2017 Dive-In. University Series South. A Multi-Parish Adult Faith Formation Program

Transcription

1 2017 Dive-In University Series South A Multi-Parish Adult Faith Formation Program

2 2 WELCOME

3 During the season of Lent, Deanery 19 of the San Pedro Region of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles offers an adult faith formation series called DIVE-IN University Series South marks the 5th anniversary of the series. The 2017 series offers 24 seminars connecting faith with real life in areas such as contemporary moral issues, evangelization, faith and science, marriage and family, church history, scripture, prayer, and current events. Sessions include multi-media presentations and always allow time for your questions. Registration: $5 per class (includes one guest) purchase at an Dive-In campus (see page 10) or at the door. Series Pass: $25 per person (good for all talks includes one guest) purchase at a an Dive-In campus (see page 10) or at the door. See the Calendar at a Glace at OVERVIEW 3 Each year, over 2,000 people have attended Dive- In University Series South sessions. So many people have found that the season of Lent, just before Easter, is a perfect time to gain valuable insights, deep wisdom, and practical help for daily living. All sessions are from 7:30 to 9pm, and each speaker is encouraged to have a Q & A time The 2017 season will run March 6 to March 23, 2017 at 9 campuses that span the border of the 105 and 710 Freeways and Pacific Ocean. For an updated list of faculty, bios, session descriptions, locations and to download the 2017 Dive-In Guidebook and/or Calendar please visit our website at American Martyrs - Manhattan Beach Maria Regina - Gardena Nativity - Torrance St. Anthony- El Segundo St. James - Redondo Beach St. Lawrence Martyr - Redondo Beach St. Philomena - Carson Registration and Tuition Participating Parishes Holy Trinity - San Pedro Mary Star - San Pedro St. Andrew s Russian Greek - El Segundo St. Catherine Laboure - Torrance St. John Fisher - Rancho Palos Verdes St. Margaret Mary Alacoque - Lomita

4 THEME REFLECTIONS What is grace? you might well ask, but actually grace is not about something; it is not like a divine drug that is injected into us or a heavenly blood transfusion. Rather it is about Someone. That Someone is the living loving God Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Grace is God dwelling in us, and we, in the process, growing ever more God-like in our understanding, in our love and compassion for each other and for the world. For, as St Athanasius, the great defender of our faith in Jesus as Lord and God, reminded us "He was made man that we might be made God." The Second Letter of Peter tells us that God wishes that we become "partakers of the divine nature." (1 Pet 1:4). We, each and every one of us, are made to enter into and share in God's being and life. We can see this dynamic especially clearly at work in the lives of the saints. Teaching us with their very lives, the saints demonstrate for all to see the power of God and the power of grace in lives lived in faith, hope and love. In them, we see writ large the beatitudes of which Jesus spoke and which are the marks of grace: poor in spirit, meek, merciful, pure of heart, peace-makers, hungering and thirsting for justice. Grace makes a real difference to our lives. Slowly but surely, like the seed in the ground that germinates and takes root, we see each other and the world differently. Our understanding changes and our capacity for loving others and for working for justice grows and deepens. Our knowing and loving actually becomes more and more conformed to God's knowing and loving. Grace is manifest in the loves, the longings, the hopes, and the strivings for truth and goodness, as well as in the emptiness and the loneliness which accompany a life that is lived in self-giving love and commitment to love of neighbor. We are made for grace. The presence of grace in us manifests itself in graced actions in our daily lives, in love of God and love of neighbor. Love is its unmistakable mark. "Beloved, since God loved us so much, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God lives in us, and his love is perfected in us" (1 Jn 4:7). The amazing thing about grace is that the giver is the gift! God Father, Son and Holy Spirit is the giver AND the gift. For in grace, God gives God's very self to us, and comes to dwell in us. As we respond in faith, hope, love and open ourselves to this great gift, God dwells ever more deeply in us and we enter ever more deeply into God's life of love. We, each and every one of us, are made for this gift of grace. Grace translates the Latin "gratia" and the Greek "charis" of the Scriptures. It occurs most frequently in the letters of St Paul, where it features in the greeting at the beginning and in the farewell at the conclusion of almost every one of his letters. There, in the Scriptures, grace is the gift of God. It is a new life and a new way of being. The word, grace, expresses, as much as one word can, the utterly unstinting generosity of God's dealings with us.

