Almost Heaven TEC History
John Mihalko, a high school teacher and now deceased, traveled from Cleveland, Ohio to help get Cursillo started within this Diocese (at that time the Diocese of Wheeling in West Virginia). During this process, he became friends with Fr. Ed Bell (recently retired from the Diocese). They talked about TECs that were held for the Youth in Cleveland.
Fr. Bell gathered a group of committed individuals to begin TEC within this Diocese. There were several priests, a number of religious and many lay individuals. We sent candidates as well as adults to Cleveland to participate in TEC weekends. At the point where we had enough individuals trained to hold a weekend, we began. The directors for the first several TECs were from Cleveland. The first TEC, TEC #1, was held at Mount St. Joseph in Wheeling in 1969. Bob O’Rourke directed the first boys TEC. Toni Oliver directed the first girls TEC, TEC #4 in August 1971. Fr. Jody DeBias, the Diocesan Director of Vocations at that time, and his secretary, Toni Oliver coordinated TEC out of the Diocesan Vocations Office for several years. Presently the Office of Youth, Young Adult and Campus Ministry supports and coordinates the movement.
Fr. Charles Schneider, pastor of Sacred Heart Church in Bluefield, brought TEC to Bluefield where TECs were held for many, many years. They were held from 1973 until 1986. The first TEC in Bluefield was April 14 to 16, 1973. Almost Heaven TEC has an intriguing but rather convoluted history. We began as Bluefield TECs then became Bluefield-Charleston TECs when we began coed weekends. The Steering Committee renamed us Almost Heaven TEC in 1989. We have held 93 TECs to date.
Ralph Modena has been remarkably dedicated to the TEC movement locally. Basically since he made his first TEC in Wheeling, he has been active. He chaired the Steering Committee for a number of years as well as representing the Diocese with the TEC Conference. During his tenure with the TEC Conference he had an active Core Team with representatives from each TEC Center within the State. Mark Switzer followed him to the TEC Conference but has not done much coordinating within the Diocese. Dave Haas, Mary Lu Geiger and Maria O’Reilly have followed as chairs of the Almost Heaven TEC Steering Committee. There have been dedicated individuals, too numerous to mention, that have kept the TEC movement alive and well within Almost Heaven.
We have had a number of workshops to train new adults, musicians, spiritual directors and others participating on TEC weekends. The new TEC manual was very cathartic to our local movement. This new directive forced us to examine our process very carefully. Three of us participated in one of the original workshops with the developing of the new manual. The same three have participated in other training weekends throughout the country. We had a Renewing the Vision training weekend in Wheeling where all the TEC centers participated along with others from various parts of the country. Putting us all “on the same page” helped the weekend process significantly.
93 TECs have been held. We hold about three TECs annually. Each TEC has had a reunion, follow-up and team meetings for evaluation after the weekend. The Steering Committee also actively evaluates each weekend. There are also frequent Wheat parties at local parishes or with past TECs. We are presently holding and developing local TEC reunions. Masses are held at various parishes throughout the Diocese with a gathering held afterward.
In 1969 the Youth were eager and willing to experience a weekend with Jesus. They had time in their lives to allow a three day experience without disrupting their lives. The Diocesan Office for Youth under the capable direction of Mike Hall has worked diligently and untiringly for the betterment of youth opportunities within the state. At the present time, there are not too many parishes with full time Youth Ministers. Our main problems at the present time are basically: youth who are too involved in too many activities to find three days in a row that they can spare, block classes which mean missing one day is like missing one week of classes, the vast distance our folks must travel to make TEC weekends and the disillusionment of the current church scandals.
Our greatest gifts for the future are the clergy who guide us, and the participating adults and youth. Many of these adults have had life altering experiences as a result of their participation in a TEC weekend which they willingly voice. The realization that this weekend is what life should be like is a great healer for many. We just have to do a better job of following up with the tecites after the weekend as well as recruiting. We are solidly rooted within the Diocese from the Bishop, the Diocesan Office for Youth, clergy, and parishes.
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