Download or read book Forming Intentional Disciples written by Sherry A. Weddell and published by Our Sunday Visitor. This book was released on 2015-11-30 with total page 179 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: How can we transmit a living, personal Catholic faith to future generations? By coming to know Jesus Christ, and following him as his disciples. These are times of immense challenge and immense opportunity for the Catholic Church. Consider these statistics for the United States. Only 30 percent of Americans who were raised Catholic are still practicing. Fully 10 percent of all adults in America are ex-Catholics. The number of marriages celebrated in the Church decreased dramatically, by nearly 60 percent, between 1972 and 2010. Only 60 percent of Catholics believe in a personal God. If the Church is to reverse these trends, the evangelizers must first be evangelized-in other words, Catholics-in-the-pew must make a conscious choice to know and follow Jesus before they can draw others to him. This work of discipleship lies at the heart of Forming Intentional Disciples, a book designed to help Church leaders, parish staff and all Catholics transform parish life from within. Drawing upon her fifteen years of experience with the Catherine of Siena Institute, Sherry Weddell leads readers through steps that will help Catholics enter more deeply into a relationship with God and the river of apostolic creativity, charisms, and vocation that flow from that relationship for the sake of the Church and the world. Learn about the five thresholds of postmodern conversion, how to open a conversation about faith and belief, how to ask thought-provoking questions and establish an atmosphere of trust, when to tell the Great Story of Jesus, how to help someone respond to God's call to intentional discipleship, and much more. And be prepared for conversion because when life at the parish level changes, the life of the whole Church will change.

Download or read book Forming Intentional Disciples Study Guide to the Revised and Expanded Edition written by Ximena DeBroeck and published by Our Sunday Visitor. This book was released on 2023-02-13 with total page 30 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: How can we transmit a living, personal Catholic faith to future generations? By coming to know Jesus Christ, and following him as his disciples. As we emerge from a pandemic into a post-Christian world, these are times of immense challenge and enormous opportunity for the Catholic Church in the United States. Ten years after it was first published, Forming Intentional Disciples by Sherry Weddell is still helping scores of Church leaders, parish staff, and all Catholics transform parish life from within. Her book leads you through the steps that will help Catholics enter more deeply into a relationship with God and the river of apostolic creativity, charisms, and vocation that flow from that relationship for the sake of the Church and the world. This companion study guide will help you transform your parish or small faith community. Created by people who have experienced the transformative impact of discipleship firsthand, this study guide to the revised and expanded edition of Forming Intentional Disciples provides tools and resources to initiate conversations, share the story of faith, and begin walking the path of discipleship together.

Download or read book Becoming a Parish of Intentional Disciples written by Sherry A. Weddell, Editor and published by Our Sunday Visitor. This book was released on 2015-01-15 with total page 106 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "It is not the same thing to have known Jesus as not to have known him, not the same thing to walk with him as to walk blindly, not the same thing to hear his word as not to know it.... We know that with Jesus life becomes richer."-Pope Francis, The Joy of the Gospel In her first book, Forming Intentional Disciples: The Path to Knowing and Following Jesus, Sherry Weddell, cofounder of the Catherine of Siena Institute, captured the attention of Catholics across the globe as she uncovered the life-changing power that accompanies the conscious decision to follow Jesus as his disciple. Now, in the groundbreaking Becoming a Parish of Intentional Disciples, she has gathered together experienced leaders and collaborators whose exceptional field-tested wisdom and enthusiasm for transforming Catholic parishes into centers of discipleship and apostolic outreach is both inspiring and practical. The authors consider: The role of intercessory prayer in parish transformation How "fireside chats" can help a pastor connect with his parishioners and call them to personal discipleship and mission The co-responsibility of lay people andpastors in the work of making disciples The revolutionary impact of a discipleship approach to youth ministry How one parish successfully fostered a culture of intentional discipleship, and much more As Sherry asks in her own chapter, "Are we willing to answer the call and pay the price necessary to become a new generation of saints through which God can do extraordinary things in our time?"

