Created for Greatness~ Theology of the Body

Created for Greatness, our training program for those who teach Theology of the Body curriculum, is being offered again this fall. This is part of our partnership with the University of Notre Dame.

The training starts October 19. You can still join this week.

Created for Greatness - Diocese of St. Augustine (October 2026)

https://mcgrathcatalog.nd.edu/courses/26-10-created-for-greatness-st-augustine

Since the Diocese of St. Augustine is one of our Partner Dioceses, please remind participants to use the code STAUGUSTINE at checkout to receive a 50% discount on this course. The OCF reimburses the other 50% of the costs.

Also, this course is suitable for Level III.

Circle of Grace

The office is receiving quite a few complaint calls and emails regarding Circle of Grace. Most of them are puzzling to me as this is our 5th year utilizing the program. Circle of Grace utilizes the religion classroom to teach values about the sacredness of the human body, a core concept of Catholic teaching. The lessons have an imprimatur like all of our other religion materials.

There is no "opt out" as in opting out of these lessons, families are opting out of our religion curriculum. All contact I have received has been sent back to the school or parish so that the leaders at the location can sit with parents and discuss any concerns after the parents have reviewed the lessons.

Another Safe Environment resource:

The link for the Virtus 2.0 for Teen Volunteers is Virtus 2.0

Adult Confirmation

Bishop Pohlemeier will confer the Sacrament of Confirmation on Adult Catholics on 3 occasions this year. Adult Catholics are those over the age of 18 who have been baptized Catholic and who have received First Communion.

The dates and locatons are:

January 16, 2027 at Epiphany Parish 5:00 pm Vigil Mass

May 16, 2027 at the Cathedral Basilica at a 2:00 pm Mass

August 14, 2027 at Mary Queen of Heaven Parish 4:30 pm Vigil Mass

We will be taking registrations 8 weeks prior through Jotform in a two-week window, unless the celebration is full. You will need to have all information, including the Baptism certificate, sponsor suitability ready in order to use the form.

Coming soon:

Roundtable sharing on the OCIA . I will be setting up a Q and A on the OCIA in 3 locations. I am confirming locations. Dates and general locations are:

Sunday, November 15 from 1:00 pm -3:30 pm Gainesville area

Tuesday, December 1 from 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm Jacksonville area

Tuesday, January 19, 2027 from 6:30 pm-8:00 pm St. Augustine area

The schedule for the Rites of Election:

Rite of Election Schedule

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)

Make it a Catholic Halloween for kids~ Teaching Catholic Kids



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

What is The Sanctuary Course for Catholics?

(through Sanctuary Mental Health Ministries)

One in four people will be affected by a mental health problem at some point in their lives, yet the stigma surrounding mental illness silences many and prevents faith communities from responding compassionately and effectively. This eight-session course—designed for use in small groups—explores the realities of mental health and illness, as well as the vital need for faith-based community conversations about these topics. The sessions are accompanied by compelling films that feature the stories of Catholics living with mental health challenges, along with the insights of archbishops, theologians, and psychologists.

Sanctuary Mental Health Ministries equips the Church to support mental health and wellbeing.

We provide resources that meaningfully engage the topics of faith and mental health. Our content is developed in collaboration with theologians, psychologists, and people with lived experience of mental health challenges. These resources prepare communities of faith around the world to raise awareness, reduce stigma, support mental health, and promote mental wellbeing.

The Sanctuary Course for Catholics is a study guide for small groups, designed to raise awareness and start conversations in local churches regarding mental health. Your group might include:

• People with questions about mental health
• Mental health professionals with a wealth of knowledge to share
• Leaders who want to engage their community in mental health conversations
• People supporting loved ones with mental health problems
• People living with mental health problems

The Sanctuary Course for Catholics speakers:

• Most Reverend J. Michael Miller, CSB – Archbishop of Vancouver, BC
• Most Reverend Samuel J. Aquila, STL – Archbishop Emeritus of Denver, CO
• Helena Orellana, PsyD, LCP – Clinical Psychologist, Director of IPS Center for Psychological Services, Divine Mercy University
• Harvey Payne, PsyD – Academic Dean, Divine Mercy University
• Father David Songy, OFM Cap., STD, PsyD – President and CEO, Saint Luke Institute
• Scott G. Hefelfinger, STL, PhD – Assistant Professor of Theology, Augustine Institute Graduate School of Theology
• Dr. Chi-Chi Obuaya, MRCPsych, MBA, MBBS – Consultant Psychiatrist, Co-Director of the Mind and Soul Foundation

Sanctuary Course for Catholics (free)

There are many free resources as well on the website.

