Transformative Leadership at NCCL/FCH National Conference

Around 400 Diocesan and Parish Catechetical Leaders from around the nation met last week in Dallas at the Annual NCCL Conference to Contemplate, Imagine and Envision a Catechetical Future in the Church of the United States. We were challenged to respond to the changing reality of the U.S. landscape and the implications for our catechetical programs and leadership formation. On Sunday, Alejandro Aguilera-Titus, National Coordinator for the V Encounter, urged members of the Federation for Catechesis with Hispanics to continue to form a new generations of Hispanics "as true missionary disciples, at the service of the Church and society." Aguilera-Titus added,

"The V Encuentro is a transformative process that promotes the vocation of thousands of emerging leaders, through a missionary and communal spirit that promotes solidarity. "

On Wednesday, Dr. Hosffman Ospino an invited panelist, addressed the reality of the growing number of our Catholic Latin@ children and a decline of Church leadership due to aging. Dr. Ospino challenged the members to be attentive and become active participants in the V Encuentro process. 80 Percent of the members gathered affirmed that their local dioceses are already participating in the V Encuentro process. However, they also mentioned that there is little involvement from local offices of Catechesis and Faith Formation. Referring to these current shifts, Executive Director Mrs. Margaret Matijasevic, urged NCCL members to look closer at our role as mentors to a new generation of leaders.

“How are we willing to be changed by this changing reality? How do we accompany this new leadership without being in the way of their new energy of leadership?” she stated.

The Federation for Catechesis with Hispanics continued the conversation in an intimate evening dialogue in which around 50 members met to envision more concrete ways to engage in the V Encuentro process and to promote, accompany, and encourage new catechetical leadership. The wisdom around the tables stressed the urgency of our participation in the V Encuentro process and committed to reflect on how our local structures need to effectively change in order to share the faith to our next generation. Mr. Jack Jezreel, concluding Keynote speaker of the NCCL conference, stated that the culture of 

encuentro

 must be at the core of any transformative leadership. Only when placing those at the margin at the center of our live we will truly be the missionary disciples that we are all called. 2017 © Peter Ductram/ENAVE. All rights Reserved.  Photos by Peter Ductram and Maria-Teresa Velasco.