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SPIRITUALITY
Founded by Jesus Christ and empowered by the Holy
Spirit, our Church was born. Right from the beginning, the first
Christians reflected, meditated, studied, and argued -at times quite
violently - on the meaning of the words and deeds of Jesus Christ. What
should we make of the instruction: forgive your brother not seven but
seventy times seven? How might we understand the proclamation: this
bread is my body and this wine my blood? And what sense could we make
out of the incarnation - when the divine is confined in the human body,
eternity is trapped in the finite and the immortal be subjected to
death? Doctrines and teachings, hence, were developed and defined. Since
then, we have begun to profess that our God is one being yet three
persons. Jesus Christ is one person yet two beings. The Holy Spirit is
truly God. There are seven sacraments. And our church is one, holy,
catholic and apostolic....
Moreover, we profess that God, in loving us, has
crossed over the threshold of the divine to touch and embrace us. We, in
loving God, must break through our human boundary, reach out and hold on
tightly to the gentle hands of God. We are to have a relationship with
God. We are to live with God and in God.
Living with God and in God is always understood and
defined as Spirituality. If to know God is to love God, the more we know
of God the stronger is our love for God. Since doctrines and teachings
of the Church illumine our understanding of God and the seven sacraments
invite us to deepen our relationship with God, any meditation, study,
reflection, effort and activity that nurtures and strengthens our love
for God, we call it Spirituality. Hence, for example, the
sacramental preparations for the reception of First Eucharist,
Reconciliation, Confirmation or Marriage would belong to the work of
Spirituality -not Faith Formation.
Current Spirituality Ministries:
The Sacrament of Baptism
To enable new parents, godparents and the parish to
experience the celebration of the Sacrament of Baptism to the fullest,
we have designed a preparation experience that will present the history,
theology, symbols and ritual of the Sacrament of Baptism. We will
explore the importance of community, family traditions and your personal
faith journey, as well as take you step by step through the celebration
ritual. Please call the Parish Office for a registration form and a
schedule of the available dates.
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The Sacrament of
Confirmation
Are you ready to
experience being sealed with the Holy Spirit? Are ready to experience
the laying on of hands? Are you ready to use the Gifts and Fruits of
the Holy Spirit to spread the message of the Gospel? Then you are ready
to prepare for the Sacrament of Confirmation! Students preparing for the
Sacrament of Confirmation are required to participate in Core Curriculum
Sessions for grade 8. They are also required to participate in one
other Formation Session of their choice. All Candidates are required to
attend the Middle School Retreat, the Confirmation Immersion Retreat and
perform a number of Christian Service hours. A Sponsor is chosen; this
should be someone who will be a role model of faith as well as a
companion on the Candidates faith journey, (sponsors are welcome and
encouraged to attend the classes with the Candidates). For more
information and a schedule of classes see the Formation Catalog online
or contact Molly Wisdom at the Parish Office.
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The Sacrament of Eucharist
Is your child ready to
experience Jesus as, “the Bread of Life”? Are they ready to join us as
we gather as a family around the table each week to celebrate
Eucharist? Preparation for the reception of the sacrament takes place
within our Core Curriculum sessions of Formation on Wednesday evenings.
The sessions will introduce children to the communal aspect of Eucharist
as well and the celebration of Jesus’ gift of himself to us and how that
changes us forever. During a morning retreat, we will enhance your
child’s understanding of sacrament by focusing on how we experience the
Eucharistic celebration during the Mass. For more information and a
schedule of the classes see the Formation Catalog online or contact
Molly Wisdom at the Parish Office.
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The Sacrament of
Reconciliation
In the Sacrament of Reconciliation, Jesus provides us
with a way of being reconciled to God and to those we've hurt, and to be
strengthened in our connection to God's entire family. This is more than
symbolic; it is spiritual reality expressed through ritual. Preparation
for the celebration of the Sacrament of Reconciliation is currently in
transition. Children in the First Grade should participate in Formation
Session VI; children in the Second and Fourth Grades should participate
in Formation Sessions II, IV & VI. During the Formation classes,
students will be provided with an understanding of the Ten Commandments,
the Beatitudes, the concept of sin, the daily examination of conscience
and prayer. The celebrations dates will be announced during the
Formation year. For more information and a
schedule of the classes see the Formation Catalog online or contact
Molly Wisdom at the Parish Office.
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The Sacrament of
Marriage
Marriage is a lifelong and faithful covenant between
a man and a woman. Couples planning to be married are required to
attend formal preparation classes. Our preparation sessions give
couples the opportunity to understand and respect their marriage as a
sacrament by offering insight on how they can nourish and nurture this
sacrament for a lifetime. Couples are also offered insight into
effective marital communication, facing changes gracefully, establishing
spiritual and emotional intimacy, finances and blending families.
Preparation opportunities are:
Marriage Preparation Pre-Cana Weekends:
Saturday begins at 9 a.m. and ends at 6 p.m.
Sunday begins at 8 a.m. and ends with the 11 a.m.
Mass
The weekend covers both the Sacramental Preparation
and the Pre-Cana/Marriage Mentoring.
