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Ryan Hanning of the Phoenix Diocese's Adult Evangelization and Catechesis.

The January Leadership Conference kicked off last night at the Diocesan Pastoral Center, hoping to inspire catechists and Church leaders to embrace Christ’s call to evangelization.

The conference has featured some local experts — like Ryan Hanning and Carmen Portela of the diocese’s Department of Family Catechesis and Legionary Father Thomas Bennet, parochial vicar of Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish in Queen Creek and Fr. Charlie Goraieb, pastor of Queen of Peace Parish in Mesa.

I attended two sessions today and posted Twitter updates from the seminars. Here’s a few examples:

Fr Jorge Martinez from evangelization to catechesis at Phoenix conference

Fr. Jorge Martinez

Fr Martinez: Catechists should also take into account what children learn at home

You need to form Catholics so that they don’t swallow society’s message without a critical mind, says Fr Martinez

If we want to evaluate our catechesis, we should ask how many of those we catechized are now catechists, Fr Martinez says

It’s often better to catechize mom and dad as well as the children, Fr Martinez says

And from Hanning’s talk about the conversion of adults:

Hanning: Conversion is an ongoing process that leads to internal and external change

Inquiry, formation, reflection and celebration outline conersion in the life of the Church. Example: Mass.

Hanning: relationship with God is like marriage: an ongoing process not just a single event (conversion/wedding)

Hanning: Christ in His mercy doesn’t force anyone to conversion. He is infinite in His patience

OK, so it’s not as good as actually being there. But if you weren’t there, now you at least have a taste. (I’m hoping others in the conference didn’t think my “tweeting” was disrespectful.) If you want to check out the full list of tweets, visit us on Twitter.