2020 Virtual Convocation
2020 Virtual Convocation
We are grateful to the following organizations for their generous support of the 2020 Convocation:
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In-Kind Sponsors:
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The NRVC board has selected Mary Lou Paluch Rafferty, third-generation owner of the J.S. Paluch Company, Inc., to receive its highest recognition, the NRVC Harvest Award. Mary Lou's enthusiasm for and commitment to religious life vocations is profound. Her family-owned business began in 1913 to provide printing services for parishes throughout the United States, today providing an array of services, from bulletins to calendars. Inspired by her mother's vision, Mary Lou has remained committed to supporting vocations to religious life and diocesan priesthood through the National Vocations Awareness Division (NVAD) of the J.S. Paluch Company. The NVAD has supported NRVC in numerous ways over the years.
The NRVC commissioned Mikey Needleman to write a song in recognition of the many contributions of Mary Lou Paluch Rafferty to NRVC over the years.
The NRVC Board has selected Reverend Raymond P. Carey, Ph.D. to receive a lifetime membership to the National Religious Vocation Conference. Fr. Carey is a priest of the Archdiocese of Portland, OR. He has taught at both the secondary and university levels, and presently teaches at Mount Angel Seminary Graduate School of Theology in Saint Benedict, Oregon. Father Carey holds a doctorate in clinical psychology from the University of Ottawa, Canada. He has presented workshops in North America, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, and Fiji. He is a past recipient of the NRVC Harvest Award for his work in service of vocation ministry. Countless vocation directors have attended his legendary workshops in Ethics in Vocation and Formation Ministry, Behavioral Assessment 1, and Behavioral Assessment 2.
The NRVC board has selected Notre Dame Vision, a program of the McGrath Institute for Church Life, for the Mustard Seed Award. Each year, Vision conferences at the University of Notre Dame offer high school students a theologically rich experience of keynote speakers with the mentorship of college students. From large group sessions to small faith-sharing groups comprised of peers, Notre Dame Vision provides the space and the community to ask big questions about how God is calling teens to use their talents in service to the Church and world. Through this experience, Vision hopes to enkindle the flame of God’s love that will last beyond the week, grounding a lifetime of faith.
The NRVC Board has selected the following NRVC members to receive the Outstanding Recognition Award for 2020:
Sister Michael Francine Duncan, S.S.M.O.
Brother Ronnie Hingle, S.C.
Sister Marie Mackey, C.S.J.
Sister Priscilla Moreno, R.S.M.
Brother Sean Sammon, F.M.S.
NRVC Episcopal liaison Archbishop Charles C. Thompson
USCCB-CCLV Executive Director Father Luke Ballman
Sister Kristin Matthes, SNDdeN, NRVC Board Chair
Father Adam MacDonald, S.V.D., NRVC Board Vice-Chair
Sister Virginia Herbers, A.S.C.J., NRVC Board Vice-Chair
Presenter: Father Linh Hoang OFM, Ph.D.
Father Linh Hoang, O.F.M., Ph.D. is a Franciscan priest with the Holy Name Province in New York City. He is an Associate Professor of Religious Studies at Siena College in New York. Fr. Linh has published articles in the areas of Asian American Catholics, race, migration and theology, historical theology, religion, and inter-generational religious experience. His book, Rebuilding Religious Experience was published in 2007 and Experiences of the Sacred was published in 2019. He has blogged for the online site, Pop Culture and Theology. He is currently serving as a consultant to the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) on Asian and Pacific Islander Catholics. Fr. Linh serves as a peer-evaluator for accreditation through Middles States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE). He is working on a monograph about Asian American religious experience and racism.
Presenter: Father Dave Kelly, C.PP.S., D.Min.
Father Dave Kelly, C.PP.S., D.Min. is priest of the Missionaries of the Precious Blood. He is the Executive Director of the Precious Blood Ministry of Reconciliation (PBMR), a restorative justice hub in the Back-of-the-Yards/Englewood communities. PBMR is dedicated to healing and reconciliation, especially among those who have been impacted by violence and incarceration. PBMR strives to be a resource to other groups and communities who seek healing and reconciliation. For more than forty years he has ministered in jails and detention centers, most of that time in Chicago, IL. He holds a Doctor of Ministry (D.Min) from Catholic Theological Union in Chicago. He is certified as a mediator and has received training in the restorative practice of Peacemaking Circles. He has published articles and spoken on reconciliation, restorative justice, and jail/detention ministry.
Presenter: Sister Addie Lorraine Walker, S.S.N.D., Ph.D.
Sister Addie Lorraine Walker, S.S.N.D., Ph.D. is a School Sister of Notre Dame and served as provincial leader of the Dallas Province of S.S.N.D. for nine years. Currently, she is Associate Professor of Pastoral Theology and founder and director of the Sankofa Institute for African American Pastoral Leadership at Oblate School of Theology in San Antonio, TX. Sr. Addie Lorraine earned a Ph.D. in religion and education from Boston College in 1996. She is a contributing author of Power of Sisterhood: Women Religious Tell the Story of the Apostolic Visitation. Her research and writing interests include spirituality and culture, SSND spirituality, the spirituality of religious life today, formation for contemporary living of religious life, Christian Education in the 19th and 20th centuries, Catholic Social Teaching from a Black Perspective, and dialogue as a strategy for transformative education.
