Professional Development Webinar Recordings

Also available on Vimeo.Be Healed: A Guide to Encountering the Powerful Love of Jesus in Your LifeThis webinar is for all those who truly desire to share Jesus' powerful love with others, and who personally long for ever deepening healing encounters with Him. With over thirty-five years of experience in parish ministry and in working intimately with Church leaders, Bob Schuchts has led many into profound healing encounters with Jesus.During this webinar, Bob will invite each of the participants to take a fresh look at their personal lives through the lenses of their baptisms and the prodigal son story, showing how we all readily adopt false identities and, in doing so, obscure the face of Jesus in our ministries.Sharing experiences from his own healing journey, Bob will encourage participants to enter more fully into their baptismal identities as beloved sons and daughters of the Father. All genuine ministry flows from this foundational identity, which becomes strengthened by personal healing experiences.Get the book Be Healed here at Ave Maria Press.

In this webinar, authors David Aaker and Jan Nelson will help participants give voice to those who suffer, as well as those who care for the suffering. How do we give voice to ambiguous losses, for example, when we lose our job, become ill, or are deployed?Violence arises when we don't know what to do with our suffering. When we give voice to people's grief and suffering, the violence to self and others is reduced. Join David and Jan as they walk ministers through the process of giving voice to grief and suffering. They share tips on organizing bereavement groups and organizing bereavement counseling in your area. Anyone who wants to offer bereavement support will find value in their presentation.Presented by David Aaker and Jan Nelson, authors of The Bereavement Ministry Program: A Comprehensive Guide for Churches.

Lent is a sacred season of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving—an invitation to deeper conversion. But how can parishes actively support their communities in living the richness of this season beyond the annual fish fry? In this webinar, we’ll explore practical ways to support parishioners in living the liturgical life of the Church, providing spiritual nourishment, engaging practices, and communal support. From fostering meaningful Lenten devotions to creating opportunities for service and reflection, we’ll discuss strategies to help parishioners embrace the season. Whether you’re a parish staff member, minister, or volunteer, this session will equip you with concrete ideas to enrich the Lenten experience for your faith community.

The Bible is so long, it's easy to lose sight of the forest, because you're lost in the trees. Join Dr. John Bergsma, associate professor of theology at the Franciscan University of Steubenville and a senior fellow at the St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology, as he shares perspectives, techniques, and light-hearted sketches that make it easy to learn, remember, and teach the "big picture" of the Bible storyline. Based on his new book, "Bible Basics for Catholics," Dr. Bergsma's visual approach can be adapted for a variety of settings in the parish or school, for catechesis, evangelism, or faith formation.This webinar was moderated by Dianna Leinen, former parish resources marketing specialist at Ave Maria Press. The Professional Development Webinar series is presented exclusively by Ave Maria Press in partnership with the National Conference for Catechetical Leadership and the National Association for Lay Ministry.