5 2017 DIVE-IN Courses Pope Francis and Other Religion: Where Might He Be Leading Us As Archbishop of Buenos Aires, Pope Francis enjoyed a wonderful relationship with Jews, Muslims, and Evangelical/ Pentecostal Christians. How does that influence his papacy and us? Monday, March 6; 7:30-9:00 pm American Martyrs Manhattan Beach, St. Kateri Room Rt. Rev. Alexei Smith was born and raised in the Hyde Park area of Los Angeles, CA, and attended local Catholic elementary and secondary schools. His undergraduate studies at the University of Southern California were in the field of International Relations. Father Alexei entered Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology in Boston, MA, in Awarded a Master of Divinity Degree, with High Distinction, in 1987, he was ordained a Greek Catholic Priest of the Eparchy of Newton, MA, that same year, and assigned as Pastor of Saint Andrew Russian Greek Catholic Church in El Segundo, CA, and also Administrator of Saint Paul Melkite Greek Catholic Mission in the same city. 1-2 Adventures in Genesis-Land! Come and hear a variety of new issues and new controversies in how we are reading many passages and themes in Genesis; some exciting and some surprising, but never boring! Monday, March 6; 7:30-9:00 pm St. Margaret Mary Alacoque Lomita, Hegarty Hall Dr. Daniel L. Smith-Christopher was born in Portland, Oregon and attended George Fox College (B.A.); Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminary (Elkhart, Indiana; M.Div.) and received his doctorate in Old Testament Studies at Oxford University in England, in Dr. Smith-Christopher is currently a professor at Loyola Marymount University. Dr. Christopher lectures frequently at congresses and conferences of Southern California churches. 2-1 The Joy of Love & Marriage Would Pope Francis be a good marriage therapist? While hot button issues have grabbed the headlines, Pope Francis 2016 document, Amoris Laetitia (The Joy of Love) provides a beautiful reflection on love, marriage and family. Francis states, Every marriage is a kind of salvation history, providing the couple with a pathway to heaven when they embrace their strengths, address their challenges and invite God s presence into their marriage. Integrating the psychological and the spiritual, we ll explore the journey of building healthy relationships and provide strategies to help you get there. So wherever you're at on your relationship journey single, dating or married you ll leave feeling The Joy of Love. Tuesday, March 7; 7:30-9:00 pm St. Lawrence Martyr Redondo Beach, Church Dr. Michael DiPaolo is a clinical psychologist & certified Imago Relationship Therapist in private practice in West Los Angeles. Dr. DiPaolo received his education from the University of Notre Dame, Columbia University, and the California School of Professional Psychology. In his practice, Dr. DiPaolo works with individuals and couples. As part of his work, he has counseled over 1,000 couples in marriage preparation throughout the archdiocese of Los Angeles. Among his many workshops and presentations, he offers the Start Right, Stay Connected workshop for engaged couples at St. Monica Catholic Church ways to be more Francis Pope Francis has set a new tone in Rome and the world on what Catholic means. He surprised us with his humble style, personal language and daring catchphrases. He is authentic in what he does and cannot be put into categories. Suddenly, the old divide of conservatives vs. liberals doesn t work anymore. Friends that do not want to have anything to do with religion, tell us: but I like Pope Francis. At the same time, we are sensing that this revolution will not just change the Church in surprising ways, but it puts up a challenge to every one of us: to be more merciful, more engaged and more loving. So what is it about him? What can we learn from Pope Francis for our own lives as Catholics? How can we be more Francis? Tuesday, March 7; 7:30-9:00 pm St. James School O Gorman Center Torrance Dominik Gnirs is the Coordinator of Adult Faith Formation at the Office of Religious Education in Los Angeles. He came to the United States in January 2015 with a Magister in Theology from the University of Vienna in Austria and a Bachelor in Business and Engineering from Karlsruhe in Germany.

