Pastor’s Corner — August 28th, 2022
Big Announcement: NET Missionaries Coming to St. Pat’s
Last week Kevin Bailey, our Director of Discipleship, sent out an email to the whole parish with the big announcement about our parish’s new partnership with the National Evangelization Team (NET) to further our discipleship among the youth of the parish. We are thrilled to have this unique opportunity to bring eight missionaries to the parish for three years. (If you didn’t get this major announcement, please make sure you’re signed up for parish emails or if you are, please check your Spam box.) You can read more on the next page about how we’re going to be partnering with them to engage our parish and school youth. But this is not just for the youth. Families can even host them while they are here. Read on to find out more.
Eight Great Dates and Surviving Divorce: Marriage and Family Events at St. Pat’s
This weekend we are promoting a couple of events that minister to couples and those who have been hurt by divorce. You have already read about these in the bulletin, but please stop by the elevator in the back of Church or go to the “SACRAMENTS” tab on our website and click “Marriage” to learn more.
The Undone Women’s Retreat at St Pat’s: November 10th-12th
If you’re attentive to the bulletin and our website, you should already know about the Undone: Freedom for the Feminine Heart retreat coming to St Pat’s this Fall. As a ministry of John Paul II Healing Center, this retreat will likely book up quite quickly, which is why I mention here in my column. (This is the same ministry that did the Healing the Whole Person Retreat here) Because it’s usually during retreat times and times of prayer with Jesus that we experience significant breakthrough and freedom, this is an ideal opportunity for the women of our parish to grow in deeper freedom in their identity.
A while back I was asked to endorse the book, “Undone: Freeing Your Feminine Heart from the Knots of Fear and Shame” by Carrie Schuchts Daunt, one of the retreat’s presenters. Here is what I submitted:
“Women are incomparably beautiful and lovable. But due to the pain and woundedness that result from living in a fallen world, the lies of the enemy can seep in their tender hearts and leave them feeling helpless and hopeless. The same happens to men, albeit in different ways. In Undone, Carrie Shuchts Daunt gathers fifteen radically honest, and quite moving, stories of women (including herself) who have joyfully discovered in the midst of their shame and brokenness the freedom God offers to them. Through Mary, their knotted hearts were “undone” by God’s saving love in Jesus enabling them live out to embrace and live out their God given identities as daughter, sister, bride and mother. This powerful little book not only gives voice to many women who struggle silently, but it also provides a hopeful way forward for those who desire deeper freedom. The prayerful guided meditations offered at the end of each chapter help women give God permission to set them free to know the truth of their feminine dignity. I highly recommend this book!”
If the retreat is anything like what is in this book and if it’s anything like what I’ve come to expect from the John Paul II Healing Center, you’re not going to want to miss this. The options for this retreat is in person or virtually via livestream! Register online for either experience. Scholarships, student and missionary discounts available. Contact JPIIHCRetreatBrightonMI@gmail.com for more information.
Your servant in the Lord,
Fr. Mathias