Is Jesus calling you to be more active in parish life?  Do you want to deepen your relationship with Christ and His Church but are not sure where to begin?  Have you been looking for a Catholic Bible Study to attend…and perhaps to invite your friends and neighbors to as well?  Have you been challenged about your Catholic faith by a non-Catholic and were not sure how to respond?  Would you like to spend time in fellowship with members of your parish family?

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The ICC Adult Education Committee is pleased to announce these exciting opportunities and resources for adults that will serve to enrich your faith life as a member of our parish and help you to share your faith more effectively with others.  We invite you to consider taking part in one or more of the activities below.

Bible Studies and Catholic Apologetics

Immaculate Conception Parish offers a range of Bible studies and apologetics courses designed to bring you deeper into God’s Word in the mind and heart of His Church.  As Vatican II teaches us, the fullness of truth subsists in the Catholic Church (Lumen Gentium 8).  What an amazing gift we have in being Catholic!  How important it is, then, that Catholics understand this faith, rooted in Sacred Scripture and Sacred Tradition (2 Thess. 2:15), live this faith, love this faith, and know how to share it with our neighbors (1 Peter 3:15).

1)  Little Rock Scripture Studies – Tuesdays beginning Sept. 13, 2011, 7–9 p.m.  This year, attendees will focus on St. Paul’s letters to the Galatians and Romans.  Come learn how the great “apostle to the gentiles” explains how God’s plan of salvation was finally opened through faith in Jesus Christ to include not only Jews but Gentiles (non-Jews) as well.  This important series will help you understand the relationship between “justification,” “salvation,” and “good works”–and why St. Paul was so concerned about these concepts that have sadly divided Christians for five centuries.  You will come away understanding how Paul’s Gospel is thoroughly Catholic and how to live by “faith working through love” (Galatians 5:6).

2) Word on Fire’s Catholicism Project – Beginning January 9th!  Monday evenings from 7–9 p.m. and Tuesday mornings from 9:15–11:15 a.m. in the Parish Center library.  Join Fr. Robert Barron on this inspiring journey around the globe as he explores the richness and depth of the Catholic Church.  Fr. Barron will discuss the teachings of Catholicism as well as her history, beauty, artwork, music, architecture, and glorious liturgy.  This series is not to be missed!  Be sure to invite your family, friends, and co-workers so that they can witness Catholicism like they’ve never seen it before.  For more details about this event, click here.

3) The Adult Education Committee is currently compiling a list of resources to help you keep up-to-date and informed about your Catholic faith.  Check back soon for a link to this website.

Liturgy, Eucharistic Adoration, and Prayer

1) “…and with your spirit!”  Are you ready for the new edition of the Roman Missal being adopted this Advent? Every parishioner is invited to join us in learning more about the third edition of the Roman Missal, why it was needed and created, and how it more faithfully translates the prayers of the Mass.  Click here for a list of available sessions. 

2) Click here for a list of online resources related to the third edition of the Roman Missal [link will be posted shortly].

3) Our Eucharistic Lord waits for us in every tabernacle and monstrance, and He longs for us to be in His presence.  Come spend some time with Jesus in Eucharistic Adoration, for Christ’s Eucharistic presence is “the source and summit of the Christian life” (CCC1324).  Click here for a list of adoration times at local churches and for more information on Eucharistic Adoration.

Catholic Spirituality

1) FindingGod.org  This website contains resources to enrich your spiritual life, including daily 3-minute reflections.

Marriage and Family Life

1) “10 Great Dates” marriage-enrichment program.  This insightful book and DVD course by David and Claudia Arp helps spark romance with memory-making evenings built on key, marriage-enriching themes such as: communication, conflict, encouragement, creative love life, balancing roles of parent and partner.  After a short video that sets the stage for discussion, couples are sent out to their own private dates. The program will run every Friday night from 6 to 9pm beginning January 20^th through March 23, 2012.  Click here for more information and here to download the registration form.

Fellowship and Parish Activities

1) Elkton Area Catholic Young Adults – Coming soon. We are excited to be forming a group for young adults (age 18–early 30s) in the parish and neighboring communities.  Stay tuned for more details!

2) M.O.M. (“Mothers On a Mission”) Group – Meet other mothers and children at Church and around town for friendly conversation and support.  Please contact Elizabeth Stevens (estevens@udel.edu) for more details or to express your interest in participating.  Kids always welcome!  Please click here for more information.

3) Christian Yoga – Mondays beginning Sept. 5, 2011 at 7 p.m. in the parish gym.

Faithful Citizenship

1) Click here [link to be provided soon] for more information from the USCCB (United States Conference of Catholic Bishops) about being a faithful citizen.  Or, click here for a link to the USCCB’s Faithful Citizenship website or here for a direct link to the USCCB’s document “Faithful Citizenship.”   For more details on forming your conscience for faithful citizenship, visit this USCCB website.

2) Click here for a link to “Voter’s Guide for Serious Catholics” (Catholic Answers).

“Always be prepared to make a defense to any one who calls you to account for the hope that is in you” (1 Peter 3:15).

