8-01 How Effective Pastoral Councils Work – Room 201
– Michael Brough
(Invitation Only)
What best practices exist for effective pastoral councils? This session will focus on practical tools for forming your pastoral council and running effective meetings.

8-02 What is a School Board to Do? – Room 202
– Jim Lundholm-Eades
(Invitation Only)
What the best school boards do with their time and energy and how they go about it

8-03 I am Moving, Learning, Praising – Room K
– Sister Nodelyn Abayan, SSS
This session explores the importance of mind-body connections and the relationship between movement and early learning. It will also provide strategies and resources for infusing physical movement in religious instruction as a way to pray and praise God. (Word)

8-04 LGBT Catholics & the Church…Let’s Build a Bridge! – Room 209
– Aaron Bianco
This session will provide insight for how Catholics and the Catholic LGBT community can better understand one another and move forward with a new relationship of compassion and understanding. (Witness)

8-05 Stop the Game! Informed Communities are Key to Ending Human Trafficking – Parishes – Room 204
– CNEHT Parish Advocates
Think human trafficking is only an international issue? Think again – it is active in our local communities, too! Raising awareness in our parish communities is important in the fight against all forms of human trafficking, aka modern day slavery. Join us to learn strategies you may deploy to inform or help heal communities by raising awareness to disrupt and stop traffickers in their game. (Witness)

8-06 Loss – How Do We Respond When Everything Falls Apart? An Individual/ Communal Spirituality of Accompaniment – Great America Room 3
– Deacon David Ford and Lorie Ford
Tap HERE to Download the Handouts

As ministers we often find those in our midst who experience painful and sometimes traumatic losses: these include death, divorce, deportation of a family member, broken relationships, serious illness and aging, loss of employment, etc. What do we do and say, and not do and not say? We can feel inadequate before such pain. Deacon David and Lorie will explore competent and compassionate responses as individuals and communities (schools, parishes, etc.). They will teach from their faith experience utilizing stories and Scriptures regarding many avenues of help and support and also teach from their own experience of personal loss.

8-07 Connected and Authentic: Modern Youth Ministry – Room C
– Chris Mariano and Arthur Refuerzo
How do you make your faith relevant every day? We will speak on topics focusing on youth ministry – a strong youth foundation leads to a Christ-centered life, what Christian leadership looks like, and how to truly retreat and let Him guide us. What has worked before may not apply now – we’ll talk about current trends, events, and how they fit in with ministry. We’ll share what has continued to work for many communities in the Archdiocese of SF, and how you can connect with the youth of your community in a truly authentic way that will carry on with them. (Witness)

8-08 Taste and See: Using Scripture to Evangelize in Small Groups – Room 204
– Tom McGrath
People often get just enough confusing and disappointing exposure to the Word of God to turn them off for life. Tom McGrath will offer practical ways (complete with replicable handouts) you can use to invite individuals and small groups to an experience of the transforming power of Scripture. (Word)

8-09 Leading RCIA Dismissal Sessions – Room 206
– Michael Ruzicki
Pope Francis states that “all evangelization is based on the Word of God.” Sacred Scripture permeates the entire catechumenal journey and invites the catechumens and elect to reflect and discuss the Word of God. Dismissal sessions (from the Sunday Mass) help to develop the catechumen’s relationship with Christ, self, and neighbor by internalizing the Word, concentrating their prayer around the Scriptures, and becoming familiar with the teachings of the Church. (Worship)

7-01 Pastoral Theology and Pope Francis: A New Framework for Comprehending, Teaching and Living the Gospel of Jesus Christ – Room C
– Bishop Robert W. McElroy
Bishop McElroy was born in San Francisco. On April 12, 1980, McElroy was ordained to the priesthood by Archbishop John Raphael Quinn at St. Mary’s Cathedral for the Archdiocese of San Francisco. From 2010 through 2015 he was auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of San Francisco. In 2015, he became the sixth Bishop of the Diocese of San Diego. Bishop McElroy is currently the vice-president of the California Catholic Conference.

