On this page you will find two press releases about the tour. For general information please click here
For Immediate Release
19th January 2009
Bishop Urges Parishes To Make ‘Mission Training’ A 2009 Priority
The bishop responsible for mission in England and Wales has urged parishes to make evangelisation training a priority during the coming year.
Speaking to coincide with the publication of national evangelisation training tour dates, Rt Rev Malcolm McMahon, Chair of the Bishops’ Conference Department for Evangelisation and Catechesis said: “At this time of year many people make New Year’s resolutions. I encourage you to include ‘making time for evangelisation training’ one of yours. To proclaim and share the faith is the reason that the Church exists - all of us, from the youngest to the oldest, lay, consecrated and ordained can play our part in home mission. Consider putting aside some time to learn how to evangelise more effectively; this is sure to bear fruit on many levels.”
The training initiative is called ‘Fanning The Flames’ and is being led jointly by the Catholic Agency to Support Evangelisation (CASE) and Catholic Evangelisation Services (the creators of the CaFE resources). The primary focus of the training will be to help parishes to establish Parish Evangelisation Teams. The days are designed to build on the Home Mission Sunday ‘Alive in Christ: Making Mission Possible In Your Parish’ DVD material, sent to every parish in England and Wales in September 2008.
Twelve days are being offered across England and Wales:
14th February Llandudno
18th February Westminster (specifically for clergy)
21st February Gateshead
7th March Mackworth (Derby)
21st March Hull
25th April London
9th May Southampton
30th May Birmingham
6th June Exeter
13th June Bristol
17th October Newmarket
Early 2010 Leeds and Liverpool
CASE Director, Mgr Keith Barltrop, said: “This tour provides us all with an opportunity to find out what Catholic Evangelisation is all about and how to set up a parish team to animate it. The focus is practical and those who attend a day will receive information, resources and hopefully lots of inspiration. Everyone is welcome.”
The tour has been inspired by St Paul and is being launched during the Jubilee Year. In his Second Letter to Timothy we read: "That is why I am reminding you now to fan into a flame the gift that God gave you when I laid my hands on you. God's gift was not a spirit of timidity, but the Spirit of power, and love, and self-control. So you are never to be ashamed of witnessing to the Lord ..." (2 Timothy 1: 6-8). In the same vein, it is hoped that the training days will enable people to make active their gifts and give them the practical tools to go out and bear fruit.
Every parish is being invited to send at least four representatives to receive training. A donation of £10 is suggested to help cover the costs. To find out more and to register the names of participants from your parish please see: www.caseresources.org.uk; e-mail: info@caseresources.org.uk; tel: 0207 901 4863. Also see: www.faithcafe.org.
ENDS
Editors
For interviews and more information please e-mail: info@caseresources.org.uk; tel: 0207 901 4863. Alternatively ring: 0770 939 1998.
‘Fanning The Flame’ is also the name of a mission to foster the Catholic faith which was initiated in the Diocese of Portsmouth. Please see: http://www.ftfcm.com/dk/?action=frontpage
Tour poster (pdf)
Tour website banner (pdf)
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Parish Evangelisation Training 2009
Are you passionate about your faith but feel you need some support in knowing how to share it? Does the word ‘Evangelisation’ conjure up feelings of fear or confusion? Maybe you and your parish would like to take a concrete step and explore starting up an outreach team? Perhaps you’re already doing it and are in need of resources? Wherever you are on your journey, a unique training opportunity is being offered to Catholic parishes during 2009.
The initiative is called ‘Fanning the Flames’ and is being offered by the Catholic Agency to Support Evangelisation (CASE), which is working in partnership with Catholic Evangelisation Services (the creators of the CaFE resources). A full list of training dates is published below, and fliers and posters are also available.
Mgr Keith Barltrop, Director of CASE, said: “This is a first for England and Wales. Never before has evangelisation training been offered on such a large scale and in such a strategic way. Everyone is welcome to attend an event. Come and be supported in playing your part in home mission, and if you can’t come, please pray for its success. We all have a role in fanning the flames of faith.”
During this Jubilee Year of St Paul which ends in June 2009, the theme of the tour is sourced from one of his letters to Timothy. We read: "That is why I am reminding you now to fan into a flame the gift that God gave you when I laid my hands on you. God's gift was not a spirit of timidity, but the Spirit of power, and love, and self-control. So you are never to be ashamed of witnessing to the Lord ..." (2 Timothy 1: 6-8). In the same vein, it is hoped that the training days will enable people to make active their gifts and give them the practical tools to go out and bear fruit.
Every region in both countries will host an event. The hope is that the venues offered will include a good geographical spread so as to enable as many Catholics as possible to attend an event.
Liesel Detemple, who is the Resources Manager at Catholic Evangelisation Services, said: “What better response could we make to the year that the Church has dedicated to St Paul, than by taking the call to evangelise more seriously. We don’t have to look very far to see that now is the time for mission, and the training days and resources are here to build on what parishes are already doing, as well as enable them to reach out in new and creative ways.”
It is hoped that every parish will send at least four representatives to receive training. A suggested donation to help cover costs is £10 per person. To find out more and to register the names of participants from your parish please see: www.caseresources.org.uk; e-mail: info@caseresources.org.uk; tel: 0207 901 4863. Also see: www.faithcafe.org.
ENDS
Editors
For interviews and more information please e-mail info@caseresources.org.uk; tel: 0207 901 4863. Alternatively ring mobile tel: 0770 939 1998.
‘Fanning The Flame’ is also the name of a mission to foster the Catholic faith which was initiated in the Diocese of Portsmouth. Please see: http://www.ftfcm.com/dk/?action=frontpage
Tour Dates
February 14th Llandudno
February 18th Westminster (specifically for clergy)
February 21st Gateshead
March 7th Mackworth (Derby)
March 21st Hull
April 25th London
May 9th Southampton
May 30th Birmingham
June 6th Exeter
June 13th Bristol
October 17th Newmarket
Early 2010 Leeds and Liverpool
*Other dates and venues to be confirmed.