PLEASE NOTE: This program is NOT specifically Catholic; the curriculum is strictly fatherhood-based and is religion neutral. I post about it here, because CMR is my company that’s been contracted to run the program and this blog provides a handy platform for providing the message below.

Friends,

I’m sending this message to ask any dads with new babies (0-6 months old) to volunteer a Saturday morning to help prepare expectant fathers for what’s to come. I’m facilitating a course at Advocate Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge, IL called Boot Camp for New Dads. The program’s website is www.bootcampfornewdads.org. Here’s an overview:

The Basic Principles of Boot Camp

• an involved dad is radically important for children and society
• the mission is to get dads started from a place of confidence
• Boot Camp is for men, by men, with only men
• not lecture but led by a Coach who turns to Veteran Dads who volunteer with their infant to share their own experience
• participants (Rookie Dads) not only benefit from listening to those recently gone through it but also from hands-on practice holding, changing, sometimes even feeding real babies in the room

The Topics of Boot Camp

• the birthing process and being home after
• getting involved from the beginning
• the importance of teamwork and what that looks like
• safety at home and in the car
• great advice from veterans

Since the program is new to Lutheran General, we need Veteran Dads! The class runs every other month on a Saturday morning (9 am – noon) on the following dates: Feb 27, Apr 24, Jun 19, Aug 21, Oct 16, and Dec 4, 2010. If you have an infant (or will have one) in the proper age range (0-6 months) on one of those dates and would be willing to bring your baby to a class, please contact me either with an email (bootcamp@jerryharrington.net) or give me a call (847.331.2674).

OR if someone you know (or you yourself) are a dad expecting your first child and you’d like to register for Boot Camp, you can do that through the hospital’s Health Advisor system by either calling 1.800.3.ADVOCATE (1-800-323-8622) Monday – Friday 8am to 6pm or online by visiting advocatehealth.com/luth, clicking on the “i need…” menu, choosing “a class or support group,” and on the new page (Health Advisor) searching for Boot Camp.

Thanks for actually reading all the way to the bottom of this long message! Please forward it to anyone you know that might find it interesting. I hope you or someone you know could help me keep growing Boot Camp for New Dads at Lutheran General.

Sincerely,
Jerry Harrington
Master Coach
Boot Camp for New Dads

This is Memindia 2 of 8 in the Social Justice Pack 1!

This breakout hit for the Black Eyed Peas combines rap and singing into a powerful call for love and truth by pointing to the many ways we violate love and respect.

In understanding Catholic Social Justice Teaching, everything starts from the point of human dignity: the value, worth, and divine image that we all carry. Only when that’s respected can all the other needs be addressed.

Faith Topics:

• Social Justice Principle #1
• Respect for Life & Dignity
• Everyone is Neighbor

Prayer:

• Guided Meditation
• Respect Reflection

Activity:

• Letter Writing
• Letter to the Disrespected

Buy It From Amazon!
Amazon purchases made by clicking through the link above benefits Catholic Media Resources! Please further support us by making media purchases through these links.

Choose from the individual song for download (on the left) or the whole album CD (on the right)!

The name of DoSomething.org is fairly self-explanatory: dedicated to young people, especially teens, who want to change the world this website provides everything needed to empower youth to work for good: learning resources, forums, project ideas, clubs to found, and grants to fund it.

In this first introductory Memindia of this Social Justice Pack, I summarize the seven principles of social justice teaching and how this website supports all of them! Each principle will then be explored in subsequent Memindia.

Faith Topics:

• Catholic Social Justice
• Overview of 7 Principles

Prayer:

• Original Recitation
• Prayer for Courage

Activity:

• Personal Growth Challenge
• Do Something!

Buy A Related Product From Amazon!
I actually taught this book in a Catholic high school Social Justice class!

Amazon purchases made by clicking through the link above benefits Catholic Media Resources! Please further support us by making media purchases through these links.

Discuss this Memindia! Here are your options:

• Comment below
• Go here to this Memindia’s post in The CMR Forum
• Go here to comment on the CMR Facebook Fan Page.

I have very mixed feelings about this! What are your reactions?

I’m going to give some thought to what they’re doing and how we might work together. Perhaps I could become an affiliate for them or they could become an idea provider for me? Who knows, but exciting things are possible.

Party in the USA? Try Catholic Mass: party on whole planet!

In this incredibly catchy and sweet tune, Miley Cyrus describes the anxiety of arriving in Los Angeles for the first time being calmed by hearing and dancing to familiar music. The national nature of popular music helps her feel connected, even away from home.

We as Catholics have something even more powerful than music that connects us to each other, not just in the USA but everywhere on the planet: the ritual of the Mass. And contrary to popular perception (and perhaps practice!) it’s supposed to be a party too!

Faith Topics:

• The Mass:
• Comfort in Familiarity
• Global in Reach

Prayer:

• Traditional Recitation
• Eucharistic Prayer I (The Roman Canon)

Activity:

• Game
• Name That Tune

Buy It From Amazon!
Amazon purchases made by clicking through the link above benefits Catholic Media Resources! Please further support us by making media purchases through these links.

Discuss this Memindia! Here are your options:

• Comment below
• Go here to this Memindia’s post in The CMR Forum
• Go here to comment on the CMR Facebook Fan Page.

Click here to go to the Subscriptions Products in The CMR Store.

You say you love God. Can you walk the walk or only talk the talk?

In this hit single, Iyaz sings of a man who changes for the Shawty (really attractive girl) he loves. Since he can’t get her out of his head (like his iPod stuck on replay), he finds himself doing things he’s never done: like cooking in the kitchen for her.

If we say we love God, we should be more like the guy in the song: changing our ways, doing new things to please God. We’re called to ‘be Jesus’ to the world; that means answering the call to conversion and holiness – walking the walking of loving God.

Faith Topics:

• Being Jesus
• Call to Conversion
• Striving for Holiness

Prayer:

• Scriptural Meditation
• Walking the Walk

Activity:

• Game
• Truth or Dare: Church Edition

Buy It From Amazon!
Amazon purchases made by clicking through the link above benefits Catholic Media Resources! Please further support us by making media purchases through these links.

Discuss this Memindia! Here are your options:

• Comment below
• Go here to this Memindia’s post in The CMR Forum
• Go here to comment on the CMR Facebook Fan Page.