Waterloo Catholics

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Current Schedule
Comments from Participants

The Catholic Parishes in Waterloo present

“Winter at the Cellar”

A Continuing Education Program for
Catholic Adults and Young Adults

•   •   •

Our popular summer and winter Cellar programs offer Catholic adults of all ages an opportunity to learn and grow in a comfortable, familiar environment at the Cellar Lounge in downtown Waterloo. 

We choose presenters from among pastors and pastoral leaders as well as lay leaders on both the local and diocesan level.  We ask them to address a variety of interesting and important issues which shape the lives of Catholic adults in the Church today.

Presenters and participants alike enjoy the relaxed and informal atmosphere which contributes to a stimulating combination of presentation and discussion.  Beverages and food are available before, during and after the presentations.

All programs are held
7:00-8:30pm. at The Cellar Lounge
320 East Fourth Street • Downtown Waterloo
The Cellar Bar is located on the lower level of CU Restaurant.
Convenient access and parking available in the rear.
[CU Restaurant and The Cellar accept Scrip]
(Limited access is available for individuals who are physically handicapped.)

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Current Schedule • Winter 2010

Wednesday, January 13
“The Church and Darwin--
an Evolving Relationship”
Presented by
Dr. David Ard

Dr. David Ard recently retired from Mount Mercy College in Cedar Rapids where he was professor of religious studies and philosophy for 24 years.  He has a Ph.D. in the Philosophy of Religion from McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario.  Prior to coming to Mount Mercy, he taught at the Franciscan University of Steubenville in Ohio and St. Thomas More Major Seminary in Kenmore, Washington. David is married to Ruth Ard, the Director of Religious Education at St. Joseph Parish in Marion.  They have raised seven children and are the proud grandparents of six grandchildren.

•   •   •

Tuesday, January 19
“Sister, Where's Your Habit?
Challenges Facing Women Religious”
Presented by
Sr. Jennifer Rausch PBVM
Sr. Pat Farrell OSF

Religious women have served the Church in America faithfully since their founding or arrival here in the late nineteenth century.  They responded obediently to the invitation of Pope Pius XII, and later the Second Vatican Council, to renew and update their lifestyle and ministry.  Today they face new challenges, including declining numbers in a culture that is not very supportive of religious life and increasing expenses for education and health care. In addition they face a Vatican investigation which raises questions about their faithfulness to church discipline and teaching.  In this session we will explore some of these issues with representatives of two congregations of women religious serving in northeast Iowa.

Sr. Jennifer Rausch PBVM is president of the Sisters of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Dubuque.  The Presentation Sisters were founded by Nano Nagle in Cork, Ireland, in 1775.  A group of Sisters lead by Mother Vincent Hennessy came to Dubuque in 1874 and opened a school in Key West in 1875.  Today, Presentation Sisters minister in 11 states and Bolivia.  In addition to teaching and parish ministry, the community's 128 current members are involved in a wide range of ministries including administration, campus ministry, spiritual direction, retreat ministry and prison ministry.
Sr. Pat Farrell OSF is a vice-president of the Franciscan Sisters of the Holy Family in Dubuque.  This community of Franciscans Sisters were founded by Mother Xavier Termehr in Herford, Germany in 1864.  The community emigrated to Iowa in 1875, settling first in Iowa City and later moving to Dubuque.  The Sisters continued their ministries of teaching, caring for orphans, and nursing the sick, mostly caring for those who were poor. The congregation staffed many rural schools in the Dubuque and Sioux City dioceses. Currently the congregation of 318 sisters serves in 16 states, Honduras and St. Lucia.

•   •   •

Wednesday, January 27
“Priesthood and Father Smith--
Reflections on the Year for Priests”
Presented by
Rev. Msgr. Lyle Wilgenbush

Pope Benedict XVI has designated 2009-2010 as an international "Year for Priests."  One purpose of the year is to help Catholics reflect on what the Pope called “the immense gift which priests represent, not only for the Church, but also for humanity itself.”  In this presentation, Msgr. Wilgenbush will discuss the Catholic understanding of what priesthood is, its historic and scriptural roots, and why priesthood is essential to the Catholic understanding of church.  He will also discuss the similarities and differences between fictional images of the priest, like "Father Smith," and the reality of being a priest in today's world.

