CNE Newsletter - February 15

A NOTE FROM THE DIRECTOR

Thank you to all who attended our 3rd annual CNE Appreciation Banquet. It was a delight to spend a fun evening with our growing community of evangelists.

The highlight of the evening was the awarding of the Radiate Christ and New Fire Awards. Our awards highlight just a small slice of the amazing ministry that you all do day in and day out. We hope that the awards serve to encourage and inspire all of us in our work of evangelization and discipleship.

Stay tuned! We plan to publish more in-depth videos and Catholic Telegraph articles spotlighting our awardees throughout the rest of the year. In the meantime, please watch our compilation video that premiered at the banquet.

Thank you for all you do, and have a blessed Lenten Season.

Sean Ater
Director, Center for the New Evangelization
sater@catholicaoc.org

We would like to congratulate our award recipients who were recognized at the CNE Appreciation Banquet! Two categories of awards were announced during the evening:

1. The Radiate Christ Awards: Given to Catholic evangelists who engaged individuals throughout the Process of Evangelization, inspired evangelization of families in the parish and surrounding area, advocated for accompaniment through small group and mentorship initiatives, and promoted sacramental encounter with the person of Jesus Christ.

2. New Fire Award: For a Parish Evangelist within two years of their current role who collaborated with parish staff and other parish evangelists, supported the mission of the parish in evangelization and discipleship, and advocated for innovative evangelization initiatives in the parish.

Radiate Christ Award for Parish Evangelization
Rachel Hess, St. Henry Family of Parishes

Radiate Christ Award for Hispanic Evangelization
Eulalia Nolasco, S12 Family of Parishes

Radiate Christ Award for Marriage & Family Evangelization
Dave and Jen Brunsman, St. Maximilian Kolbe Parish

New Fire Award: The St. Gabriel Family of Parishes Evangelization Team
Dr. Josh Englefield, Spencer Hargadon, Rebecca Elrich, Mary Pyper, Luz Maria Perez, Heather Ayers, Leslie Vondrell

I look forward to seeing everyone this Sunday for the Rite of Election! This is always a blessed occasion to glimpse the larger Church in our corner of Ohio and to receive the public commitment of our catechumens and candidates to receive the Easter sacraments.

That said, here are my answers to some more questions I’ve received about the RCIA process:

Q: Should catechumens and candidates choose a new Confirmation name to use for when they are confirmed?
A: Canon Law only mentions the giving of a new name for Baptism, in instances when the birth name is “foreign to Christian sensibility” (Can. 855). Within the catechumenal process, choosing a new name is only an option either during the Rite of Acceptance (no. 33.4, 73) or during the Preparation Rites before the Vigil on Holy Saturday (no. 200). There’s no mention of choosing a new name for Confirmation. Furthermore, there’s a bracketed statement in RCIA 33.4 that says, “The National Conference of Catholic Bishops establishes as the norm in the dioceses of the United States that there is to be no giving of a new name.” So, I would not advise incorporating it into the rites of the catechumenal process. You can still have your catechumens and candidates research and choose a saint to emulate and develop a relationship with. But, when it’s time for the Rite of Acceptance, the Preparation Rites, or the Sacrament of Confirmation, the preference appears to be that they would use their birth or baptismal name.

Q: How long should “Breaking Open the Word” be done with the catechumens?A: First, for those who are unfamiliar with that phrase, “Breaking Open the Word” is a common colloquial phrase used to describe the Dismissal (RCIA 67, 75.3), when catechumens leave the Mass after the Liturgy of the Word, and then the “Celebration of the Word of God” that typically commences in a separate place (RCIA 81-89). Since this is all primarily for catechumens, I would continue doing this for as long as they are catechumens. So, that means it would begin with the Rite of Acceptance and then take place every Sunday up to and including Palm Sunday, the last Sunday before the Easter Vigil.

If you have questions about the RCIA or would like help renewing your catechumenal process, send me an email! (nhardesty@catholicaoc.org).

The Peace of Christ to you,
Nicholas Hardesty, Assoc. Dir. of Adult Evangelization & RCIA

The Archdiocese will be hosting two Witness to Love training sessions in March. The full-day sessions will take place on March 1 and 2 in Tipp City and Cincinnati, led by Ryan Verret, co-founder of Witness to Love.

The training is for clergy and parish evangelists who are new to Witness to Love, as well as for those who are already using it and are looking for a refresher. Witness to Love is a virtues-based, catechumenal model of marriage formation that helps couples facilitate an authentic dialogue about their relationship.

Both events will be held from 8:30 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. and include a light breakfast and lunch. Individual tickets are $15. You only need to sign up for one session. Please RSVP by February 19th.

For more information and to register, please choose one of the links below:
Friday, March 1 at St. John the Baptist Tipp City
Saturday, March 2 at Our Lady of the Holy Spirit Center, Norwood

Save the Date! Jason Evert will be at St. Joseph, Pillar of Families on Sunday, April 21st at 4:30 p.m. The event will take place at Sacred Heart of Jesus Church (9377 State Route 119, West Anna, OH 45302).

This will be a double-feature event with two talks from Jason. He will be giving his "Purified" talk on chastity to start the evening, and ending with his talk on gender identity. The event will also include dinner, Eucharistic Adoration, and the opportunity for Confession.

Tickets are $25 and anyone aged 13+ is welcome to attend! To purchase tickets, please go to chastity.com/purified, or reach out to doe@holyangelssidney.com with any questions. Please see the flyer below for more information.

All Parish Evangelists are invited to the next CREA Professional Development Day on Tuesday, March 12 from 8:30 - 4:00 p.m. at Receptions in Fairfield. You don't have to be a member of CREA in order to attend. The focus of the day will be Teaching the Faith: Encounter & Response, with talks given by Dr. James Pauley, professor of Theology and Catechetics at Franciscan University.

The cost for the event is $75 for CREA members and $85 for non-members, and includes breakfast, networking, prayer, vendors, lunch, Eucharistic Adoration, and five talks. Deadline to register is February 26. For more information please see the flyer below, or you can register here.