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Come to the Parish Mission!
February 1st, 2nd and 3rd at 7:00PMJoin Deacons Eddie Ensley and Robert Herrmann on a contemplative journey… learn to pray as Jesus and the early Christians prayed “and you will find rest for your souls.” Matthew
Since 1978, Deacons Eddie and Robert have lived a religious lifestyle of prayer, study and teaching Catholic spirituality with the guidance of their bishop and diocese.
Ordained to the Permanent Deaconate for Savannah Diocese by Bishop J. Kevin Boland June 2, 2001, they reside in Fortson, GA where they are both assigned to St. Anne Catholic Church in Columbus, GA, where they have been members since the 1970’s.
Deacon Ensley is one of the most gifted Catholic speakers today. His writings have been fervently recommended to the Church by spiritual giants like Fr. Benedict Groeschel. Describing himself as "a miner in search of the forgotten riches of our Christian past" he conducts primary-source research into the vast and long Christian and Jewish history of spirituality.
Deacon Ensley:
• is the author of twelve books and articles, including Prayer That Heals Our Emotions (Harper/Collins) and his most recent book Love Your Neighbor by Franciscan Media(2015).
• Holds a masters degree in Catholic pastoral studies from Loyola University, New Orleans and teaches distance courses in spirituality for the Diaconal Program at the Pontifical College, Josephinum of Columbus, OH.
Deacon Herrmann holds a widely respected expertise in spiritual journaling and teaching contemplative prayer. He is the author of Writing To Be Whole published by Loyola Press of Chicago. Deacon Herrmann holds certification in parish ministry from Loyola University. He has more than 35 years experience leading parish missions, parish retreats and parish renewals.
Each of the Parish Mission sessions will open with a simple prayer and close with a healing guided meditation, all total lasting 85-90 minutes.
Mission Presentation Themes:
Day1 - Monday, February 1st:
How Do We Handle the Everyday Stresses and Pressures of Life?
Letting God Lighten Our Load/Taking Refuge in God
In Matthew’s Gospel we hear of Jesus calling to us to place our cares at his feet and take his burden upon our shoulders, for “it is light and will give you rest.” Come and learn how God can take your worries and fears and turn them into fuel for living a joy-filled life of grace. St. Aelred of Rievaulx reminds us that a sorrow that is shared with God or shared with a trusted friend can be cut in half, and a joy that is shared is doubled. We need to share our troubles and our joys with God and let Him care for our souls. Practical useful info, touching stories of faith, and moments of quiet prayer help heal us of our stresses and worries.
Day 2 - Tuesday, February 2nd:
How to Cope With Life Losses
Mary, the Womb of God, is our model of the Christian response to life’s challenges and call to follow Jesus in genuine discipleship.
Mary, by her yes to God, became the dwelling place of the Savior. Because of her yes, Mary’s womb expanded to contain the uncontainable God. Mary’s yes to God demonstrates for us our own call to receptivity to the Holy Spirit in our lives. She points us always in the direction of Jesus saying, “Do whatever he tells you.”
Mary’s faithful and direct response to her grief can enlighten our own response and speed us on our pathway to recovery after our losses.
Also on Day 2: Deacon Robert gives teaching on the Art of Contemplative Prayer for Busy Lives. “Prayer is looking into the eyes of the one whom we know loves us.” –Saint Theresa of Avila “An interior bath in the love of God” -Saint Francis de Sales Practical, useful and healing information from the tradition, scripture and personal experience make this ancient and crucial Christian practice a possibility for everyone, not just the spiritual elite.
Day 3 – Wednesday, February 3rd:
Forgiving As God Forgives. Reconciliation in Relationships/How to Heal and Repair Our Relationships
Bitterness and hostility can rob us of true happiness and wound the soul, separate us from one another and even from God. We re-examine how God forgives us, how He forgives and forgets our offenses and empowers us to do the same in our relationships. Learn the ways of peace making in families, friendships, and parishes. We will never have to forgive another person as much as God has forgiven us. This talk is a practical guide to the steps of forgiving those who have hurt us and how to improve all of our relationships.
Also on Day 3: A talk on discipleship; doing for others what God has done for us. Faith in action.
