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The Thread That Turned Into Dust's Vent Thread


dUSt

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Parker J Palmer.

Does anybody know who he is?

And the more important question is...

Is he even Catholic, and if not is it appropriate to read from his book and encourage kids to [b]buy[/b] his books at a [b]Catholic[/b] diocesan youth event?

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dUSt both Veramaria and myself have done searches on Parker J Palmer and nothing we can find indicates that he is Catholic.

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yep, which doesn't mean that it would be bad or wrong to read something of his (I mean look at C.S Lewis, he wasn;t Catholic but I would encourage his stuff to be read), but I don;t know about that, since I have never read anything of his.

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That's terrible.

A little background...

I attended a diocese sponsored youth event this weekend, which only happens once a year. It was a three day event.

[b]Here's some of the things that did happen:[/b]
- a booth that was selling Protestant Bible cartoons
- a dance which played modern secular rap music with unedited vulgar language
- a homily about how it's not as important to learn about the sacraments because where we truly find Christ is in our hearts and in eachother
- a guest speaking nun with no habit
- the diocesan Director of Youth Ministry and Catechesis giving a "motivational" talk based on Parker J Palmer's book, and encourgaing the kids to buy his stuff
- about 10 youth consuming the remaining Holy Eucharist after mass, while dancing to the music and pumping up the crowd (with their mouth full)

[b]Here's some things that did NOT happen:[/b]
- priests available for confession
- adoration
- anything about any of the sacraments, even though they had about 30 different "workshops" going on

It was so discouraging.

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Here's a complete list of all the workshops given at the conference...

1.Mega Session: Keeping the Faith: An Inside Story of Success!
2.Saints in “Training”: Wellness is Worship
3.Sex and the Catholic Church
4.So you want to be a Lector?
5.Godly People in Ungodly Situations
6.Time Management Skills
7.Prayer: A Come As You Are Party
8.All We Are Saying is Give Peace a Chance!
9. Strategies for Effective Peer Ministry
10. How to plan music for your youth ministry gatherings

1. Mega Session: Never be caught saying “Doh!” when asked about your faith
2.Is High School like the Movies?
3.Mean Girls/Mean Boys
4.Identify Your Spiritual Gifts
5.Together Everyone Achieves More
6. Saints in “Training”: Wellness is Worship
7. Dealing with Divorce

1. Mega Session: Dieting Healthy
2.”Booze and Your Brain: What the media doesn’t tell you”
3.Radical Diversity: How to help our friends with disabilities participate fully in parish and community life.
4.Serving Your Parish Community as a Cantor
5.How to Lead a Meeting
6.Prayer Experience
7. Putting Your Faith to Work
8.Dealing with Parents : Why we drive you crazy!!
9.Aren’t we Judeo-Catholics?
10.Dealing with Divorce
11.Faith Isn’t Faith “Till You Give Some Away”
12.World Youth Day 2005 – Wanna See the Pope?

Some of the ones that I know will definitely lead youth closer to Christ are "Time Management Skills", "Mean Boys/Mean Girls" and "Is high school like the movies?". Stellar.

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[quote name='dUSt' date='Jul 15 2004, 09:41 AM']That's terrible.

A little background...

I attended a diocese sponsored youth event this weekend, which only happens once a year. It was a three day event.

Here's some of the things they had there:
- a booth that was selling Protestant Bible cartoons
- a dance which played modern secular rap music with unedited vulgar language
- a homily about how it's not as important to learn about the sacraments because where we truly find Christ is in our hearts and in eachother
- a guest speaking nun with no habit
- the diocesan Director of Youth Ministry and Catechesis giving a "motivational" talk based on Parker J Palmer's book, and encourgaing the kids to buy his stuff

Here's what they didn't have:
- priests available for confession
- adoration
- anything about any of the sacraments (they had about 20 "workshops" but none teaching about any of the sacraments)

It was so discouraging.[/quote]
I can certainly empathize with you, Bro. We have exactly the same problem at our Youth Day. Few if any priests and one nun are present until late in the eveing when the Bishop shows up to celebrate mass. No adoration, no confession and no interaction with priests or religious. The day is full of feel-good psuedo-catholic speakers that never mention anything remotely sacrmental or even uniquely Catholic. I wasn't even sure that the band that has played the past three years had any Catholic members in it until last year. Father Stan played last year also and was given the opening slot with little PA support and no other priests or religious in attendence.

My wife and I are making plans to attend the PhatMass fandango August 7th to cull some ideas and do a little networking to see if we can pump some life into our youth program.

pax Christi,
ransom

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cmotherofpirl

Actually I can see a place for all three of them.

Time Management can teach people to balance their life so they have no excuse to miss prayer time.

Mean boys/ mean Girls cuold teach kids how to deal with bullys as to not get their butts kicked when confronted about being Catholic.

Is how school like the movies? might be good to teach kids how to deal with perceptions foisted on them by the media, or explain they are entering 4 years of hell. My daughter once said the best preperation for high school was watching [i]Buffy the Vampire Slayer.[/i]

I would wonder about the
.Saints in “Training”:[u] Wellness [/u]is Worship
.Prayer: A Come As You Are [u]Party[/u]
.Mega Session: [u]Dieting Healthy[/u]

THis would have me looking for the phone number of the bishop [u]AND[/u] papal nuncio:
a booth that was selling Protestant Bible cartoons
- a dance which played modern secular rap music with unedited vulgar language
- a homily about how it's not as important to learn about the sacraments because where we truly find Christ is in our hearts and in eachother
- a guest speaking nun with no habit
- the diocesan Director of Youth Ministry and Catechesis giving a "motivational" talk based on Parker J Palmer's book, and encourgaing the kids to buy his stuff
- about 10 youth consuming the remaining Holy Eucharist after mass, while dancing to the music and pumping up the crowd (with their mouth full)

Edited by cmotherofpirl
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Catholic_4_Life

We have "Sisters of St. Benedict" in our area, and they don't wear Habits. I admit, I am not too familiar with all of the orders, but I thought there were some orders who no longer wear habits?

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[quote name='Catholic_4_Life' date='Jul 15 2004, 10:22 AM'] We have "Sisters of St. Benedict" in our area, and they don't wear Habits. I admit, I am not too familiar with all of the orders, but I thought there were some orders who no longer wear habits? [/quote]
And they wonder why they have a vocation shortage. I know the order you speak of. Not good. Not good at all.

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Question: If priests are not visible at these events, and the nuns aren't wearing habits, why would a teen be motivated to become one? Combine that with the popular "the body is the Church, laypeople are just as important as priests" theology being rampantly taught, and it's no wonder that kids don't feel a need to enter the religious life. Because remember, we are no longer members of a Church, but a "community".

Ugh. I'll be writing my bishop, and have faith that he'll take action on this matter.

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cmotherofpirl

Amen Dust. The place should be swarming with religious in HABITS.

People won't choose it if they don't ever see it.

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Well, I'm not sure if wearing a habit is going to be the primary motivation for someone to want to join a religious order. So, I'm guess I'm more concerned about the character of each individual said sister or nun.

But I certainly don't understand or like the "laypeople r0x0rs, j00 priests are lam3rz" mentality (yes... the 1337 speak is intentionally annoying). And as for the event... well... there shall be much eye-rolling and feeling of horror on my part.

Oh, hello everyone.

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Catholic_4_Life

[quote name='pionono' date='Jul 15 2004, 10:31 AM'] And they wonder why they have a vocation shortage. I know the order you speak of. Not good. Not good at all. [/quote]
Not good? I've always believed they were good...what's not good? Inform this cradle Catholic!! :huh:

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