6 DIVE-IN COURCES 3-1 Growing Love & Mercy in Our Relationships! Come learn how to activate the freeing and healing process of compassionate acceptance and love in relationships. Learn how to accept yourself and others more, how to forgive more quickly and deeply and how to enjoy more of what God wants for you in all your relationships. This talk is excellent for all adults, couples and those in ministry Wednesday, March 8; 7:30-9:00 pm St. Philomena Carson, Parish Center Claire Frazier-Yzaguirre, MFT., M.Div., is a licensed marriage and family therapist, an ordained minister & joyful convert of many years to the Catholic Church, an author, speaker, wife and mom. She received 2 Master s degrees from Fuller Theological Seminary one from the School of Theology and one from the School of Psychology, in Pasadena, CA., and has 30 years of experience in ministry and counseling. Along with her husband, Dr. John Yzaguirre, they have an active Irvine counseling practice and assist churches in several dioceses with their marriage and family life programs. 3-2 Liturgy: Full, Conscious, Active Participation A brief overview of how liturgy has evolved that led to the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy of Vatican II. An interaction with participants on how this happens on the parish level to enable full, conscious, active participation at Sunday worship. Wednesday, March 8; 7:30-9:00 pm Maria Regina Gardena, Parish Hall Msgr. David Sork is native of Los Angeles and was Ordained in He served in for 10 years was associate director of the Archdiocesan Office of Religious Education, where he designed and directed the Master Catechist Program at its inception. After ordination, he received his M.A. and Ph.D. in Religious Education at Fordham University, New York. He has been a pastor for 26 years (St. Louis of France, La Puente, and St. John Fisher, RPV). 4-1 Walking with the Mystics: A Spirituality of Hope Over the history of our church, the mystics have taught us much about our relationship with God. They still have much to say to us twenty-first century Christians. This workshop will explore the mystical tradition and the way we can use its insights to help grow and deepen our own relationship with God. Thursday, March 9; 7:30-9:00 pm St. Lawrence Martyr Redondo Beach, Church Douglas Leal is currently Vice President of Mission Integration with Providence St. Joseph Health. Previously, he was Director of the Division of Adult Faith Formation with the Office of Religious Education of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles. Douglas holds an MA from the Boston College School of Theology and Ministry. 4-2 Finding Forgiveness in the Midst of Tragedy Rosario speaks about her experience of being an innocent victim and miraculous survivor of two violent crimes. She shares how after spending years struggling with depression and questioning her dignity and worth she found hope and healing through the grace of the sacraments and in forgiving her assailants. Thursday, March 9; 7:30-9:00 pm 5-1 Avoiding Parochial Malpractice: Moving from Bad to Good Habits in Parish Life What is a parish for? Is it a community? A community of communities? How do we form one another for our life as Catholic Christians? Do parish communities sometimes deform us in our Catholic Christian life? Join us for input and some conversation about how to keep parish life focused on good community habits of discipleship--faith formation, prayer and contemplation, community support, hospitality, action for justice. We will also talk about how to keep parish life away from bad habits like superficiality in faith, insularity, apathy, and indifference to others. Monday, March 13; 7:30-9:00 pm Maria Regina Gardena, Parish Hall Rosario Rodriguez is a miraculous survivor of two violent crimes who has spent most of her life working in the US, Canada, Mexico and the UK in many capacities with different Catholic ministries from inner-city youth, campus ministry, pro-life, CCD/RCIA, the poor and the homeless. Most recently she is sharing her amazing story with audiences every where including gang members with the LAPD and spoke at a high maximum security prison. St. James School O Gorman Center Torrance Dr. Brett C. Hoover is assistant professor of Theological Studies at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles, where he teaches pastoral theology and on issues of faith and culture. He is the author of The Shared Parish: Latinos, Anglos, and the Future of U.S. Catholicism (New York: NYU Press, 2014). His latest research involves Catholic immigration from Latin America and white Catholics' response to it. Brett cofounded and then served as editor for the Catholic website for young seekers called BustedHalo.com.

