Survey: Young Adults and the Bible

"If there were a monthly discussion group that met to talk about how the Bible could connect to our everyday lives as young adult Catholics, would you be interested in attending?"   

Leigh-Ann at CBS graduation 2009

This opening to a ten-question survey gets to the heart of Leigh-Ann Hammond's new ministry project. A 2009 graduate of the Hartford Catholic Biblical School, Leigh-Ann is working with the Office of Religious Education to identify and develop a faith community of young adults interested in learning more about the Bible.

The survey identifies interest in a Bible-based discussion group among young Catholic adults in Connecticut between the ages of 21-39.

If you are 21-39 and this idea appeals to you, click here to take the survey.

Or if someone you know might be interested in developing this kind of faith community of young Catholics, email this blog to them by clicking on the envelope icon where it appears below.

Melinda Scollin (Class of 2010) Presents...

A Free Concert to Raise Awareness about Alzheimer’s Disease

As part of their journey of healing, professional musicians Melinda Czerkawski Scollin and Gregory Czerkawski present classic religious and secular pieces, including "There is a Balm in Gilead"; Faure’s Pie Jesu; and DeBussy's Claire de Lune.

When:  Sunday, November 13, 2011, 3:00 PM
Where:  The Church of St. Aedan, 112 Fountain Street, New Haven

As Melinda says, "So many of my Biblical School companions helped me survive my journey with my Mom's Alzheimer's.  This I will never forget."

Click here for directions to the Church of St. Aedan.

"If this is Catholic teaching, how come I've never heard it before?"

A recent article in America magazine points out that "according to many studies, Catholics are among the most biblically illiterate Americans," despite the best efforts of the Catholic Biblical Schools all over the country and their graduates, who bring biblical literacy into ever-wider circles.

And, as the author explains, contemporary Catholics continue to be "shocked at [for example] the suggestion that the first and second chapters of Genesis did not contain literal, historically accurate accounts of creation." Biblical literalism (or fundamentalism) is well and flourishing in our nation.

I recommend this interesting and accurate (in my experience) article by Brian Pinter, who is the director of campus ministry at Regis High School in New York and a graduate student in Bible at The General Theological Seminary in New York City.

Follow this link to read more: http://www.americamagazine.org/content/article.cfm?article_id=13002

CBS First-Year Class Meetings Changed

Please note the following two schedule changes:

• Bloomfield, CT: Mondays, 7:00-9:00 pm, St. Thomas Seminary (moved from Sacred Heart Parish beginning Monday, Sept. 19). Instructor: Ms. Marcia Franko, MA.

• No class in Milford, CT