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Welcome to the Texas Catholic Conference, the Official Public Policy Voice of the Catholic Bishops of Texas.
OUR MISSION
The primary purpose of the Conference is to encourage and foster cooperation and communication among the dioceses and the ministries of the Catholic Church of Texas.
A major function of the Conference is to be the public policy arm of the Conference's Board of Directors, the bishops of Texas, before the Texas legislature, the Texas delegation in Congress, and state agencies. The public policy issues addressed by the Conference include institutional concerns of the Catholic Church as well as issues related to Catholic moral and social teachings.
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First reading |
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Responsorial Psalm |
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Gospel |
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Video Reflection |
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Saint of the Day |
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| The 26th Annual Scripture Seminar, held at St. Mary's Seminary in Houston, TX from October 6-9, delves into the topic of the Psalms. Cardinal DiNardo, Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston, has welcomed the Scripture Seminar to Houston, Texas, as part of the Archdiocese's Year of the Bible activities. The Texas Catholic Conference invites you to participate in this four-day conference that will feature two exemplary scholars and a riveting discussion of the Psalms. Registration is now open, click here for the brochure, which includes the event program and information on registering. The Scripture Seminar press kit is available online here.
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| FACULTY
Fr. Lawrence Boadt, CSP
Fr. Lawrence Boadt, CSP is a Paulist Father and president and publisher of the Paulist Press in Mahwah, NJ. Since 1997, he has been professor emeritus of Sacred Scripture at the Washington Theological Union, in Washington, DC. He has taught at Fordham and St. John's University in Queens, NY, and is the author of Reading the Old Testament: An Introduction.
Dr. Renata Furst
Dr. Renata Furst is a formation advisor and Director of Studies at Assumption Seminary. Her area of expertise is Old Testament Prophecy. She also completed the 6-year training program for spiritual directors specializing in giving the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius at the Ignatian Spirituality Center of Montreal.
Her academic degrees include:
B.A. Spanish Literature, Queen's University, Montréal, Quebec
M.A. Spanish Literature, Queen's University, Montréal, Quebec
M.A. Business Administration, International Finance, McGill University, Montréal, Quebec
Ph.D. Biblical Studies (ABD), Old Testament-Prophecy, Université de Montréal
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PURPOSE OF SEMINAR
•To provide an opportunity for advanced education on Scripture
•To promote reflection on themes present in Scripture
•To aid in homily and religious education preparation
For more information, contact:
Becky Sierra
(512) 339-9882
Becky@txcatholic.org |
WHO SHOULD ATTEND
•Priests, Deacons, Religious and Laity
•Pastoral Administrators
•Directors of Religious Education
•Catholic School Principals and Catholic School Religion Teachers
•Directors of Retreat and Renewal Centers
•Youth and Campus Ministers
•Office of Worship and Liturgy Teams
•Theology Faculties and Formation Teams
•Persons interested in Sacred Scripture |
GENERAL INFORMATION
Registration: $200 before September 1, 2009 ($225) thereafter. Registration fee does not include hotel. Registration is free for St. Mary's Seminarians, but you are still required to register (meals not included).
Refunds will not be available after September 1, 2009. Registration deadline is October 1, 2009
Complimentary parking at the seminary is available. Please bring a sweater or jacket in case the room is cold. We will not be able to adjust the thermostat. | Download the 2009 Scripture Seminar Brochure here.
PROGRAM
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MONDAY, October 5, 2009
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11:00 a.m. |
Registration |
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1:30 p.m. |
Opening Prayer and Welcome
Presentation: Fr. Lawrence Boadt, CSP
The Background to the Book of Psalms
Fr. Lawrence Boadt opens this year's seminar with a session on the background of the book of Psalms. In this session Fr. Boadt will discuss the following: the organization of the psalter, the poetry of the psalter, the purpose and types of psalms, dating the psalms, the importance of form criticism and historical methods, and spiritual reading of the Psalms. |
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2:45 p.m. |
Break |
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3:15 p.m. |
The Background to the Book of Psalms continued |
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5:00 p.m. |
Mass Celebrated by Daniel Cardinal DiNardo, Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston |
TUESDAY, October 6, 2009
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9:00 a.m. |
Opening Prayer
Presentation: Fr. Lawrence Boadt, CSP
The Ancient Near Eastern Background of the Psalms
This session delves into the Ancient Near Eastern Background of the Psalms. In this session, Fr. Boadt discusses: understanding the original context of the psalms, God (Yahweh) as divine warrior, the Baal Epic of Ugarit and other Creation Myths, Kingship of God and men, Attributes of God, Babylonian Lament Tradition, and Egyptian influences. |
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10:15 a.m. |
Break |
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10:45 a.m. |
The Ancient Near Eastern Background of the Psalms continued |
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12:00 p.m. |
Luncheon |
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1:30 p.m. |
Presentation: Fr. Lawrence Boadt, CSP
The Book of Psalms as Theological Meditation
Fr. Boadt's final scripture seminar session focuses on the Book of Psalms as Theological Meditation. Topics discusses in this session include: the Five "Books" of the psalter, the Intentional Structure of the Psalter, Chronological ordering of the psalms, Investigating the seams in detail, Personal Dimension of reading the Psalms, and Difficulties for Christians in Reading the psalms. |
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2:45 p.m. |
Break |
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3:15 p.m.
