Archbishop's web site Denver Catholic Register Parishes Catholic Pastoral Center
October 4, 2000
All invited to Scripture Conference 2000
By Peter Droege
Want to meet the "Indiana Jones" of Scripture study?
How about a "revert" Catholic who knows the secret to winning back friends and family from the prison of indifference to the faith?
According to organizers, a fresh outpouring of the Holy Spirit awaits anyone seeking to deepen their understanding of the faith at "Scripture Conference 2000," Oct. 20-21, at the Hilton Denver Tech South.
"The Scripture Conference will assist Catholics in deepening their relationship with Jesus Christ, the `Word of God,' and learning to proclaim their faith to family and friends with renewed love," according to Religious Sister of Mercy Mary Timothea Elliott, a conference coordinator.
"In the home, the workplace and the media, Catholics often find their faith being challenged and don't know where to turn," says Sister Timothea, a professor at St. John Vianney Theological Seminary, who has 30 years of experience teaching Scripture and Theology around the world.
"The Scripture Conference will help the faithful deepen their relationship with Jesus and address the real life situations where their faith is being challenged," she explained.
A three-year cycle of conferences was instituted in 1999 to replace the archdiocesan Mile Hi Congress. The cycle began with last year's Liturgy Conference and continues with this year's Scripture Conference, and with a Catechetical Conference in 2001.
A pre-conference for continuing education of priests and deacons will open "Scripture Conference 2000" on Oct. 20. The event features the same speakers who will address the conference program for the general public, which begins on Friday evening and continues throughout the day on Saturday.
Archbishop Chaput will open the conference program for the general public at 7:30 p.m. on Oct. 20 with his address, "Dei Verbum Thirty Five Years Later: Understanding the Word of God."
"Dei Verbum," promulgated at the Second Vatican Council in 1965, is widely considered to have opened a new chapter in the study of Sacred Scripture by Catholics.
The conference for the general public will continue on the morning of Oct. 21 with an 8 a.m. Mass celebrated by Archbishop Chaput. The morning continues with a keynote presentation by Father Francis Martin on "Historical Criticism and the Spiritual Sense of Scripture: Friends or Enemies?"
Father Martin, a priest of the Archdiocese of Washington, D.C., is a nationally recognized speaker who holds a doctorate in Sacred Scripture from the Biblicum in Rome. Just as "Indiana Jones" changed the way people view archeology, Father Martin brings a treasure house of knowledge and a sense of excitement among those immersed in the study of Sacred Scripture.
"He addresses the Number One issue in contemporary biblical studies: the tension that is perceived between Historical Criticism and the Spiritual Sense of Scripture," explains Sister Timothea. "For the past 100 years, these issues have been addressed in encyclicals and other documents.
"It will be very enlightening, not only for serious students of Scripture, but those beginning their studies," she added.
Following the keynote presentation, breakout sessions will be offered on subjects including: "The Jesus Seminar and its Contemporary Challenge," "God's Word for Little Ones: Opening Sacred Scripture for Young Children," "The God of Justice and Mercy?: The Unity of the Old and New Testaments," "Transforming the Family through Jubilee Graces," "Practical Tools for Breaking Open the Word," and "Lectio Divina: Teaching Children to Pray the Word of God."
The afternoon keynote presentation will be offered by Msgr. Kevin Irwin, professor of Liturgy and Sacramental Theology at the Catholic University of America. He will speak on, "How the Liturgy Structures our Hearing the Word of God."
Sister of St. Francis Macrina Scott, director of the Catholic Biblical School, says Msgr. Irwin will be addressing a topic of interest to all Catholics, but especially lectors who proclaim the Word of God in parishes.
"A lector has a tremendous responsibility of communicating the written word in oral form to the people gathered to worship," she told the Register. "They need to have a grasp of what it is they are communicating.
"They need to know as much as they can about Scripture," she continued. "Anything that can deepen their appreciation of Scripture will enrich their role as lector."
Curtis Martin, who left the Church in college and began working with "Campus Crusade for Christ" before returning to the faith, is nationally recognized for his insights into winning people back to the practice of the faith. He is the founder of the Fellowship of Catholic University Students, which is having tremendous success in reaching out to students on college campuses across the nation.
Religious Sister of Mercy Moira Debono, director of the Office for Liturgy, added that Extraordinary Ministers of the Eucharist will also benefit from the Conference.
"We hope pastors see the Conference as a way to make a long-term investment in the life of their parishes, as it is a significant opportunity for the spiritual formation and fellowship of lay leaders in the archdiocese," she explained.
Additional information on the Scripture Conference will be presented in the next two issues of the Register. Registration for Scripture Conference 2000 is $65. To register, or for more information, call Christina Patarino, 303-715-3245.
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