Ongoing Formation Information

Ongoing Pastoral Formation: Issues of Immigration in Arizona and Our Pastoral Response as Priests.

On September 19-20 priests in the Diocese of Phoenix went to Altar, Mexico for an ongoing formation experience. The purpose of this experience was to understand better the complex issues of migration into Arizona and our pastoral response as priests and pastors.

The first stop was Tucson.
Bishop Gerald Kicanis, Bishop of Tucson, Rev. John Fife from "No More Deaths," and Fr. Bob Carney from "Just Coffee -Simple, Good, and Fair."

Bishop Kicanis spoke about an agenda for immigration reform:
a temporary worker program,
earned pathway to citizenship,
family unity,
and economic developement in Mexico.

John Fife spoke about the fact that each year the number of people who die on the border increases as well as how "No More Deaths," responds to this crisis.

Fr. Bob's "Just Coffee" cooperative includes 30 families in Chiapas that grow coffee, receive a fair price and health insurance and eliminates the economic need to migrate. No one in these 30 families has migrated and some in the US have returned home.

The second stop was Nogales, Mexico.
Francisco and Fr. John Keefe.

Francisco runs La Misericordia, what we'd call a day-care center for the children of women who work in International assembly plants that take advantage of cheap Mexican labor - about $5 a day. La Misericordia provides educational experiences and meals for the children in the program as well as in the neigborhood.

A Place for Children. "We are in the little house of Teo."

Three women describe Banco Comun.

Each of these women received a loan in order to set up their own business or source of income. These women set up a seamstress shop, a tamale shop, and successfully organized to get electricity for the neighborhood. Their next project is to get running water in their homes.

Improved conditions and finances = their desire to stay in Mexico.

The next stop was Magdalena, Mexico.
Better known as Magdalena de Kino, Fr. Eusebio Kino, SJ, established this mission in 1687. There is a recently built monument on the central plaza, built over his bones and the site of his burial in 1711.
Padre Eusebio Kino, SJ.

From Magdalena the group went to Altar, Mexico, a small town that has become a site for those who want to migrate to the United States but don't have a passport or visa in order to do so. It was in Altar that we met with church people who extend humanitarian aid to these men, women and children. It was in Altar that we learned about how easily these migrant people become victims on both sides of the border.

"To leave our land is to suffer. We have no other choice."

*Future Ongoing Formation events*

Ongoing Spiritual Formation: The annual retreat for priests will be held a Picture Rocks Retreat in Tucson from Monday, Oct. 23-27. The cost for the retreat is $375. Our retreat director is Fr. William Dorwart, CSC. Some of Fr. Dorwart’s background includes parish ministry at St. John Vianney Parish in Avondale/Goodyear, Navy ministry as a chaplain on the aircraft carrier Midway, initial formation ministry as the Director of Novices for the Congregation of Holy Cross, campus ministry as the Director of Campus Ministry at the University of Portland, and administrative ministry as the Provincial of the Indiana Province of the Congregation of Holy Cross.

Ongoing Intellectual Formation: A two-day workshop on the Theology of the Body is scheduled for December 5^th and 6^th at the Diocesan Pastoral Center (DPC). The cost for this workshop is $125. Our presenters are Rev. Tom Loya, pastor of Annunciation Byzantine Catholic Church in Homer Glen, IL and Katrina Zeno who is the coordinator of the John Paul II Resource Center for Theology of the Body and Culture. This workshop provides and introduction to the Theology of the Body and applies this theological perspective to the lives and ministry of priests.

Ongoing Intellection/Pastoral Formation: The Gospel of Luke, Preaching Cycle C. The fee for this workshop at the DPC is $125. On Tuesday and Wednesday, January 23/24, 2007, Sr. Barbara Reid, OP, will guide us in a study of themes present in the Gospel of Luke. Barbara Reid is Professor of New Testament Studies at Catholic Theological Union in Chicago . In addition to scholarly insight into the scriptures, she also brings a Dominican concern/charism for good preaching. The purpose of this workshop is to help us better understand the Gospel of Luke in order that we might preach the Gospel well in our parishes and ministry.

Ongoing Formation as a Presbyterate: Chrism Mass and Day of Reflection. This annual day of reflection will be at Mt. Claret on Monday, April 2, 2007 – Monday of Holy Week. The day provides quite time in the midst of the awesome Holy Week liturgies that we might reflect on our lives and priesthood, celebrate the Sacrament of Reconciliation for the forgiveness of our sins, and enter joyfully into the Chrism Mass with one another and the Bishop that evening.

Ongoing Human/Spiritual Formation: The Spiritual Life of the Priest. Cost = $125. The place = DPC. Rev. George Aschenbrenner, SJ, will be here on Wednesday and Thursday, April 25/26, for a two-day workshop on the spiritual life of priests. His recent book, Quickening the Fire in our Midst: The Challenge of Diocesan Priestly Spirituality, will provide the foundation for our reflections with George.

Ongoing Formation as a Presbyterate: Spring Clergy “Day” to celebrate jubilees as well as the memory of brother priests who have died. We are working with the hotel to establish a date for the annual meeting. It will probably take place in early May.

Ongoing Formation as a Presbyterate: Ordinations are scheduled for the first Saturday of June. That’s June 2, 2007. Mark your own personal calendar as well as the parish calendar so that weddings won’t interfere with this celebration of our lives in the Presbyterate.