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The Book of Psalms as Theological Meditation continued |
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5:00 p.m. |
Daily Mass |
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WEDNESDAY, October 7, 2009
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9:00 a.m. |
Opening Prayer
Presentation: Dr. Renata Furst
How are the Divine Names used in the Psalms?
How is God addressed in the psalms? Among the people of Israel a name is not simply a label, but something powerful—it makes the person present in the community. Sometimes the name represents God himself. In the psalms, God's name is loved (Ps 5:11, praised (7:18) and exalted (34:4)—and in turn it reveals God to human beings (20:1). In this and the following sessions we will explore the ways in which the names of God reveal who God is for the people of Israel. |
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10:15 a.m. |
Break |
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10:45 a.m. |
Presentation: Dr. Renata Furst
God the Creator and Savior
Two of the great names of God used in the psalms are "Creator" and "Savior." God is mentioned at least 49 times in the psalms as the one who saves the psalmist from his enemies. He is also the one who holds all things in existence—"when you send forth your spirit they are created, you renew the face of the earth." (Ps 104:30) Together these concepts reveal a God who is both universal, yet interested and involved in the personal lives of his people. |
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12:00 p.m. |
Luncheon |
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WEDNESDAY, October 7, 2009 continued
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1:30 p.m. |
Presentation: Dr. Renata Furst
Psalms of Praise: "The Heavens are Telling the Glory of God"
Joyful praise focuses the mind of an individual or a community on the goodness, generosity, power and love of God. So powerful were the services of praise and worship in the temple, that "the house of the Lord, was filled with a cloud, so that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud; for the glory of the Lord filled the house of God" (2 Chron. 5:13-4). Psalms or hymns of praise explore the reasons for exalting God, and often conclude with a blessing or thanksgiving. In this session we will look at the major psalms of praise and their relationship to worship. |
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2:45 p.m. |
Break |
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3:15 p.m.
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Presentation: Dr. Renata Furst
Psalms of Lament: "Why Have You Forsaken Me?"
Almost all scholars agree that the center of Jesus' preaching is the hope for the coming of the "Kingdom of God" (Mark 1:14). But what kind of kingdom was Jesus expecting? In this session, we will study the Jewish hope for the eschatological kingdom of God (Daniel 2), and attempt to link it with the Last Supper. In particular, we will focus on several parables of the kingdom which compare it to a great banquet (Luke 14:7-15; 15-24; Matt 22:1-10), and use their Jewish background to suggest that Jesus awaited and proclaimed a Eucharistic Kingdom which He symbolically inaugurated at the Last Supper. |
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5:00 p.m. |
St. Mary's Seminary Alumni Mass
Scripture Seminar participants are welcome to attend. |
THURSDAY, October 8, 2009
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9:00 a.m. |
Opening Prayer
Presentation: Dr. Renata Furst
Royal Psalms: The Role of the King in the Community and in Worship
What unique perspective of the role of the king in society and in the worshiping community is revealed in the psalms? Royal psalms are those in which the king is the focus of attention, or the voice who speaks in prayer. These psalms help to construct the image of the royal Messiah—attributed to Jesus in Christian worship. This presentation explores and contrasts the idealized royal ideology found in the psalms and its more realistic counterpart in the historical books. This session introduces the royal psalms and their importance in the life of Israel. |
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10:15 a.m. |
Break |
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10:45 a.m. |
Presentation: Dr. Renata Furst
Kingship Language in the Psalms: "Great Triumphs He gives to His King and Shows Steadfast Love to His Anointed"
Royal psalms are not generic—they reflect important moments in the life of the king and the people. Many of the psalm headings attribute their content to a particular event in the life of King David—enthronement, help against enemies, repentance. They also reveal a personal relationship between God and the king—"great triumphs he gives to his king and shows steadfast love to his anointed." |
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12:00 p.m. |
Mid-Day Prayer and Dismissal |
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Download the 2009 Scripture Seminar Brochure here.
For more information, contact: Becky Sierra, Texas Catholic Conference, (512) 339-9882, becky@txcatholic.orgLast updated July 6, 2009
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2009 scripture seminar