WORKSHOPS, RETREATS & PROGRAMS FOR ADULTS, SENIORS AND THE LGBTQ COMMUNITY
Dinner & Dialogue
The Dinner & Dialogue Series is a multiple-course series, each item of which can be enjoyed individually or comprehensively.
Lenten Dinner & Dialogue: Encountering Jesus During His Hidden Years
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Join us during Lent as we spend time reflecting on the hidden or unknown years of Jesus’ life and prayerfully discerning their relevance to our unique journey with Him. Much of what we know about our Lord in the Scriptures involves His birth, public ministry and Passion. But, our hearts and minds often wonder what experiences He shared in that formed Him during His adolescent, teenage and young adult years.
Through meditation, dialogue and writing exercises, participants will connect with the graces available by imaginatively accompanying Jesus in these years not mentioned in the New Testament. A deepening of our faith and personal relationship with Jesus will be a focus for our
time spent together. A journal is a good companion for this program.
Dinner & Dialogue: Hildegard of Bingen & Book of Divine Works
As we celebrate the rich heritage of the Saints throughout the year, take some time to explore the life of Hildegard of Bingen and her incredible contributions to spirituality, cosmology and the arts. Join us for dinner and dialogue as we consider this twelfth century mystic’s Book of Divine Works. A variety of its chief themes will be discussed during this gathering, especially Hildegard’s visions and her understanding of God and human nature. Opportunities for participation in some creative and spiritual-oriented exercises around the text will also be integrated. Prior reading of the text is not mandatory, but may prove beneficial.
Dinner & Dialogue: Hallelujah Anyway & Anne Lamott
The Easter Season is a fertile time within our faith to not only renew our foundational beliefs but to authentically celebrate the healing mercy possible with God and within our human relationships. With this understanding, you are invited to join us for a delicious lunch and dialogue about Hallelujah Anyway: Rediscovering Mercy, the acclaimed work of Anne Lamott. In this insightful text, she vividly explores how paramount and powerful mercy can be in our lives with the wisdom and humor she is known to offer readers. Lamott asserts that mercy is at the core of our spiritual identity and, when deliberately embraced, fosters understanding of others as we “soften ever so slightly.” Exploration of these themes will focus on how the reality of receiving and giving mercy can extend the Easter experience within our daily lives.
Opportunities for prayerful meditation and some creative exercises around the text will be integrated into our dialogue. Prior reading of the text is not mandatory but may prove beneficial. Please bring a journal for use throughout the program.
Dinner & Dialogue: James Martin, SJ and Between Heaven & Mirth
At first glance, one might not recognize faith and humor as compatible, spiritually-speaking. A deeper exploration of these two gifts, however, reveals that both of these elements not only support each other but they, in fact, nourish and enhance one another. In his work, Between Heaven & Mirth, Fr. James Martin, SJ presents the beautiful and necessary role that humor, joy and laughter have in the celebration of our faith. As we discuss this text, there will be opportunities for participation in some creative and spiritual-oriented exercises around these themes. Prior reading of the text is not mandatory, but may prove beneficial. Come and join us for a good, hearty laugh that will leave your soul smiling!
Dinner & Dialogue: Pope Francis & The Joy of the Gospel
As Pope Francis arrives at another year of his papacy, he has already accomplished such an incredible amount as Shepherd of our Church. During this program, we will focus on one of his inaugural works that has defined his papacy to date. His Apostolic Exhortation, The Joy of the Gospel, prophetically yet naturally returns the world’s attention to uplifting the poor while discovering pure joy in living out the Gospel. Opportunities for participation in some creative and spiritual-oriented exercises around the text will be integrated into our dialogue. Prior reading of the text is not mandatory, but may prove beneficial.
Dinner & Dialogue: Thomas Merton
As Lent unfolds, take some time to explore what the grace of contemplation can add to your experience of God. Join us for dinner and dialogue as we consider Thomas Merton and his spiritual masterpiece entitled, New Seeds of Contemplation. A variety of the chief themes of this work will be discussed during this gathering while also having the opportunity for participation in some creative and spiritual-oriented exercises around the text. Prior reading of the text is not mandatory, but may prove beneficial.
Dinner & Dialogue: Richard Rohr
As we celebrate the Easter Season, take some time to explore how God is making all things new. Join us for dinner and dialogue as we consider Richard Rohr’s literary treasure entitled, Eager To Love: The Alternative Way of Francis of Assisi. A variety of the chief themes of this work will be discussed during this gathering, especially wholeness, simplicity and compassion. Opportunities for participation in some creative and spiritual-oriented exercises around the text will also be integrated. Prior reading of the text is not mandatory, but may prove beneficial.
Lenten Dinner & Dialogue: the Diary of Jesus Christ (by Bill Cain, SJ)
The Lenten Season is a fertile time within our faith to not only renew our foundational beliefs but to connect more authentically with the person of Jesus in our lives. With this appreciation, you are invited to join us for a delicious lunch and dialogue about Bill Cain’s recent literary work, The Diary of Jesus Christ. In this insightful text, the author vividly explores how paramount the use of religious imagination can be as followers of Jesus, particularly as a means of appreciating the humanness of the Son of God.
Exploration of this theme and the first-person point-of-view of Jesus will be emphasized throughout the program. While some background information about Ignatian spirituality and the use of imagination while reading the Gospels will be provided, opportunities for prayer, meditation, and some creative exercises around the text will also be integrated into our dialogue. Prior reading of the text is not mandatory, but may prove beneficial. Please bring a journal for use throughout the program.
