The 2007 Oahu Catechetical Conference, June 13-16, will offer catechists, religion teachers and parish ministers 30 courses on topics ranging from church history, the sacraments and Scripture to liturgy and prayer.

The conference includes a three-hour general assembly on the Eucharist, Saturday, June 16, 9 a.m.-noon, presented by two guest speakers, Sister of the Most Precious Blood Joyce Zimmerman and Notre Dame de Namur Sister Kathleen Harmon.

All of the sessions except one will be offered at DamienMemorialSchool. The three-hour classes are taught in the evenings, 6-9 p.m., except for June 16, with the morning general assembly and a set of afternoon classes.

Sacred Hearts Sister and scholar Mary Dolorine Pires will teach two classes on local church history, one on the spirituality of Blessed Damien and another on the pioneering work of catechists and trials and the persecution of converts in the first years of the church in Hawaii.

William Plourde, a teacher at SacredHeartsAcademy in Honolulu, will offer a two-part “thumbnail” history of the church.

Father Patrick Freitas, associate director of the office of religious education will give presentations on the sacraments of Baptism, Reconciliation and first Eucharist.

Maryknoll Sister Joan Chatfield, who has long worked in the field of ecumenism, will offer a study of the common origins of Islam, Judaism and Christianity.

The diocesan director of the Office for Social Ministry, Carol Ignacio, will teach a class on contemporary Catholic Social Teaching, described as “the church’s best kept secret.

Among the other instructors are deacon Wally and Gwen Mitsui, diocesan director of religious education Jayne Mondoy, Father George DeCosta, Maryknoll Sister Yoo Soo Kim, Capuchin Franciscan Father Robert Maher, Sacred Hearts Father Johnathan Hurrell and Cathy Agor.

The only course not offered at Damien is a four-evening catechist training workshop, 7-9 p.m., June 12-15, at St. AnnChurch in Kaneohe, taught by Sacred Hearts Sister Anne Clare de Costa and staff.

The diocesan Office of Religious Education is sponsoring the conference. Participants who attend all four days will receive credit in Bearers of the Light, the official diocesan catechist formation program.

The cost for the full program of courses is $40, or $10 per single course. The St. Ann course is also $40. Course descriptions and registration information were mailed in early May. They also may be downloaded from the Religious Education website www.hi-care.org.

For more information, call (808) 203 – 6747 or e-mail gomez@ssdc-hi.org.