Speaker and Author


Award Winner

Therese and her husband, John, are co-winners of the National Conference for Catechetical Leadership (NCCL) 2010 New Wineskins Award for extraordinary achievement in developing innovative catechetical and evangelization programming on a diocesan level. The award was for the Christmas Carol Festival: A New Way to Reach Inactive Catholics


NEW! When You Notice the Empty Pews 

NEW!  Sharing Your Spiritual Heritage Through Photos & Stories

Reaching Out to Young People through the Internet

NEW! When Families and Children Don't Go to Church

                                                                        
                          Sampling of Presentations Offered

Keys to Reaching Inactive Catholics - PNCEA online course with international participation

Bringing Our Grandchildren to God - PNCEA online course

Making Friends with the Saints - NCEA National Conference - NCEA Philadelphia, PA

Nurturing the Roots of Faith in Children from Unchurched Families - Dioceses in New Jersey - Trenton, Camden, Metuchen

Discernment: Seeing by the Light of the Holy Spirit - Wilmington, DE 

Simple Ways Catholics Can Share Faith - Archdiocesan Convocation 2000 - Wash DC

Healing and Evangelization - Diocese of Norwich, CT and Philadelphia, PA



                                 Topics Ideas (If you are not sure, we can help)

When You Notice the Empty Pews

When Families and Children Don't Go to Church

Keys to Reaching Inactive Catholics

When Your Family Does Not Want to Hear about God

Reaching Out to Young People through the Internet (Read a review)

Prayers & Faith Sharing with Family Photos (Read a review)

Bringing our Grandchildren to God/ 16 Ways to Share Faith with Your Family


Topic Descriptions

When You Notice the Empty Pews

Are people missing  from  your parish pews?  Noticing is  the beginning of God's call to share faith.  You can do it through these simple steps: Prayer, care, share, dare to believe and dare to invite. Gain new confidence in reaching out to loved ones, friends and acquaintances, whether in the home, the neighborhood or the workplace. Explore simple ways that Catholics can respond to empty parish pews and reverse the trend of merging and closing parishes.


When Families and Children Don't Go to Church

FOR CATECHIST: It is no secret that textbooks, parents and parishes expect catechists to instill faith in children from unchurched families. This situation calls for new and dynamic ways of exploring the Church's essential building blocks for faith. Discover ways that catechists can strengthen the spiritual dimension of family life, using Scripture, the saints, story telling and the spiritual resources of the faith community. Explore strategies for nurturing a sacramental outlook in families, and offering "evangelistic nourishment" for those who are on the edges of our faith communities.

FOR EVERYBODY: Many people who are regular churchgoers long to share their faith and Sunday worship with grown children, grandchildren, siblings and friends. This desire is a gift from God, who is constantly reaching out to all the baptized, and who can touch each one in many ways that we can't even imagine. This desire is at the heart of a call to creative faith sharing within our circle of friends and family. Find out how you can bring others to Jesus, whether it is through praying with photos, offering invitations or sharing faith stories. Each one of us can unlock the baptismal powers that we all have been, to be living signs of God's gentle, persevering love for our families and those around us.

The Holy Spirit: Soul of Discipleship and Ministry

In Luke 4:16-22 Jesus acknowledges the Holy Spirit as the heart and soul of his ministry and his life. That same Spirit is also with us today, transforming the world. Learn more about the exciting vision of the Holy Spirit as the source of sacramental, charismatic discipleship and ministry. Discern what comes next by the light of the Holy Spirit. Explore an approach to ministry that embraces the fire of Pentecost and the life-long challenge of serving in and through the Holy Spirit. Let the Spirit be the soul of your ministry and communities as described in the document, "Go and Make Disciples."

Prayer  & Faith Sharing with Family Photos

Have you ever prayed for a troubled loved ones without experiencing relief? Try photo prayers. Family photos can help us encounter the depths of God's love and experience visual prayers that bring hope, healing and blessings. You can also discover your family's unique faith stories, suitable for sharing with grandchildren, family and friends. Discover Jesus as the most important character in all of our lives. Visit www.featurethat.com or open the faith sharing page.


Keys to Reaching Inactive Catholics

Learn how to reach today’s inactive, marginal and unchurched Catholics. Explore six keys for developing a new model of everyday missionary outreach that goes beyond programs, and relies on God's presence in each person's journey of faith. Keys include: Why Catholics become Inactive, Reaching Inactive Catholics Today, Stages in the Parish Evangelization Process, Connecting Others to Jesus, Overcoming Obstacles to Evangelizing, Programs for Reaching Out.

Internet: Tool for Faith & Spirituality [or Reaching Young People Through the Internet]

Explore practical techniques, for delving into spiritual resources with a computer. Learn strategies you can use for yourself or for parish ministry. Special attention will be given to church documents, resources on the Internet,aids for beginners, and appreciating the Internet as habitat for young people. Presentation can be geared towards families, adults or religious education teachers. Material can be offered with or without learner access to the Internet.

                              Professional Background

Book Author (for books from Catholicevangelizer)


Periodical Author

60 articles in God's Word Among Us, Catechist, Religion Teacher's Journal, Pastoral
Life, Today's Parish, Our Sunday Visitor, Evangelization Update, Liguorian & more.

Education

Masters In Religious Education
Assumption College, Worcester, MA 01609 curricular design and catechist training.

Video Offerings and Resources

godtube.com, mycatholicvoice.com, youtube.com & more  –since July 2007
Over 15 videos, Come Holy Spirit, A Shepherd Asks, "Am I in the Bible?" A Shot Glass and a
      Quarter, Have a Cemetery Adventure, Christmas Carol Festival. List at www.christkey.com
Member of professional global faith sharing group http://digitalcatechesis.ning.com/

Experience

Pastoral Associate, Adult Educator and Evangelization Consultant

Personal Historian offering courses on preserving family photos and memories, with additional
services available at www.featurethat.com

Puppeteer, clown, costumed children's performer: Locust and Honey Puppeteers with
performances in parishes, or schools (1986-1990), as an individual performer (1994-present)

Therese Boucher
Princeton, NJ
THE KEY TO LIFE IS CHRIST