Msgr. Wilgenbusch  is a native of Dubuque and a graduate of Loras College.  He attended Mt. St. Bernard Seminary in Dubuque and was ordained to the priesthood in 1966.  He taught religion for many years at Wahlert High School in Dubuque and Regis High School (now Xavier High School) in Cedar Rapids. He served as pastor at St. Mary Parish, Waverly and St. Joseph the Worker Parish, Dubuque.  He was appointed Episcopal Vicar for the Waterloo region of the Archidocese of Dubuque in 2004.

•   •   •

Wednesday, February 3
“Bishops in the Public Forum:
Prophets or Politicians?”
Presented by
Dr. David Cochran

Since the Catholic Church emerged from its self-imposed isolation from public affairs in the mid-twentieth century, the church has been struggling to adopt an effective model for participation in the messy and sometimes acrimonious political process of secular and pluralistic societies.  In the United States, much of this effort has focused around controversial issues like abortion, immigration and now, health care reform.  Dr. Cochran will explore the emerging role of the Church, and particularly its bishops, in modern democratic societies like the United States and what we have learned from our experience over the past fifty years.

Dr. David Cochran is associate professor of political science and director of the Archbishop Kucera Center for Catholic Intellectual and Spiritual Life at Loras College in Dubuque.  He grew up in Texas and earned his MA and PhD degrees from the University of Maryland.  He has taught at Loras since 1996, and offers a range of courses primarily in the areas of political thought and American politics.  He is co-author with his father, Clarke Cochran, of Catholics, Politics and Public Policy (Orbis, 2003) and The Catholic Vote--A Guide for the Perplexed (Orbis, 2008).  David and his wife Christine have two sons and live in Dubuque.

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Comments from Participants

Winter 2010

Bishops in the Public Forum

"The presenter was excellent.... a wonderful in-depth grqasp of the entire topic and of the questions raised....  So fun to listen to him!"
"I enjoyed the program very much...."
"Very interesting and informative...great delivery and presentation of thoughts....  Very relevant to today's world...."
"Truely great program...."
"Just wonderful!  I would love to take a class of [his] at Loras...."

Reflections on the Year for Priests

"I really appreciated his presentation on the history and his perspective...."
"Excellent presentation....  I felt he has been taking this subject to prayer...."
 

Challenges Facing Women Religious

"Sr. Pat and Sr. Jennifer were excellent...."
"Lots of new information -- things to follow up on in the future...."
"Very good explanation of of current situation with religious women...."
"[The most important discovery was] the movement of women religious orders from quasi-monastic to apostolic mission...."
"They did a very good job...."
"Very well presented...."
"Both were excellent....  [This was] very enlightening...."

Summer 2009

Catholic Perspectives on Gay Marriage

"Great insights and background information...."
"Very understandable, educational and enlightening.  Great!"
"Very thought-provoking.... His background information was great, but give us a chance to process this with our table partners on the ground level...."
"It was very thought provoking and the subsequent discussion was very interesting...."
"I made two comments for which I desired a reply; he blew both of them off."
"One of the best over the years I've come to these.  Wonderful!"
"I like the variety of topics covered.... They stretch our minds."

Is There a Place for God in the Modern World?

"Was very interesting and informative....I could have listen to him for many more hours...."
"[This was] my first session.  I enjoyed this very much!"
"Excellent -- would like to have him come back...."
"Very articulate...well prepared.  Exceptionally relevant given the times...."
"His basis is completely good but possibly doesn't really connect enough with present Christians."
"Excellent grasp of educational technique... [The] subject matter was excellent."
"He was very quick at blaming the younger generation but didn't acknowledge how the humans in our church helped create the shaking ground that our church is on...."
"I know society is in a downside; how do I help support my faith in today's world?"