Presenter: Mr. Jaime Cortez sponsored by OCP
Mr. Jaime Cortez was born in New York and raised in El Salvador. He has dedicated a portion of his ministry to promoting better Hispanic liturgies and bringing cultures together for worship. Jaime is a talented composer, arranger, and performer with Oregon Catholic Press. His main instrument is guitar, though he is proficient in piano and other string instruments, such as charango, vihuela, and bass guitar. He holds a bachelor’s degree in music composition from Arizona State University. He was named Pastoral Musician of the Year in 2016 by the National Association of Pastoral Musicians (NPM). He lives in Mesa, AZ with his wife and their three musically talented sons.
Presenter: Mr. Miguel Naranjo
In a short period of time, changes to U.S. immigration policy have had a profound effect on immigrants in the U.S., including those who serve as religious workers. This workshop will discuss the immigration law challenges impacting international religious workers who serve the Church in the U.S. We will discuss the R-1 Religious Worker Visa process as well as other Visa types that may be utilized by religious to enter the U.S. We will also discuss the permanent residence process for religious workers and current issues impacting that program. This workshop will provide valuable information for international religious workers and also for vocation directors or those responsible for the international members of their religious institute.
Mr. Miguel Naranjo serves as the Director of the Religious Immigration Services (RIS) section of the Catholic Legal Immigration Network, Inc., otherwise known as CLINIC. Miguel leads a group of immigration attorneys who practice exclusively in religious immigration law. They represent over 170 archdioceses, dioceses, and religious communities throughout the U.S., assisting them in bringing international priests, brothers, sisters, novices, seminarians, and other religious workers into the U.S. to serve the Church. He is a graduate of the University of Notre Dame and the University of Pittsburgh School of Law and has been practicing immigration law since 2002.
Presenter: Sister Maxine Kollasch, I.H.M.
Hundreds of messages compete for our attention each day on the internet and in other spaces of our lives. How can messages about religious life be conveyed in ways that engage people and make a difference? This workshop offers a practical model for combining internet and in-person approaches to communicate messages about religious life. A case study is used to demonstrate the model. The session highlights the concept that informs the model and addresses a range of topics including key messages, audiences, platforms, content development, analytics, and other areas. Guidelines and resources are provided to offer assistance with hands-on application of the model from start to finish. This workshop is designed for vocation ministers and leadership at any level of experience in communications and online presence.
Sister Maxine Kollasch, I.H.M. is a member of the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, in Monroe, Michigan. She serves as Executive Director and co-Founder of A Nun’s Life. Established on the internet in 2006, this ministry helps people discover and grow in their vocation, wherever God is calling. A Nun’s Life brings the centuries-old tradition of religious life in areas such as discernment, prayer, and spirituality into conversation with everyday lives. Sr. Maxine works with sisters to create podcasts, blogs, videos, and events. People in 175 countries engage with aNunsLife.org. She holds master’s degrees in Advertising and Theology and has an extensive background in Corporate Communications. She is committed to helping shape a narrative of religious life that is inspiring, accurate and engaging.
Presenter: Father David Songy, O.F.M.Cap., Psy.D.,
sponsored by Saint Luke Institute
Americans now spend sixty hours a week across an average of four digital devices. Video games provide fun opportunities for social bonding, problem solving, and healthy competition. However, excessive gaming can cause multiple problems, such as social isolation, anxiety, poor grades, employment absences, greater impulsivity, violence and depression. Each day, PornHub averages 92 million people with over 1,000 searches per second. This workshop will address the implications of digital arousal for candidate assessment along with the methodology used to determine behaviors that preclude admission due to excessive misuse
Father David Songy, O.F.M.Cap., Psy.D. is a priest of the Capuchin Province of Mid-America and is the current President of St. Luke Institute. A clinical psychologist, he is a former spiritual director and prefect of studies at Redemptoris Mater Missionary Seminary in Denver. He also was director of counseling services at the Pontifical North American College in Rome and held several positions at St. John Vianney Theological Seminary. Father David holds a doctorate in psychology from the University of Denver and a doctorate in sacred theology from the Teresianum, the Pontifical Institute of Spirituality in Rome. He holds a Master’s Degree in pastoral counseling from Loyola College and theology degrees from Aquinas Institute. He presents on formation in priestly celibacy, cybersex addiction, and the integration of psychological and spiritual treatment.
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PHIL LOFTUS, NRVC Development Director
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Religious Vocations: Valid, Vibrant, Valued!
July 15, 2020.
For those of you who have already registered for 2020 Convocation as it was originally schedule for Spokane, Maureen Cetera, Director of Finance, will provide you with a full refund within the next few weeks and will email you when the refund has been processed. You will then be provided the link to register for 2020 Virtual Convocation through the new portal to be available by early September.
For those who have already booked travel: You will need to cancel your reservations. If you booked your hotel through NIX Conference Management, your reservations have been cancelled.
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