Be sure to catch our new RECongress 2011 video, posted on our RECongress page on YouTube. With a welcome by Sr. Edith Prendergast, Director of the Office of Religious Education, and Ernesto Vega, of Hispanic Adult Ministry, the video features past Congress event highlights, theme songs and attendees (pictured here are Los Angeles Auxiliary Bishop Gabino Zavala with Mount St. Mary's ministers Esther Granados, Mariana Romero and Linda Quilizapa).
Our RECongress Emailings highlight some of the events going on at Congress 2011 — including a spotlight on speakers and musical artists coming to Congress. Also, be sure to check the Web site for hotel properties with special attendee rates and updated speaker information. So start your planning now to attend Congress 2011.
You can register for Youth Day and Congress days online by credit card. For those paying by check, you can use the forms in the Registration Guidebook. The Guidebook contains all workshop and speaker descriptions, one Youth Day form and two individual Congress Registration Forms per book. If you need a Guidebook, you can view one or order one online.
Youth Day is held annually on the Thursday of the Religious Education Congress weekend. All high school students are invited -- from throughout the Archdiocese and beyond -- to come together to participate in morning and afternoon workshops, culminating in a Youth Rally. Adult chaperones are required for each group of 10 students (maximum), all attending the same workshop. We recommend one extra chaperone for all your groups and suggest you add the additional name to your first group registered. The registration fee for Youth Day 2011 is $20 ($25 after February 4, 2011).
The origins of the Los Angeles Religious Education Congress spring from the Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, popularly known as CCD, a ministry that actually began in Los Angeles in 1922 under Bishop John Cantwell. Over the years, the number of students grew in the program and by 1937 the program was so successful that a full-time director was needed to run the Confraternity of Christian Doctrine.
In 1956, the first CCD “institute” was held for teachers and catechists of the program. Some 500 attended the two-day conference at Mount Carmel High School on Hoover Street in Los Angeles. In 1957, the event at Bishop Conaty Catholic Girls High School saw attendance double. In subsequent years attendance continued to increase at Loyola University; and culminated with over 4,000 attending the event at Immaculate Heart College by 1960.
In 1967, with the cooperation of the dioceses of Monterey-Fresno and San Diego, the agenda for the first three-day “Congress” was set. The purpose was “to provide an atmosphere of Christian unity...for the benefit of each and the common good of all mankind.” It was January 13-15, 1967 that the first “Southern California Confraternity Congress” was held at the LAX-area International Hotel. It was in 1971 that the first Youth Rally was held, which set the pattern for today’s Youth Day.
Congress speaker Sarah Hart has been nominated for the 2011 "Best Gospel Song" Grammy Award, as announced December 3, 2010. Her song, "Better Than a Hallelujah," co-written with Chapin Hartford and performed by Amy Grant, is among the five nominated in this category. "Better Than a Hallelujah" in its original recording is available on Sarah Hart's latest album, "The Give and Keep," available at spiritandsong.com. The Grammy Awards will be handed out at the Los Angeles Staples Center on February 13, 2011.
"Women in Song and Story"
Drawing upon their common artistry and life in the spirit, three women of faith-filled music weave a vivid tapestry in song and story. Come and gather for this rare collaboration by Janèt Sullivan Whitaker, ValLimar Jansen and Sarah Hart.
Janèt Sullivan Whitaker is a singer, teacher and composer, with music published by OCP. A master cantor and catechist, for 10 years she has served as a musician catechist for the One Bread, One Body Conference at St. Meinrad Archabbey in Indiana. She currently serves as Director of Music for St. Joan of Arc Parish in San Ramon, Calif.
ValLimar Jansen is a highly regarded singer, composer and recording artist. She has served as a college/university professor, a leader of worship and prayer and a workshop presenter at conferences across the United States and abroad. In 2007 she performed at the Agora papal event in Loreto, Italy, for over 300,000 people. Jansen was nominated for a 2010 Unity Award, for Female Vocalist of the Year, and selected to serve as the first solo female MC of the 2011 National Catholic Youth Conference.
Sarah Hart is a recording artist with Spirit and Song in Portland, Ore., as well as a staff songwriter for EMI Christian Music Group in Nashville, Tenn. Her songs have been recorded by numerous artists and her music has appeared in film and TV. She also works closely as a voice over artist and composer for the Tom Tichenor Children’s Theater in Nashville. Hart’s passion for women’s ministry has prompted her to write two retreats for women, which she takes to parishes across the country.
