A Movie, a Retreat, and an Invitation: Three Upcoming Events and Opportunities

BISHOP
KEVIN J.
SWEENEY

As I thought about the topic for my column this week, my original plan was to write about a new movie called “Cabrini,” which tells the story of St. Frances Xavier Cabrini (also known as “Mother Cabrini”), which will debut in theatres across the country on Friday, March 8. I had the opportunity to see an “advanced screening” at the USCCB meeting this past November. The movie is excellent and inspiring! I highly recommend it.

As I thought further, I remembered that we have a “Mother Cabrini expert” here in our diocese — our Bishop Emeritus, Bishop Arthur Serratelli. I then realized that if someone is going to write an article to encourage our people to go and see the “Cabrini” movie, it would be great if Bishop Serratelli could do that for us. As you can see from Bishop Serratelli’s article, he has a lifelong connection to Mother Cabrini and encourages us to also “… learn more and more about this amazing saint who continues to inspire me.” I am very grateful to him for the wonderful article.

When Bishop Serratelli agreed to write the article, I thought I would take a “week off” and not write a column this week. Then, I thought (and prayed) a little more and realized that there are events (opportunities) that will take place on the weekend before and the weeks after the “Cabrini” movie opens that would be worth mentioning at this time.

First, “A Retreat:” On the weekend of Friday, March 1 through Sunday, March 3, we will have our first Vocation Discernment Retreat in my time as bishop. I am happy to report that more than 20 young men have registered to attend the retreat. I thank all the “Andrews” and “Elis” who have invited and encouraged these young men to consider God’s call in their lives and be open to the possibility that God could be calling them to the priesthood.

In this beautiful Season of Lent, we can be especially close to one another and to the whole Church in prayer, fasting, and “almsgiving” (works of charity). We should all be praying especially for our brothers and sisters who will be entering the Church and those who will be “fully initiated” as they prepare to receive the Sacraments of Initiation (Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist) at the Easter Vigil and during the Easter Season.

I would like to ask all readers and faithful throughout the diocese to please pray for the young men who will be attending the Vocation Discernment Retreat from March 1–3, and please pray for me, Father Ed. Rama, our Vocation Director, and the priests and seminarians who will be helping us during the retreat. We recall the words of Jesus, “The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few; so ask (pray) the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest.” Mt 9:37–38

An Invitation: please help us to be the “listening” (Synodal) Church that Pope Francis is calling and inviting us to be. We are now in the “Interim Phase” of the Synod on Synodality. I hope you have already heard that the (360) Synod delegates met for five weeks last fall and produced a “Synthesis Report.”

The delegates have asked all of us to participate in this “Interim Stage.” In the introduction to the Synthesis Report, they extend a “personal invitation:”

After a month of work, the Lord is now calling us to return to our Churches to hand over to all of you the fruits of our work and to continue the journey together. Here in Rome, we were not many, but the purpose of the Synod path called by the Holy Father is to involve all the baptized.

The bishops of our country (the USCCB) have asked that each diocese offer “listening sessions” during Lent, so that we can pray together and discern how the Holy Spirit is calling and guiding us through the work of the Synod on Synodality, thus far. Each diocese has been asked to send a summary of the “listening sessions” and other “synodal conversations” that will be shared with those who are planning for the next “plenary gathering” of all the delegates this coming fall.

In the coming weeks, I hope to share more on the plans for the “listening sessions” and other aspects of the process. At this time, I would like to extend the invitation to attend one of the three listening sessions we have planned. I also ask you to extend the invitation to others and, as Pope Francis encourages us, to extend the invitation especially to those “on the margins or peripheries” of our society and of our Church.

The dates, times, and locations for the “Listening Sessions” are:

• Wednesday, March 13, at Reverend Brown School in Sparta, from 7 to 9:00 p.m.
• Monday, March 18, at Pope John Paul II School in Clifton, from 7 to 9 p.m.
• Saturday, March 23, at St. Paul Inside the Walls in Madison, from 9:30 to 11 a.m.

Click here to get more information and to REGISTER to attend a Listening Session.

So, as I went from a plan to write (just) about a “movie,” thanks to the help of Bishop Serratelli, I am happy to have been able to include a “retreat,” asking for your prayers and an “invitation” encouraging your participation.