Arts and Humanities Commons^™

Belief And Belonging: A Case Study Of The Maronite In San Antonio, Texas, Rose Karam

Theses & Dissertations

This study focuses on a religious group in America and how it has managed to engage the third and fourth generations who have assimilated into the American cultural milieu while maintaining allegiance to the Church of Lebanon-the Maronite Catholic church. Understanding the history of the Lebanese American people and their connection to this Church is essential when studying this group because it offers a deep awareness of the existing phenomena in America, the natural progression of an immigrant population, and its subsequent generation’s progression into the American society. Most of these individuals in this study are the descendants of the …

A Catholic Life Skills Program: The Adoration Module Of The Adoration, Community, Theology, And Service - Life Long Learning (Acts-L3) "Journeyman", Francis Brian Cassidy

Pastoral Institute

The location for my Pastoral Project will be the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) John B. Connally Unit, located two miles south of the town of Kenedy on Hwy 181 in Karnes County, Texas. The Adoration, Community, Theology, and Service Life Long Learning (ACTS-L3) - Journeyman program will provide a learning experience for those participants seeking a faith-based approach to personal development. The beliefs of the Catholic Church and lay faithful will be the basis for learning objectives. The planned curriculum intends to increase awareness of the vocation of lay people in all temporal affairs to our incarcerated communities. …

Involving Youth In Ministries Of Service, Maryrae Romatowski Stein

Pastoral Institute

I am currently serving the parish of St. Anthony Marie de Claret as the Director of Religious Education. Prior to outlining this proposal, I assessed the strengths and weaknesses within our catechetical programs, looked at the dynamics of the St. Anthony community, and discussed the project with our pastor to obtain his preferences. The common thread of concern was the lack of involvement and presence of the youth in the life of the parish. I decided to design and implement a pastoral project, using my ninth grade class as the pilot group, which would allow students to serve alongside adult …

Saudi Women Studying In The United States: Understanding Their Experiences, Trinidad Macias

Theses & Dissertations

The number of students from Saudi Arabia studying in the United States is increasing; this study focused on understanding Saudi women studying in the United States. A qualitative phenomenological approach was used to address the main research question: What are the perceptions of Saudi women on their experiences as international college students in the United States? In an attempt to understand their experiences, eleven Saudi Arabian women were interviewed. Data were collected using a semi-structured interview format. Analysis of the data was conducted via a four-step process that consisted of transcribing the interviews, reduction, horizontalization, and imaginative variation (Merriam, 2002). …

Following The Good Shepherd Retreat For Children And Parents Preparing To Receive The Sacraments Of Reconciliation And Eucharist, Olivia Rico

Pastoral Institute

I will develop and implement two retreats for the First Communion children and parents that attend Christ the King Cathedral Parish and School in Lubbock; TX. These retreats will serve as teaching tools to help participants develop a more in depth theological understanding of the Church's teaching on the Sacraments of Reconciliation and First Eucharist. Furthermore, the retreats will include prayer experiences that will demonstrate to all participants the need to pray always both within and outside the Christian community. Finally, the parents will receive tools that will assist them in preparing their children for their First Reconciliation and First …

Discipleship As A Catalyst For Personal Transformation In The Christian Faith, Vanessa Marie Seifert

Theses & Dissertations

Some Christian churches approach the majority of their faith expression with a 'go to the community' dynamic, while other churches focus primarily on attracting the community to 'come to them.' The problem is that there is a growing population of religiously unaffiliated people in the United States for whom traditional forms of faith expression are not meaningful. A new way of thinking about communal faith expression is needed if the church seeks to reach people who are spiritually curious but not interested in the attractional church model. The journey towards organizational change, even for churches, often begins with a commitment …

Extending The Incarnation Through The Ages: A Systematic Study Of The History Of The Sisters Of The Incarnate Word, Helga L. Leija

Pastoral Institute

Extending the Incarnation through the Ages is a program that aims to help formation directors in the diverse houses of formation of the Sisters of the Incarnate Word and Blessed Sacrament by offering a systematic study of the history of the Order of the Incarnate Word. This program intends to help women in formation to articulate the historical and spiritual development of the Order. Through an in-depth study of the historical journey of the Order, women are offered a process to help them to reflect on the relationship of Jeanne Chezard de Mate! with the Person of the Incarnate Word …

Mentoring As Ministry, Susan Marie Bollinger

Pastoral Institute

This project will take place during the 2006 and 2007 school years. I will be mentoring seven new teachers at the Medina Valley High School for two years. This program is in part a result of the No Child Left Behind Act. It is designed to reduce premature "leakage" from the profession of disillusioned new teachers by providing teachers with a trusted, supportive leadership and to ensure that the new teachers will grow in their profession to benefit their students, school and community. I will also provide spiritual support when needed and asked. I will maintain communications and meet with …

