July 3, 2008

Retreats Offered in August in Alabama

The 13th annual Healing Grief Retreat will be held August 1-3 at the Benedictine Sisters Retreat Center of Sacred Heart Monastery in Cullman, Alabama.

The retreat will provide a spiritual framework for helping to heal the grief of those who have experienced the death of a loved one. The experience can also be beneficial for those who minister to the grieving.

Through prayer, reflection, conferences and small group interaction, participants can grow in their understanding of the grief process, and draw upon their spirituality as a means of healing.

The retreat will be led by the Rev. Carl Malm, grief minister and healthcare chaplain, and Margaret Anne Whitsett and Maggie Little of the grief ministry of First United Methodist Church in Huntsville.

To register, call 256-734-8302 or call 256-883-6539 for more information.

A Reflection Day on St. Paul will be held at the Benedictine Sisters Retreat Center in Cullman on August 9. The Benedictine Sisters Retreat Center will host the event to honor the Year of Paul.

Sister Therese Haydel, O.S.B. will present "Custody of the Heart: Freedom and Slavery in the Writings of Paul," which will include some general information about Paul himself, his letters, and his use of imagery and metaphor in his writings. More specifically, she will focus on Paul's use of freedom and slavery language to articulate what it means to be "in Christ" and then will address some possible implications for Christian discipleship.

For additional details or registration information, call the Retreat Center at 256-734-8302 or send an e-mail to retreats@shmon.org.

Catholic Charismatic Conference Planned

The Catholic Charismatic Renewal of the Diocese of Nashville, TN, has announced the 25th anniversary of the Mid-South Regional Catholic Charismatic Conference. The conference is planned for July 11-12 at St. Ignatius of Antioch Catholic Church, located at 601 Bell Rd. in Antioch, TN.

The theme for the conference is Hidden Treasures … Wealth Untold. Father Mitch Pacwa, S. J. will be this year's speaker. Father Pacwa returns to the conference after speaking at the first Conference, twenty-five years ago.

"We are very excited to have Father Pacwa return to speak at this year's conference," said Teresa Seibert, Conference Chairperson. Father Pacwa is a world renowned Lecturer and has traveled extensively leading over fifty pilgrimages to the Middle East, Europe and the Holy Land. He is president and founder of Ignatius Productions as well as hosting shows on EWTN Television and Radio.

This year's theme reflects the hidden treasures of the Catholic Faith, the Sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, Reconciliation and Holy Eucharist. "These very Sacraments that we often take for granted are given to us freely by the power of the Holy Spirit. They are truly the great treasures of our faith. Through them we draw closer to God the Father through His Son, Jesus. Father Pacwa will explore these treasures with us and provide us with the wealth that they hold," added Seibert.

Included in the conference is a Teen Track. This will be open to participants between the ages of 13 and 20. The Youth Ministry of the Alleluia Community will be leading the young people in discovering the joy and excitement in a dynamic relationship with Jesus Christ in the power of the Holy Spirit.

"We are really excited to once again sponsor this annually conference. When we first started we never anticipated that this would become an annual event," Seibert said. "Through the years we have formed some really close friendships with the Conference participants and look forward to spending time with them. One of the great blessings of this conference is the music. Again this year, music will be provided by the Music Ministry of the Alleluia Covenant Community from Augusta, GA. They have been part of this conference for more than twenty years and I cannot imagine having a conference without the special blessing of their music."

Attendance for the 2008 Mid-South Regional Catholic Charismatic Conference will be limited to the first 750 people.

Advance registration is requested. To request a brochure, or for more information, contact Teresa Seibert at 615-430-9343 or by e-mail at tseibert@bellsouth.net.

Celebration Planned for 40th Anniversary of Humanae vitae

The Diocese of Memphis NFP Center is planning a family celebration on Friday, July 25, with a special Mass at 6 p.m. followed by a pot luck dinner for the 40th anniversary of Pope Paul VIs encyclical, Humanae vitae.

The celebration will be at St. Paul Church, located at 1425 E. Shelby Dr.

Father Ben Bradshaw will be the celebrant for Mass and give the homily with special teaching about the encyclical.

This celebration is for everyone, Catholics, non-Catholics, married couples, singles, and especially families with children. This is a time to celebrate Gods plan for marriage and His gift of children.

Humanae vitae reiterated the Church's teaching that every life is sacred and that children are the supreme gift of marriage.

Plan to join the fun and family camaraderie with other families who appreciate the truth and freedom that was taught in Humanae vitae in 1968.

Participants are asked to bring a dish to share at the pot luck dinner. Call the NFP Center at 901-373-1285 or send an email to marypat.vanepps@cc.cdom.org to to reserve a spot or for more information.