NOW IN DEVELOPMENT AT NCCL:

Catechetical 

Leader Studio

COMING IN 2027

What programming would suit your needs?

NCCL is committed to cultivating a community of Catholic catechetical leaders who proclaim and teach Jesus Christ and nurture lifelong faith in people of all ages. We believe the support and formation of catechetical leaders – full time and part time, paid and not paid – is central to our work.

NCCL introduced the Certificate in the Practice of Catechesis in Fall 2024 to address this priority. And in early 2027 NCCL will launch a Certificate in the Practice of Catechesis with Hispanics (in Spanish) and the Certificate in Family Faith Formation. We offer the Welcome to Catechesis program to introduce leaders to the Church’s vision and practices for catechesis today.

To expand the ways NCCL serves and supports catechetical leaders NCCL is creating the Catechetical Leader Studio, a new online formation center that will launch in 2027.

The Studio will offer programming on leadership practices and skills, spiritual formation and care of leaders, specialized catechetical knowledge and practices, and much more. Programming will be offered in synchronous (scheduled) and asynchronous (on your time) modes in a variety of formats: instructor-led courses and workshops, guided retreat experiences and spiritual direction, video-based individual and small group programs, and guided workshops with a facilitator to assist leaders and teams to create catechetical programming.

Please go to SurveyMonkey to complete the short survey: surveymonkey.com/r/NCC.

You can also scan or click the QR code at the top of this email to take you to the survey. 

We welcome your ideas for the new Studio. Thank you!

The Catechetical Leader Studio will be a subscription service, unlike most of the free resources on the NCCL site.

Augustine Institute Advocate Program

A strong catechetical program depends on people willing to give their time, energy, and faith to forming others.

Finding those people is a challenge on its own. Supporting them well, helping them grow, and giving them encouragement to stay throughout the years requires additional attention and prayer.

Join us on Wednesday, October 28 at 12:00 PM CT for our next Augustine Institute Advocate Gathering: Catechist Recruitment and Retention.

We’ll take a practical look at how parishes can recruit, support, and retain catechists, building on one of our most popular workshop topics with strategies you can begin using and sharing right away.

We’ll explore:

• Approaches for finding and inviting new catechists
• Practical ways to support the catechists already serving
• How to build a culture that keeps catechists engaged for the long term
• Ways that Advocates can become a hands-on resource for their parish’s catechetical team

Register for this webinar

I am pleased to share with our diocesan partners our NEW Advent and Special Edition releases:

Advent with the Saints - Tiered Pricing as low as $0.95 - Walk on a daily Advent journey with the saints, including St. Nicholas, St. Juan Diego, St. Lucy, and more, from the beginning of Advent through the Christmas Octave. This inspiring devotional features daily prayers, quotes from the saints, spiritual insights and action steps, and reflections based on the Mass readings. From author Gregory F. Friedman, OFM, this is a flexible format to use year after year! Perfect for individuals, small groups, schools, and ministry settings, this devotional also works well for bulk gifting and parish-wide Advent outreach. (Lent starts early next year on 2/10/2027. You can now preorder the companion book Lent with the Saints.)

Way of the Star: A Guided Advent Journal for Prayer and Meditation - Tiered Pricing as low as $7.00 - We've partnered with the The Vigil Project's co-directors Andrea Thomas and Greg Boudreaux to create a deeply immersive Catholic Advent journal that teaches you how to pray with scripture, music, art, and imagination. Rooted in musica divina—prayer through sacred music—this one-of-a-kind Advent experience invites you into a richer, ever-deepening encounter with Christ from the first week of Advent through the octave of Christmas. We offer bulk tiered pricing, making Way of the Star ideal for groups, parishes, retreats, and events. Watch Andrea and Greg's introductory video about the book here! A FREE Discussion Guide, companion videos, and music are available online. 

Jesus, the Rich Young Man, and the Meaning of Life -  Special Edition Pricing - $2.99 for 100+ and FREE Shipping - What does it really mean to follow Jesus—and is it worth it? Authors Fr. Michael White and Tom Corcoran from the best-selling Rebuilt series offer a powerful guide to Christian discipleship. Each chapter includes questions for reflection and dialogue, as well as closing prayers, making this book ideal for personal growth, Bible study, or small-group discussion. A FREE Small Group Discussion Guide is available online. 