Download or read book Fruitful Discipleship written by Sherry A. Weddell and published by Our Sunday Visitor. This book was released on 2017-06-20 with total page 158 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: As faith-filled Catholics, we are called to go out and spread the good news of the Gospel, build up the Church, and fuel its mission. We are supernaturally empowered by God to do this through the charisms we receive at Baptism. Learn about each charism, what they are, and how discipleship unleashes these powerful gifts to produce fruit that lasts.

Download or read book The Activated Disciple written by Jeff Cavins and published by Ascension Press. This book was released on 2018-11-05 with total page 53 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Are you ready to take your faith to the next level? If you yearn for a life that moves beyond believing and practicing your faith, if you want to radically live your faith, if you want a more profound relationship with Jesus Christ, then it is time for you to become an activated disciple. The Foundation of discipleship is imitation. True discipleship requires such a close relationship with God that every area of your life is transformed. It is about opening yourself to God and inviting him to dwell within you, becoming holy as he is holy, loving as he is loving, disciples of Christ become the instruments God employs to transform the world. - Move beyond simply believing and practicing your faith and begin radically living it! - Overcome obstacles that keep you from being the disciple you are made to be.
- Be a positive influence and an instrument of transformation in the Church.

Download or read book Young Catholic America written by Christian Smith and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2014-02-04 with total page 337 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Best Review at the Catholic Press Association Convention Studies of young American Catholics over the last three decades suggest a growing crisis in the Catholic Church: compared to their elders, young Catholics are looking to the Church less as they form their identities, and fewer of them can even explain what it means to be Catholic and why that matters. Young Catholic America, the latest book based on the groundbreaking National Study of Youth and Religion, explores a crucial stage in the life of Catholics. Drawing on in-depth surveys and interviews of Catholics and ex-Catholics ages 18 to 23--a demographic commonly known as early "emerging adulthood"--leading sociologist Christian Smith and his colleagues offer a wealth of insight into the wide variety of religious practices and beliefs among young Catholics today, the early influences and life-altering events that lead them to embrace the Church or abandon it, and how being Catholic affects them as they become full-fledged adults. Beyond its rich collection of statistical data, the book includes vivid case studies of individuals spanning a full decade, as well as insight into the twentieth-century events that helped to shape the Church and its members in America. An innovative contribution to what we know about religion in the United States and the evolving Catholic Church, Young Catholic America is the definitive source for anyone seeking to understand what it means to be young and Catholic in America today.

Download or read book The Heart of Faith written by Nick Wagner and published by Twenty-Third Publications. This book was released on 2010 with total page 116 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Catechumens and candidates will quickly learn that Jesus Christ will be their focus throughout their journey through the catechumenate. They will learn what they need to do to become Catholic too, of course, as they discern, pray, worship, break open the Word, and try to live their daily lives as followers of Christ. Nick Wagner guides catechumens and candidates through the entire process of preparing for baptism, the Rite of Election, the Scrutinies, keeping Lent, celebrating the Triduum, baptism (or acceptance) at the Easter Vigil, and life after baptism. This is a warm and wonderful companion for parish catechumens and candidates, one they will value and treasure long after they become Catholics.

Download or read book Making Missionary Disciples written by Curtis Martin and published by eBookIt.com. This book was released on 2019-01-29 with total page 51 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "I dream of a 'missionary option'... a missionary impulse capable of transforming everything..." Pope Francis, Evangelii Gaudium Do you have the same dream as Pope Francis? Would you like to see your parish, apostolate, or family flourishing in Christ like never before? In Making Missionary Disciples, Curtis Martin, founder of the Fellowship of Catholic University Students (FOCUS), explores how to build a vibrant culture of faithfulness and fruitfulness. He doesn't just remind us how every disciple is called on mission to share the love and truth of Jesus Christ. He gives us practical ways to do this in our ordinary daily lives. • Know the three crucial habits of effective evangelization. • Grow in Divine Intimacy following the four essential practices to which the early disciples devoted themselves. • Learn the importance of becoming not only a disciple, but a missionary disciple. • Understand the three-phased "Method Modeled by the Master"--the approach to evangelization modeled for us by Jesus in the Gospels and rooted in Catholic magisterial teaching. Experience the transformation for which we all long--through Making Missionary Disciples.