6-01 Pastoral Councils and Consultative Leadership: What does Co-responsibility look like? – Room 201
– Michael Brough
(Invitation Only)
Why do you have a pastoral council? This session is an opportunity to learn from parishes where the pastor and pastoral council are co-responsible for the pastoral vision and good of the parish.

6-02 Models of School Governance: Effective options for Catholic Schools – Room 202
– Jim Lundholm-Eades
(Invitation Only)
Emerging models for Catholic school governance and how boards engage within them.

6-03 Experience the Joy of a Deeper, Personal Relationship with Jesus Christ – Room 203
– Father Kenneth Boyack, CSP
Parishioners hunger today for a relationship with Jesus Christ that is meaningful, relevant, and transformative. This workshop will introduce participants to The Journey/El Camino, a ministry that enables Catholics to encounter Christ in the Scriptures, in the parish community of faith, and as missionary disciples who live and share the Gospel. (Word)

6-04 A Love that Does Justice – Room 205
– Mary Doak
The rich tradition of Catholic Social Teaching is often presented as an overwhelming list of rules, when in fact it is a coherent spirituality rooted in essential Christian beliefs and oriented to seeking justice in love. This session will explore the underlying vision of Catholic Social Teaching as a guide to living faith with hope for our broken but redeemed world. (Word)

6-05 Catechist and Teacher: Awesome Vocations! – Room K
– Dr. Carole Eipers
Those who form others in faith have been called to be and to do. Who are we called to be as we teach others? What are we called to do in catechizing them so that their faith will grow? (Witness)

CANCELLED: 6-06 Becoming a Disciple of Joy and Mercy- CANCELLED
– Father Dr. Thomas A. Kane, CSP

6-07 Build. Plant. Grow. and Liturgical Music as Character and Faith Formation – Great America Room 1
– Michael Brough
(Invitation Only)
How can we use scripture as a tool for character education, especially for youth? How can we use music for character education? How can we approach character education from a perspective of faith in the parish and school context, particularly for concern of evangelizing children and young adults? This presentation will introduce a free tool called Build.Plant.Grow. to help children break open the word each week, along with numerous related music resources designed to enhance understanding, engagement, and discipleship. (Worship)

6-08 Going, Going, Gone … The Dynamics of Disaffiliation in Young Catholics – Great America Room 2
– Bob McCarty, D.Min.
Saint Mary’s Press recently conducted extensive research with young Catholics who have left the Church. This session will identify the underlying dynamics that lead to disaffiliation, describe the factors that reinforce those dynamics, and examine the pastoral implications. (Witness)

6-09 Preparing Joy-filled Celebrations in the RCIA – Room 212
– Michael Ruzicki
The entire parish community is enriched when the rites of the RCIA are celebrated with style and grace. This workshop will survey the rites belonging to the RCIA, explain the role of the assembly, and provide practical methods that will enrich your community’s liturgical celebrations. (Worship)

6-10 Nurturing the Creative Catechist in You – Great America Room 3
– Alison Spong
We will explore creative ways to “echo” your faith. Creative catechesis can deepen your relationship, along with your students’ relationships, with God. Expand your approach with practical tips and ideas you can use right away. (Witness)

6-11 Beauty that Saves: Liturgy, Architecture, and Environment – Room 206
– Dr. Johan van Parys
For centuries, architects and artists have assisted the Church in the creation of meaningful liturgical space. Each generation has brought new insights, new technologies and new styles to this process. This workshop will look at sacred art and architecture as a great catechetical tool. (Worship)

6-12 Pope Francis’ Vision for Catechesis – Room 209
– Dr. Joseph White
What do recent papal statements and documents tell us about Pope Francis’ vision for faith formation? This session, facilitated by a noted catechetical author and National Catechetical Consultant, will explore how can we follow the lead of this master teacher and witness to form others as missionary disciples. (Witness)