"A Little R&R (Refuel & Rejoice)"
Come and dine with Marty Haugen, Gary Daigle and Mary Janus. They will journey with you through music new and old. R&R with them the gift of sung prayer.
Marty Haugen is a liturgical composer, workshop presenter, performing and recording artist and author based in Eagan, Minn. He and his wife, Linda, have two adult children and one grandchild. Currently Marty serves as Composer-in-Residence at Mayflower United Church of Christ in Minneapolis and serves occasionally as adjunct instructor at United Theological Seminary in New Brighton, Minn. For the past 25 years, Marty has presented workshops and concerts across North and Central America, Europe, Asia and the Pacific Rim. He has over 35 recordings and more than 400 separate printed editions available through GIA Publications.
Gary Daigle is Director of Music at St. Edna Catholic Church in Arlington Heights, Ill. His first compositions for musical liturgy were collaborations with the Dameans on the collection “Remember Your Love” (1978). Gary continues to work with the Dameans as a composer, arranger and producer. In 1993, he released his first collection, “Praise the Maker’s Love”. Gary received his Bachelor of Music from Southeastern Louisiana University and has worked as a campus minister at The Catholic University of America. From 1985-1991, he was Director of Music Ministry at the Franciscan Renewal Center in Scottsdale, Arizona. Gary has given workshops and shaped ritual for national and regional conferences throughout the United States Gary is married to Maria and the father of three children, Erin, Paige, and Grant.
Mary Janus is currently Director of Liturgy at Our Lady of Lourdes Church in Northridge, Calif. A graduate of Briar Cliff University in Iowa, Mary has been a pastoral musician since her teenage years. She moved to California and taught music in private schools. Twenty years ago, she formed Harmonia, a music group that has enhanced numerous celebrations including the annual Catechetical Commissioning service, Regional Congresses, and has joined in various Religious Education concerts, liturgies and workshops. Mary also produces a parish event showcasing the “Broadway” side of Harmonia. Mary serves as musician contractor for the RECongress and has also collaborated alongside various local published music ministers for archdiocesan liturgies.
You can find the schedule of all our artists on our Congress Web site.
A little-publicized project of the Office of Religious Education has been the establishment of a Religious Education Endowment Fund to support the ongoing training and formation of religious education leaders. The Fund provides scholarships for catechetical leaders to pursue graduate studies. The goal is for every Director of Religious Education and Director of Youth Ministry to receive a master’s degree in Religious Education/Religious Studies. Currently 19 graduate students are benefiting from this fund.
Join us in supporting these and future students working in ministry by making a donation — which is tax-deductible — when you register online by credit card.
This year we have contracted with 28 hotels nearby the Anaheim Convention Center to offer special rates for attendees. Find a hotel for Congress using our online 2011 Hotel page and our Interactive Hotel Map! Be sure to make your hotel reservations as soon as possible. When making reservations, be sure to ask for the Religious Education Congress rate.
Last year we witnessed two of the largest natural disasters in recent memory in Haiti and Pakistan. And through the generous participation of Congress 2010 attendees in our Cell Phone Recycling Initiative, we were able to donate $1,800 to Catholic Relief Services’ emergency assistance to Haiti. Again this year we are partnering with GetGreenToGetGreen.com to collect phones to benefit Haiti and Pakistan. Bring your old cell phones — working or not — with you to Congress. More than 130 million cell phones are thrown away every year. Don’t throw away electronics that should be recycled. Do your part to recycle your old cell phone — and help us help Haiti and Pakistan in the process.
You can find specifics about volunteering for Congress 2011 on the Volunteer page on our web site.
Special offer for Congress attendees: Only on www.RECongress.org can you find a link for specially priced tickets to Disneyland and Disney’s California Adventure. There is special ticket pricing on evening passes and on single- and multi-day passes for both Disneyland Resort parks. Note: These tickets are only available for sale online until March 18. Tickets are valid March 15-28, 2011.
You can find all Congress information and updates online. We will soon be adding our Exhibitors for Congress 2011 and are constantly updating speaker and hotel information. Check our site for updates and announcements.