Programs
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Upcoming (click for more info)
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Who Am I to Judge?
How do we talk about morality in a world that no longer believes in truth? When we’re bombarded with messages of “Be tolerant!”, “Don’t Judge!”, and “Coexist,” many good people feel afraid to say anything is right or wrong anymore.
RISE ABOVE THE CULTURE OF MORAL RELATIVISM WITH THIS NEW SMALL GROUP STUDY PROGRAM FROM DR. EDWARD SRI*
This 8-part study program gives us the one key to responding to relativism effectively: a Catholic moral worldview. Learn how Catholic morality is all about love, how making a judgment is not judging a person’s soul, and how, in the words of Pope Francis, “relativism wounds people” and is “the spiritual poverty of our times.”
SESSIONS:
January 9: Don’t Impose Your Morality on Me!
January 16: Recovering the Basics: Virtue and Friendship
January 23: Real Freedom, Real Love
January 30: The Lost “Art of Living”
February 6: Engaging Moral Relativism
February 13: “I Disagree” Doesn’t Mean “I Hate You”
February 20: Exposing the Mask: What Relativism is Often Covering Up
February 27: What is Truth? Common Questions about Moral Relativism*Facilitators: Wednesday mornings in Rm 215 (9:30-11:00): Rich Grebenc, Dir of Adult Faith Formation; Wednesday evenings in Rm 215 (7:00-8:30): Paul Rangel, FTCM
Please contact Rich Grebenc (rgrebenc@st-mm.com or x246) to register.
The associated study guide will be available in advance for a donation as will the optional book or you can order them here and here. -
The Riches of Our Faith
The Riches of Our Faith
Deepening Our Appreciation of Catholic Practices
with Gilbert Alfaro in St. Mary’s Hall*
Eucharistic Adoration | Thursday, Feb 7th 9:30-11:00am or 7:00-8:30pm
What is Adoration? Why is it important? How can we make this time more fruitful? With ample appeal to Scripture, the highlighting of Eucharistic miracles, and over a decade leading Adoration of the Most Blessed Sacrament, Gilbert will expound on a fuller understanding of the most precious gift Jesus left for His Church: Himself in the Eucharist. Learn about exposition, reverence of the tabernacle, the meaning of Adoration in our time, and practices (like the Holy Hour) to make the most of our visits with the Lord.
Honoring the Saints | Thursday, Feb 14th 9:30-11:00am or 7:00-8:30pm
What is a saint? What is a relic? What distinguishes first-class relics, second‑class relics, and third-class relics? Get the answers to these questions and so much more while actually being able to get up close to several relics that Gilbert will bring for display. The saints allowed the glory of God to shine through.
Praying for the Dead | Thursday, Feb 21st | 9:30-11:00am or 7:00-8:30pm
What is purgatory? Why do we pray for those there? Must we pray for them? Can they pray for us? What is their place and ours in the Communion of Saints? Learn the biblical foundations of this Catholic doctrine and its full explanation from the Catechism of the Catholic Church and other sources. Gilbert will discuss time and eternity, the pain and suffering experienced by the Poor Souls, and Mary as Mediatrix and Mother of the Holy Souls. Also, you will become aware of related devotions currently taking place at St Mary Magdalene.
Novenas and Devotions | Thursday, Feb 28th 9:30-11:00am or 7:00-8:30pm
What is a novena? What is the rosary? What is a chaplet? What is a litany? How does one “read” an icon? What purpose do these and other devotions serve?
Learn the differences among devotions and the need for them. Pick up some prayer cards and see actual chaplets that Gilbert will make available for viewing
*Contact Rich Grebenc at rgrebenc@st-mm.com or call him at x246 to register