7 2017 DIVE-IN COURSES / 5-2 A BRIEF History of the Eucharist Changes in the liturgy have occurred since the Last Supper, but the basics have never changed. Details changed, decisions by Church authority changed, attitudes of the participants changed. The celebration of the Eucharist is a dynamic and living reality which can be experienced in this brief history. Monday, March 13; 7:30-9:00 pm St. Margaret Mary Alacoque Lomita, Hegarty Hall Deacon Jim Carper is a recognized authority in Catholic stewardship and fundraising programs, a faith mentor whose weekly blog on spirituality in daily life is read worldwide, and an experienced leader in building support for faith-based organizations. He is the Parish Life Director at St. Bernadette Catholic Church in Baldwin Hills, CA and former Director of Marketing and Development for Holy Name of Jesus School in LA. He was the Director of Stewardship at St. Monica Catholic Community in Santa Monica, Ca. 6-1 Grace Under Pressure How can we get glimpses of God s presence in our frenzied, fast paced lives? How does grace break through? We will pray, reflect and learn some ways in God s Providence that grace can break through all the pressure and struggles that we experience. We will experience some contemplative practices that help grace emerge under pressure. Tuesday, March 14; 7:30-9:00 pm St. James School O Gorman Center Torrance Sr. Kathleen Bryant, RSC is a Religious Sister of Charity of Culver City, CA. She holds a Doctor of Ministry from the Graduate Theological Foundation and a Master Degree in Spirituality from the University of San Francisco. She has authored several articles and books. A California native, Sister Kathleen has served as an elementary school teacher and a missionary. Currently she is a spiritual director, facilitating retreats and workshops. 6-2 Faith and Science Many people have come to believe, at least partially, in this secular myth which may be stated as follows: Faith and science are in conflict; science is truth; therefore, faith must be a fantasy. This secular myth does not stand up to the evidence for creation and transcendence from contemporary science. The evidence we present is quite compelling, and can maintain, defend, and even advance the faith of people who may be influenced by this myth. Tuesday, March 14; 7:30-9:00 pm St. Lawrence Martyr Redondo Beach, Parish Hall Robert J. Spitzer, S.J., is a Jesuit philosopher who serves as president of the Magis Center of Reason and Faith and of the Spitzer Center. He holds a Ph.D. in philosophy from The Catholic University of America and was the president of Gonzaga University from 1998 to His research focuses on philosophy of science, logic and ethics. 7-1 Where do I go from here? The implications of Pope Francis's direction for my spiritual growth. Wednesday, March 15; 7:30-9:00 pm St. Lawrence Martyr Redondo Beach, Church Rev. Msgr. John F. Barry, PA is a native of County Cork, Ireland and was ordained at All Hallows College June 18, He received a master s degree from Fordham University and was named director of the Confraternity of Christian Doctrine in As director, he expanded the program to include youth, detention ministry, master catechist and Hispanic programs. He is also the author of several educational books. Msgr. Barry was named Protonotary Apostolic in 2005 and has been pastor of American Martyrs, Manhattan Beach since Serving Christ in the Poor Everyone can suffer some type of poverty, but people have at their hands the ability to provide assistance and offer support to our brothers and sisters in need, in a Christian manner: serving Christ in the poor. Wednesday, March 15; 7:30-9:00 pm St. John Fisher Rancho Palos Verdes, Auditorium David Fields has been a dedicated Vincentian with the Society of St. Vincent de Paul s Los Angeles Council, where he currently is Executive Director. He served as President of St. Elizabeth Conference in Altadena, District President of the San Gabriel Council, Chair of the Council s Vincentian Services Committee, and member of the L.A. Council s Board of Directors and Executive Committee. Fields has also served as President of the Black Catholic Association of Altadena and Pasadena.

