May 15, 2008

Memphians Make Pilgrimage to Lourdes with Order of Malta

Memphis Candidates for the Order of Malta returned May 7 from their annual international pilgrimage to Lourdes, France. This year marks the 150th anniversary of the Blessed Mother's Apparitions to St. Bernadette Soubirous at Lourdes, where Our Lady asked the people to make pious pilgrimages, pray and bathe in the water which has been associated with numerous miraculous cures. For well over a century pilgrims suffering from various afflictions have journeyed to Lourdes to pray for healing.

The Order of Malta began more than 900 years ago as a Catholic religious order of knighthood, operating hospitals for travelers to the Holy Land and providing military and naval defense to the Latin Kingdom of Jerusalem and ultimately all of the Mediterranean. Today the Order continues its mission of defending the faith and serving the sick and the poor by operating hospitals throughout the world and providing disaster relief and ambulance services in poor countries. As part of its apostolate, the Order of Malta annually invites people in need of healing to a week long pilgrimage in Lourdes, free of charge. While in Lourdes the sick are cared for by members of the Order. This year Mary Grace Williams of St. Louis parish and her mother Kelli were guests of the Order on the trip to Lourdes. They were accompanied by Dave Archer, Dr. Cathy Schanzer and Robert Hutton, who will be invested in the Order this October. Father John Hourican of St. Ann Bartlett parish also attended as Chaplain.

Anyone suffering from any serious illness who would like to participate in next year's pilgrimage to Lourdes should contact Robert Hutton at 901-576-1714.

Knights of Columbus Council Recognizes Achievements

The annual Knights of Columbus dinner was held at St. Paul church on May 4. The St. Paul Church Knights of Columbus Council #5062 recently recognized Jim White and the Simoneaux family for outstanding acheivements. Jim White received the Knight of the Year award. The Simoneaux family was named Family of the Year. The Knight of the Year, Jim White, was the Grand Knight the previous year and has given much time and energy to the many projects sponsored by the Knights and is currently financial secretary for the council. Jim is also very active in St. Paul parish. The Family of the Year, Vernon and Dayna Simoneaux, have served to facilitate and carry out projects headed by the Knights and have given countless hours in the parish. Vernon and Dayna have three children, Brittany, Claire and Grant.

By Father David Knight

The May 20 Twilight Retreat at Christian Brothers University will ask frankly, "What's in it for me if I get more involved in my religion?"

We may have grown up associating religion with things we have to do or have to avoid doing — something necessary but not the greatest thing in our life.

The "Good News" was just that we would go to heaven when we die, but it wasn't much good to us as an experience of daily life on earth.

On Tuesday, May 20, beginning at 6:30 p.m., at Christian Brothers University, the Twilight Retreat will explain our relationship with Jesus Christ in the Church as something that may be news to us, and is certainly good; in fact, "as good as life can get."

For starters, we will look at what relationship with Jesus does for our relationship with "God" — who is no longer just "God" to us, but our Father. We will delve into John's Gospel, in which Jesus is constantly referring to the Father. How did Jesus relate to the Father during his earthly life? Can we find in the Father the same support, attraction, inspiration, joy and hope that Jesus did? How can deep, abiding awareness of the Father enhance our lives?

The first priority in Jesus' life was to make the Father known. He said. "Eternal life is this: to know you, Father, the one true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent." And he taught that our own first priority in prayer should be that the Father be known and loved by every human being: "hallowed be thy name!"

Anything that meant that much to Jesus is worth an hour or two of our time.

The Twilight Retreat will be held in Spain Auditorium, Buckman Hall, at CBU. Snacks are provided. It is best to park in the lot off Central Ave.

For more information, call Sister Claudia at the Monastery of St. Clare at 901- 357 6662 or visit www.immersedinchrist.org or www.hisway.com

Golf Tournament Planned

The annual Sister Ruth Ann Golf Tournament will be held at Fair Oaks Golf Course on Thursday, June 19th. Tee time is at 1 p.m., with lunch at noon. All proceeds benefit the Sister Ruth Ann Center.

The Sister Ruth Ann Center is housed at Saint Benedict At Auburndale and provides a secondary school education for students of all faiths between the ages of 15-21 with various special needs.

This program meets not only the educational needs but also the vocational and social needs of these students in daily interaction with traditional high school students in many activities. SRA is entirely self-funded by tuition and donations.

Registration for the golf tournament is limited to the first 32 teams and the deadline to register is May 30th.

For more information, contact Artie Byrd, Co-Chair at 901-568-2339 or Eric Baertels, Co-Chair at 901-283-2588.

For sponsorship information or information about the Sister Ruth Ann Center, contact Michele Cervetti, Director or Kate Paylor at 901-260-2840.

Annual Liturgy for Special Needs Planned for May 25

On May 25, which is the the Feast of Corpus Christi, the Annual Liturgy and Celebration for People with Special Needs will be held at St. Mary Church, located at 257 N. Third St. in downtown Memphis. Father Eric Peterson, pastor of St. Mary Church, will be the celebrant at Mass at 10:30 a.m. A reception will follow in the church Family Life Center.

The diocesan Committee for Person's with Disabilities is taking this opportunity to bring together many of the people who are involved in this ministry in the diocese as a visible sign of the effort and commitment on the part of the parishes to reach out to and include people with special needs in the life of Church and community.

The mission of the Committee for Person's with Disabilities, which was established in 1985, is to assist the Christian Community in the pastoral care, service and justice dimension of our faith for persons with disabilities.

All who are mentally and physically challenge, their families, anyone who works or advocates for the disabled are invited to this celebration.

Interested individuals should respond with their name, mailing address, phone number, parish and any particular needs for that day, such as wheelchair space, by May 20th. For more information please call Diocesan Department of Pastoral Services at 901-373-1237.

Retreat for Singles Offered

Our Lady Queen of Peace Retreat Center is offering a retreat for single persons age 25 and older on June 7 from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m.

The theme for the retreat is Becoming Who You Are Called to Be.

This day will focus on the central question of God _ centered identity and the personal call God has for each person.

There will be opportunity to dialogue together on ways to foster community and spirituality.

To register, call the retreat center at 731-548-2500 or visit www.cdom.org and click on OLQP registration.