Tenderness in Prayer
Prayer is one of the cornerstones of our faith. We define it in varied ways and we practice it with different styles. Like anything, periodically we need something new or different to deepen our faith journey. Additional prayer practices can often provide that new and deeper energy.
Through our Adventures in Grace, and specifically our Tenderness Series, we are providing opportunities to learn about and experience a form of prayer that you may be familiar with, vaguely familiar with or even curious about. Please join us on this coming Wednesday, November 9 at 7:00pm in church for an evening of Contemplative Prayer with Bill and JoAnne McElroy. They are both well qualified to present us with the beauty of contemplative prayer. JoAnne studied it as a part of her involvement with the Institute for Pastoral Studies at Loyola University. They both are active in an organization called Contemplative Outreach Chicago and they are both Spiritual Directors.
Bill told me last week, “I cannot separate contemplative prayer from my entire adult faith journey.”
Contemplative prayer is not just for monks or hermits, rather a simple prayer form done in silence that has physical as well as emotional and spiritual benefits. Bill agrees with my statement about the value of any silent prayer. It is amazing how God can speak to you when you shut up. Please come to learn and experience something that will definitely expand your prayer life
Beloved Retreat
Perhaps you just do not have the time for an extended time stepping away from your routine for a retreat. If so, you may need the retreat experience more than you think, particularly if you just cannot make time. If you are that busy, you may really need to go on a retreat.
Each year we offer a Beloved Retreat for adults in conjunction with our partners at Soul Play and Old St. Pat’s who helped us in our pilgrimage of Grace last year. This year the Beloved Retreat will be held:
Friday Evening December 9-
early Sunday afternoon, December11
on the grounds of nearby Mundelein Seminary.
The beauty of this 900-acre campus is very conducive to reflection and prayer. Beloved is unique because it is based on very basic elements of our faith and is led by other adults and a team that has led many such retreats. There will be fellow Holy Family participants as well as people from some other parishes. Much like the Kairos retreat experience for our teens, it is often transformative for people in a very healthy, spiritual manner. Ask anyone who has participated in one of the Beloved retreats and you will get a flavor for how impactful it can be.
If you are interested in more information, or to sign up, please contact Mary Whiteside in our Adult Faith Office at mwhiteside@holyfamiyparish.org
Reconciliation Time Change
Beginning Monday, November 7, we will offer the Sacrament of Reconciliation in church from 5:30-7:00 pm. This is a slight change in time because some people have told us that starting at 5:00pm was too early. We hope that you appreciate the fact that we took your feedback seriously and made an adjustment to accommodate your needs for this very important sacrament.
Looking Back
Last week I asked the following questions in my homily based on the story of Zacchaeus
(Luke 19:1-10):
Where are you short in stature spiritually?
What obstacles prevent you from seeing the Lord? Do you believe that the Lord wants to stay in your house (your soul, your heart) today?
Looking Ahead
Based on this week’s Gospel of seven men marrying the same woman, staying childless, and the Sadducees’ concern about whose wife she will be in the afterlife:
How do you envision eternal life?
Do the words of Jesus spoken to the sister of his friend Lazarus according to John help you?
(John 11: 25-26)