Credentials

ECCLESIA CURRICULUM VITAE

SUMMARY OF QUALIFICATIONS:

Church Ministry Experience:

1989-1990  Novice, Order of Preachers, Eastern Province, St Gertrude Priory Parish, Cincinnati, OH

1989-1990  Youth Minister, St Augustine Parish, Elkridge, MD

1991-1993  Catechist, High School, St Peter & Paul’s Parish, Naperville, IL

2002-2004  Youth Minister, Holy Family Parish, Inverness, IL

2004-2006  Catechist, Holy Family Parish, Inverness, IL

2003-2004  Sponsor/Table Leader, RCIA, Old St Patrick’s Church, Chicago, IL

2006-2007  Volunteer DRE, Holy Family Parish, Chicago, IL

2004-2007  Leader, Stations of the Cross, RCIA Retreat, USML, Mundelein, IL

2001-2010  Beloved Retreat Community & Facilitator/Leader, Old St Patrick’s Church, Chicago, IL

2006-2008  Pre-Cana Facilitator Couple – Family Ministries Office. Archdiocese of Chicago

2013-2014   Independent Sales Associate, Lighthouse Catholic Media

Oct 2016  SNAP Gathering, St Paul, MN of adult survivors of sexual abuse by clergy; a weekend of healing and friendship in the search for “normalcy” again after childhood sexual trauma.

2014-Present  St Vincent dePaul Food Pantry, Madison, WI.  Volunteer in preparing foods and shopping environment.  Act as host for clients tabulating points along shopping trip and customer service.

2015-Present  WI Fathers for Families & Children, monthly dinner out meeting emotionally supporting recently divorced fathers suffering through the family court system and trying to maintain healthy relationships and environments for their children.

Certifications:

2007       Coordinator of Youth Ministry/Religious Education, Archdiocese of Chicago OFCYM, need practicum

2014       Catechist, Core & Advanced, Diocese of Madison

Academic:

2007-2010  Certificate in Catechetical Leadership, University of St Mary of the Lake, Mundelein, IL (Courses completed: Church History, Sacramental Theology, Christology. Old Testament, New Testament, Spirituality, Moral Theology, Ecclesiology)

2009-2012  Classes in Latin, Greek, Hebrew, Origin of the Bible, Church History – St John Cantius, Chicago, IL

July 2013  St John Bosco Conference, Steubenville, OH (Theology of the Body, History & Mission of the Church, Philosophy 101 for Catechists, Pastoral Issues in RCIA, Understanding the College Culture, Salesian Preventative System, New Media Tools for Ministry, The Internet & the New Evangelization)

2013-2014  Diocese of Madison Catechist Certification )Sacred Scripture, Creed, Sacraments, Christian Morality, Christian Prayer, Evangelization, Catechesis)

2015-Present  various online graduate level theology and philosophy courses offered by Dominican Institute, Avila Institute, and New St Thomas Institute.

Jun 2016-Present  SSM Health St Mary’s Care Center, Madison, WI, vigil  team volunteers spending time with residents who are “actively dying” in their last hours and days when family members cannot be present.

Jan 2017-Present Volunteer for Agrace Hospice on their vigil team for the actively dying and visiting alzheimers & dementia patients for social interaction. Most are non-responsive.

Formation:

2004       Archdiocese of Chicago, Basic Catechetical Leadership Formation – Modules 1-3 of 3

2007       Archdiocese of Chicago,  Anti-racism Training

2007       Archdiocese of Chicago, Theological Intensive, Mundelein, IL – Evangelization, Catechesis & Culture

2008       ND Vision CYM – University of Notre Dame Summer Conference for Campus & Youth Ministers

2008 &  Ignatian Retreat, Bellarmine House, Barrington, IL
2014

2009       Archdiocese of Chicago, Symposium on Adolescent Catechesis

2009       Archdiocese of Chicago, Annual Youth Minister Conference – Technology & Media

2014      Theology of the Body for Middle School & Teens, 2 days, Ascension Press, St Charles RC Parish, Hartland, WI

Compliance w/USCCB “Charter for the Protection of Children & Young People”:

2004       Criminal Background Check – Holy Family Parish, Inverness, IL

2004       Criminal Background Check – IL DCFS

2004       Application/Interviews – Holy Family Parish, Inverness, IL

2004 & 2013      VIRTUS Training – Holy Family Parish, Inverness, IL & St Albert the Great Parish, Sun Prairie, WI

2004       Archdiocese of Chicago, Signed, “Code of Conduct” for Employees & Volunteers

2009       Archdiocese of Chicago, Mandatory Reporter Training – USML, Mundelein, IL

Organizations:

2004-2011 Coordinator, Rosary-in-the-City (monthly rosary group of Gens X & Y, 150+ on distribution, 10-30 avg per mtg.)

