Milestones of the
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| The Beginnings T | ||
| The origins
of the Religious Education Congress spring from the Confraternity
of Christian Doctrine, popularly known as CCD, a ministry that
actually began in Los Angeles in 1922 under Bishop John Cantwell
to teach refugees of the Mexican Revolution. Bishop Cantwell
had appointed Fr. Leroy Callahan, pastor of San Antonio de Padua
in East Los Angeles, to work in this ministry.
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By 1937 the program was so successful
that a full-time director was needed. As Archbishop in 1937,
Cantwell appointed Msgr. John Clarke as archdiocesan CCD Director,
who headed the program for the next 33 years. All the while
classes grew from 30,000 to more than 200,000 in 1969. |
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| 1956 T | ||
| In 1956 Msgr.
Leland Boyer joined Msgr. John Clarke and helped in organizing
the first CCD Institute held at Mount Carmel High School
on Hoover Street in Los Angeles. Some 500 teachers and catechists
attended the two-day conference, listened to speakers and gained
experience from other teachers.
In 1957, the event moved to Bishop Conaty Catholic Girls High School and saw attendance double in size. In subsequent years (1958-1966), attendance continued to increase at Loyola University; and culminated with over 4,000 attending the event at Immaculate Heart College.
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| 1964 | ||
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In 1964, Msgr. Boyer became Assistant Director and saw growing attendance each year. By 1966, it was apparent that local schools could no longer handle the crowds and a new site was needed. |
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| 1967 |
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With the cooperation of the dioceses of Monterey-Fresno and San Diego, the agenda for the first three-day “Congress” was set. The purpose, as stated by officials, was “to provide an atmosphere of Christian unity...for the benefit of each and the common good of all mankind.” It was Jan. 13-15, 1967 that the first Southern California Confraternity Congress was held at the LAX-area International Hotel (the property located at Sepulveda and Century boulevards) with a registration fee of $5. An estimated 3,000 teachers were expected, but more than 7,000 came, causing major problems with services and programming. Then-Tidings writer Al Antczak (later to become Editor) recalled waiting 10 minutes to get on a crowded elevator. See photos from the early days of the Southern California Confraternity Congress |
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| 1970 |
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When Msgr. John Clarke retired and
named Msgr. Leland Boyer as CCD Director, Msgr. Boyer was
already on the Executive Committee of the National Conference
of Diocesan CCD Directors. That year (1970) Msgr. Boyer
took the chance on moving the event to a much larger facility
in Anaheim (the cities of Orange County were still a part
of the Los Angeles Archdiocese), in spite of some fears
it would not draw a large enough attendance. |
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In 1970 the annual Confraternity of Catholic Doctrine Congress was moved to the Anaheim Convention Center. The happy result was over 10,000 in attendance and use of the surrounding hotels. (Msgr. Boyer's brother Verne was involved from the start and continued for a long time thereafter, arranging Mass times and setting up the Arena; his two teenaged nephews, Steve and Greg, helped with the equipment and room assignments.) The Diocese of Orange was established March 24, 1976. |
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| 1971 |
| The first Youth Rally
was held in 1971 for students and set the pattern for what has
become Youth Day, which now annually attracts over 15,000 on
the Thursday opening of the Congress event.
At the 1972 Congress, Los Angeles Archbishop Cardinal Timothy Manning presided at a jubilee Mass commemorating the 50th anniversary of the beginnings of a formal religious education program in the Diocese of Monterey-Los Angeles by Bishop John J. Cantwell. |
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| 1973 |
In 1973, Msgr. John Barry began what became his 10-year term as the new Director. The CCD office was renamed the Office of Religious Education and the Congress event became the "Religious Education Congress." Scores of workshops in Spanish were offered for the first time that year. Each year the number of workshops escalates as do the crowds swarming to hear the speakers and engage in the various outreaches.
