Virtual Space, Real Virtual Space, Real ReligionReligion

The QuestionThe QuestionHow should modern How should modern communications communications technologies technologies fit into our strategy for fit into our strategy for Adult Faith Formation Adult Faith Formation at St. Clare Church?at St. Clare Church?

The Parish of St. ClareThe Parish of St. Clare

LargeLarge AffluentAffluent Family-Family-

orientedoriented HomogeneousHomogeneous Parish schoolParish school StableStable

Emphasis on Adult Emphasis on Adult FaithFaith Intentional, pervasive plan to Intentional, pervasive plan to

implement GDC #59:implement GDC #59:"Catechesis for adults… must be "Catechesis for adults… must be considered the chief form of considered the chief form of catechesis. All the other forms, catechesis. All the other forms, which are indeed always which are indeed always necessary, are in some way necessary, are in some way oriented to it". oriented to it".

Goals of CatechesisGoals of Catechesis

Deeper knowledge and love of Deeper knowledge and love of Christ and the ChurchChrist and the Church

Total commitment to ChristTotal commitment to Christ

Becoming a witness and Becoming a witness and proclaimer of Christ to the worldproclaimer of Christ to the world

GDC #80-#83GDC #80-#83

Tasks of CatechesisTasks of Catechesis

1.1. Gain knowledge of the faithGain knowledge of the faith

2.2. Enable participation in liturgyEnable participation in liturgy

3.3. Moral formationMoral formation

4.4. Learning how to prayLearning how to pray

5.5. Participate in the life of the local Participate in the life of the local churchchurch

6.6. Prepare to witness to Christ in societyPrepare to witness to Christ in societyGDC #85-86GDC #85-86

Making MeaningMaking Meaning

““Experience, assumed by faith, becomes in Experience, assumed by faith, becomes in a certain manner, a locus for the a certain manner, a locus for the manifestation and realization of salvation.”manifestation and realization of salvation.”

GDC #152GDC #152

Continuing development through Continuing development through reestablishing equilibriumreestablishing equilibrium

Embracing loss of meaning in order Embracing loss of meaning in order to establish new meaning may to establish new meaning may reveal Godreveal God

Transformative Transformative LearningLearning The goal is not to acquire The goal is not to acquire

information, but to know the world information, but to know the world and be knownand be known

To question foundations and To question foundations and assumptions – ask “why?”assumptions – ask “why?”

Emancipation from forces that are Emancipation from forces that are limiting, but taken for granted limiting, but taken for granted

Toward an Adult ChurchToward an Adult Church, Jane Regan, Jane Regan

Reflecting on Reflecting on ExperienceExperience

Extended ConversationExtended Conversation TimeTime SpaceSpace TrustTrust Relationship of learners togetherRelationship of learners together

Social ChangeSocial Change

Our task of evangelization implies Our task of evangelization implies individual change is not enoughindividual change is not enough– Reflection leads to actionReflection leads to action– Action returns to reflectionAction returns to reflection

Internet Use TodayInternet Use Today“The new normal”“The new normal”

73% of all American adults73% of all American adults 86% if household income $50K-86% if household income $50K-

$75K$75K 64% of users for religious/spiritual 64% of users for religious/spiritual

activityactivity– Sources of informationSources of information– Symbolic resourcesSymbolic resources– Networking and interactionNetworking and interaction

Supplement, not substituteSupplement, not substitute

The Church and the The Church and the InternetInternet

The Internet is helping bring about The Internet is helping bring about revolutionary changes in commerce, revolutionary changes in commerce, education, politics, journalism, the education, politics, journalism, the relationship of nation to nation and relationship of nation to nation and culture to culture—changes not just culture to culture—changes not just in how people communicate in how people communicate but in but in how they understand their lives.how they understand their lives.

Pontifical Council for Social Communications, Pontifical Council for Social Communications, 20022002

Personal ExperiencePersonal Experience

NPM ListservNPM Listserv– Time: approximately ten yearsTime: approximately ten years– Space: emailSpace: email– Trust: changes have been made Trust: changes have been made

when this was threatenedwhen this was threatened– Relationships: valuing expertise but Relationships: valuing expertise but

no one is “teacher”no one is “teacher”

Parish ExperienceParish Experience

I am a recent recipient of the thought for I am a recent recipient of the thought for the day. I enjoy reading them and look the day. I enjoy reading them and look forward to them everyday. I particularly forward to them everyday. I particularly enjoy the writings from Camille. I truly enjoy the writings from Camille. I truly connect with her writings. I print her connect with her writings. I print her "thoughts" and I share them with my "thoughts" and I share them with my husband and other family members. The husband and other family members. The thoughts of the day keep me focused and thoughts of the day keep me focused and her writings make a particularly positive her writings make a particularly positive effect. Thank you Camille and thank you St effect. Thank you Camille and thank you St Clare's for such a wonderful program. Clare's for such a wonderful program.

