The Office of Evangelization and Catechesis exists to help the Bishop of Madison pursue his teaching mission.  Pursuing its work of creating opportunities for everyone in the diocese to encounter Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, in a life-changing way, the OEC:  

•  Acts as a liaison between the bishop and the parishes by surfacing needs and concerns to the bishop and disseminating guidance and directives from the bishop to the parishes;
  • Regional Gatherings of Catechetical Leaders  
• Serves as a consultative resource to parishes and schools in their faith formation efforts, helping staffs thoroughly understand the vision and mission of evangelization and lifelong catechesis, develop strategies to pursue this vision, and understand the resources available to them in this effort;
  • Getting Started program (for new parish catechetical leaders)
  • Quiet in the Pines retreat (for parish catechetical leaders)
  • Gather specific groups of parish leaders for workshops and training (youth ministers, adult faith formation personnel, etc.)
  • Direct parish personnel to solid programs and materials
    • Textbook and curriculum selections
    • Outside organizations (Dead Theologians Society, etc.)
• Helps parishes and schools form effective catechists and faith formation personnel;
  • Diocesan Lay Institute
  • F.O.R.E.M. certification program
  • Central Education Institute
  • CONNECTIONS program
  • Coordinate graduate-level educational opportunities (IPT, LIMEX, etc.)
  • Theology of the Body training  
• Helps parishes support marriages and families;
  • Marriage Preparation program
    • God’s Plan component
    • Life Skills component
    • FOCCUS training
  • NFP instruction 
• Coordinates diocesan-wide faith formation opportunities available to all people of the diocese;
  • Adults
    • St. Therese Lecture series
    • Retreats for men and women
    • Doctrine and Dinner series
    • 50th wedding anniversary celebration
  • Young Adults
    • Theology on Tap
  • Youth
    • High school and middle school youth rallies
    • Confirmation retreats (will start this year) 
  • Families
    • Diocesan family picnic
    • Pilgrimages, concerts, speakers (Donut Man, Tatiana, etc.)
    • Kairos TEC retreats
• Provides resources shared at a diocesan level;
  • Library
    • Curriculum
    • Audio visual
    • Reference
  • Website
  • Communications
    • Electronic newsletters and periodic mailings
    • Online documents, calendars, job bank, salary and personnel surveys
• Coordinates diocesan participation in regional, national and international opportunities;
  • Catechetical Leaders
    • NCCL
    • WDREF
    • MDREO
    • NET Ministries
  • Marriage and Family
    • Marriage Encounter
    • Retrouvaille
    • NACFLAM
    • Madison Marriage Ministries
  • Youth
    • World Youth Day
    • NCYC
    • Catholic Scouting