Conference '22 - English Event

1 West Wilhelm Street,Schererville IN 46375

11 November, 2022

Description

The Body of Christ: Behold, I Make All Things New!This coming year we will enter the second year of the three year focus on the Holy Eucharist. in particular, on the very real presence of Christ Jesus, soul and body, present in the Eucharistic Species. We are on this three year journey of renewal to remind ourselves, and many of our brothers and sisters, that as we celebrate Mass, the Presence of God is made manifest to us in a very real and concrete way by the power Holy Spirit. This Power transforms the bread and wine into the very person of Jesus whose Presence does not leave us when Mass is over. Rather, the thanksgiving we offer to God for our salvation, which puts us into communion with Christ, continues to work for our transformation, to “make all things new.” In a world that is fashioned by society to be disposable, Christ’s Presence in the Consecrated Bread and Wine stands as a sign of Divine Love that does not fade or pass away. Adoring the Presence of Christ in the Eucharistic Species is a direct reminder of the action of Jesus’ passion, death and resurrection on our behalf. In Jesus’ great eucharist (thanksgiving) to the Father, that is, his obedience to God’s Will out of Love for the Father and so too, for His creation, sinful humanity is drawn by into his divine life. Being made partakers of the Divine induces a radical change in us: A change no less miraculous than the Eucharistic sacrifice we offer for, in and through Jesus Christ. We begin our time together this year singing God’s praise in Evening Prayer, gathered with our Bishop. Following our prayer, Father Ed Shea, OFM, a Franciscan Friar who loves to sing and tell stories, will lead us in our CONFERENCE ‘22 Keynote Presentation, “THE BODY OF CHRIST—BEHOLD, I MAKE ALL THINGS NEW,” helping us to see in new ways how our encounter with Jesus Christ in the Eucharist transforms us into the living Body of Christ in the world. Saturday morning, we celebrate the new day with Morning Mass (optional) and a chance to delve deeper into the reflection of our Keynote Speaker, Father Ed Shea, from the night before. The day will continue with the anticipated renewal sessions for various lay liturgical ministries. In addition, for those new to a particular lay liturgical ministry, Saturday morning and afternoon will be filled with training sessions. In all of this, we are thankful for God’s love and mercy in his gift of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist. Our thanksgiving then flows out from the Presence of Christ to join us together in praise and thanks for the love and continued grace God shows us in calling us each to the ministry we serve in His Name. You won't want to miss Friday Evening Prayer with Bishop McClory and our Keynote Presentation by Father Ed Shea, OFM! This will frame our reflections Saturday morning before the liturgical minister training and renewal sessions. ________________________________________________________________________________ Friday Fellowship, Saturday Continental Breakfast and Box Lunch are included in the registration fee.With the rise of the fall flu season, please consider wearing a mask if you are not fully vaccinated. Social distancing should be observed.________________________________________________________________________________Friday Keynote and Saturday Reflection: Father Ed Shea, OFMFRANCISCAN FATHER ED SHEA is the third of eight children in his family from St. Giles Parish in Oak Park. A 1974 graduate of Fenwick High School and a 1978 graduate of the University of Notre Dame, Father Shea joined the Franciscans in 1980 and was ordained a priest in 1987. Father Ed has spent most of his priesthood in parish work, including four years as the priest-presider for the St. Giles Family Mass Community in Oak Park, IL and five years as the pastor of St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Joliet, IL. He was also pastor of St. Joseph Parish, a predominantly Hispanic community in Chicago’s famous Back of the Yards neighborhood. Father Ed has served on his Provincial Council and as Director of Vocations and Formation for the Franciscans of the Sacred Heart Province. At present Father Ed is stationed at St. Peter’s Church in the Loop in and is involved in a lot of bilingual ministry in the Chicago area and beyond. A Franciscan priest who loves to sing and tell stories, more than anything he thrives on celebrating the sacraments of the Church. A true follower of St. Francis, Father Ed finds reasons to rejoice often in the goodness of God’s presence in our world.