Generations of Faith at St. John the Evangelist Church, Defiance, Ohio

Topic		Sunday Session	Wednesday Session	Location
2011-2012 KICK-OFF with Fr. Herb Weber				K of C Hall
Flyer for the Kick-Off	Wed September 14, 2011. . . . . . 6:30-8:30
The MASS as a PRAYER: What’s Changing and Why? (Part I)		October 9, 12:45-2:45 pm	October 12, 6:30-8:30 pm	Holy Cross Catholic School
The MASS as a PRAYER: What’s Changing and Why? (Part II)		November 13, 12:45-2:45 pm	November 16, 6:30-8:30 pm	Holy Cross Catholic School
INTEGRATION OF MIND, BODY & SPIRIT as a PRAYER FORM		January 8, 12:45-2:45 pm	January 11, 6:30-8:30 pm	Holy Cross Catholic School
The BIBLE as a PRAYER FORM		February 12, 12:45-2:45 pm	February 15, 6:30-8:30 pm	Holy Cross Catholic School
DRAMA as a PRAYER FORM		March 11, 12:45-2:45 pm	March 14, 6:30-8:30 pm	Holy Cross Catholic School
ART as a PRAYER FORM		April 15, 12:45-2:45 pm	April 18, 6:30-8:30 pm	Holy Cross Catholic School

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OCTOBER & NOVEMBER ~The MASS as a PRAYER: What’s Changing and Why? Sunday, October 9 and Wednesday, October 12, 2011 (Part I) AND Sunday, November 13 and Wednesday, November 16, 2011 (Part II) Change is on its way that will be both a catechetical challenge and a catechetical opportunity. Beginning on November 27, 2011 (the First Sunday of Advent) we will start using a revised translation of the prayers and responses of the Mass. These changes will be the product of what began nearly ten years ago, as a revision of the Missale Romanum (Roman Missal), which is the ritual text for celebration of the Mass around the world. Change can be difficult. But it can also be a wonderful opportunity for new discoveries and enhanced depth and understanding. The change in the Mass is a multifaceted opportunity for us to grow in faith and assist others to do the same. Come to both the October and November Generations of Faith and learn exactly WHAT is changing, REASONS for the change, and how this change can be both a CHALLENGE and an OPPORTUNITY.
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JANUARY ~ INTEGRATION OF MIND, BODY & SPIRIT as a PRAYER FORM Sunday, January 8 and Wednesday, January 11, 2012 Through greater awareness of the self and increased relaxation, we can enter more deeply into prayer. In this session you will learn how to increase your awareness and deepen your relaxation. Sr. Anne Mary Molyet, SND (who completed a two-year internship program in Ignatian Spirituality and Spiritual Direction at Manresa Jesuit Retreat Center, and, most recently, spent five months in Northern India at the Jesuit Renewal Center) will provide a meditative prayer experience that will teach you how to access God who dwells within each of us.
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FEBRUARY ~ The BIBLE as a PRAYER FORM Sunday, February 12 and Wednesday, February 15, 2012 How do Catholics use the Bible in prayer? To mention a few, we use prayer in our liturgy, Catholic devotions and private prayers, our Catholic music, and the Divine Office that priests are required to pray every day at several appointed times. Using the Bible to pray is a great way to engage in Christian meditation. As the Catechism of the Catholic Church (2708) puts it, Christian meditation “engages thought, imagination, emotion, and desire” in prayer. Using the Bible as a prayer form is a great way to develop a strong prayer life! And, let’s face it, every Christian needs a strong prayer life! Our faith cannot endure without prayer, the “vital and personal relationship with the living and true God.” (Catechism, 2744 & 2558) Come to our February Generations of Faith and experience Sr. Karen Elliott, CPPS as she teaches us how to use our Bibles to develop good habits of daily Catholic prayer and immerse ourselves more fully in the presence of God. Please bring your Bibles!! Back to top DRAMA as a PRAYER FORM Sunday, March 11 and Wednesday, March 14, 2012 As witnessed last Lent with the teenage contemporary version of Stations of the Cross, this year the teens will again present a dramatization, this time focusing on The Last Seven Words of Christ. This piece was originally composed by Joseph Haydn, featuring seven meditations on the last words of Jesus Christ, commissioned in 1786 for the Good Friday service at the Grotto Santa Cueva near Cadiz in southern Spain. There are seven expressions traditionally attributed to Jesus during his crucifixion, gathered from the four Canonical Gospels that serve as an excellent holy week meditation. Don’t miss this compelling drama and the giftedness of our talented teens. Back to top ART as a PRAYER FORM Sunday, April 15 and Wednesday, April 18, 2012 Catholic tradition is rich with art and architecture, drawing us closer to the holy and the sacred. Indeed, our faith shows us all kinds of artistic ways to call our attention to God and the mystery of the divine. Sr. Karen Elliott, CPPS will join us once again to share her giftedness in this area and help us connect art to holiness. “Arising from talent given by the Creator and from man’s own effort, art is a form of practical wisdom, uniting knowledge and skill, to give form to the truth of reality in a language accessible to sight or hearing. To the extent that it is inspired by truth and love of beings, art bears a certain likeness to God’s activity in what he has created.” (CCC, no. 2501)