Cultivating Unity is a pastoral initiative of NOCERCC, the National Organization for Continuing Education of Roman Catholic Clergy, in partnership with CARA, the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate at Georgetown University, to foster the unity of priests and bishops, in response to The Basic Plan for the Ongoing Formation of Priests, promulgated by the Catholic bishops of the United States in 2000. Cultivating Unity is intended to be a transformational process engaging the entire diocesan presbyterate with its bishop in frank and faith-centered dialogue leading to a common rededication to priestly ministry. The Cultivating Unity process ordinarily includes two major components: Research: · A survey of priests; · An interview of the bishop; · Listening sessions with priests; Convocation: · A carefully-structured and attentively-facilitated convocation, centered in common prayer and faith sharing, with bishop and priests; · Resources available to assist the local church in following up on action items arising from the Cultivating Unity process. In considering the ongoing formation of the entire presbyterate, Part III of the bishops’ Basic Plan echoes the teaching of the Second Vatican Council and of Pope John Paul II in Pastores Dabo Vobis, the 1992 apostolic exhortation issued following the 1990 Synod of Bishops dedicated to “the formation of priests in the circumstances of the present day”: The ongoing formation of a presbyterate is the deliberate cultivation of the unity of the priests and their bishop, a unity that responds to God's grace and the mission entrusted to them. The ongoing formation of a presbyterate's unity makes the very presbyterate a more transparent sacramental sign. “This unity among priests . . . makes [them] witnesses of Jesus Christ, who prayed…‘that they may all be one’” [Pastores Dabo Vobis, no. 74]…And the very purpose of that unity is a sacramental one,…to draw others into faith: "that the world may believe that you sent me" [John 17:21]. It is clear that the ongoing formation of presbyterates is significant for the vitality of the Church's mission. It is also clear that the formation of presbyterates centers on cultivating their unity. [In Pastores Dabo Vobis Pope John Paul II] summarizes teaching from Vatican II and offers this simple yet challenging statement: “The ordained ministry has a radical ‘communitarian form' and can only be carried out as ‘a collective work’” [no. 17]. This truly is the teaching of the Second Vatican Council abundantly evident in Presbyterorum Ordinis, which so emphasizes the communitarian-collective dimension of priestly ministry that it quite deliberately avoids any reference to "priest" in the singular form. From start to finish, the decree only speaks of “priests.” For more information on Cultivating Unity, contact Jim Alphen in the NOCERCC National Office by email at jalphen@nocercc.org or by telephone at 312-781-9450, ext. 214. For more information on Priestly Generations in Dialogue, contact Jim Alphen in the NOCERCC National Office by email at jalphen@nocercc.org or by telephone at 312-781-9450, ext. 214. Methods of integrating preaching preparation and priestly life in a spirituality of the preacher and basic resources to support the preacher are suggested.
With over thirty-five years of experience providing leadership for ongoing formation of priests and presbyterates, NOCERCC offers a variety of programs and resources for dioceses, religious communities, parishes, schools, and other organizations.
For information about any of the programs, please contact the NOCERCC National Office.
PROGRAM INDEX: click to skip to a specific item
Ministering Across the Generations: Effective Ministry to People of All Ages
How can you preach and minister to parish communities that include traditional aging Catholics, middle-age parents and techno-savvy youth and young adults? Each of these groups has a very different view of life and the Church—as well different expectations of the parish.
For more information on Ministering Across the Generations, contact Jim Alphen in the NOCERCC National Office by email at jalphen@nocercc.org or by telephone at 312-781-9450, ext. 214.
Priestly Generations in Dialogue: An Essential Conversation for Presbyterates
The program is facilitated by Dominic Perri, who serves as a faculty member for NOCERCC's Cultivating Unity initiative. Dominic facilitates diocesan convocations and offers programs throughout the United States for dioceses, religious communities, parishes, and national Church organizations.
Renewing Sunday Preaching
Renewing Sunday Preaching is a convocation program developed andcoordinated by NOCERCC with funding from the Koch Foundation, Our Sunday Visitor, and the Raskob Foundation. The program is intended for a bishop and the priests of a diocese or a provincial and the priest-members of a religious community.
NOCERCC Programs
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Ministering across the Generations draws upon groundbreaking research on generational differences in U.S. society and applies that research to ministry situations. The program helps participants to see that each generation of Catholics is different because each grew up in a different era of Church. These differing experiences led them to have very different understandings of the Church and parish life.
Using interactive presentation style that engages participants, the program addresses these issues:
Priests, other parish staff members, and parish volunteers can all benefit greatly from this program. Ministering across the Generations is facilitated by Dominic Perri, who serves as a faculty member for NOCERCC’s Cultivating Unity initiative. Dominic works throughout the United States with dioceses, religious communities, parishes, and national Church organizations.
One of the great challenges facing presbyterates throughout the United States is the differences that exist among priestly generations. Young, middle-age, and older priests differ over issues of ecclesiology, theology, and even the role of the priest. These differences challenge the morale and unity of the presbyterate as well as its ministerial effectiveness. Attempts at promoting dialogue often serve simply to heighten the tension as groups entrench in their positions.
Priests and presbyterates need a new level of understanding to help them come to a better appreciation of their differences. Priestly Generations in Dialogue begins with a presentation of groundbreaking research on generational differences in U.S. society, applies that research to priestly generations, and provides each generational cohort—pre-Vatican II, Vatican II, post-Vatican II, and Jubilee era—the opportunity to share their unique experience.
To affirm priests’ dedication to preaching the Word of God and encourage their best gifts in the preaching ministry;
To assist in forming a presbyterate’s identity as preachers of the Word;
To help priests claim a Roman Catholic vision of Sunday homiletic preaching;
To nurture the priest’s homiletic competence.
Convocation Sessions
The program consists of four two-hour sessions and is conducted by a team of two faculty:
Preaching—the Agony and the Ecstasy
The priests see and hear lay people speaking of the importance of preaching for them and are invited to share their own experiences of preaching.
Preacher: Namer, Interpreter, Reflector
Three images of the preacher are considered in light of the coming Sunday’s readings: namer of grace, interpreter of the Bible, and theological reflector.
Catholic Vision of Homily
A Catholic vision of the Sunday homily leads to naming the abilities, skills, and knowledge needed for inspiring and effective preaching.
Preaching Resources
For more information on Renewing Sunday Preaching, contact Jim Alphen in the NOCERCC National Office by email at jalphen@nocercc.org or by telephone at 312-781-9450, ext. 214.