October 5, 2019 // Diocese

Around the Diocese: October 6, 2019

Todays Catholic

Sisters to host ‘Grieving and the Holidays’

SAINT MARY-OF-THE-WOODS — Persons of all faith traditions are invited to join the Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods for the upcoming retreat “Grieving and the Holidays,” set for 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 12, in Providence Hall.

Participants will reflect upon, pray about, and allow God and others to help them create a plan for grieving gracefully during the holidays.

Sister Connie Kramer, SP, will help guide participants to a place of befriending grief and strengthening the enduring bond with lost loved ones.

“I believe that the holidays are a difficult time for persons who are grieving the loss of a loved one,” Sister Connie said. “Often, holiday memories associated with deceased loved ones, who either died recently or a long time ago, will bring about a person’s grief or sense of loss.” Those who are grieving have to acknowledge the loss, rather than deny it.

“They also have to determine which holiday traditions they wish to continue and which holiday traditions they wish to change,” she said. “In doing this reflection and making life-giving decisions, a person will be able to allow grief to be their teacher.”

Cost is $45, which includes lunch. The registration deadline is Oct. 7.

Register online at
Events.SistersofProvidence.org, by calling 812-535-2952 or by email at [email protected].

Darkness and Light creative conference coming to Fort Wayne

FORT WAYNE — What does it mean to say that human beings are made in the image of God?

Everything in the canon of sacred Scripture follows those five words: If God is a creator and we are made in the image of God, then we are creators, too. St. John Paul II expounds on this in his “Letter to Artists”; “as Genesis has it,” he writes, “all men and women are entrusted with the task of crafting their own life: in a certain sense, they are to make of it a work of art, a masterpiece.”

Dr. Peter Kreeft sums this up in five words: We’re artists because God is.

Even those who don’t think of themselves as artists, really are — by their life, by their nature, by their personhood. How can a person tap into that?

Likeable Art founder Cory Heimann and collaborators have developed “Darkness Has Not Overcome,” a multimedia meditation on the interplay of light and darkness, pain and hope — in art, in the world and in each human life. With original music by singer-songwriter Kevin Heider and visual art by Marie Heimann, the immersive event leads the audience deeper into the mystery of being human, to remind participants that that they are all artists, because God is. It’s a truly unique performance event, a creative exploration full of surprises — music, film, light painting, songs, stories, magic, wonder and more.

Darkness and Light will be open to the public in Fort Wayne for one night only, Friday, Oct. 11, at the University of Saint Francis Performing Arts Center, 431 W. Berry St. From 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. Come explore, share and learn how all Catholics together can live out the first five words of the Bible in tandem with the last four: In the beginning, God created …with all the saints.

For information visit DarknessHasNotOvercome.com.

Formation day for Catechists planned

FORT WAYNE — Catechist Formation Day, with keynote speaker Dr. Bill Keimig, is Saturday, Oct. 12, from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the University of Saint Francis, Fort Wayne. Catechist Formation Day is an event especially for catechists of all kinds, including directors of religious education, youth ministers and others, to gather for spiritual, intellectual and pastoral formation in handing on the Catholic faith to all of God’s people. There is no cost to attend. For information or to register contact Janice Martin, [email protected] or 260-399-1411.