By Florida Catholic staff - Florida Catholic
Concert honoring popes to air on WPBT
On Easter Sunday, April 5 at 4 p.m., WPBT, Channel 2 in Miami/Fort Lauderdale, will air “A Celebration of Peace through Music,” a concert created by American conductor Sir Gilbert Levine to honor the dual canonizations of Popes John XXIII and John Paul II, as well as pay tribute to Pope Francis — all three spiritual leaders who are recognized for their devotion to promoting understanding and peace around the world.
The concert features the Kraków Philharmonic Choir, the Orchestra of St. Luke’s and the Choral Arts Society of Washington. This special also follows Levine as he travels to Buenos Aires, Venice, Kraków, Rome, Vienna, and Washington, D.C., to show how music and spirit can unite our world.
In addition to many other accomplishments, Levine was known as the “Pope’s Maestro” for his decades-long friendship with Pope John Paul II. For his artistic contributions to better understanding among people of all faiths, Levine was invested by John Paul II as a Knight-Commander of the Equestrian Order of St. Gregory the Great, the highest papal knighthood accorded a non-ecclesiastical musician since Mozart.
Author Matthew Kelly coming to Coral Gables
Are you thriving or just surviving? Are you ready for more energy? A deeper sense of purpose? More joy? A clearer understanding of God's plan for your life? Join internationally acclaimed speaker and author Matthew Kelly for a Passion and Purpose event, April 11, from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at St. Augustine Church and Catholic Student Center, 1400 Miller Road, Coral Gables.
Tickets are $39 and include all retreat materials. Call 859-980-7900 or go online to purchase: www.dynamiccatholic.com; or call the parish office at St. Augustine: 305-661-1648.
Dealing with loss? Go to Wellspring
Are you dealing with a loss due to divorce or separation? The Wellspring Experience may be for you. It is a live-in weekend for those who want to deal with unresolved feelings of loss so they can move on, primarily focused on the separation/divorce experience. Loss due to a death and other broken relationships is also touched upon. The weekend includes talks on the grief process, anger, aloneness, entanglement, forgiveness, wholeness and spiritual growth. There is also time for personal reflection and sharing in small groups.
The next weekend will be held April 17-19, at The Grand Palms Hotel, Spa & Golf Resort in Pembroke Pines. Call Jean at 954-797-9770, Bob at 954-718-7241 or Helen at 786-252-7973 for assistance in determining if this retreat is for you. All calls are confidential.
Adult bullying is topic of lecture
The Women's Guild of St. Gregory Parishinvites the community to "Do You Know an Adult Bully?” a presentation with expert researcher, author and speaker Dr. Meline Kevorkian, associate provost at Nova Southeastern University. She has been featured on the "Today" show, CNN, FOX, NBC, and CBS. Her talk, followed by a question/answer session, will take place Wednesday, April 29, from 7:30 to 8:15 p.m., in the parish center, 200 N. University Drive, Plantation. Doors open at 7 p.m. Admission is free. For information call Karen, 954-560-4005.
Women’s convention coming in May
Join Catholic women from throughout South Florida for the 57th annual convention of the Miami Archdiocesan Council of Catholic Women (MACCW), May 1-3 at the Miami Airport Hilton Hotel on Blue Lagoon Drive. The convention theme is "By the power of the Holy Spirit, stand as one in faith."
The closing liturgy will be celebrated by Archbishop Thomas Wenski. The MACCW's Outstanding Member of the Year and Our Lady of Good Council winners will be recognized at the Saturday luncheon, and workshops will be held on how to make Prayer Squares and Pillow Case Dresses. The winners of the 2015 MACCW Lucy Petrillo Scholarship awards also will be announced at the closing banquet Sunday night. Go to www.maccw.org for registration packet and information.
Learn Spanish in three weeks
SEPI — the Southeast Pastoral Institute — will offer its annual Immersion in Spanish Language and Culture Program from June 14-July 2 at its center, 7700 S.W. 56 St., Miami. This intensive, three-week course is designed especially for priests, deacons, religious, seminarians, and lay people involved in ministry to Hispanics, or those who are preparing to engage in Hispanic ministry in the near future. It is not focused exclusively on mastering the basics of the Spanish language, but also on the basics of Hispanic culture in general. The course includes daily prayer and Mass in Spanish, as well as films, cultural presentations, and guest speakers from various Hispanic groups.
Immersion students live at SEPI, since this is an all-day program, but it is possible to attend as a day student. For information, call Juan José Rodríguez or Lydia Hoyo at 305-279-2333 or visit www.sepi.us.
Families from North, South America to meet
Peter Ductram, director of the Office for Catechesis.
Peter Ductram, archdiocesan director of the Office of Catechesis, has been appointed to coordinate a meeting between 100 families from Latin America and 28 families from North America that will precede the World Meeting of Families Congress in Philadelphia this September. The gathering will take place Sept. 20-22 for the purpose of assessing the pastoral needs of Catholic families in the American continent. It is being organized by the U.S. bishops’ Secretariat for Cultural Diversity in the Church.
In a statement, Alejandro Aguilera-Titus, assistant director of the secretariat, explained that the gathering will explore “the critical role the family plays in society and give families the opportunity to talk about the challenges and blessings that all families have in our continent.”
Ductram also is part of the national team leading the preparation for the V Encuentro of Hispanic pastoral ministers. He represents the National Conference of Catechetical Leadership as an expert on catechesis with Hispanics.
Good Friday collection benefits Holy Land
On Good Friday, a pontifical collection is taken up in every parish in the U.S. The proceeds of this Pontifical Good Friday Collection go to support ministries and works largely under the direction of the Franciscans in the Holy Land. These funds are needed to support Catholic schools, parishes and religious education in the Holy Land; to preserve the shrines there for pilgrims; and to provide assistance to the poor and needy. Donations to this collection unite all Christians with the Holy Land and provide an opportunity for parishioners here to be witnesses of peace in that troubled part of the world.
Carmelite Sisters to sing in S. Fla.
On Sunday, April 19, 2015, the Friends of Carmel Miami will be hosting the Carmelite Sisters in Concert, a once-in-a-lifetime event, as never before have 15 Carmelites flown across the U.S. to sing at a concert. This musical evening will feature Gregorian chant and a variety of soul-stirring selections of contemporary Christian and original compositions by the Carmelite Sisters, whose music is meant to bring a message of inspiration and hope to all.
The concert will take place in the Church of the Little Flower’s historic Comber Hall, 2701 Indian Mound Trail, Coral Gables, April 19, at 3:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. All proceeds will benefit the life and the works of the Carmelite Sisters, who serve over 30,000 people annually in healthcare, education, and retreat centers from Southern California to Florida — includingSt. Theresa School in Coral Gables and Archbishop Coleman Carroll High School in Miami.
Tickets are $50 and can be purchased online at www.carmelitesistersocd.com. For more information contact Patsy Linares at 305-720-3533.
