Blessed Sacrament Parish
Fall Retreat
Follow-up
Survival Tools for Life - Prayer and the Eucharist
Our Fall all-day retreat, Survival Tools for Life- Prayer and the Eucharist, was well attended and positively received! We had excellent speakers, Father Frank DeSiano and Sister Maryann Cantlon, small group discussions, time for personal reflection, a video clip of Jonathan Roumie’s testimony, table talks and sharing, guided meditation and, of course, good food and hospitality.
Not everyone could come, so we thought you might like to use some of the discussion questions for your own personal reflection:
- What part of the Mass “speaks’ to you the most? Why?
- What kinds of changes have you experienced in your life because of worship?
- When you take time for prayer, do you feel the nearness of God?
- Do you ever pray with a Biblical character, putting yourself in his/her place? Is that an effective way of prayer for you?
- In what ways do you feel God has called you to serve others? What personal talents and gifts do you use?
- How do you see the Eucharist and prayer helping you in your life and in serving God and our neighbors?
Many people who came to our retreat were excited about Fr. Frank DeSiano’s talks. To see more of Fr. Frank's talks on YouTube and his Sunday Homily, click the links below:
YouTube: Paulist Fr. Frank DeSiano .
The Sunday Homily
Sister Maryann Cantlon gave a wonderful talk on Prayer. Unfortunately, we could not access any of her talks online, but she is on the retreat team at Holy Family Retreat Center in West Hartford, CT. You can go to https://www.holyfamilyretreat.org to learn more about their retreats.
FALL RETREAT PHOTO ALBUM
Meet Our Presenters:
Fr. Frank DeSiano, CSP was born in New York City, and ordained as a Paulist priest in 1972. He has served as pastor in downtown New York and in Chicago. In 1990, he earned a D. Min. from Boston University, completing his dissertation on "Parish Based Evangelization." He served as consultor for the US Bishops' Committee on Evangelization for over a dozen years. He has written numerous books on spirituality, discipleship and evangelization, and is frequently published in periodicals like The Priest, Catechetical Leader, and Deacon Digest. In 1994 he was elected President of the Paulist Fathers He presently lives in Washington where he is president of Paulist Evangelization Ministries. He travels widely, conducting parish renewals (missions), presenting to Catholic clergy at convocations and retreats, and discussing the relationship of evangelization and catechesis. His latest book will be published by Paulist Press: “Discipleship for the Future: Spirituality of the Kingdom.” He recently published: “Catholic Discipleship: Spiritual Exercises and Reflections,” and “Beyondews: from Parishioners to Disciples,” both at www.pemdc.org. He has been working on several pastoral tools: Pathways in Faith (RCIA and Adult Faith Formation), and The Catholic Discipleship Profiletm. He also serves on the Editorial Board of the International Journal for Catechesis and Evangelization.
Sister Maryann Cantlon is a Sister of St. Joseph of Chambery and a retreat staff member at Holy Family. Before coming to Connecticut, she was the Associate Director of Restorative Justice in the Diocese of San Jose for ten years. Previously, she taught high school music and served many years as a teacher and chaplain in both state and federal prisons. Maryann also helped begin an educational mission among the indigenous Maya Indians in Quintana Roo, Mexico. Maryann holds a Master's degree in Music from Hartt College of Music at the University of Hartford and a Master's degree in Theology with a concentration in Sacred Scripture from the Jesuit School of Theology in Berkley, California.
.