Recognizing the Stranger collaborates with local dioceses, CCHD diocesan directors, and pastors to identify parish leadership teams to participate in 3-day Spanish language Leadership Training Institutes, with the goal of preparing teams of lay leaders to return to engage and contribute to their home parishes. The training is led by Spanish speaking organizers and key lay leaders from the West/Southwest IAF with deep experience in parish based organizing. Training staff recognize the key role of the local parish pastor in making this effort successful, securing the pastor's agreement to participate and also his commitment to actively engage with the training and organizing process.
The curriculum, which blends Catholic teaching with relational organizing practices, focuses heavily in understanding the mission of the church and the responsibilities of parish leaders. As such, the structure of the training is built around an understanding of the sacramental life of the parish, namely Eucharist and Baptism. Key sessions include:
- Understanding the Body of Christ: What Paul taught the early church at Corinth
- Collective Leadership: Lessons from Exodus
- Mission of the Baptismal Community: exploring our call to be Priest, Prophet & King
- Analyzing the Pressures on Families and Communities: where these emanate from, why families need parishes, and the role of lay parish leaders
- Transformational Conversation with the Stranger: Lessons from the Road to Emmaus for Teaching House Meetings and Relational Meetings
- Qualities of Leaders: exploring the Sermon on the Mount and the Mission of Building the Kingdom
- Practicalities of Getting Started: Building a parish strategy-working with parish leadership, building core teams, organizing house meetings
Recognizing the Stranger draws deeply from scriptural reflections from First Corinthians (1 Cor 11), the Road to Emmaus (Luke 24:13-35), and to Nehemiah’s reconstruction of the wall of Jerusalem. By rebuilding the church community, encounter by encounter, people come to a new realization of who is their neighbor, restoring dignity and human agency.
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