From
its inception in 1974, the Woodstock Theological
Center has been committed to the task of theological reflections as it
relates to social, political, ecclesial and economic issues. Presenting
the Gospel and its implications to others with fidelity and felicity is
not simply a matter of putting together the correct words or phrases.
It requires a deeply felt and personal understanding of the just Word. Preaching
the Just Word is an effort to assist preachers to be more effective in
preaching biblical and social justice. The aim is to bring preachers to
a lively understanding of social reality or culture: what it is, how it
originates, how it operates, how it shapes and forms human consciousness
and communities for good and ill, how it improves and how it deteriorates.
The aim is to understand the U.S. culture of a whole new century, so as
to rejoice in the gifts and opportunities our culture provides and be
horrified at the suffering it causes or occasions--with a view to promoting
the former and preventing the latter. The
program is an attempt to make use of the single situation where the majority
of the faithful regularly gather to hear the preaching of the Word, the
Sunday liturgy. However, Catholic and Christian preaching is not limited
to the eucharistic liturgy in the parish; it takes place in a variety
of other contexts: retreat houses, prisons, hospitals, college campuses,
parish missions, seminars and workshops, conventions, and conferences.
To take full advantage of all of these situations, it is vital to prepare
the messenger as well as the message. The
format is a five-day retreat/workshop, based on themes from the Spiritual
Exercises of St. Ignatius Loyola, integrating personal prayer with reflection
upon: The
week offers the participants an opportunity to reflect alone and in groups
upon the nature of their own ministry and how it relates to the just Word.
The retreat is also offered on an interfaith basis jointly sponsored with
the College of Preachers
at the National Catholic Cathedral. We also offer a three and a
four day version, sometimes as a workshop, sometimes as a mini-retreat/workshop.
We are expanding our outreach to deacons, to diocesan and parish
leaders, and our capacity to handle Spanish and English. Since
the first year (1991) of the program, there have been 117 retreats/workshops
in the United States, Australia, Canada, Jamaica, and Germany. Evaluations
for these retreats have been remarkably positive, invariably enthusiastic.
Every retreatant has said that he or she would recommend it to a friend.
The program has now reached over 7000 preachers. Presenters Reverend
Walter J. Burghardt, S.J., continues his involvement with the program
in his ninetieth year, praying for the Church and the Society and
collecting his latest homilies for publication. Reverend
Raymond B. Kemp continues to facilitate the process. Scripture
presenters include John
Donahue, S.J., Lawrence Boadt, C.S.P.,
and Barbara Reid,
O.P. Catholic Social Teaching is done by John
Carr, Richard Fowler, Ron
Krietemeyer, and Thomas
Massaro, S.J. Liturgy and homiletics are J.
Glenn Murray, S.J., Richard
Fragomeni, Kathleen Hughes, R.S.C.J. Spiritual
direction is provided by Leo Murray, S.J., and Nancy Sheridan,
S.A.S.V. New team members are constantly being
recruited and added. Costs The
normal fee for a five-day retreat/workshop is $8,000. This
includes all stipends, transportation and printing costs.
The host provides room and board for the team. Three and
four-day programs have also been presented. Do contact
us to personalize the retreat/workshop for your needs. Click here
for more information and to purchase videos in the PJW Series.
Preaching the Just Word is a national
program sponsored by the Woodstock Theological Center to assist priests
and other ministers of the gospel to be more effective in preaching biblical
and social justice. Conceived by Walter J. Burghardt, S.J., the project
is directed by Father Raymond B. Kemp.
Father
Kemp
Highlights
What is Preaching the Just
Word?
Structure
Outcome
Duration
of the Program
The Preaching the Just Word
Series
