Catholics in the Springfield diocese from parishes participating in the Why Catholic? program are invited to attend a retreat experience on “Eucharist: Bread for the Journey,” led by nationally known evangelization expert Father Bruce Nieli, CSP. The retreat experience, which is two and a half hours long, will be offered at a variety of times and locations during the week of May 3-9.
Diocesan Why Catholic? coordinator Chris Malmevik says that each year, a theme from the Why Catholic? sessions is chosen for a retreat experience and made available to people from Why Catholic? parishes.
“It is a way to delve deeper into the spirituality of what they have been studying,” Malmevik says. “Plus, it gives people who have participated in small groups the opportunity to get together with people from other parishes who are doing Why Catholic?.”
The retreat experience with Father Nieli will be held:
• 1-3:30 p.m. Sunday, May 3, at St. Jerome in Troy;
• 6:30-9 p.m. Monday, May 4, at Christ the King in Springfield;
• 6:30-9 p.m. Tuesday, May 5, at St. Thomas in Decatur;
• 6:30-9 p.m. Wednesday, May 6, at Holy Family in Granite City;
• 6:30-9 p.m. Thursday, May 7, at St. Francis of Assisi in Teutopolis;
• 6:30-9 p.m. Friday, May 8, at Blessed Sacrament in Quincy; and
• 9:30 a.m. to noon Saturday, May 9, at Our Saviour in Jacksonville.
Paulist Father Nieli, who was ordained in 1973, was the founding director of the Center for Spiritual Development of the Archdiocese of New York from 1979 to 1983 and was a member of the Bilingual Mission Team of the Diocese of Galveston-Houston. He has extensive experience in the area of Catholic evangelization and has served as the director of evangelization for the Diocese of Austin, the Texas Catholic Conference and the National Conference of Catholic Bishops.
Participants in the retreat experience do not have to be in a Why Catholic? group, but must be from a Why Catholic? parish, Malmevik says. Interested persons should contact their Why Catholic? parish coordinator who will send in a parish registration.
Why Catholic? is a adult faith formation process centered around the evangelizing mission of Jesus. It is based on the Catechism of the Catholic Church and supported by leader formation, retreats, faith enrichment sessions and ongoing pastoral support.
Why Catholic? encourages and enables parishioners to become evangelizing Catholics by offering a concrete approach to help adults form their Catholic faith and connect its teachings to their everyday lives.