| 1983 |
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Msgr. Lloyd Torgerson became Director of the Office of Religious Education in 1983. On his staff was Sr. Edith Prendergast, the first woman Associate Director for the office. In 1985, Msgr. Torgerson hired Adrian Whitaker as full-time coordinator of the event. |
| 1987 |
| In 1987, Sr. Edith Prendergast took the helm and became Director of the Office of Religious Education. |
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| 2003 |
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RECongress 2003 brought together 21,261 registrants, 171 speakers, 362 volunteers, and 220 exhibitors, and 14,349 in attendance for Youth Day. With 18 years of service as Congress Coordinator, Adrian Whitaker retired after Congress 2003. (See the Thank You, Adrian farewell page.) | ||
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In June 2003, Mary Lou McGee is appointed as interim Congress Coordinator. Mary Lou had previously served as adult education consultant for the Office of Religious Education and coordinator for their Pathways program. |
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Msgr. Leland J. Boyer, pastor emeritus and founder of the annual archdiocesan Religious Education Congress, died Jan. 14, 2003 at age 81. Ordained in 1949, he taught at St. Anthony High School in Long Beach; was named assistant director of the CCD office in 1964 and served there for nine years; chosen as a consultor to Cardinal Manning in 1973; and in 1975 was appointed pastor at St. Bede the Venerable, serving in that role for 18 years. | ||
| 2005 |
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Vikki Shepp, co-coordinator of Youth Day, is appointed as Congress Coordinator. RECongress 2005 totaled 36,331 registrants, 210 speakers, 379 volunteers, 214 exhibitors with 1,553 representatives, and 14,586 in attendance for Youth Day. |
| 2006 |
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Paulette Smith and Jan
Pedroza are appointed as Co-coordinators of the Religious Education
Congress. As Event Coordinator Paulette will handle facilities
and contracted hotels; as Programming Coordinator Jan will continue
to work with speakers and volunteers and coordinate Congress
registration. This year marks the 50th annual event sponsored by the Office of Religious Education (beginning with the first CCD “institute” in 1956). RECongress 2006 brought together 39,444 registrants, 200 speakers, 447 volunteers, 226 exhibitors with 1,676 representatives, and 15,324 in attendance for Youth Day. |
| 2008 |
In 2008, RECongress hosted a dinner in honor of Sr. Edith Prendergast and her 20 years of leading the Religious Education Congress. Among the 500 in attendance were (left to right) Congress Event Coordinators Paulette Smith (2007-present) and Congress Program Coordinator Jan Pedroza (2003-present), Director Sr. Edith, and former Congress Coordinators Vikki Shepp (2005-06), Mary Lou McGee (2004), and Adrian Whitaker (1985-2003).
| 2013 |
Today, the Religious Education Congress supports the diverse needs of parish leaders by offering workshops in evangelization, liturgy, theology, Scripture, spirituality, morality, parish leadership, detention ministry, peace and justice, as well as adult elementary and early childhood catechesis and youth ministry.
Our last event, held February 21 (Youth Day) and February 22-24, 2013, had over 37,769 in attendance, with 185 speakers presenting 338 workshops in three languages (English, Spanish, and Vietnamese), and with 20,783 registered for Congress. Youth Day attendance was 14,613. Our Exhibit Hall had 490 booths with 1,658 representatives from 226 different companies and organizations. (See the 2013 Statistics.)
Dates for our future events:
RECongress 2014 - March 13, 2014 (Youth Day) & March 14-16, 2014
RECongress 2015 - March 12, 2015 (Youth Day) & March 13-15, 2015
RECongress 2016 - February 25, 2016 (Youth Day) & February 26-28, 2016
RECongress 2017 - March 16, 2017 (Youth Day) & March 17-19, 2017
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2013
CONGRESS INFO:
REC 2013 •
2013 Photos •
RECongress LIVE •
YOUTH DAY •
SPOTLIGHT •
SCHEDULE •
UPDATES •
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