8 DIVE-IN COURSES 8-1 Examples of Faith in the Gospel of John Powerful stories from John's Gospel are used in our Sunday and weekday Masses during Lent and Holy Week each year. In this "Year A" of the Lectionary cycle, we will hear John 4 (Samaritan Woman), John 9 (Man Born Blind), and John 11 (Raising of Lazarus) on the 3rd, 4th, and 5th Sundays of Lent, respectively. Each year we also use John 13 on Holy Thursday and John on Good Friday. This workshop will explore how these key stories from the Fourth Gospel can challenge and inspire us to believe in Jesus more fully! Thursday, March 16; 7:30-9:00 pm University. Holy Trinity San Pedro, Church Rev. Felix Just, S.J., Ph.D. was born in Berlin and raised in Tucson, Arizona. He graduated from the University of Arizona (B.S. 1978; M.S. 1980). He entered the California Province of the Society of Jesus in 1980 and was ordained a priest in He is currently Executive Director of the Loyola Institute for Spirituality in Orange, CA, through which he offers and directs a variety of adult biblical education and faith formation programs. He taught theology and religious studies at Loyola Marymount University, the University of San Francisco, and Santa Clara 8-2 Gratitude as a Spiritual Pathway The practice of gratitude offers a practical spiritual pathway for active people. Grateful hearts connect us to God and others with love and thankfulness for our many gifts and blessings. When made a part of our daily life, gratefulness enriches us by deepening our appreciation for our life and relationships, even in the midst of worries and struggles. This presentation will offer guidelines for growing in gratefulness and for dealing with common obstacles to grateful living. Thursday, March 16; 7:30-9:00 pm 9-2 Spirituality Through The Psalms The Psalms express a range of human experience through rich poetry and thus, invite a deepened relationship with God. In this presentation we will have the opportunity to reflect on the worship of ancient Israel and to reflect on our own prayer today in the Church. Monday, March 20; 7:30-9:00 pm St. James School O Gorman Center Torrance Dr. William J. Shaules has a Ph.D. in New Testament from Fuller Theological Seminary. He teaches Scripture at Loyola Marymount University and at St. John's Seminary in Camarillo. He also serves as Associate Coordinator of Diaconate Formation for the Archdiocese of Los Angeles Praying with Icons Icons speak more to our inner then our outer senses, they speak to the heart that searches for God. Tuesday, March 21; 7:30-9:00 pm Rt. Rev. Alexei Smith (Bio see session 1-1) St. Lawrence Martyr Redondo Beach, Church Wilkie Au, Ph.D., is a spiritual director and Professor emeritus of Theological Studies at Loyola Marymount University, where he taught in the area of Christian spirituality and coordinated the graduate concentration in spiritual direction. Together with his wife, he is the author of six books on Christian spirituality, which have won several awards and have been translated into a number of languages. 9-1 How to Share Your Faith With Anyone Ten Commandments of Evangelization Monday, March 20; 7:30-9:00 pm St. Margaret Mary Alacoque Lomita, Hegarty Hall Terry Barber is the founder of Saint Joseph Communications, and first recorded and popularized Dr. Scott Hahn's conversion story. He is also a founding Board Member of Lighthouse Catholic Media, and is a co-host for Reasons for Faith Live with Jesse Romero on EWTN Radio Network. Terry has recorded numerous podcasts on Saint Joseph Podcasts called Culture Warriors for Christ, addressing the main social issues affecting our culture today. He has over 30 years experience in evangelization St. Andrew El Segundo, Church

