Welcome to Adult Formation
God has given human beings intellect and will so that they might freely seek, know and love him”
(Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith - December 2007)
The Adult Formation Department
The full-time staff of the department are Father John Lumley MTh, BA, BD, PGCE, (Director of Adult Formation), and Mrs Jane Cook LLB, BA, (Adult Formation Adviser). We have an office within the Curial Office in Middlesbrough, but are frequently out and about visiting parishes and events throughout the length and breadth of the Diocese.
Mrs Sue Paterson, Receptionist at the Curial Office, gives part-time support to the department. Sue will take urgent messages for Father John or Jane if we are unavailable, and is the first point of contact for enquiries and bookings from the Handbook of Short Courses.
Father John can be contacted on 01642 850505 ext. 241 or at adultformationdirector@dioceseofmiddlesbrough.co.uk
Jane can be contacted on 01642 850505 ext. 235 (with answerphone) or at adultformation@dioceseofmiddlesbrough.co.uk
What’s here?
Details of news, forthcoming events, resources, courses - in fact almost everything to do with Adult Formation in the Middlesbrough Diocese - will be published here.
Click on HANDBOOK OF SHORT COURSES to view the handbook. Details of all the courses and the facilitators, and practical issues and booking arrangements, can be viewed on this web site. Please feel free to download your own personal copy of the handbook.
For information about AF events, courses and workshops that are taking place throughout the Diocese, click on EVENT CALENDAR. Those that are most imminent are also listed under “Upcoming Events” on the right of this page. Where events are advertised as open to all, please do feel very warmly invited to attend. If you require any further information about the events listed please don’t hesitate to contact us.
At most Adult Formation courses and workshops the facilitator will distribute evaluation sheets to the participants. Under the category of COMMENTS AND FEEDBACK FROM COURSE EVALUATION SHEETS you can view a small representative sample of written responses to a selection of courses. We hope that this will be useful in giving an insight into how various courses and facilitators are being received, and the impact they are having upon individual parishioners and parish life.
“Supporting Lay Pastoral Ministry”
This is a 10 session course (1 session per month) running from September 2008 to July 2009, in venues at Middlesbrough, Hull and York.
The course is for any parishioner engaged in any pastoral care and parish visiting: e.g. Extraordinary Ministers, Catechists, Welcomers, SVP members, and visitors to the hospital, housebound or bereaved.
The aim is to develop skills in pastoral care, give spiritual and practical support to parishioners, and reflect on pastoral issues and personal experience. The input given will be grounded in reality, sensitivity and good practice.
If you think this course might be for you please click on SUPPORTING LAY PASTORAL MINISTRY. Here you’ll find details of dates, venues, a brief course outline, and details of how to book.
“Welcoming Back” - Two Inspirational Workshops!
There was an excellent response from throughout the whole Diocese to the two full-day workshops entitled “Welcoming Back: How we reach out to Catholics who have left the Church”.
For a fuller report of the workshops please go to WELCOMING BACK.
Further ideas and resources
Father John and Jane are available, working together or separately, to help resource various formation needs for parishes and groups.
Under the category of FURTHER IDEAS AND RESOURCES FOR THE PARISH you will find a varied selection of formation work being undertaken for specific needs, e.g. listening skills for bereavement visitors, formation for Confirmation catechists or with parishioners responsible for working with Baptism parents. These events are NOT open to all, but are highlighted here to give a flavour of our work, and to raise awareness of future possibilities for your own parish community.
Thoughts
If you click on THOUGHTS you’ll find a number of reflective articles on Adult Formation and evangelisation which have been written for publication in the Catholic Voice.
Please pray for the work of Adult Formation and Evangelisation…
Perhaps by using this prayer:
Loving God, Your Son Jesus has planted the seed of faith in our hearts.
Help us grow in knowledge and love of that faith, and give us the courage to share it with our neighbours.
Make our lives and our communities into fertile soil bringing forth a rich harvest to your glory.
Keeping in touch
There’s a calendar to which you can subscribe (there’s a link on the symbol above the name of the current month on the menu to the right), which will automatically send information of newly published events.
What do you think?
If you have any constructive comments, especially about formation needs, please post them to us. We’d love to hear from you.
