Training for Baptism Preparation Team Members

“We, by Baptism, are immersed in that inexhaustible source of life which is the death of Jesus, the greatest act of love in all of history; and thanks to this love we can live a new life, no longer at the mercy of evil, sin and death, but in communion with God and with our brothers and sisters."

Pope Francis, General Audience August 8, 2014

Catechesis on the Sacraments

Fr. Tom Willis, Director of Liturgy and Erin McGeever, Director of Christian Formation will provide this workshop on key elements of the Order of Baptism of Children. In particular, this workshop will give an overview of the theology of Baptism of Children, some practical applications, local policies, and a chance to explore resources.

Saturday, November 11, 2023 9:00 am - Noon

Prince of Peace Parish, Michael J. Larkin Family Life Center

6320 Bennett Road

Jacksonville, FL 32216

Jotform to register

The jotform requesting your estimated number of people to be presented to Bishop Pohlmeier at one of the three Rites of Election:

Sunday, February 18, 2024 at 2:00 pm

Saturday, February 24, 2024 at 9:30 am

Sunday, February 25, 2024 at 2:00 pm

will be posted October 30 with a due date of November 6 for inclusion on the schedule. Please note, except in extraordinary cases, adults are expected to be engaged in an OCIA process prior to November 1 for inclusion. OCIA is a process that is not driven by the reception of sacraments, but rather on conversion of heart and life to Christ. This is not something that can or should be rushed.

The Fall Quarterly Catechumeneon Magazine through Liturgical Training Publications. Good articles.

Link to Catechumeneon

Adult Confirmation Opportunities

Bishop Pohlmeier will confer the Sacrament of Confirmation on Adults (over 18) who have received First Communion on the following dates:

Sunday, January 7, 2024 at the 5:30 pm Mass at Queen of Peace, Gainesville

Sunday, May 19, 2024 at a 2:00 pm Mass in the Cathedral Basilica of St. Augustine.

Registration forms for each are due 6 weeks prior. All information on forms is to be completed by a member of the parish staff and needs to be verified. We are not able to accept forms that are not completely filled out.

Norms for Adult Confirmation

Resources for Adult Confirmation

Parish checklist

Registration Form

The word "Halloween" is a contraction of the expression "all hallows' eve" or "all saints eve." It's roots are deeply Catholic. The Celtic culture had a celebration called Samhain, which literally means the "end of summer." This was the beginning of their new year. During the festival celebrations, Celts believed the souls of the dead returned to mingle with the living. In order to scare away the evil spirits, people would wear masks and light bonfires. When the Romans conquered the Celts, they added their own touches to the celebration of Samhain. This included homage to Pomona, the Roman goddess of orchards with activities such as bobbing for apples and drinking cider among other things.

Enter Christianity in 835 with Pope Gregory IV moving the celebration of the martyrs (later All Saints Day) from May 13 to November 1. The night before became known as "all hallows' eve" (Halloween). Many of the customs we associate with Halloween are derived from these ancient celebrations.

While in our secular world, Halloween has quite a commercial look to it, as Catholics we are called to recall it as part of our faith tradition.



Loyola---Celebrating Family Values at Halloween: a little child friendly history and some activities that provide value lessons

Explaining Halloween to Catholic Kids (Catholic Icing)

It's Time for Catholics to embrace Halloween (Word on Fire ....nice article)

The Surprisingly Catholic Origins of Halloween (Aleteia)

Resources

Loyola Press Saint Resources and Activities Saint plays, lesson plans on recently canonized saints, collections of activities.

A Class Litany of Saints Activity to have your class create its own litany based on their patron saints.

Religion Teacher saints' day activities

SaraJcreations: teaching about saints Lots of creative ideas for home and classroom by this homeschool mom

Sadlier Resources Saints videos, prayer cards, activity sheets for classroom and family

Becker Litany (Youtube)

Franciscan Media Saint of the Day Sign up to receive the saint of the day in your inbox.

USCCB pages on Saints Key terms, history, American saints, lots of links to other resources

Vanderbilt University~ Free Coursera Skills Course for Teachers~adaptable for Catechists

In this free, two-hour session, your catechists can gain the following skills:

• How to brainstorm lesson plans that integrate learner interests and needs

• How to personalize and customize examples, games, assessments, and other educational materials for individual students

Chatgpt innovative teaching

Definition of Synodality:

Mutual collaborative listening, guided by the Holy Spirit, in which all of the faithful have something to learn from each other, in order to know what God is saying to the Church (1). It stresses the common dignity and mission of all the baptized, in exercising the diversity and interwoven richness of their charisms, their vocations, and their ministries (2).

Some of you have been asking about materials that can be used at your parish to be more involved in the process as it progresses in the Vatican. Here are a few good ones:

Five-part webinar series that was held earlier this fall, sponsored by the Theology and Religious Studies Departments of Gonzaga University, Saint Martin’s University, the University of Portland, the office of the Vice President for Mission Integration at Seattle University and Sacred Liturgy Ministries. 