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About the Adult Education Committee:

The role of this parish committee is to plan enrichment opportunities annually for all Adult parishioners. It accomplishes its task through seeking input in the form of suggestions and evaluations of previous participants. This Committee normally meets the second Tuesday of every month in the parish library.  Please check back here for announcements regarding future meetings and prayerfully consider contributing your time to this committee.  If you would like to share any ideas or suggestions for future parish events, please email Sr. Grace at dre@iccparish.org. For more information please contact the Religion Office at 410-392-3551 or re@iccparish.org.

Have you been challenged about being Catholic?  Are you ready and able to share the Catholic story–your story–with friends and neighbors who do not understand it?

In a week and a half, Immaculate Conception Parish will begin an 11-week journey through the rich truth and beauty of the Catholic faith.  Join fellow parishioners in viewing and discussing Fr. Robert Barron’s epic, ten-part series, Catholicism.

The Catholicism series will be shown on Monday evenings (7-9 p.m.) and Tuesday mornings (9:15-11:15 a.m.) beginning January 9th.  The Tuesday sessions, which begin January 10th, are a repeat of the Monday evening session.  All meetings will occur in the ICC Parish Center library.

Registration is encouraged, but not required.  Registering will help us ensure that we have enough resources for everyone who attends.

Click here to download the registration form.  You can deliver this form to the parish office, or call the parish office (410-398-1100) with the information contained on the form.

Please pray that through this series many hearts will turn toward Jesus, falling more deeply in love with Him and his Bride, the Church.  Also, please help us by spreading the word and inviting your friends and family (Catholic and non-Catholic alike) to come!

ALL are most welcome, invited, and encouraged to attend.

Join Bishop Malooly and hundreds of youth and adults for the third annual Diocesan Pilgrimage on Saturday, March 31st.

See this link for more information, including the promo video and online registration.

Families with younger children are encouraged to register online as a family.

Youth in grades 7-12 and college-age young adults not registering as a family may email our youth ministry office to participate as part of our parish group. Parents who are “cleared adults” (background check) and would like to chaperone should also email our youth ministry office.

Don’t wait! Registration ends March 23, 2012. See the link above for all the details.

Come and join the fun, and be “Irish for a Night!” Our evening includes dinner, DJ, dancing, games, raffles, and a special guest. For dinner you have the choice of Shepherd’s Pie or Ham and Cabbage. Register by February 29th and receive a free drink ticket!

When: Saturday, March 17, 2012  6:30 – 10:30 PM
Where: Singerly Fire Hall, Route 279 in Elkton
Tickets: $25.00 a person, for sale only until March 5th.  No sales at the door.

Please contact the Parish Office at 410-398-1100 for more information. Click here to download the registration form.

Lent begins on Ash Wednesday, February 22, 2012. Please join us on Fridays during lent for Stations of the Cross at 7:00 PM at Immaculate Conception Church.

On two Fridays, March 2nd and March 23rd, our teens will perform Shadow Stations. If you’ve never seen Stations of the Cross done this way, please join us.

On the remaining Fridays we will have traditional Stations of the Cross.

The ICC Adult Education Committee is pleased to announce a new program called “10 Great Dates.” 

Enrich Your Marriage through 10 Great Dates.  Beginning Friday, January 20, 2012, Immaculate Conception Church is sponsoring 10 Great Dates To Energize Your Marriage program.  This insightful book and DVD course by David and Claudia Arp helps spark romance with memory-making evenings built on key, marriage-enriching themes such as: communication, conflict, encouragement, creative love life, balancing roles of parent and partner.  After a short video that sets the stage for discussion, couples are sent out to their own private dates.

The program will run every Friday night from 6 to 9pm beginning January 20^th through March 23, 2012.

Whether newly wed or newly retired, quiver full or empty nest, sandwich generation or gen-x, parents of teens, ho hum or humming along, all types of marriages benefit from the investment in 10 Great Dates.  This program is also a great outreach opportunity!  Through paying the minimal cost asked of $10.00 per couple for the book, you will receive great returns on your investment.  Download and complete the registration form and return it to the Parish Office or contact the Parish Office at (410) 398-1100 to obtain a form. 

Click here to download the registration form for “10 GREAT DATES”

Father Robert Barron, a priest from the archdiocese of Chicago, has released a breathtaking series of videos on our Catholic faith.  The ICC Adult Education Committee is currently planning the fall and winter calendars, so stay tuned for more details as to when these videos will be shown.  For now, we ask you to do three things:

1) Take some time to get acquainted with the Catholicism series by viewing the two promotional videos below or by checking out Fr. Barron’s ministry, Word on Fire.

2) Think about which family members and friends you can invite to witness these extraordinary explanations and celebrations of our ancient Catholic faith.  Then, use the Facebook and other social networking features at the bottom of this page to share this information with them.

3) Pray that God can use this new tool to draw many souls closer to Jesus and His Bride, the Catholic Church.

If you would like to express your interest in joining fellow parishioners in viewing this series, please email our Director of Religious Education, Sr. Grace, at re@iccparish.org.

Trailer:

Extended preview: