Ongoing Ministerial Development & Resources: Culture Issues

OLFF staff curated examples of webinars, articles, and books that may be helpful to those serving as catechetical or youth ministry leaders in parishes.

Resources by Topic

Click on another topic to access the page of related resources:

Covid-19 Pandemic

Go to Covid-19 Leader Resource Hub

COVID-19 Resources

National Catholic Partnership on Disabilities webpage

Tips and curated links to resources on dealing with mental health and disabilities during the pandemic https://ncpd.org/pandemic

5 Keys to Leading through Coronavirus Uncertainty

meQuilibrium PDF

Checklist of 5 things a team needs from a leader to deal with the anxiety of uncertainty and build resilience during the pandemic. https://bit.ly/2JQsABu

Best Practices for Securing Your Virtual Classroom

Zoom Blog

Tips and controls for creating and maintaining a safe virtual learning environment when using Zoon (other platforms have similar controls) https://www.zoom.com/en/blog/teachers-top-features-for-securing-virtual-classrooms-enhancing-student-learning-experiences/

Ministry Amidst a Crisis: Covid 19 and Ministering to the Young Church and their Families

NFCYM

Ministry leaders discuss the feelings surrounding Covid 19, what has changed about ministry and how to keep ministering effectively to the young Church and families. https://bit.ly/2WMrK0b

Steps and Strategies for Online Ministry

NFCYM

Several ministry leaders discuss how ministry has changed in light of Covid 19, when to use which platform, and how to protect the safety of minors. https://bit.ly/3cuUa3t

Accompanying Families with Teenagers while Social Distancing

NFCYM Webinar

Catholic and licensed counselor Roy Petitfils offers insights and tips for accompanying teens. https://bit.ly/33GYuJC

The Coronavirus and Sitting Quietly Alone

Video from Word on Fire

Bishop Robert Barron describes this time of semi-quarantine as an invitation to some monastic introspection, some serious confrontation with the questions that matter, some purposeful sitting alone in a room.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8_VJhBBqE5Y&feature=youtu.be&t=8.

FERPA and Virtual Learning Related Resources

U.S. Department of Education PDF

Guidance and links to resources related to student privacy and virtual learning. https://bit.ly/2UBRKZf

Moving Faith Formation Online Toolkit

Vibrant Faith web resource hub

John Roberto and an ecumenical group of Christian educators offer tools, tips, and models for moving Faith Formation online. https://bit.ly/3am0itT

Till We Meet Again: How to conduct a small group online

Renew International webinar

Best practices and suggestions for how to conduct a virtual small group. https://vimeo.com/401070794

Tips for staying home amid coronavirus fears

Article from Advanced Publishers - New Jersey

Sister Mary Catharine Perry offers tips for make the most of social distancing, learned through her life as cloistered nun Dominican nun. https://bit.ly/39kijro

Zoom Meetings: Best practices on how to conduct, facilitate, and host

Virginia Theological Seminary Webinar

Experience and learn best practices for hosting Zoom meetings that create community and sacred space. https://youtu.be/RCMI4TIDzDg

Cultural or Timely Issues

7 Signs Your Child is a Porn Addict

Integrity Restored webpage

List of seven observable actions or behaviors that may indicate someone has an addiction to pornography. https://integrityrestored.com/porn-addiction/

Beyond Screen Time

E-formation webinar

Discusses how to utilize social media safely and wisely to promote youth ministry events. Introduces different social media platforms as well as highlight features of each. https://bit.ly/2GWCN0D

Bruises on the Inside: The Changing Landscape of Bullying

NFCYM

Roy Petitfils talks about the epidemic of bullying, warning signs of both the bullied, bullies and bystander and offers questions to ask to all those involved in the bullying epidemic. https://bit.ly/2kcKvZI

Catholic Guide to End-of-Life Issues

National Catholic Bioethics Center webpage

Explanation of Church Teaching on Advance Directives, Euthanasia, and Physician Assisted Suicide https://www.ncbcenter.org/publications/end-life-guide/

Create in Me a Clean Heart: A Pastoral Response to Pornography

USCCB statement

Statement from the U.S. bishops shows a collective concern for the widespread problem of pornography in our culture today and guidelines for local responses. https://bit.ly/2KHpyAg

High Anxiety: Unlocking the Effects of Stress and Anxiety in the Lives of Youth and Young Adults

NFCYM Webinar

Anxiety is common amongst youth and young adults today.  This webinar offers some of the causes of anxiety, the spiritual effects, and how we as ministers can help to lessen fear and anxiety in the youth and young adults we serve.  Link.

How to Talk to a Friend Who's Had an Abortion

USCCB Article

Offers suggestions for how respond to the person's needs and in ways that bring her or him closer to healing and restoring hope about the future. https://bit.ly/2DiwLDB

Integrity Restored

Website

Education, encouragement, and resources that empower people to break free from pornography, heal relationships, and help prevent pornography addiction in our children. https://integrityrestored.com

Life Matters to the end of our days

USCCB Bulletin Article

"Facts of Faith" highlights Church teachings and appropriate moral responses related Euthanasia, Assisted Suicide, and People in PVS (Persistent Vegetative State) https://www.ncbcenter.org/store/catholic-guide-to-end-of-life-decisions-english-pdf-download

Media Mindfulness: Educating Teens about Faith and Media

Book cover from St Mary's Press (available through Pauline Books and media)

Sister Rose Pacatte, FSP and Sister Gretchen Hailer, RHSM describe an inquiry-based strategy to ask questions of the media and decide what to do with a media message in light of our faith. Include resources and examples. Link.

Media Mindfulness Part One: Questioning the Media and Growing in Faith

Pauline Centers for Media Studies blog post

First in a series of six posts in which Sr. Hosea Rupprecht, FSP, describes an inquiry-based strategy "Media Mindfulness" that gives us a way to ask questions of the media and decide what to do with a media message in light of our faith. This strategy is helpful for all people of faith but especially for parents and catechists who help children live as faithful disciples in today’s world. https://bit.ly/2V1qYc2