Sacramental Preparation
How to Implement Renewed and Received in a Family Faith Formation Model
August 2, 2023
Many parishes are beginning to offer their religious education program within a family faith formation model, involving the parents as their child’s primary catechists and reducing the workload for catechetical leaders. It can be challenging to find programming that fits into this model. Join us for our upcoming webinar where we’ll show you how to implement Ascension’s brand-new First Reconciliation and First Communion prep programs Renewed: Your Journey to First Reconciliation and Received: Your Journey to First Communion into a family faith formation model.
Our hosts Colin and Aimee MacIver will review common challenges parishes can experience within family faith formation, show you how to use the resources available in Renewed and Received to address these challenges, and offer simple and straightforward guidance to set you up for success.
How to Get Parents Engaged in First Reconciliation and First Communion Prep
April 19, 2023
Those working in parish First Reconciliation and First Communion preparation know how important it is to get parents engaged in their child's catechesis. Educating and empowering these parents as their child's primary catechists is absolutely vital. But how can we achieve this?
Join Elissa Tiprigan the founder of Catholic Family Crate, with Colin MacIver as she shares what she has learned about helping Catholic families bring the faith into their homes, engaging Catholic parents, and empowering catechists to share the Faith with children. You'll discover the common mistakes to avoid, best practices to follow, and receive expert advice from a leader in the field of Catholic parent engagement.
VIEW WEBINARAsk Me Anything - Get Your Questions about Renewed and Received Answered
March 21, 2023
Ascension has just released two new programs to help with First Reconciliation and First Communion prep: Renewed: Your Journey to First Reconciliation and Received: Your Journey to First Communion. If you're curious learn more about these programs, want to understand how they work, and would like to get answers to your more specific questions, this webinar is the perfect opportunity.
Join Lauren McCann, the primary Product Owner for the Renewed and Received programs, with Colin MacIver, co-author of Renewed by Jesus: My Guide to Reconciliation and Receiving Jesus: My Guide to the Mass as they share a walk-through of these new programs and provide time to answer your questions.
VIEW WEBINARThe Untapped Goldmine Hidden in Your Confirmation Prep Program
May 19, 2022
What do we want more than anything for our Confirmation candidates? We long for them to come to realize for themselves how beautiful and valuable our faith is so they can develop a deep personal relationship with Christ. We want to see them take ownership of their Faith and live it out joyfully and faithfully. But often this simply doesn’t happen.
Join us for a free one-hour webinar hosted by Colin MacIver with special guests Jason Evert and Mari Pablo. Together they will share practical advice on how to get teens to connect with and respond to your Confirmation prep program. They’ll also reveal the piece of your program that offers a wonderful opportunity to help make the faith relevant and meaningful to teens.
Interactive Marriage Preparation Solutions in a Socially Distanced Church
May 12
Join moderator, Tom McCabe, author of Joy-Filled Marriage, and Helene Hallowell, Ascension's coordinator of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia Marriage Preparation Program, and Lauren McCann, Product Manager of Ascension's self-paced online sacramental certification programs, as we explore and take your questions on:
- How to arrange a live online marriage preparation course and what to avoid.
- Ascension's new Joy-Filled Marriage self-paced online marriage preparation and certification program.
Those attending will receive free access to Ascension's new Joy-Filled Marriage self-paced online marriage certification program for a limited time.
Confirmation Preparation: Finishing the Year and Preparing for the Fall
May 26
This week, we are excited to welcome Clayton Imoo, associate director of the Ministries and Outreach Office of the Archdiocese of Vancouver in Canada, and Caroline Harvey, associate communication director of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee, as they speak about the current challenges of confirmation preparation and planning. You will come away from the webinar with:
- Concrete tips and strategies about how to conclude this year’s program and plan for the fall
- Advice about how to connect with students, parents, and sponsors
We are excited to announce that those who attend will receive a special offer for our Chosen program!
The Art and Science of Being an Effective Confirmation Catechist
June 30
Preparing teens for Confirmation is an enormous privilege. But it comes with it's own challenges. Uncooperative candidates (or overly-enthusiastic ones who monopolize the discussions). Disengaged parents and sponsors. And of top of all that, there's still that nagging, underlying question: "What do we mean when we say we "prepare" teens for Confirmation?" How do we do that?
Join us for a free one-hour webinar with host Colin MacIver, author of the Chosen: Your Journey Toward Confirmation Parent's Guide, Sponsor's Guide, and Director's Manual. Colin will lay out the practical, nuts and bolts "science" of effective Confirmation prep as well as coach us on the "art" of guiding your teens into lifelong discipleship.
Online Marriage Preparation: Balancing the Digital and the Pastoral
July 29
Join moderator, Tom McCabe, author of Joy-Filled Marriage, as we explore and take your questions on: best practices for delivering an online marriage preparation program; the importance of pastoral guidance to engaged couples taking online prep; and Ascension's new Joy-Filled Marriage self-paced online marriage preparation and certification program.