Dates: August 16 & 17, 2008
October 18 & 19, 2008
April 18 & 19, 2009
June 6 & 7,2009
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RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults)
Do you have questions about the Roman Catholic
Faith? Do you find yourself wanting to attend Mass without knowing
why? Are you married to a Catholic and wish to share the faith with
them? Is the Holy Spirit calling you? Do you hunger for the Eucharist
offered at the Table of the Lord? The process
of Initiation begins with the question, “Am I called to share this
faith? RCIA describes a process in which men and women are guided and
cared for as they awaken in faith and are gradually introduced to the
Catholic way of life. This is accomplished within a series of carefully
planned stages, marked by liturgical rites, celebrated in the presence
of the whole community, in which new Catholics embark on and join us in
a continuing and deepening conversion into faith and discipleship. The
goal of the RCIA is to provide an intellectual and spiritual framework
and establish a faith community in which an individual's conversion
experience can be understood and supported. The RCIA process is
facilitated in several different ways. We invite participants to attend
classes specifically designed to introduce them to the Catholic faith.
These classes are held during our Formation Sessions. We also ask them
to participate in some elective class sessions that allow them to focus
on individual interests. We support the spiritual component of the
journey with monthly Dismissals that focus on breaking open the Word of
God, dialog and sponsor involvement. The participants are asked to
attend three retreats during the year which focus on discernment and
renewal. All periods of the process are marked with celebrations within
our faith community encouraging participants to make this community
their own and enter into it fully. For more information please contact
Molly Wisdom at the Parish Office.
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Retreats for Everyone
How do you rejuvenate
your spirit? Where do you go for renewal and growth?
Spiritual growth and
renewal are essential components in developing and maintaining a lasting
faith. St. Mary Magdalen offers a variety of retreat opportunities to
enable our entire faith community to experience the joy that comes from
growing in faith, and reconnecting with your spirit. Please take a
moment and consider a retreat opportunity.
 Annual
Women’s Retreat:
All women of the parish
are invited to participate in a fall weekend experience at St. Lazare’s
Retreat House in Spring Lake. This retreat affords you the opportunity
to be led by the staff at the Retreat House, into a quiet, restful and
holy weekend. Each person will be provided with a private room,
delicious meals, and the opportunity for quiet, reflective time,
conference sessions and celebration of the Sacraments.
 High
School Retreat:
High School students are
invited to an overnight experience giving them the opportunity to
strengthen their faith in a safe and supportive environment. They are
encouraged to offer their gifts in service projects as well as identify
and bond with their peers.
 
Annual Men’s Retreat:
All men in the parish are
invited to participate in a mid-winter renewal at St. Lazare’s Retreat
House in Spring Lake. The winter setting is just the place for quiet
reflection, prayer, celebration and camaraderie.
Couples Retreat:
Couples are provided with
an intimate dinner allowing them to relax, enjoy one another’s company
over a delicious meal and reconnect through prayer and conversation,
with the sacrament that is marriage.
Middle School
Retreat:
The weekend retreat
focuses on strengthening the spirituality of the middle school students.
It gives them the opportunity to broaden their understanding of
scripture messages while offering them tools to nurture their faith.
Each aspect of the retreat is presented by high school students willing
to act as role models of their faith. It can be an incredibly moving
experience. It also provides this age group with the opportunity to
spend time with their peers in a safe and faith filled environment.
 
Elementary Retreat:
The parish invites all
first through fifth grade students to participate in a week of prayer,
activities, scripture, food and fun. We take full advantage of the
beautiful grounds and incorporate God’s creation into our exploration of
our faith. Students are cared for and encouraged by middle school
students who have chosen to spend a portion of their summer ensuring
that those younger than themselves find an outlet to express and
strengthen their faith.
Widows & Widowers
Retreat:
Those who have suffered
the loss of a spouse gather together to celebrate life enjoy memories
and promote healing though support, education, and prayer.
Mother’s Group
Women’s Retreat:
All women in the parish
are invited to join the Mother’s Group as they spend the day reflecting
on issues that affect the spirituality of women and find avenues to
support and care for one another.
Sacramental
Preparation Retreats:
Spiritual development and
readiness as well as catechesis are essential parts of preparing to
celebrate the sacraments. There is a retreat held prior to our communal
celebrations that ensures that participants are ready to be immersed
in the wonder of the God’s grace.
Young Adults, S.O.S.
and Single Parents Retreats:
We are in the process of
outlining retreat opportunities for these ministries. Please watch the
bulletin for more information.
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Mother’s Group
The purpose of the Mother’s Group is twofold;
socially the group exists to help mothers of the parish forge new
friendships and act in support of one another through fellowship and
prayer; as a ministry the group organizes various activities and events
in response to the needs, both basic and spiritual of the parish
family. We meet on the first Wednesday of each month from 9:30-11 a.m.
in room 3 of the Family Center. Childcare is available. If you are
unable to attend the meetings and are interested in learning more about
our ministry, call the Parish Office to get information on the Younker’s
Sale, The Children’s Ornament Party, Advent Night, The Women’s Retreat,
The Mother Daughter Tea, The Parish Festival, Formation Dinner Team and
of course, Girl’s Night Out.
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