A Comprehensive Retreat Program For High School Youth Ministry Students, Julie Therese Krug

Pastoral Institute

My pastoral project will encompass five retreats that I will work on in collaboration with a team of young adult volunteers and approximately 20 high school juniors and seniors. The "retreat season" will begin with a leadership retreat in September 2007, two Confirmation retreats (December 2007 and March 2008), a freshmen lock-in retreat (January 2008), and a junior high retreat (March 2008). The team will meet weekly for 8 weeks prior to a retreat, at times working on retreats simultaneously, to plan and prepare. The team's tasks will include leading ice breakers, small discussion groups, large group activities, praise and …

Spiritual Growth In Mission Trips, Norma Linda Valdez

Pastoral Institute

The objective of this project is to determine if mission trips contribute to the spiritual growth of its participants. I will attend and participate in a 7 day mission trip with a team in rural Honduras with the Diocese of Fort Worth. The goal of this mission trip is to give medical and dental care and distribute the necessary medications to the people.

A list of questions will be given to the team on the plane as we are flying down there to help establish were they are in reference to their spiritual life. Some similar questions will be given …

Lectionary-Based Bible Study Program, Mary John Trevino

Pastoral Institute

I will be implementing my Pastoral Project with the parishioners and catechists at St. Bonaventure Catholic Church. During my site visit for my Program Planning for Adult Education class, Sister Mary T. Phalen asked if I would consider a Bible Study Class in English for my project because the people had been asking for this type of class for the past three to four years. The parish has many opportunities for the Spanish speaking community, but the need for the English track was very evident.

Some obstacles that I suspect may come up, since it will be my first time …

Happiness Is Service In The Spirit Of Vincent De Paul And Frederic Ozanam A Youth Ministry Catechesis For Service Learning Formation, Timothy Michael Henry Kelly

Pastoral Institute

The Capstone Project and subsequent writings incorporated in this portfolio, referred to as Phase II, is a cumulative and collaborative effort between two colleagues from The Pastoral Institute of The University of the Incarnate Word, San Antonio, Texas. The first phase was successfully completed to fulfill requirements for a Master of Arts in Religious Studies. Phase I was intended to: plan, implement and evaluate a catechesis pilot program for a senior high school CCD class. This pilot was to have its foundation in the Gospel readings of the liturgical calendar. More importantly, this program was designed to afford youth and …

Developing Adult Faith Formation At Our Lady Of Guadalupe Parish, Helotes, Jane M. Abernathy

Pastoral Institute

My project will be to offer assistance to the staff of Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish in Helotes, Texas, in the area of adult faith formation. This will be a two-part project over the course of a nine-month period. The first part will be to examine various Scripture Study programs, select one as a "test," offer it in the Fall of 2002, and evaluate it for possible continuation or rejection.

The second element of this project will be to assess the needs, desires and availability of adults regarding other aspects of adult faith formation. Our Lady of Guadalupe is a …

Strategic Planning For The Source Of Light (Sol) Center Of University Presbyterian Church, Deborah Brandt Buchler

Pastoral Institute

University Presbyterian Church has recently developed an adult education program called The SoL (Source of Light) Center. In operation for nearly a year, the SoL Center is a faith-based education center for adults, who seek to explore the full dimensions of Christian life in the 21st century. A dynamic board of directors representing diverse theological and religious backgrounds has supported the SoL Center. These individuals have provided the leadership for the first year of operations.

For my pastoral project, I will utilize my organizational development coursework in combination with the Pastoral Institute study to facilitate the development of by-laws under …

Integrating Faith In Family A Family-Centered Catechesis, Emma Stefanoni

Pastoral Institute

The purpose of this pastoral project is to develop a "catechesis directed toward families." The underlying principle of this pastoral project is that family catechesis is the work of the entire parish and that, as stated in the General Directory for Catechesis, family catechesis must proceed, accompany, and enrich all forms of catechesis. This project will be directed toward sixty families of Cristo Rey Parish in Austin, Texas during the Fall semester of 2001. It will consist of six, one and one-half hour sessions to families. The sessions, conducted in Spanish and English, will include experiences of prayer, large group …

Developing A Relationship With God Through Prayer, Diane Louise Brown

Pastoral Institute

My area of ministry is teaching the sophomore religion class at Providence High School. I would like the students to develop a deeper relationship with God. This project will be an attempt to bring these students into a deeper understanding of themselves and their church community. The ultimate goal is that the students will grow spiritually by the grace of God.

The time period for this project will be from August 1997 to March 1998. I will start with several surveys and other forms which will give an overview of where the students are presently in their faith development. We …

Faith Affirmed Through Eucharistic Miracles, Teresa Santoyo

Pastoral Institute

The purpose of this project is to explore what is the relationship between the declining participation of the faithful in the celebration of the Mystery of the Eucharist and their respective understanding of the term "Real Presence" as it relates to the mystery of the eucharist.