Christian Life Center at 31 Gilford Avenue, Laconia, NH 03246-2829 US - "CELEBRATING 40 YEARS OF PLANTING SEEDS OF FAITH" The Lakes Region Deanery Christian Life Center celebrates 40 years of service to the adult faithful in the Lakes Region Deanery on September 25, 2010.

(Because of Bishop Ernest Primeau's active participation in the Second Vatican Council, there is no doubt that he "caught the Spirit" and returned to the Diocese of Manchester Spirit-filled and eager to share this "Spirit" with his people.)

In REMEMBERING the past, we pause to look at our roots.  The Christian Life Centers took root in GOOD SOIL.  "They sprang from a seed first germinated in the sixties in the Manchester diocese.  They began in response to the synodal document, THE CHURCH TEACHING, which emphasized the importance for continuing Catholic education.  The document specifically states "only when the Conciliar spirit and the principles of renewal have penetrated to the 'grass roots..' will there be a truly living renewal of the church..."  The synod highly recommended the establishment of community centers either in parishes or for a group of parishes in the same region.  Bishop Ernest Primeau responded with real VISION and special interest to this document and appointed Rt. Rev. Wilfrid Paradis as Vicar Episcopal for Christian Formation in the diocese.  Monsignor Paradis assumed the task of leading the diocese to a "truly living renewal of the Church" through the establishment of regional centers focusing on religious enrichment programs for adults- programs to assist adult Christians to expolore their faith and to grow in Christian community.  As adult religious education was recognized as one of the forndation stones and a major source of energy for renewal, the second diocesan synod, in the document 'The Church Teaching,' mandated the creation of what came to be know as Christian Life Centers." (Upon This Granite) Note: (The implementation of the six documents which came from the synod was called operation FIRE - Faith Intensified by Renewal and Education)

In September 1970, the Laconia Center was opened as the "Inter-Lakes Center"  directed by Rev. Gerald Auger.  Father Gerry took residence at the then LaSalette Center of Prayer in Center Harbor.  Father Gerry's office/teaching space was at the Sacred Heart Parish Hall in the "upper room."  He established clusters in various parts of the deanery and traveled to each cluster to give courses.  He offered the "Basic Course" and other courses for in-depth study of the Faith including Church, Sacraments, Christology, Morality, Sacred Scripture, and the Toward Marriage Program.  Father Gerry left the Center in 1973 to begin parish ministry.

Rev. Richard Tetu became the director of the Laconia Christian Life Center in 1973 until 1980 and Sister Kathy McInnis became co-director with Father Dick from 1974 until 1979.  The Christian Life Center was located in the former Sacred Heart High School building and then moved to the Sacred Heart Parish Center.  Father Dick and Sister Kathy continued the Adult Enrichment and Catechist Certification Programs as well as the Toward Marriage Program at the Center and in the parishes upon request.  They facilitated  Family Day Retreats at Camp Bernadette.  They also went to parishes in the deanery for Parish Retreats.

Rev. Frank McKone and Sister Patricia Healey, RSM, were co-directors from July 1, 1980, until July 1, 1983, when Jeannette Shuten was appointed director to serve the deanery until 1986.

Sister Roberta O'Rourke, CSJ, became the Christian Life Center director on July 1, 1986.  All programs continued as in the past at the Christian Life Center.  She also went out to parishes as well.  As a result of the Diocesan Five Year Plan, the Laconia Deanery met in June of 1994 with its focus on how to prepare the laity for ministries proper to the non-ordained.  In July 1994, while working on the Deanery Plan, Sue Mulhearn from Catholic Charities, Sister Yvonne Millman, Pastoral Associate at St. Chrles in Meredith and Sister Roberta O'Routke outlined a proposal that would provide, over a two-year period, a ministry fromation program for the Laconia Deanery.  The Program would be offered and funded by the Christian Life Center.  The proposal was approved by the Deanery and the two-year Ministry Formation Program began in September of 1995.  In July 1996, Sister Roberta accepted a position as Pastoral Associate at St. James Parish in Portsmouth.

In July 1996,  Janet, Leroux was appointed by the Deanery to be part-time coordinator of the Christian Life Center.  Janet had been Sister Roberta's secretary since 1993.  The first two-year Formation for Ministry Program was completed in April of 1997.  This 38-member class was commissioned in ceremonies taking place at St. Joseph Church in Laconia.  The Christian Life Center completed three Formation For Ministry Programs.  REJOICING in the present, we remember the many people who have taken the courses over the past thirty nine years and who were able to return to their parishes with a greater understanding of God and a desire to serve.  We are grateful to the past directors for their leadership and commitment to the VISION of Adult Enrichment in our deanery and in our diocese...

