»Education and Formation

Media Resource Center
The Media Resource Center provides the most updated slides, audio and videocassettes, as well as, old classics for use in parish religious education programs for small children to adults. It offers categories of bible study, moral foundations, Mariology, sex education, death/dying, how to minister to the sick, social justice issues, liturgy, sacraments, how to teach religious education, Church and U.S. History, saints, and good family entertainment. Slides for prayer services, and audio and videocassettes for music/spirituality are also available. There is no charge for rentals but there are penalties for late, lost or damaged material.

Office of Catechesis
Realizing that "faith lives in the hearts of believers" (GDC #105), those who serve through the Office of Catechesis in the Diocese of Brownsville focus all their efforts on encouraging and animating this faith in the hearts of catechetical leaders, catechists, and pastors.
The Office of Catechesis offers catechetical leaders and catechists various opportunities for continuing formation, gatherings for mutual support and sharing, assistance with materials and programs and planning necessary for effective religious education of children and young people. All the efforts of the Office of Catechesis aim ?to put people not only in touch, but also in communion and intimacy with Jesus Christ?. (GDC #80) The Office of Catechesis provides catechist formation through the “Echoes of Faith” Program produced by NCCL. (GDC: General Directory for Catechesis)

Family Life Office
The Family Life Office provides training, programs and resources, advocacy, and support to pastors and parish staffs, marriage preparation ministers, and others involved in family ministries. The staff offers training, follow-up and continuing education sessions for parish sponsor couples, Natural Family Planning informational and instructional sessions, Catholic Engaged Encounter and 2-Day Marriage Preparation Retreats, Convalidation Conferences, Retrouvaille/ Rediscovery programs for troubled marriages, R.S.V.P for Separated and Divorced, mother/ daughter fertility awareness programs, as well as family/ marriage enrichment and faith formation sessions. The office also supports and promotes the work of groups ministering with families in the diocese such as Movimiento Familiar Cristiano, Marriage Encounter, and Encuentro Matrimonial as well as provides resources to parishes to foster family ministries.

Catholic School Office
The Diocese of Brownsville has 11 Catholic schools serving approximately 3,900 children in grades PK to 12, and including families from 80% of our Catholic parishes. The Catholic schools provide an environment where faith and gospel values are taught and nurtured through prayer, daily religion classes and regular participation in Mass and liturgical worship. Each child is encouraged to develop to his/her fullest potential through a strong and challenging academic program. All Catholic schools are State accredited by the Texas Catholic Conference Education Commission through the oversight of the Diocesan Catholic School Office.

San Juan Diego Lay Ministry Institute
The San Juan Diego Lay Ministry Institute has as its expressed purpose the preparation of lay Catholics to proclaim their faith in Jesus as Lord, teach the truths of the Catholic faith, experience formation in the spiritual tradition of the Catholic Church, and extend to others the invitation to join in the mission of the Church. Establishing this endeavor for the education and formation of Catholic laity will be the primary concern of the first year of the Institute’s existence. It will entail clarification of the theological and pastoral ethos of the program, establishing a standard curriculum and a library, hiring of faculty and development of materials for publicity and education.

, Superintendent of Catholic Schools
700 N. Virgen de San Juan Blvd. • San Juan, TX 78589 • Phone 956-787-8571 • Fax 956-784-5081

last updated 09-Apr-2008 9:58 sitemap