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- Alice
Camille, is an author, religious educator, and retreat leader. She
has worked in parishes and campus ministry, supervised a shelter for
homeless women, and led worship and dialogue in ecumenical and interfaith
settings. She writes the monthly series, Exploring the Sunday Readings,
as well as the "Testaments" column in U.S. CATHOLIC magazine, and is a
regular contributor to Prepare the Word, God's Word Today,
and Take Five for Faith. Alice focuses on putting the pieces of
faith and life together. She takes God seriously and the business of
religion with a sense of humor.
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| Alice Camille, M.Div. | |||
| Summary of Alice
Camille’s Talk: JESUS IS THE QUESTION Too often we tend to silence the questions, and only look for the answers. And yet, much of what Jesus did was to raise the questions. He invited people to travel with him on an open-ended journey; he challenged and nudged; he was a prickling for the soul; he invited people often to change course; he often came across as nagging and giving burning challenges. We are called to recognize these challenges. We live in the ‘gray zone’, as it were. We live on a spinning planet, constantly changing. And so, in the light of our lives and especially of the cross, it is only those dangerous questions that have the power to ‘save us’, not just some simple ‘answer’. When we stand before the cross we stand before the dangerous questions of life. Religious questions are about real life, and not just about ‘what did he say?’, or ‘what did he do?’, etc., but questions that apply to the present time: what ought I/we to do?, what does it mean to be a Christian in our world now? It is not about acquiring the ‘right information’, as important as such information and details are. For information is vital to the formation of the questions, etc., but adult faith is far more than the information. Is it any wonder that we often took on the impression that ‘if we just memorized, or learned, the answers’ we would stand saved with Jesus (e.g., Catechism approach from before, etc.)? We need to deal with questions that are worthy of our lives. So, be not afraid, be free of the tyranny of simple answers, or of being wrong. Learning is just a beginning – an important beginning, but until we come to know the real questions of life, t just remains that – learning. In the Gospels, Jesus asks 187 questions (some repeated, some stand alone). And, if Jesus is the question, we have to learn how to become the answer. The most important questions he asked, I believe, are: Mark o Who do you say that I am? o Why are you terrified? Do you not yet have faith? o What do you want me to do for you? Matthew o Do you believe I can do this? o What profit is there for one to gain the world and lose his soul? o Can you drink the cup I am going to drink? Luke: o Why do you call me Lord, but not do what I ask? o What is the Kingdom of God? o Where are the other nine? o When the end comes, will there be found any faith on earth? John: o What are you looking for? o Do you want to be well? o Do you also want to leave? o I am the resurrection and the life. Do you believe this, Martha? o Have I been with you so long and you still do not know me? o Do you love me more than these? |
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Catholic Chaplain at Yale University. Bob brings a wonderful perspective of new life to all that he does. The vision of connecting life and faith through SCC’s and doing things differently have become a mainstay of life on campus, and find their way into the larger community. A priest of the Hartford Archdiocese, and one of the founding members of NAPRC - a Board member for many years. He brings much experience of relating to young people in their faith formation, as well as much experience in parish life. |
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| Fr. Bob Beloin | |||
| Summary of Fr. Robert
Beloin’s Talk: WE ARE A MISSION CHURCH NOT A MAINTENANCE CHURCH Over the last 40 years, we have lost about 1% per year of attendees in the Catholic Church, at the same time that our Catholic population has increased dramatically. In our time, we deal with what has been defined as four generations: - the Pre-Vatican Generation (49% attend Church0 - the Vatican II Generation (35% attend) - the Post-Vatican II Generation (‘X Generation’) (21% attend) - the Millennial Generation (18-22 year olds) (22% attend) We need to speak to people’s lives, to their real lives. Church, on one end of the spectrum, is a Maintenance Church, and on the other is a Mission Church – we are a Mission Church, not simply a community seeking to maintain what we have been given, or wish to hold onto. The question is not simply – ‘what did we do last year?’, but, ‘to what are we being called today?’ It is not about ‘what should we be doing?’, but ‘to what are we being called?’ Quit “should-ing’ ourselves! It is more than information, as good as that is. Our young people are hungry. We have something wonderful to offer to them, and they to us. Many of the more evangelical communities provide entertainment, which is initially attractive – we need to learn from them and to provide something deeper. The Church needs to become more relational – this is the heart of it all. |
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