"OUR HEARTS WERE BURNING WITHIN US" is a Pastoral Plan for Adult Faith Formation in the United States written by the U.S. Catholic Bishops.  What is OUR hope for the future in our deanery and in our diocese?  "Awakened and energized by the Spirit, let us strengthen our commitment and intensify our efforts to help the adults in our communities be touched and transformed by the life-giving message of Jesus, to explore its meaning, experience its power, and live in its light as faithful adult disciples  today.  Let us do our part with creativity and vigor, our hearts aflame with love to empower adults to know and live the message of Jesus.  This is the Lord's work.  In the power of the Spirit it will not fail but will bear lasting fruit for the life of the world."  "Our hope for the future"  as Bishop McCormack recently said "is in a spirituality of communion....A spirit of communion is built on love and builds community."  RENEWING our "Spirit" for the future, we recommit ourselves to the vision and the challenge. 

TILL THE SOIL, PLANT THE SEED, REAP THE HARVEST.


CHRISTIAN LIFE CENTERS-past and present:
One of the best kept secrets in the Catholic Church within the Diocese of Manchester was ... its network of Christian Life Centers.

These Life Centers were strategically located throughout the State of New Hampshire as a valuable resource to provide education and formation in discipleship for all adult catholics.  The Christian Life Centers were located in Dover, Berlin, Keene, Concord, Laconia, Littleton, Nashua, Claremont, Manchester and Salem.

Today, there are only two active Centers left:  Laconia and Keene

Each Life Center was staffed by a director or coordinator.  The directors held a Master's degree, or higher, in theology...and each director personally stayed updated in church developments. 

This made it possible for Life Centers to pass on the tradition, and to also serve as a vehicle for folks who wanted to be informed of where the church was at that time.

Adult education in our tradition was available through center offerings in such areas as scripture, ecclesiology, faith development, sacraments, morality, liturgy, spirituality, prayer, etc.

The difficulty of being ..."Church in the Modern World"...was compounded by the times in which we lived.  The life centers addressed this challenge through offering programs on ...world events, papal encyclicals, bishops letters, etc.

Each person in church ministry was strengthened and supported through such events as --ministry gatherings, retreats, women's breakfasts--which were facilitated and sponsored in the various centers.

Local parishes were enabled in providing greater empowerment of laity through sending their folks to life center training programs for lectors, eucharistic ministers, catechists, caregivers, etc.

The clergy would have more time for pastoral roles when they sent parishioners to leadership training programs at the Christian Life Centers.

Leadership programs were offered in marriage prep leader couples, baptismal catechists, RCIA teams, parish council members, funeral and wake ministers, etc.

New programs were developed and implemented as the needs surfaced within the local parishes.  The main purpose of the Christian Life Centers was "to serve."

Families were enriched through parenting courses and sought answers in the tough areas of sexuality, cults, suicide, alcohol and drug abuse, etc.

Social concerns and a christian's call to compassion were addressed in courses for acquiring the spanish language, learning sign language, AIDS buddy training, etc.

Religious education in parishes and catholic schools were entrusted to adults who had theological and scriptural knowledge and the ability to share their faith in a competent manner.

The diocese offered training through the local Christian Life Centers.  Those in the ministry of catechesis were invited to prepare for--and seek--certification at the basic, intermediate, and advanced levels.

Each level of religious education certification consisted of a course in skills formation and two other courses.  The "basic" course"  updated catholics on church expression of beliefs.

These courses were also available for persons who did not teach religion.  The certification granted to on-teachers was called adult enrichment.

Faith development was an ongoing process. Thus faculty members. administrators, DRE's, and catechists "are required, each year, to participate in activities by which they  deepened  their knowledge in the Catholic faith and grew in the ability to pass on the gospel message."  The Christian Life Centers offered creative scheduling and a variety of means to do so.

Parish programs, schools, ladies guild, sodalities, and other religious organizations 
utilized center personnel or center speaker bureaus.

Centers  maintained a speakers bureau so that the director or a speak is available for parent meetings, staff development, and/or evings of reflection.

Besides center personnel, the centers also served as a resource through their libraries of ...books, cassettes, and videos.  These cover a variety of topics for self-enrichment or to use in making the gospel message come alive for those we ministered to.

Some valuable booklets on conducting parish census, working in collaboration, home ministers of communion, and other areas have been written and produced by center personnel.  These are, along with catalogues or listing of A-Z resources, available by telephoning or dropping in to your local center.

Although center offerings are held...out in the parishes, ...the centers themselfes offer a place to drop in for hospitality, guidance, and listening.

Centers are a deanery communication vehicle.  Mailings, brochures, bulletin inserts, deanery calendars of scheduled parish activities, and telephone calls to specific ministries are ongoing.

The Christian Life Centers within the Diocese of Manchester stand ready to serve.  What would you like to see happen within your area?

These were the guidelines used by the Christian Life Centers.  Today, both the Laconia and Keene Centers use the same philosophy along with updated technology such as the websites, e-mail, computers, online courses available through colleges, etc.
Our purpose is the same--adult faith formation and enrichment is an adventure of lifelong learning.  The Christian Life Center provides faith-filled programs, catechetical education, and spiritual enrichment for adults.  The Center is commited to enabling Christians to undertake the mission of the Church in their own lives:  to be like Jesus, a sign and herald of the Reign of God in our midst.  All of our programs are informally structures and seek to build a sense of community and hospitality among participants.

 

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