Volume XV, Issue XXXVI August 31, 2026 | |
Echoes~
Your Weekly Catechetical News from the
Office of Christian Formation
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42nd Annual Faith Formation Day
Saturday, October 3, 2026
Bishop John J. Snyder High School
Registration is now open for our 42nd Annual Faith Formation Dayy
Highlight speakers this week:
Hih
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Emmjolee Mendoza Waters
Catholic Mobilizing Network
Emmjolee will be providing two workshops at the Faith Formation Day:
For clergy: Mercy in Action: Bringing a Catholic Response to the Death Penalty in our Community
This workshop will equip priests and deacons to engage the death penalty as a pro-life and pastoral issue within their parishes and in the community. Participants will receive practical resources.
Hard Questions, Faithful Answers: Talking about the Death Penalty
How do we talk about the death penalty with young people? Participants will receive talking points, discussion tools, and Catholic resources to help lay leaders engage this challenging issue with clarity, compassion, and faith.
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Fr. Tom Wllis, M.A,
Pastor, Our Lady of Good Counsel
Diocesan Director of Liturgy
Fr. Tom will be providing a morning workshop on the Liturgy of the Hours.
Praying the Liturgy of the Hours
From a brief history of the Liturgy of the Hours and an overview of its purpose and shape as used today, this workshop will offer tips on praying the liturgy of the Hours as an individual and in small groups. It will also take a look at some of the newly translated texts that will begin use next year.
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Two different types of registrations:
Individual ~ Individual
Groups of 4 from the same location to save money~ Multiples of 4 Save $$$$$
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Circle of Grace Safe Environment Lessons for Children and Youth
Training for leaders:
Tuesday. September 1 at 6:00 pm
Erin McGeever, St. Augustine Diocesan Director is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
Topic: Circle of Grace Leader Training
Time: Sep 1, 2026 06:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83003700762?pwd=V74bBHTTX9MaVrgwBZtgGzc7TXfhkb.1
Meeting chat link
https://us02web.zoom.us/launch/jc/83003700762
Meeting ID: 830 0370 0762
Passcode: pf52vK
Circle of Grace Power Point for Training
Log in information:
www.cogpartners.org
SaintAugustineDiocese
PartnersCOG*SaintAugustine63!
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Opening of the Catechetical Year Gathering Tuesday, September 22 beginning with Mass with Bishop Pohlmeier at 9:30 am in he Marywood Chapel.
Attendance by all leaders expected, if possible.
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Second Edition of the Liturgy of the Hours
The new 4 volume set will begin to be available in January, 2027 with Volume II ready for prayer on Ash Wednesday, February 10, 2027. Two companies have been given copyright permission to print the full 4 volumes, which will be distributed when ready over the next 2 years, with mandatory use at the end of 2028. You may have received several missives on this for Ascension Press and Word on Fire with pre-order specials.
I have negotiated pricing for a diocesan order with both companies, which of course is a bit better. The Jotform is the pre-order form if you choose to order through the OCF. Ascension is working on quantity orders (about 20% off depending with free shipping) and Word on Fire is working on a flat fee of 40% off plus shipping. I recommend looking at each publication online before committing to one edition or the other. It certainly is a bit of personal choice.
Look at Ascension to get a feel for what that one will be like
Look at Word on Fire to get a feel for what that one will be like
Jotform to Pre-Order
Deadline for pre-orders through the OCF will be September 1, 2026. I am not ordering any extras, as these are very expensive.
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Catechetical Sunday September 20, 2026
If you were unable to attend the webinar last Wednesday on Celebrating the Catechetical Sunday theme all year round, here is the recording: Zoom recording
Background on Catechetical Sunday
Catechetical Sunday was inspired by the Vatican document Provido sane consilio (On the Better Care and Promotion of Catechetical Education) published in 1935.
This document asked every country to acknowledge the importance of the Church’s teaching ministry and to honor those who serve the Christian community as catechists.
In the United States, Catechetical Sunday was first observed with national catechetical congresses held in conjunction with the Vatican celebration.
Beginning in 1971, the USCCB’s Department of Education began producing materials to help parishes celebrate the event at the local level. When the Committee on Catechesis, now named the Committee of Evangelization and Catechesis, was named by the Conference as a standing Committee, it continued to publish Catechetical Sunday materials each year.