Youth Ministry
How to Use Venture: The Bible Timeline for High School within the USCCB Framework
September 29, 2022
Have you been looking for a way to help your high school students grow in their Biblical literacy? This Spring, Venture: The Bible Timeline for High School launched, bringing the proven Great Adventure Bible Timeline learning system to teens in a fun, fast-paced format. How well does the program fit within the established USCCB framework? Join Sarah Shutrop as she shows us how she’s using the Venture program, including how she is assessing her students progress, and guiding them in things like Lectio Divina and guided meditation on Scripture.
Mark Hart’s Secrets for Showing Teens That the Bible is Still Relevant
July 20, 2022
Today’s teens often dismiss the Bible and think it is outdated and antiquated. Want to show modern teenagers the applications of the Bible in the 21st century? Mark Hart has taught the Bible to young people all over the world for 25 years, and he is ready to share his expertise. Join us for a one-hour webinar where he will lay out the exact steps that he uses to show teens that the living Word of God is just as relevant today as it was a thousand years ago.
Discover How Mark Hart Makes It Easy for Teens to Understand and Remember the Bible
June 23, 2022
Want to increase your teens’ Bible literacy? Mark Hart has been teaching teens to read the Bible for 25 years, and will be joining us to show you exactly how to make the Bible simple to understand for teens. In order for teens to remember the Bible, they need to understand it first. Mark will teach you how to do it in this one-hour webinar.
Learn the Unique System Mark Hart has Perfected Over 25 Years Teaching Teens the Bible
March 31, 2022
Want to share the Bible with teens in a way that isn't boring or confusing, so they can discover the amazing story of God's love for us? Mark Hart has spent more than 25 years sharing the Bible with young people around the world and knows exactly what to do. Join us for a one-hour webinar where he will lay out the exact steps that he uses to get teens to understand the Bible and get excited about it.
Teens and Screens Youth Ministry and the Theology of the Body
May 19
Join Mari Pablo as she shares how we can view teen ministry through the lens of the Theology of the Body. We know that the life of teens is centered around friends and socializing, which presents a particular challenge during this stay-at-home period. During this webinar, Mari will present concrete, Theology of the Body-informed tips and strategies for you to consider implementing to support teens in your parish community.
Should We be Talking about Sex in Parish Religious Education Classes?
July 14
Brian Butler, Executive Director & Co-Founder of Dumb Ox Ministries as well as co-author of Theology of the Body Middle School and YOU: Life, Love, and the Theology of the Body, will join us this week to explain the Theology of the Body and present some tips and strategies for discussing Theology of the Body related topics within parish religion education settings.
Special Topics
Livestreams, Social Media and More for Parishes
May 5
Are you looking for creative ways to reach your parishioners on social media, or stream Sunday Mass or host a webinar? Join Marisa Beyer and Matt Pirrall, members of Ascension's expert media and video production team as they share useful tips and tricks on the many ways to reach your parishioners and what not to use.
What Your Parish Needs to Know about the Payroll Protection Program: How to Apply for Funding and Understanding the CARES Act
May 8
On the webinar, Matthew Pinto, President of Ascension hosts and is joined by attorneys Chris Connell, and Jennifer Gniady, from the law firm of Stradley Ronon, Stevens & Young. Chris and Jennifer will discuss what you need to know about the PPP program and also address your questions.
How Parishes Can Encourage and Build Up the Domestic Church
June 16
On the webinar, host Colin MacIver sits down with Michael Gormley, co-host of Ascension's weekly Catholic podcast on evangelization Every Knee Shall Bow, and author and speaker Lisa Hendey as they share tips, strategies, and insights on how to help Catholics foster the domestic Church in their homes.
Finding Connection in a Divided World: Catholic Social Teaching’s Exciting Invitation to This Generation
May 18, 2021
In the cultural climate of increased polarization and division, teens are suffering. Anxiety, fear, and a deep sense of loneliness are becoming more and more prevalent. This hurting world is in profound need of the healing message of the Gospel. This is what we offer in our new program for teens Connected: Catholic Social Teaching for This Generation.
See if this dynamic new program is the right fit for your group at our free upcoming webinar. The webinar will be hosted by Colin and Aimee MacIver. They will be joined by two of the dynamic presenters from Connected, Mari Pablo and Chika Anyanwu. Together, they'll be sharing the vision and design of the program to help those considering it to understand how it will serve their parish, school, and community.
Evangelization
Making Your Parish a Center of Hope and Evangelization
June 2
This week, we welcome Father Josh Johnson as he shares strategies on how to make your parish a place of hope and evangelization. The current pandemic and “stay-at-home” reality have presented the Church with challenges in keeping Catholics engaged in parish life. This webinar will offer some concrete tips on how to reach out to those who may not find their way back to Mass—as well as presenting ways for welcoming new faces or faces that you haven’t seen for quite some time!