2007-2011 Voice of the Faithful – Northwest Chicagoland Chapter

2007-Now  Monthly Contributor & Supporter, SNAP

2010  SNAP Conference, Chicago, IL
& 2014

2013-2015  Lay Dominican, Blessed Sacrament Parish, Madison, WI

Summa Catechetica, "Neque enim quaero intelligere ut credam, sed credo ut intelligam." – St Anselm, "“Si comprehendus, non est Deus.” -St Augustine, "Let your religion be less of a theory, and more of a love affair." -G.K. Chesterton, “When we pray we speak to God; but when we read, God speaks to us.” -St Jerome, "As the reading of bad books fills the mind with worldly and poisonous sentiments; so, on the other hand, the reading of pious works fills the soul with holy thoughts and good desires." -St. Alphonsus Liguori, "And above all, be on your guard not to want to get anything done by force, because God has given free will to everyone and wants to force no one, but only proposes, invites and counsels." –St. Angela Merici, “Yet such are the pity and compassion of this Lord of ours, so desirous is He that we should seek Him and enjoy His company, that in one way or another He never ceases calling us to Him . . . God here speaks to souls through words uttered by pious people, by sermons or good books, and in many other such ways.” —St. Teresa of Avila, "I want a laity, not arrogant, not rash in speech, not disputatious, but men and women who know their religion, who enter into it, who know just where they stand, who know what they hold and what they do not, and who know their creed so well that they can give an account of it, who know so much of history that they can defend it. I want an intelligent, well-instructed laity… I wish you to enlarge your knowledge, to cultivate your reason, to get an insight into the relation of truth to truth, to learn to view things as they are, to understand how faith and reason stand to each other, what are the bases and principles of Catholicism, and where lie the main inconsistencies and absurdities of the Protestant theory.” -St. John Henry Newman, “Duties of Catholics Towards the Protestant View,” Lectures on the Present Position of Catholics in England, "We cannot always have access to a spiritual Father for counsel in our actions and in our doubts, but reading will abundantly supply his place by giving us directions to escape the illusions of the devil and of our own self-love, and at the same time to submit to the divine will.” —St. Alphonsus Ligouri, "The harm that comes to souls from the lack of reading holy books makes me shudder . . . What power spiritual reading has to lead to a change of course, and to make even worldly people enter into the way of perfection." –St. Padre Pio, "Screens may grab our attention, but books change our lives!" – Word on Fire, "Don't neglect your spiritual reading. Reading has made many saints!" -St Josemaría Escrivá, "Do you pray? You speak to the Bridegroom. Do you read? He speaks to you." —St. Jerome, from his Letter 22 to Eustochium, "Encounter, not confrontation; attraction, not promotion; dialogue, not debate." -cf Pope Francis, "God here speaks to souls through…good books“ – St Teresa of Avila, Interior Castle, "You will not see anyone who is really striving after his advancement who is not given to spiritual reading. And as to him who neglects it, the fact will soon be observed by his progress.” -St Athanasius, "To convert someone, go and take them by the hand and guide them." -St Thomas Aquinas, OP. 1 saint ruins ALL the cynicism in Hell & on Earth. “When we pray we talk to God; when we read God talks to us…All spiritual growth comes from reading and reflection.” -St Isidore of Seville, “Also in some meditations today I earnestly asked our Lord to watch over my compositions that they might do me no harm through the enmity or imprudence of any man or my own; that He would have them as His own and employ or not employ them as He should see fit. And this I believe is heard.” -GM Hopkins, SJ, "Only God knows the good that can come about by reading one good Catholic book." — St. John Bosco, "Why don't you try explaining it to them?" – cf St Peter Canisius, SJ, Doctor of the Church, Doctor of the Catechism, "Already I was coming to appreciate that often apologetics consists of offering theological eye glasses of varying prescriptions to an inquirer. Only one prescription will give him clear sight; all the others will give him at best indistinct sight. What you want him to see—some particular truth of the Faith—will remain fuzzy to him until you come across theological eye glasses that precisely compensate for his particular defect of vision." -Karl Keating, "The more perfectly we know God, the more perfectly we love Him." -St Thomas Aquinas, OP, ST, I-II,67,6 ad 3, “But always when I was without a book, my soul would at once become disturbed, and my thoughts wandered." —St. Teresa of Avila, "Let those who think I have said too little and those who think I have said too much, forgive me; and let those who think I have said just enough thank God with me." –St. Augustine, "Without good books and spiritual reading, it will be morally impossible to save our souls." —St. Alphonsus Liguori "Never read books you aren't sure about. . . even supposing that these bad books are very well written from a literary point of view. Let me ask you this: Would you drink something you knew was poisoned just because it was offered to you in a golden cup?" -St. John Bosco " To teach in order to lead others to faith is the task of every preacher and of each believer." —St. Thomas Aquinas, OP. "Prayer purifies us, reading instructs us. Both are good when both are possible. Otherwise, prayer is better than reading." –St. Isidore of Seville “The aid of spiritual books is for you a necessity.… You, who are in the midst of battle, must protect yourself with the buckler of holy thoughts drawn from good books.” -St. John Chrysostom