Faith formation conference to draw thousands
Organizers expect more than 2,000 people – with as many as 800 from the Archdiocese of San Francisco – will attend the 47th Annual Faith Formation Conference, Nov. 21-22 at the Santa Clara Convention Center.
The Archdiocese of San Francisco and the dioceses of Monterey, San Jose, Oakland and Stockton are sponsoring the event. While the event is designed largely for parish leaders, especially religious educators, the wide variety of offerings will appeal to a broad cross section of the faithful, organizers said.
Archbishop George Niederauer will be among nearly 50 speakers to address participants on topics ranging from cultural diversity to Marian spirituality. The Archbishop will speak on living in the hope of salvation. Other Archdiocese of San Francisco speakers include:
• Father David Pettingill, former pastor of St. Gabriel Parish in San Francisco, who will teach about the necessary elements of a healthy spiritual life.
• Father Jose Corral, pastor of St. Finn Barr Parish in San Francisco, who will lead a Charismatic Mass Friday night.
• Divine Word Father Ted Magpayo, associate pastor at St. Bartholomew Parish in San Mateo, who will introduce techniques for singing and instrumentation in worship.
• Kathy Lorentz, liturgical coordinator, campus minister and teacher of prayer and spirituality at Sacred Heart Cathedral Preparatory in San Francisco, who will talk about prayer, singing, music and dance as it relates to youth participation in the liturgy.
Friday will feature a dialogue with four convention speakers: Bishop of San Jose Patrick McGrath, educator Eleanor Brown, Thomas Groome, professor of theology at Boston College, and author Kathy Hendricks.
Jesuit Father Allan Figueroa Deck will deliver Saturday’s keynote address. Father Deck, a native Californian, is executive director of the Secretariat of Cultural Diversity in the Church of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops in Washington, D.C. Saturday’s other speakers include Bishop of Monterey Richard Garcia, whose talk will be on the gifts with which God has blessed the Church.
Social Service Sister Celeste Arbuckle, director of the Archdiocese of San Francisco’s Office of Religious Education and Youth Ministry, said the conference brings her great hope for the future of the Church.
“I hope as we’re celebrating the year of St. Paul, we come to understand as a community together our call to discipleship and ministry in the Church,” said Sister Arbuckle, whose office is in charge of registration for the event.
Sister Arbuckle added that for the first time two Korean speakers will be part of the event. Sponsored by St. Michael Korean Church in San Francisco, the speakers are Father Hyo Ik Paul Bang and Sister Jung Il Remigio Lee. Father Bang, a professor at the seminary in Seuwon Diocese in South Korea, will speak on the purpose of spirituality. Sister Lee of Holy Korean Martyrs Parish in San Jose will discuss the spirituality of the characters in the Bible.
Saturday will also feature talks in Spanish and Vietnamese.
Sister Arbuckle said she is excited that Archbishop Niederauer and Bishops McGrath and Garcia will be giving talks at the conference.
“It shows their strong support for the conference and the respect they have for their catechetists and the people in ministry,” Sister Arbuckle said. For more information and to register, call (415) 614-5650, or visit www.sitekreator.com/faithformation.
(By Michael Vick)