Seven Steps to Financial Freedom

"Very good over all."
"More down to earth as far as tying in the religious side than I expected."
"Very good to hear that Catholic financial [planning] includes, as it should, values, self-responsibility and discipline."
"Good for the younger generation.... A little over simplified for the older group in attendance...."
"Too much basic information I already knew and practice."
"Very interesting!  Much better than what I had anticipated.  She is very knowledgeable."

Catholics and the Word of God

"Great program...."
"Discussion of Bible as crucial and central but not our exclusive resource was helpful."
"Loved that Fr. Kopacek was completely OK with us running him off on tangents."
"Father is a great teacher and he does a great job to encourage discussion."
"Absolutely riveting and delightful!"
"Really really good.... More!"
"As always, Father exceeded expectations and is so well versed in Catholicism..."
 

Traits of a Healthy Spirituality

"Wonderful! ...  It would be great to hear more from her"
"It was wonderfull. ... It was great to meet the writer!"
"This spirituality topic was so well presented.  Absolutely wonderful."
"She made the ordinary so extra-ordinary."
"Wonderful ... terrific."
"Excellent.  It met all my expectations.  [But] it was too short."
 

Winter 2009

"The Winter Face of God"

"I was surprised at the format, but found it very enjoyable... The storytelling was intriguing...."
"Wow!  A very nice and different slant on winter.  Both presenters did a great job.  It was very enjoyable...."
"I realized by the presentation that winter was a time of rest and a new beginning....  I thought the stories were interesting and entertaining...."

"Catholics and the Politics of Abortion"

"An excellent program, very timely and informative...."
"Great speaker.  Make him return.  I loved the discussion...."
"Very informative, organized and knowledgable presentation.  I was surprised [to learn about] the original Republican and Democratic stands on abortion....  Very relevant...."
"Concise and well presented.  I expected a very liberal presentation, but instead it was very fair...."

Summer 2008

"What Immigrants Have Taught Us About Faith and Justice"

"Excellent--very eye-opening.  I really learned so much from this.  Each speaker did a wonderful job.  I appreciate the time and commitment the speakers have to the mission of our church."
"Very insightful.  Your experiences give us the real pain and suffering of these people!  [You] helped me understand whtat is happening...and what we can do."
"[It was]very beneficial to hear first hand the accounts of what is happening in Postville.  Excellent speakers.  Very well done!!  I think we all need to hear this so that we are aware and together can get reform."

"Five More Things Parents and Grandparents Should Know"

"Thought-provoking ... better than expected ... very good."
"A strong early life education in our Catholic faith/church is of utmost importance.  Then it won't be a worry that the 18-21 year old doesn't participate.  My worry is that there is no strong base to come back to.  That's why young Catholics go elsewhere...."
"Very excellent.  This opens my mind very much as to how to do better with young adults."
"It was important for people of my generation to hear what this generation is thinking."
"Very good and informative.  Kevin was easy to listen to and made good points.  I enjoyed his stories."
"Interesting perspective.  It gave me ideas and support for inviting young adults to our faith."

"Should We Fear the "Christian Right"?"

"Articulate, expressed a definite viewpoint [but] was completely historically accurate."
"I agreed generally but not in all particulars....Very good presentation.  Thanks."
"Very courageous! ... A little too much history for me."
"Very informative.  I realized I didn't know as much as I thought about the Founding Fathers' perspective."
"Very good and interesting speaker....  Well worth the time.  It opened my eyes and made me think."
"Very thought provoking...."
"Very biased and one-sided...."

St. Paul's Gospel of Freedom

"Very scholarly...but a little above my head."
"Very knowledgeable and articulate....  Her format assumed some knowledge which I did not know."
"Very good speaker.  She knew so much and I learned from her."
"Makes me want to read Paul's letters again."

•   •   •

For more information contact:
Director of Adult Faith Formation
320 Mulberry Street, Waterloo IA 50703
Phone: 319-234-9912
Email: <DBQ208s3@arch.pvt.k12.ia.us>

Last Update: 01.20.10