Those whom the Community has designated to serve as catechists will be called forth to be commissioned for their ministry. Catechetical Sunday is a wonderful opportunity to reflect on the role that each person plays, by virtue of Baptism, in handing on the faith and being a witness to the Gospel. Catechetical Sunday is an opportunity for all to rededicate themselves to this mission as a community of faith.
The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops designated the third Sunday in September as Catechetical Sunday which this year is September 20.
Link to USCCB downloadable resources
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For your OCIA calendars:
May 23, 2027 2:00 pm - 6:00 pm Neophyte Day of Reflection and Mass with Bishop Pohlmeier. All neophytes.
June 5, 2027 9:00 am - 1:00 pm Newly initiated Candidate Day of Reflection with Bishop Pohlmeier. (anyone over the past year or so)
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8th Annual Homeschool Mass and Dinner
We look forward to welcoming the homeschool families of the Diocese of St. Augustine to a gathering on Monday, September 21 at San Jose Parish. Bishop Pohlmeier will celebrate Mass at 5:30 pm and a reception with entertainment for the children will follow.
In preparation for the liturgical ministries at Mass and the food that will be served at the reception, please fill out the following Jotform.
Jotform to register your family
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NCCL Resources
There are many NCCL projects coming to fruition to begin this new academic year.
In additon to the Family Grant resources:
NCCL Family Grant Resources
the first set of videos, Accompaniment in Faith: Practices and Skills for Catechists and Educators are being posted this week. These free resources, with study guides, will be an excellent resource for group study with faculty. These are geared for those who work with grades 1-8.
NCCL.org Going live this week
The first fruits of the Prayer and Worship Lilly Grant are also now available. These are supplemental lessons and activities to enrich the curriculum.
NCCL Catholic Kids
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From Faith and Family Life Catholic Ministries~ BUILD
Make a way with Build, a family faith experience designed for early childhood (0-5) aged children, especially ages 3–5. Invite parents to use simple hands-on activities, conversation, music, and prayer to help nurture the human and spiritual foundations of faith. Families will build with blocks, engage in child-centered conversations, sing songs, and pray together, creating opportunities for children to develop hope, independence, purpose, and a sense of belonging. Watch parents and children grow in community, belonging, and the skills needed to have successful child-centric conversations, with Build.
Link to Build Ages 0 - 5
Build Leader Guide (free download)
| | Basic Certification (Level I) | | |
Basic Certification (Level I)
September: Holy Family School and San Jose School
September 12 and 13 at San Jose School
September 26-27 at Holy Family School
Jotform to register
November: St. Matthew Parish
November 7 and 8
November 21 and 22
January: St. Anasatasia
January 9 and 10
January 23 and 24
June: St Patrick School, Gainesville
| | Standard Certification (Level II) | |
Standard certification is achieved either through courses through the McGrath Institute (STEP) or through the University of Dayton (VLCFF).
Standard Certification Options
STEP through the McGrath Institute
STEP Camino Courses Comprehensive list for the year.
Beginning with the Spring 2027 term, STEP (and our sister program in Spanish, Camino) will move to a revised calendar consisting of five sessions per year: two in the spring, one in the summer, and two in the fall. The remainder of this 2026 calendar will continue as usual, with the new calendar taking effect in Spring 2027.
For your reference, these are the dates for our 2026-2027 sessions:
- Fall 1: August 31 - October 16, 2026
- Fall 2: October 19 - December 4, 2026
- Spring 1: January 11 - February 26, 2027
- Spring 2: March 8 - April 30, 2027 (with a Holy Week break, March 22-28)
- Summer: June 7 - August 1, 2027 (with a summer break, July 5 - 11)
VLCFF through the University of Dayton
VLCFF Calendar
| | Continuing Formation (Level III) Opportunities | |
The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass~ A Deeper Understanding
The Diocesan Liturgical Commission, in conversation with Bishop Pohlmeier, will be providing this workshop on the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.
Bishop Pohlmeier will speak on the following 4 topics:
The Shape of the Sacrifice
The Assembly and the Priest
Full, Conscious, Active Participation
Silence and Reverence
Saturday, September 19 9:00 am -12:30 pm at St. Catherine of Siena Parish, Orange Park in the Family Life Center.
No registration is required and there is no fee.
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Does Every Life Mean Every Life? (Yes)
Note: Emmjolee will be presenting 2 workshops at the Faith Formation Day.
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