Please contact our Sales team with questions and for assistance with quotes and orders:

· Phone: (800) 282-1865, ext. 1

avemariapress.1@nd.edu

Basic Certification (Level I)



November: St. Matthew Parish

November 7 and 8

November 21 and 22

Jotform to Register (now open!!!)



January: St. Anastasia

January 9 and 10

January 23 and 24



June: St Patrick School, Gainesville

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

Starting in October 2026, the FDLC is pleased to provide FREE monthly webinars on the new translation of The Liturgy of the Hours.

Wednesdays; 2-3:15pm ET

October 2026: A Theology of the Liturgy of the Hours

How does the Church fulfill the Apostle’s command to pray unceasingly? How do we sanctify the day? How do we join our prayer to the Prayer of Christ? Why is this a prayer of the entire Church, not just an obligation for clergy and religious? Why is a communal celebration ideal? What wisdom might we glean from the General Instruction of the Liturgy of the Hours?

November 2026: A History of the Hours

We find the roots of our tradition in ancient Jewish practices. How did these practices develop in Cathedral and Monastic traditions and in Eastern and Western communities? What reforms were enacted at the Council of Trent and at the Second Vatican Council?

December 2026: An Introduction to the New Translation

This session will focus on the more recent history of the reform of the Divine Office. Over decades of prayerful and painstaking work, the most recent translation was brought to fruition. What prompted a new translation? Who was involved in that process? What is the timeline for implementation of the four volumes and other editions? How can we best provide formation before the mandatory use date on the First Sunday of Advent 2028?



January 2027: What’s new? What’s not?

The publishers may ship the first volume in early January 2027. This will actually be “Volume II: Lent and Easter.” What new details will you notice? What terminology might change? What has stayed the same? Have the psalms changed? What rich options will you encounter? How do you place all those ribbons?

Register here

Professional Webinars (FREE)

A Better Way to Love

Eve Rosemary

October 20, 2026

3:00 PM ET

What does the body have to do with the way we teach, evangelize, accompany, and minister?

Everything.

At the heart of Theology of the Body is a beautiful vision of the human person: created in the image of God, made for authentic love, and called to make a gift of ourselves. 

Drawing from her experience as an international Catholic chastity speaker and founder of The Everyday Saint, Eve Rosemary unpacks the “TOB essentials” every Catholic minister can bring into their work: from cultivating a sacramental worldview to communicating the dignity of the human person and helping others understand chastity, relationships, and authentic love.

Having spoken to thousands of young people across the U.S. and internationally, Eve brings a practical, accessible approach to these timeless truths, equipping DREs, catechists, teachers, youth ministers,

and other Catholic leaders to communicate the beauty of the Catholic vision of the human person in whatever ministry setting they serve.

Register for this Webinar

Restoring the Good: Ministering to Those who have Experienced Trauma

Brya Hanan

October 27, 2026

3:00 PM ET

How do we respond when someone’s past wounds become activated in the present?

In this webinar, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist Brya Hanan, author of Befriending Your Inner Child: A Catholic Approach to Healing and Wholeness and Restoring Your Wounded Heart: A Catholic Approach to Healing Trauma, will offer practical, trauma-informed guidance for supporting individuals who are experiencing trauma triggers and trauma responses.

Participants will learn how to recognize common trauma and survival responses, respond in ways that foster safety and connection, and avoid well-intentioned approaches that can inadvertently intensify shame, helplessness, or dysregulation. Brya will also explore how to support trauma survivors in reconnecting with their God-given dignity, agency, and capacity for healing—helping them move from patterns of survival toward greater safety, empowerment, connection, and wholeness.

Register for this Webinar

The Pope Just Sent Us a Memo: Ministering to Young Adults in the Age of AI

Rosie Chinea Shawver

November 17, 2026

3:00 p.m. ET

Young adults are currently being formed by algorithms, loneliness, and questions no one has named for them yet. Pope Leo XIV noticed.

His first encyclical, Magnifica Humanitas, does for the age of AI what Rerum Novarum did for the industrial age: it places the human person back at the center. And it has a lot to say to anyone who ministers to young people.

In this webinar, Rosie Chinea Shawver, president of the Catholic Campus Ministry Association, unpacks what the encyclical means from the front lines of ministry. You'll leave with a clear grasp of its place in Catholic Social Teaching and practical ways to respond: why accompaniment can't be automated, how to use AI wisely and teach young people to do the same, and how to build communities where they encounter Christ.

Designed for campus ministers, parish leaders, youth ministers, catechists, and teachers, this webinar offers insights and practical guidance for accompanying young people in an increasingly AI-driven world.

Register for this Webinar