10:00 am - 4:00 pm
Buffalo, NY • Directions
Catechetical Leaders, Catechists, Youth Ministers, and Pastors from the Diocese of Buffalo, NY are invited to join our team for a one-day Workshop on addressing gender ideology. Explore the truth of the human person, the reality of sex, and the magnitude of the cultural influences of gender ideology from a societal level to your local community. Learn facts about gender dysphoria, transgender identification, and the psycho-social, medical, and surgical interventions to align the appearance of the body with self-determined identity. Understand Church teaching on the dignity of the person and medical ethics of “gender-affirming care” and the meaning of true accompaniment for vulnerable persons and help for those who are suffering. Finally, receive activities, lesson ideas, and practical tools to help guide you in navigating this difficult issue with your students.
Schedule
Join us, and you'll receive…

Catechetical Formation
Engaging sessions by a catechetical scholar provide background knowledge so you can confidently engage students with our Faith.

Spiritual Formation
You'll explore your vocation as a teacher, coming to see your calling as a witness to Christ in the classroom.

Practical Application
A veteran teacher follows each scholarly presentation with research-based teaching strategies, giving you immediate ways to apply this knowledge in the classroom.

Ready-to-Use Materials
Receive a free, classroom-tested teacher's guide featuring 10-12 lessons with classroom activities and sacred art.
Presenters

Deacon Gerard-Marie Anthony is a deacon and Director of Religious Education for Holy Trinity Catholic Church. He received his B.A in Theology from Christendom College and his M.A in Theology from the Catholic Distance University. He has written for numerous magazines such as Our Sunday Visitor, Mind and Spirit: Integrating Psychology and Faith, Ethics and Medics, the Black Catholic Ministries Newsletter, Deacon Digest, Lay Witness, Homiletic and Pastoral Review, Immaculate Heart Messenger, CatholicMatch, and the Catholic Stand. He also has two apostolates which are A M.O.M.S Peace (an organization that helps mothers experiencing the trauma of a miscarriage or stillborn birth) and Mother Of Light Center (which helps to bring the love of God to the homeless and those who are forgotten and abandoned).

Jose Gonzalez joined the team at Sophia Institute for Teachers in 2014 after more than 10 years as a Catholic high school teacher. In addition to teaching, Jose has experience working in parish and diocesan ministry. Jose has been leading Workshops in over 60 dioceses for more than 8 years, and contributes regularly to our teacher's guides and digital instructional resources. He has a BA in theology with a concentration in religious education from Franciscan University of Steubenville, and an MA in evangelization and catechesis from the Augustine Institute. Jose and his wife, Mary Beth, have four children.