Download or read book I Once Was Lost written by Don Everts and published by InterVarsity Press. This book was released on 2009-08-20 with total page 136 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Don Everts and Doug Schaupp tell the stories of postmodern people who have come to follow Jesus. They describe the factors that influence how people shift in their perspectives and become open to the Gospel. They provide practical tools to help people enter the kingdom, as well as guidelines for how new believers can live out their Christian faith.

Download or read book Evangelizing Catholics written by Scott Hahn and published by Our Sunday Visitor. This book was released on 2014-04-22 with total page 119 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: You can't keep the faith unless you give it away. That's a fact. To be a Christian is to be an evangelizer. When the Catholic Church calls us to a "New Evangelization," that's simply a reminder to us of what has always been true. The good news is: you can do it - you can evangelize - and Scott Hahn shows you how. In this this very practical "mission manual" Dr. Hahn equips you with: A guide to understanding what the New Evangelization is, and who it's really for A roadmap that leads you to where it all happens (hint: it's closer than you think) A simple, beautiful message to share - in words and actions You don't need esoteric knowledge. You don't need to master a new set of skills. Evangelization, for Catholics, is simply friendship raised up to the highest level. Enter a deeper friendship with Christ, and you'll want to share his companionship more and more with a wider circle of friends.

Download or read book The Catholic Spiritual Gifts Inventory written by Sherry Weddell and published by . This book was released on 1997-12 with total page 60 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Happy are You Poor written by Thomas Dubay and published by Ignatius Press. This book was released on 2009-09-03 with total page 188 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: To the modern mind, the concept of poverty is often confused with destitution. But destitution emphatically is not the Gospel ideal. A love-filled sharing frugality is the message, and Happy Are You Poor explains the meaning of this beatitude lived and taught by Jesus himself. But isn't simplicity in lifestyle meant only for nuns and priests? Are not all of us to enjoy the goodness and beauties of our magnificent creation? Are parents to be frugal with the children they love so much? The renowned spiritual writer Dubay gives surprising replies to these questions. He explains how material things are like extensions of our persons and thus of our love. If everyone lived this love there would be no destitution. After presenting the richness of the Gospel message, more beautiful than any other world view, he explains how Gospel frugality is lived in each state of life.

Download or read book Understanding the Sacraments of Initiation written by Randy Stice and published by LiturgyTrainingPublications. This book was released on 2017-04-03 with total page 258 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Guiding readers through the rites of Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist, Understanding the Sacraments of Initiation explores the way in which the sacraments of Initiation affect and influence one’s daily Christian life.

Download or read book Catholic Laity in the Mission of the Church written by Russell Shaw and published by Createspace Independent Publishing Platform. This book was released on 2014-01-28 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: DISCOVER AND LIVE YOUR PURPOSE IN LIFE THROUGH YOUR LAY VOCATION! The Church's mission is to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ to everyone. As lay disciples of the Savior, our shared mission is to bring the message of His saving life, death and resurrection to all men and women through our words and deeds. Your personal lay vocation is even more focused: God has created you for a unique purpose only you can accomplish for Him! As you read this book you will discover the intensely interesting history and theology of the lay vocation and how our Church's reemphasis on the role of the laity in our day is meant to help awaken this "sleeping giant." But this is not simply a book of history and theology-it's about your mission in life and your eternal destiny. Russell Shaw's insightful work makes a direct connection between the teachings of the Bible, Vatican II, John Paul II, Benedict XVI, and Francis I and your everyday life as a lay follower of Jesus. Here you will learn how to begin discerning your unique personal lay vocation and how to establish, deepen and maintain your friendship with Jesus while you live out your lay vocation in the "real world." Jesus told us: I have come that they might have life, and have it more abundantly." Read this book and find that life through your lay vocation!

