Milestones of the
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| The Beginnings |
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.
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.
| 1956 | ||
| 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 at Bishop Conaty Catholic Girls High School saw attendance double. In subsequent years 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 1967, it was apparent that local schools could no longer handle the crowds and a new site was needed. |
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| 1967 |
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 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
| 1970 |
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 at the Anaheim Convention Center (then, still part of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles), in spite of some fears it would not draw a large enough attendance. 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.)
| 1971 |
| The first Youth Rally was held in 1971 and set the pattern for what has become Youth Day, which now annually attracts over 10,000 on the Thursday opening of the Congress event. In 1972, Archbishop Timothy Manning celebrated a jubilee Mass to mark the 50th anniversary of the beginning of a formal religious education program in the archdiocese. |
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| 1973 |
The first workshops in Spanish were presented in 1973. That year Msgr. John Barry was named the new CCD Director. During his 10-year term the CCD office was renamed the Office of Religious Education and the Congress event became the "Religious Education Congress."
| 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 |
Dates for RECongress 2008 are February 28 (Youth Day) and February 29-March 2.
The prior event, RECongress 2007 -- the 40th anniversary of the first "Congress" in 1967 -- was a record-breaking event with 40,886 registrants, 196 speakers, 395 volunteers, 226 exhibitors with 1,676 representatives, and 15,471 in attendance for Youth Day.
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