Spring Enrichment dares to try a new look

The Albany diocesan Office of Religious Education "dares to hope" that the upcoming Spring Enrichment will be as successful as the ones held in the past.

This year's event, titled "If We Dare To Hope," marks the 25th anniversary of the annual formation program for catechists, youth ministers, Catholic school teachers, pastoral leaders and others. It will be held May 11-14 at the College of Saint Rose in Albany.

The event has grown dramatically since the first one in 1973, when 250 people attended 10 workshops offered at two parish locations. This year's Spring Enrichment includes 120 workshops and is expected to draw more than 1,000 participants.

New for spring

Although the event is celebrating its silver anniversary, there are many things that are new this year, said Christopher Weber, ORE's associate director of catechist formation and event chair for Spring Enrichment.

For example, this is the first year the event has a theme song: "If We Dare To Hope," co-written by liturgical composer Bobby Fisher, who will be offering a concert and several workshops.

The lyrics to the song fit perfectly with what the committee was striving for. "We decided to rally the event around a song," Mr. Weber said.

Concerted effort

Mr. Fisher's May 11 concert is another new addition to the Spring Enrichment line-up. Prior to the concert, there will be a dessert reception, which is also new.

The concert will include a retrospective on catechesis in the Albany Diocese over the past 25 years. "We'll look back over the past 25 years as Church in the Diocese of Albany," Mr. Weber said. "We'll celebrate with songs from each of the eras."

The planning for this year's event included a lot of collaboration among diocesan departments that has led to a whole new slate of course offerings. This year, the liturgy track has been revived and is co-sponsored by the Office of Prayer and Worship; the Family Life Office has contributed to the family track; the Catholic School Office collaborated on a Catholic education track; and the Renew 2000 Office is presenting workshops.

Audience enlarged

This is also the first year that courses will be offered in Spanish. Their topics were generated with the help of Martha Arenas-Fenn, coordinator of Hispanic pastoral services for the Family Life Office.

For the first time ever, there are also workshops targeting young adults (persons between the ages of 18 and 35).

In addition, as part of the anniversary celebration, Mr. Weber said a scholarship to St. Bernard's Institute will be presented as a memorial to Spring Enrichment founder Sister Eileen Flanagan, CND.

More to do

While there are many firsts, Mr. Weber said, there are many things about Spring Enrichment that remain constant, including the leadership track, daily liturgies and vendors of religious goods, such as books, videotapes and religious ed materials.

Another exciting aspect of this year's event, according to Mr. Weber, is keynote speaker Maureen Kelly, who will discuss the Second Vatican Council. She is director of product management at Resources for Christian Living and has served as director of its Vatican II Center.

"RCL has a number of resources on Vatican II," Mr. Weber said. "There was amazing movement of the Holy Spirit during the council. We'll revisit its major themes and look at what the implications are as we enter the next millennium."

Workshops

Mr. Weber said participants can also look forward to workshops on:

* the New General Directory for Catechesis, given by Christopher Anderson, associate director of the National Conference of Catechetical Leadership, and Susan Gleason Anderson, a theology student at the University of Chicago Divinity School;

* "Sacraments Today," given by Rev. Dennis Tamburello, OFM, from Siena College in Loudonville;

* Children's liturgies, with Mr. Fisher; and

* "Encountering the Old Testament," presented by Michael Dick from Siena.

Other topics for Spring Enrichment are prayer, disciplining children, inclusive language, Christian sexuality, images of God and teaching religion to learning-disabled children.

(Spring Enrichment course fees are $5 per two-hour session with a maximum of $40 per person. Walk-in registrations are welcome. Brochures are available in parish and school offices. For more information or to register, call 453-6630. Also, see advertisement on page 18.)

(04-30-98)