Download or read book Hurting in the Church written by Fr. Thomas Berg and published by Our Sunday Visitor. This book was released on 2017-02-07 with total page 167 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: “Hurting in the Church provides a psychologically wise and spiritually profound path forward for Catholics who have been abused, traumatized, or wounded by other Catholics — especially those in leadership. Chapter 10 on how to recover one’s belief in and love for the Church is worth the price of the book alone!” -- Sherry Weddell, Best-selling author of Forming Intentional Disciples “An honest and much-needed book that addresses ... the many Catholics who feel marginalized, ignored, hurt, insulted and even abused by the Church.”—Fr. James Martin, SJ, author of Jesus: A Pilgrimage “It took courage for Father Berg to write with such honesty and transparency, and his courage will give you courage—not only to confront sin and weakness within the Church, but also to give God another chance to help you rediscover him within the embrace of the Church despite the failings of her members.”—Fr. Jonathan Morris, author of New York Times Bestseller, The Way of Serenity “Here is an unflinching examination of the Church’s brokenness ... along with practical advice and the promise of hope for the challenging path forward. Fearless in his assessment, Father Berg is equally confident that in Jesus and with the help of the Holy Spirit, we can move toward healing and wholeness.”—Cardinal Timothy Dolan ABOUT THE AUTHOR Father Berg is professor of moral theology and vice-rector at St Joseph's Seminary in Yonkers, NY. He earned his doctorate in philosophy at Rome’s Pontifical Athenaeum Regina Apostolorum. In addition to scholarly work in bioethics, he has also been published or quoted in Homiletic & Pastoral Review, Crisis Magazine, First Things, The Wall Street Journal and the New York Times. An avid runner, hiker, and cigar aficionado, he escapes as often as he can to Cape May, New Jersey.

Download or read book On Catechesis in Our Time written by Catholic Church. Pope (1978-2005 : John Paul II) and published by USCCB Publishing. This book was released on 1997 with total page 108 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Made for Mission written by Tim Glemkowski and published by Our Sunday Visitor. This book was released on 2019-09-26 with total page 132 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: “God has created me to do him some definite service; he has committed some work to me which he has not committed to another. I have my mission.” — Blessed John Henry Newman The statistics are heartbreaking. In 2007, 24 percent of Americans identified as Catholic. By 2014, that had dropped to 21 percent. The number of people who claim no religious affiliation has surpassed Catholics and evangelicals, making “nones” the largest religious group in the United States. Catholics are simply walking away from the Church. Yet there are many committed, faithful Catholics who desperately want to stem this tide. We are here, in this moment, and are called to be part of the mission, for the sake of our members, and for those who are still outside the Church. Yet while we long for this renewal, we are often at a loss as to how to accomplish it in a practical way. What steps do we take? How do we start, and how do we continue? How will we measure success — and how long will it take? In Made for Mission: Renewing Your Parish Culture, author and speaker Tim Glemkowski offers four keys that can radically change parish culture: Cast the vision Prioritize a clear path to discipleship Mobilize leaders Align everything Implementing these four keys over time, parishes can become not simply gathering places for worship but seedbeds of discipleship and missionary outposts of the New Evangelization. This book is a must-read for Catholic clergy, lay parish staff, anyone working in ministry, and any dedicated parishioner who is passionate about renewing the Church. Click here to register for the related webcast ABOUT THE AUTHOR Tim Glemkowski is an international speaker and the founder and president of L’Alto Catholic Institute. He is also cofounder and president of Revive Parishes, an online formation platform for parish leaders. Tim has served in various roles in evangelization, including teaching high school theology, with youths and young adult ministry at a parish, and as a director of evangelization and catechesis. He double-majored in theology and philosophy at Franciscan University of Steubenville and has a master’s in theology from the Augustine Institute in Denver, Colorado.