Evangelization and Catechesis Conference sponsored by Diocese

the vindicator

ROOTSTOWN — “Catechesis and the Proclamation of the Word” will be the theme for the Evangelization and Catechesis Conference sponsored by the Catholic Diocese of Youngstown, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Nov. 14 at the NEOUCOM Conference Center.

Dr. Adele Gonzalez will present the keynote address on “The Church Exists in Order to Evangelize.” Reverend Monsignor Robert Siffrin, vicar general for the Catholic Diocese of Youngstown, will preside at Morning Prayer. The breakout sessions include an extended conversation with the keynoter and workshops on stages of grace, Scriptural prayer, the Gospel of Luke and more. The roundtables, new this year, offer practical suggestions for parish catechesis and evangelization.

Gonzalez is the founder and president of Get With It, LLC (Ponte en Onda), an organization committed to human and spiritual growth through the fostering of healthy relationships with self, others, the world and God. She retired from the Archdiocese of Miami, as director for the Archdiocesan Office of Lay Ministry Formation and parish director of religious education. She has a doctor of ministry degree from the University of St. Thomas, St. Paul, Minn., specializing in the area of Incarnational Spirituality, and a master’s degree in religious studies from Barry University, Miami Shores, Fla. Gonzalez has a certificate in Spiritual Guidance from the Shalem Institute, Bethesda, Md. She is a national speaker in the areas of spirituality, lay ministry and multiculturalism, has published articles and essays in magazines and books, is the author of three books, available in English and Spanish, and directs retreats.

Exhibitors include Catholic publishers, religious goods stores, diocesan offices and the Work of Human Hands fair-trade program. The fair-trade products are handmade by artisans or grown by farmers living in developing regions around the world. The Work of Human Hands Program, a partnership between Catholic Relief Services and A Greater Gift, is a nonprofit program of SERVV International, an alternative trade and development organization.

The $30-per-person conference registration includes lunch, morning refreshments and parking.

For registration information, contact the Diocese of Youngstown Office of Religious Education by phone at (330) 744-8451, fax (330) 744-5899, Web site www.doy.org, or e-mail sgreco@youngstowndiocese.org.