From Confraternity of Christian Doctrine (CCD)

to Religious Education Congress -- from certainty to uncertainty* by 2001?

(condensed here by Ed Peffer, The Tiding's employee 1952 to 1991)

 

     In The Tidings R. E. Congress Preview feature of February 9, 2001, we see "The early days: A certain spirit" by staff writer, Hermine Lees. Msgr. Leland Boyer summarized for her his recollections of the 18 years he spent working in the special apostolate of religious instruction, education and formation in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, emphasized in caps to begin the article --"A CERTAIN SPIRIT had always been there; it was like a big family gathering." He should know, he was there at the beginning, it says.

     Originally it was for catechists, an "institute," held at high schools, then at L. A. Airport hotel. Boyer is now pastor emeritus at St. Anthony High in Long Beach. In 1956 he joined Msgr. John Clarke in CCD, a ministry that actually began in the early 1920's under Bishop John Cantwell to teach refugees of the 1922 Mexican Revolution. Bishop Cantwell had appointed Fr. Leroy Callahan, pastor of San Antonio de Padua, East L. A. to work at this extra ministry.

 

     By 1937 the program had succeeded, so a full time director was needed. As Archbishop in 1936, Cantwell named Msgr. Clarke as director, who then for 33 years headed the CCD while classes grew from 30,000 to more than 200,000 in 1969. In 1953, workshops in Spanish had been added.

 

     In 1956, Boyer's approach was a turn from "guilt" to love--the sacraments, commandments, to be "fishers", to "respond out of love rather than fear." Topics were scaled to grade levels and child psychology, some for adult instruction. Four of the main texts were written by Boyer, published by Sadlier. In 1957, the event at Bishop Conaty High School saw attendance doubled.

 

     In 1964, Boyer became assistant director and attendance had grown to a need for a larger site. Boyer decided on the LAX area hotel, and the agenda was set for three days, with some 3000 teachers expected. More than 7000 came, causing major problems of service and programming. Tidings writer Al Antezak recalls waiting 10 minutes to get on a crowded elevator.

 

     When in 1970 Msgr. Clarke retired, Msgr. Boyer was already on executive committee of the National Conference of Diocesan CCD Directors. He risked trying the Anaheim Convention Center in1970--in spite of some fears it would not draw a crowd, and the happy result was 10,000 attendance. His brother and two nephews helped with equipment and room assignments.

 

     Then, in 1971 a Youth Rally was held and set a plan and pattern that now annually attracts 10,000 on Thursday before the 3-day major Congress. In 1972, Cardinal Manning celebrated the 50^th anniversary of formal Religious Education settings.

 

     In 1983 Msgr. Lloyd Torgerson became director of the office of Religious Education. Then in 1987, Sr. Edith Prendergast became the director of this major ministry, assisted by Adrian Whittaker, who coordinates much of the details.  These two individuals, with the support of the Cardinal,  have presided over the rapid decay of this annual Congress as evidenced by the many, far too many, heterodox speakers such as Sr. Elizabeth Johnson and Fr. Richard Rohr present in these times!

 

*FOOTNOTE on "uncertainty": Among the best highlights of chosen Congress speakers was Malcolm Muggeridge, British intellectual pundit and convert through his TV special assignment to visit Mother Teresa of Calcutta. The choice of speakers today evidently would not include such vigorous defenders of Humamae Vitae.

     Muggeridge wrote, "It was HUMANAE VITAE more than anything else that made me feel I must belong to that Church that could have the extraordinary insight and courage to produce this encyclical--knowing that it would be absolutely torn to pieces, treated as a kind of blasphemy in the idiotic society we live in."