It was always right about the time August was approaching that I would get a new level of excitement about the new school year when I was a third grade teacher. I would start to think about all the little faces that would be ready to learn new things, and all the clean new school supplies and folders with little pictures of puppies or the latest popular cartoon characters on them. There was always joy in the air and a fun sense of adventure as they met their teacher and I met them. Starting over. What a gift.
I’m feeling that way this year. My eight-year old students are no longer part of my daily routine (in fact they are all now 40+ years old), but I’m looking forward to another year of adult faith formation. Bible study groups, SCC-GiG experiences, evening speakers and RCIA candidates and catechumens will all be part of the new adventure in grace. There is such great blessing in being together again after summer ends and focusing on the faith that brings us such hope, in good times and in challenging times.
This year we will continue our Adventures in Grace with a year of exploring the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius. Fr. Terry has been away on his silent retreat, experiencing these Spiritual Exercises in 30 days of silence and listening to God. This year, we will take the components of that retreat and unpack them so that we, too, can experience a new way to hear God’s voice in our lives. Our Holy Family staff is partnering with Fr. Michael Sparough, Fr. Rick McGurn, Erin Maiorca and Nancy Hulsebosch of the Bellarmine Retreat Center to bring you a year of Ignatian Adventures. We will follow the same model as the last few years, with speakers on Wednesday nights and opportunities for discussion afterward, along with some light hospitality. Bring an open heart, a few friends or your SCC-GiG, and be with us for an Ignatian Adventure and the ongoing discovery of grace in all we encounter. Here are the spiritual experiences we will focus on as part of this adventure:
•Considering God’s great love for us, our sometimes flawed response to the gifts that God gives us, and praying for the grace to see ourselves as sinners yet loved by God.
• Focusing on Christ’s mission to save and heal the world and praying for the grace to discover more intimately Jesus’ compassion and fundamental love of all people AND a desire to join Jesus in his mission.
• Focusing on the passion of Jesus and praying for the grace to travel the way of the Cross WITH Jesus. This session will be our Parish Mission for 2024.
• Exploding with the chaos, wonder, confusion and awareness of The Resurrection. We pray for the grace to embrace and be immersed in the intimate experience of God’s power of life over death, AND that it will propel us on our mission post retreat.
This will all be starting as Pope Francis and his team begin their Synod discussions again. It is my personal hope that as a community, we take this year to listen to God’s voice in our own lives, and that we open ourselves to truly listen to each other as well. Entering into a spirit of empathy with each other through sacred listening and trusting in God’s movement through it all will create unity and strengthen us to bring love to our aching world.
RCIA
Now is the time to invite anyone you know who might be interested in becoming Catholic to our RCIA experience at Holy Family. Our meetings generally take place on Sundays, attending the 9:00am Mass together and then spending some time together learning and sharing our lives. Our Inquiry Night will be held on Monday, August 21 at 7:00 pm. There are no strings attached to attending on August 21st. It is an informational evening for those who are interested or who have questions about our RCIA process and all are welcome. Share this with someone you know, or give Mary a call in the Adult Faith Office if you are interested in joining us. We welcome those adults who wish to become Catholic and those who were baptized in the Catholic Church but would like to complete the Sacraments of Eucharist and Confirmation.
Scripture Offerings
Our Bible Journey group will be studying the Book of Genesis during the day with Anne Madsen as our presenter. We will also be offering an evening Bible Study with Jan Wood as facilitator. Please contact Mary in the Adult Faith Office if you are interested in learning more. We are still finalizing dates for our fall session, so please keep an eye on the Bulletin for details.
Support
Our support groups always have an extra chair if you are in need. The “To Be Joyful Again” group is for anyone experiencing the unique grief of losing a spouse or life partner. It is an ecumenical group in a Catholic setting, and all who are experiencing this deep loss are invited. “Getting Through it Together” is a group dedicated to supporting those going through serious illness, and those who are caring for individuals with serious illness are invited as well. Both of these groups meet on the 1st and 3rd Thursday of each month. Contact Jeannie in the Pastoral Care office for more information.
Visit our website to learn about our wonderful Spiritual Direction Team. They are trained Spiritual Directors who walk with individuals to listen and help them discover the movement of God in their lives, and they would be happy to meet with you.
Wishing you all a wonderful summer and looking forward to an exciting fresh beginning in the fall!
Mary Whiteside, Director-Adult Faith Life