Formed In Faith

Click the image to visit the Catholic Women’s Conference webpage.

Does your parish have a representative for the Catholic Women’s Conference?  Click here to find out information about the upcoming Rally for the Reps and contact information to become your parish’s representative.

We have been blessed with great guest speakers this summer for our Faith Formation and ALMI events!

This past Saturday 70 parish RCIA team members and coordinators attended an all day session with Dr. Jerry Galipeau.   The team members spent the day reflecting “on their own journeys of conversion, then put those journeys in dialogue with the ministry of initiation that is focused on cultivating the conversion journeys of catechumens and candidates.”

A big thank you to Theresa Secord and her team at St. Agnes for hosting the event.  Click here to read  from Dr. Galipeau’s blog as  he reflects on the RCIA Team Day and the beauty of St. Agnes’ baptismal font.

Catechist Retreat: God of Mercy; People of Mercy

Dates:                          Wednesday, June 22, 2016
Time:                           9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Location:                     Church of Epiphany Parish (Lighthouse)
Presenter:                   Sr. Betty Drewes, OSB and Sr. Jane Will, OSB
Cost:                            $25 (includes lunch) (check payable to ALMI)

Registration:                Register prior to class to insure class availability.  Contact Lynn McDaniel at lmcdaniel@archlou.org or (502) 448-8581 ext. 1314
Catechist Credit:         6 hours applies toward Spiritual Formation

The program for the day will consist of the two themes for the year of mercy:  The God of Mercy and People of Mercy.  The morning session will focus on one’s personal understanding of God’s Mercy through the Word of God (scripture), Pope Francis writings, and other pertinent authors.   The quiet reflection time will allow for personal integration of the content by each participant.
The afternoon session will illustrate how we are people of mercy by using the corporal and spiritual works of mercy. This will include scripture for each work of mercy, a prayer, and questions for reflection along with practical ways of living the work of mercy in our daily life.     What are some ways to share these Works of Mercy with your students and parents?  The day will consist of presentations, personal reflection, prayer, and sharing with one another.

Presenters:
Sister Betty Drewes is a member of the Sisters of Saint Benedict, Ferdinand, IN and is involved with the Spirituality Ministry.  She is Director of the Kordes Center and Coordinator of Hospitality, and serves as a spiritual director.  She leads retreats, days of reflection, and various personal growth programs.  Among her prior ministries she was on the Ferdinand Benedictine leadership team, director of ongoing formation, and director of spirituality for the Benedict Inn Retreat Center in Beech Grove, Indiana. Sister Betty has professional degrees in education, counseling, and spirituality.
Sister Jane Will is a member of the Sisters of St. Benedict, Ferdinand, IN. She serves on the community’s Spirituality Ministry team as Program Director. She is also director of Strategic Planning for her community.  She has a doctorate in psychology and she is a licensed clinical psychologist, spiritual director, and presenter of workshops and retreats. She is a licensed life teacher and has taught on the junior high to college level.  She has also served as formation director for postulants and novices and as subprioress in her community.

Thank you to all the PCLs/DREs who minister and lead through out the Archdiocese of Louisville.

Today over 40 PCLs attended a presentation from Kevin Dowd,  “A Spirituality of Imperfection”, and enjoyed lunch together.

The class listed below has been cancelled.

Morality, Ethics, and Social Justice
Date:           Thursday, May 19, 2016
Time:          7:00 pm – 9:30 pm
Location:    Our Lady of Lourdes (Professional Team Room)
Presenter:  Sal Della Bella, Director of the Office of Evangelization, Archdiocese of Louisville

Note the offering of this same class on Tuesday, May 17th at St. Agnes (Aloysius Hall)  will continue.

An article from Peanut Butter & Grace

Lectio divina or “sacred reading” is an ancient method of praying with sacred texts that dates to the fourth century. Usually the text comes from the Scriptures, but other texts may be used as well, such as the writings of the desert fathers or the saints. The basic idea is to spend time listening deeply and intently to what God might have to say to you through the text—almost as if the sacred text were a much-cherished love letter from God.

Lectio divina takes many forms, but traditionally it is divided into four steps: lectio (reading), meditatio (meditation), oratio (prayer), and contemplatio (contemplation). These steps do not necessarily need to be followed in a rigid order, although it may help to spend five minutes on reading, five on meditation, five on prayer, and five on contemplation. It is important, however, to touch on all four movements.

There are many books and online resources on lectio divina that you can use to explore this practice more deeply. One worth mentioning is Lectio Divina for Children and Teens: Activities to Help Young People Encounter God’s Word by Jared Dees (TheReligionTeacher.com, 2013).

Lectio Made Simple

If the steps outlined below seem overwhelming, back up and begin by reading a short sacred text slowly, perhaps two or three times. Invite them to respond by offering a word, phrase, or image that especially caught their attention. Why did that part of the text stand out? Talk about how God speaks to us through our sacred texts. What might God be saying in the reading? How might you respond?

To read the complete article click here.

Our next PCL Gathering will be on May 18^th. 
This event will be held at the Flaget Center.  Our guest speaker, Kevin Dowd, will begin at 9:30 and lunch, catered by Mark’s Feed Store, will be at 11:30.
Please RSVP by this Friday May 13.