All sessions took place in September-October of 2023 from 6:00-7:30 PM (PST)

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Webinar series on parish level synodality

Five Lessons on Synodality from the Catholic Mobilizing Network

Restorative justice practices can create spaces for conversation where every voice is heard and valued. presenters include: Sr. Nathalie Becquart, XMCJ, Fr. David McCallum, S.J. 

and Joe Cotton

Catholic Mobilizing Network Webinar

The Catholic Apostolate Center provides these 5 webinars on a wide-ranging series of topics including: Co-Responsibility, Participation, How does Synodality Cross Cultures and Generations...

There are 4 -5 speakers per webinar and include: Dr. Hoffsman Ospino, Bishop Daniel Flores, Cardinal Tobin, Sr. Nathalie Becquart, XMCJ, Bishop Larry Silva...

Catholic Apostolate Center link to five webinars

Upcoming from Liturgical Press:

What’s Next for Our Listening Church?



Date & Time

Nov 3, 2023 02:00 PM in Eastern Time (US and Canada)

As the Church marks the much-anticipated General Assembly of the Synod on Synodality, you may be wondering what is currently happening with this process and where the Catholic Church may be headed next. Join us for an insightful conversation with Dr. Myriam Wijlens and Fr. Timothy Radcliffe, OP, both appointed by Pope Francis to central roles at the Synod on Synodality. Only a few days after the close of the October Assembly, hear what they experienced during the meetings and their immediate insights. Our hope is that this webinar will be an informative opportunity to reflect upon where the Church will go from here. This promises to be an exciting conversation that you won't want to miss!

Link to register, space limited

Online Conference

November 7 and 8

Two Sessions Daily at 1 pm and 2 pm ET

And it's free!

November 7 Online Conference

Leveling the Praying Field

with Dr. Ansel Augustine

Leveling the Praying Field - Part One (1 pm ET)

In a church that struggles to be One Body of Christ, we will take an in depth look at how America's "original sin," as labeled by the USCCB, of racism affects the work we do in and out of our Church's to proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ. Dr. Ansel Augustine will use his award-winning book, Leveling the Praying Field: Can the Church We Love, Love Us Back? as a reference point for this discussion.

Leveling the Praying Field - Part Two (2 pm ET)

Building on the first session, Part 2 will go deeper into how we, as catechists and ministers, can use our resources and teachings to practically address America's "original sin" within our church walls, but also making an impact within our communities. 

Dr. Ansel Augustine is an Emmy nominated producer and an award-winning author. He is presently the Director of the Office of Black Catholic Ministries for the Archdiocese of New Orleans. He is on the Faculty of the Institute for Black Catholic Studies at Xavier University of Louisiana, Graduate Theological Foundation, and Loyola University New Orleans’ Institute for Ministry. Dr. Augustine has also served as a Campus Minister at Xavier University of Louisiana, Loyola University New Orleans, and St. John’s University in Queens, NY.

Event brite registration

Healing through Relationships

Regina Boyd, licensed mental health counselor

October 24th 3:00 PM



The Church teaches us that “man… cannot fully find himself except through a sincere gift of himself” (Gaudium Et Spes 24). This means that each one of us becomes truly ourselves when we live in communion with others. In this webinar, Regina Boyd—licensed mental health counselor—will lead us in an exploration of healthy human relationships and how God uses them to heal others. She will share some tips on how to cultivate healthy relationships and grow deeper in those relationships. Boyd will provide insight into the red flags that indicate an unhealthy relationship and what can be done about them. The goal is that we will be able to open ourselves anew to the ways that God wants to heal us and heal others through the people we encounter in our ministry.

Go to Go to Webinar

Our Call to Compassion

M. Donna MacLeod

November 14th 3:00 PM

We know a truly compassionate person when we see one, don’t we? Yet, Jesus calls everyone to compassion. His compassion for all who suffer is so great that he identifies himself with them. “When we live out a spirituality of drawing near to others and seeking their welfare,” Pope Francis says, “our hearts open wide to the Lord’s greatest and most beautiful gifts.”This season is a perfect time to open our hearts and reflect on the depth of compassion we bring to everyday life and ministry. Whether you offer Seasons of Hope Catholic grief support or are in another ministry, join M. Donna MacLeod—author, educator, and bereavement ministry specialist—for insights on compassion and ministry gleaned from theologians, personal loss, and decades of tending to grieving hearts. It’s an invitation worth taking.

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Taking Video Games Seriously and Evangelizing to Our Virtual Generation

Bobby Angel

November 28th 3:00 PM

Video games are a $200 billion industry that encapsulates everything from Candy Crush on your phone to Hollywood-quality console experiences, and the majority of young people now under the age of thirty-five are playing some kind of video game. This generation is also checking out of organized religion and serious belief in God, but their human needs for connection and purpose can still be profoundly felt. How do we evangelize in this digital space where so many young people live today? How do we connect a young person's love for the virtual world to the God who is real and loves them deeply? In this webinar, YouTube presenter, author, and former teacher Bobby Angel will offer insight into where video games intersect with a life of faith in God—how games echo Christ's call for our heroic holiness, and how we can lead young people to respond to that call in an integrated and flourishing way.

Go to this webinar