Challenge and Challenge and Opportunity for the Opportunity for the ChurchChurch John Paul II compared the John Paul II compared the

information revolution to the age information revolution to the age of the printing pressof the printing press

Other documents:Other documents:– Faith communitiesFaith communities– Counseling, spiritual directionCounseling, spiritual direction– New freedom for the faithful to New freedom for the faithful to

communicate to the hierarchycommunicate to the hierarchy

Already, the two-way interactivity of Already, the two-way interactivity of the Internet is blurring the old the Internet is blurring the old distinction between those who distinction between those who communicate and those who receive communicate and those who receive what is communi-cated, and creating what is communi-cated, and creating a situation in which, potentially at a situation in which, potentially at least, everyone can do both. This is least, everyone can do both. This is not the one-way, top-down not the one-way, top-down communication of the past. As more communication of the past. As more and more people become familiar with and more people become familiar with this characteristic of the Internet in this characteristic of the Internet in other areas of their lives, other areas of their lives, they can they can be expected also to look for it in be expected also to look for it in regard to religion and the Church.regard to religion and the Church.

Religion On-LineReligion On-Line

Supports top-down or center-out Supports top-down or center-out structuresstructures

Provides informationProvides information Controls the experienceControls the experience ExamplesExamples

– Vatican web siteVatican web site– most parish web sitesmost parish web sites

On-Line ReligionOn-Line Religion

Allows interaction and feedbackAllows interaction and feedback Enables discussionEnables discussion Surrenders controlSurrenders control ExamplesExamples

– beliefnetbeliefnet– blogsblogs– post-9/11 “folk” sitespost-9/11 “folk” sites

Ten Principles for Ten Principles for Designing Internet Designing Internet Applications for Adult Applications for Adult Faith FormationFaith Formation

1.1. Draw people to the Draw people to the local faith local faith communitycommunity

HospitalityHospitality Don’t imply the internet replaces Don’t imply the internet replaces

churchchurch ““There are no sacraments on the There are no sacraments on the

internet”internet” Local solutionsLocal solutions

2.2. Make a space for Make a space for reflectionreflection

A place for A place for theirtheir own words own words Experiences to reflect on — Experiences to reflect on —

scripture, liturgy, social action, scripture, liturgy, social action, life eventslife events

Permission to be open, honest Permission to be open, honest and true to themselvesand true to themselves

ProtectionProtection

3.3. Make space for Make space for conversationconversation

Let people respond and react to Let people respond and react to each othereach other

Allow questioning — even of Allow questioning — even of authority!authority!

Protect the conversationProtect the conversation

4.4. Make time for Make time for conversationconversation

Days, weeks, monthsDays, weeks, months Respect time commitments and Respect time commitments and

schedulesschedules Provide contemplative Provide contemplative

environmentenvironment– GraphicalGraphical– PacePace– ComplexityComplexity

5.5. Build TrustBuild Trust

Is privacy required?Is privacy required?– AnonymityAnonymity– Restricted accessRestricted access

Internet securityInternet security Ethical behavior from technical Ethical behavior from technical

supportsupport

6.6. Give up controlGive up control

Let the conversation flowLet the conversation flow Allow users to decide what to doAllow users to decide what to do This is hard for the institution!This is hard for the institution!

7.7. Include social Include social changechange Publicity and encouragement for Publicity and encouragement for

serviceservice Sharing responses after a projectSharing responses after a project Challenging groups to actionChallenging groups to action

8.8. Provide for diverse Provide for diverse spiritualitiesspiritualities

Different levels of spiritual growthDifferent levels of spiritual growth Different stages of lifeDifferent stages of life Different needs and approachesDifferent needs and approaches Different culturesDifferent cultures Consider the “New Consider the “New

Evangelization”Evangelization”

9.9. Recognize Recognize triggering eventstriggering events

What draws people to the parish?What draws people to the parish?– Individual crisesIndividual crises– Rhythms of parish and family lifeRhythms of parish and family life– Local, national, world eventsLocal, national, world events

Make it easy to connectMake it easy to connect React on timeReact on time

10.10. Encourage Encourage relationshipsrelationships

Web site examplesWeb site examples– Tech support – experts & questionersTech support – experts & questioners– CruisingCruising

Information gathering threadsInformation gathering threads ““Roll Call” threadsRoll Call” threads

The possibility of meeting in personThe possibility of meeting in person A community of equalsA community of equals

Some ExamplesSome Examples

Thought for the Thought for the DayDayFaith Sharing that fits life

Reflection on scripture

Web site

Telephone

E-Mail

Describes purpose and structure Describes purpose and structure of Prayer of the Faithfulof Prayer of the Faithful

Link to current week prayerLink to current week prayer Option for suggesting Option for suggesting

intercessions for coming weekintercessions for coming week

On-line Prayer On-line Prayer RequestsRequests

Committee Minutes on Committee Minutes on WebWeb

Companions OnLineCompanions OnLine

Where next?Where next?

Evaluation of our current web Evaluation of our current web portfolio against the 10 principlesportfolio against the 10 principles

Identify where shortfalls existIdentify where shortfalls exist Look for examplesLook for examples Develop proposals for new round Develop proposals for new round

of Adult Faith Formation of Adult Faith Formation proposalsproposals

Why?Why?

The Church would feel herself guilty The Church would feel herself guilty before God if she did not avail of those before God if she did not avail of those powerful instruments which human skill powerful instruments which human skill is constantly developing and is constantly developing and perfecting ... In them she finds in a new perfecting ... In them she finds in a new and more effective forum a platform or and more effective forum a platform or pulpit from which she can address the pulpit from which she can address the multitudes.multitudes.

GDC #160GDC #160