9 2017 DIVE-IN COURSES The Seven Big Myths about the Catholic Church The Catholic Church has long been the target of suspicion and hostility. But how much of this is based on ignorance and prejudice and how much is the fruit of thoughtful consideration of the facts? Dr. Kaczor clarifies official Catholic teaching and demonstrates that much popular opinion about Catholicism is based on misunderstanding and misinformation. Tuesday, March 21; 7:30-9:00 pm St. James School O Gorman Center Torrance Dr. Christopher Kaczor is a Professor of Philosophy at LMU. He is a Corresponding Member of the Pontifical Academy for Life of Vatican City and the James Madison Society of Princeton University. He graduated from the Honors Program of Boston College and earned a Ph.D. from the University of Notre Dame. A Fulbright Scholar, Dr. Kaczor is a former Federal Chancellor Fellow at the University of Cologne and William E. Simon Visiting Fellow in the James Madison Program at Princeton University Ageing Gratefully As the years pass life changes. Some of the changes are welcome, others are not. Could there a formula for living with enthusiasm as you age? Join us for some answers. Wednesday, March 22; 7:30-9:00 pm St. Philomena Carson, Parish Center Anne Hansen is Regional Director of the Ignatian Volunteer Corps, author of the column Family Time and co-author of Culture Sensitive Ministry. She holds graduate degrees in psychology and theology and lives in Camarillo with her husband where she is a member of Padre Serra parish. She is the mother of five and grandmother of For I was a Stranger and You Welcomed Me This presentation will give an overview of the Church s teachings on migrants, immigrants, and refugees while discussing where we are in March of 2017 in trying to pass needed immigration reform legislation. Wednesday, March 22; 7:30-9:00 pm St. John Fisher Rancho Palos Verdes, Auditorium Cardinal Roger Mahony is Archbishop Emeritus of Los Angeles. On February 27, 2011 Cardinal Mahony reached his mandatory retirement age and was succeeded as Archbishop of Los Angeles by Archbishop José H. Gómez. Born in Hollywood, Cardinal Mahony was the fourth Archbishop of Los Angeles and the first native Angeleno. He is the third Archbishop of Los Angeles to be elevated to a cardinal Thomas Merton; the Man, the Monk, and the Message This presentation will dive into the life of Thomas Merton, the famous Trappist monk. His autobiography is a classic; I could talk about Merton s conversion from a rather wild youth, his becoming a monk, his teaching on contemplation and his interest in eastern mysticism. He was also a kind of chaplain to the peace movement during the Vietnam War. Thursday, March 23; 7:30-9:00 pm Holy Trinity San Pedro, Church Rev. Thomas P. Rausch, S.J., is the T. Marie Chilton Professor of Catholic Theology at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles. A specialist in ecclesiology, he has published twenty books and over 275 articles and reviews. He was a member of the Anglican/Roman Catholic Consultation USA ( ), co-chairs the Los Angeles Catholic/Evangelical Committee and the Theological Commission for the Archdiocese of Los Angeles Blessed are You Lord God of all Creation Fr. Marinello will using Pope Francis' papal encyclical Laudato Si in connecting it with the liturgical life of the Church and a rediscovery of our call to be stewards of God manifold gifts in creation, life, and in our families. Thursday, March 23; 7:30-9:00 pm St. Lawrence Martyr Redondo Beach, Church Fr. Marinello Saguin is the associate pastor at St. Margaret Mary in Lomita, CA. Prior to his ordination in May 2015 he did his philosophical and theological studies at Mount Angel Seminary in St. Benedict, OR. Whenever he is asked to speak about his vocation he describes it as the work of God through people and events. These people and events witnessed to me what it meant to be docile, vulnerable, present, and alive. In his free time enjoys to cook, entertain, read, and to paint/ draw using various artistic mediums.

10 2017 DIVE-IN CAMPUSES 10 March 5-8, 2018 March 12-15, 2018 March 19-22, 2018