching ministry;
- To assist in forming a presbyterate’s identity as preachers of the Word;
- To help priests, bishops, and deacons claim a Roman Catholic vision of Sunday homiletic preaching;
- To nurture a homiletic competence that flows from this vision.
Convocation Sessions
The program consists of four two-hour sessions to be scheduled as part of a convocation and is conducted by a team of two faculty:
Preaching—the Agony and the Ecstasy
Participants see and hear lay people speaking of the importance of preaching for them and are invited to share their own experiences of preaching.
Preacher: Namer, Interpreter, Reflector
Three images of the preacher are considered in light of the coming Sunday’s readings: namer of grace, interpreter of the Bible, and theological reflector.
Catholic Vision of Homily
A Catholic vision of the Sunday homily leads to naming the abilities, skills, and knowledge needed for inspiring and effective preaching.
Preaching Resources
Methods of integrating preaching preparation and the minister’s life in a spirituality of the preacher and basic resources to support the preacher are suggested.
The convocation schedule reflects the customary practice and preferences of the host diocese or religious community and centers around celebration of the Eucharist and Liturgy of the Hours. The four Renewing Sunday Preaching sessions usually take place over two or three days.
Rationale
In 1981 the U.S.bishops’ Committee on Priestly Life and Ministry (now the Committee for Clergy, Consecrated Life and Vocations) published Fulfilled in Your Hearing: The Homily in the Sunday Assembly to address the importance of preaching, the need for preachers to prepare carefully, and the goal of improving the quality of homilies:
The community that gathers Sunday after Sunday comes together to offer God praise and thanksgiving, or at least to await a word that will give a meaning to their lives and enable them to celebrate Eucharist. What the preacher can do best of all at this time and in this place is to enable this community to celebrate by offering them a word in which they can recognize their own concerns and God’s concern for them (p. 8).
Faculty
The program’s distinguished faculty includes:
Rev. Donald J. Heet, OSFS
Director of Vocations
Oblates of St. Francis de Sales, Wilmington-Philadelphia Province
Rev. Norbert J. Maduzia, Jr., D.Min.
Co-Chair, Ongoing Formation of Priests Committee, Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston
Pastor, St. Ignatius Loyola Church, Spring, Texas
For more information on Renewing Sunday Preaching, contact the NOCERCC National Office by email at nocercc@nocercc.org or by telephone at 410-978-3676.