New board members

Catholic Charities of St. Louis, charitable arm of the Archdiocese of St. Louis, has announced the new board of directors for fiscal year 2019. The new officers are Chairperson Jay Holland, Cushman & Wakefield; Vice Chair Scott Dolan, U.S. Bank; Treasurer Ed Puzzella, Christian Brothers College High School; and Secretary Judge Kathy Surratt-States of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court-Eastern District of Missouri. The other new members are Hap Burke, Thompson Coburn; Mark Dorsey, KTRS 550 AM; Lisa McAleenan, Lockton Companies; Alice Prince, St. Louis Agency on Training and Employment; Doug Rothermich, TIAA; and Mike Zychinski, Deloitte (retired). Theresa Ruzicka, Catholic Charities of St. Louis president, offered her gratitude for members completing their service this year: Cheryl Archibald (chair), Judy Navarre (treasurer), Con Franey, Craig Franklin, Don Hiemenz, Susan Mangels and Leticia Seitz.

Upcoming events

Listening session on racism

Archbishop Robert J. Carlson, Shelton J. Fabre, chair of the USCCB Ad Hoc Committee Against Racism, and other bishops from around the country will hold a USCCB Listening Session on racism Friday, Aug. 17, from 6:30-8:30 p.m. at Saint Louis University’s Richard A. Chaifetz School of Business, 3674 Lindell Blvd. in Midtown St. Louis. They will listen to those who have been hurt by the Church through the sin of racism and pray for forgiveness, healing and reconciliation. The event is being hosted by the Peace and Justice Commission of the Archdiocese of St. Louis.

Living Rosary for Life

A Living Rosary for Life will take place at 2:30 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 19, at Assumption Church, 4725 Mattis Road in south St. Louis County. The Rosary will be prayed in celebration of the feast of the Assumption of Mary. A reception with light refreshments will take place afterward. The gathering is sponsored by Our Lady of Guadalupe for Life, a non-profit organization that places pro-life billboards along highways in the St. Louis area. For more information, call Anna Maria Usselmann at (314) 487-2066.

Mass for Little Sisters of the Poor

A Mass in thanksgiving for the Little Sisters of the Poor will take place at 10 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 25, at the Cathedral Basilica of Saint Louis. Archbishop Robert Carlson will celebrate the Mass, which will recognize the sisters for their nearly 150 years of service to the needy elderly of St. Louis. A reception with the sisters will be held afterward in Boland Hall. Last month, the sisters announced that they will close the St. Louis Residence by Oct. 31 after a nearly two-year search to find a sponsor to manage the facility in Old North St. Louis.

Catholic vision in “The Lord of the Rings”

The Daughters of St. Paul will host local author/actor Kevin O’Brien for a presentation about the Catholic vision of JRR Tolkien in The Lord of the Rings, this fall at Pauline Books & Media in Crestwood. The sessions will be at 7 p.m. on Monday nights — Sept. 10, Oct. 8 and Nov. 12. The session in September will explore “The Hobbit,” with “The Fellowship of the Ring” first book in October and “Fellowship of the Ring” second book in November. Four sessions also will be offered in spring covering “The Two Towers” and “The Return of the King.” For information or registration, call (314) 965-3512.

Immaculée mini-retreat

Immaculée Ilibagiza, a survivor of genocide in Rwanda with a message of forgiveness, healing and hope, will present a mini-retreat at Our Lady of Sorrows Parish, 5020 Rhodes Ave. in south St Louis, Friday evening, Sept. 14, and Saturday morning, Sept. 15. Ilibagiza tells of the life-saving power of faith and the Rosary as she hid with seven other women in a cramped bathroom for 91 days. Her first book, “Left to Tell; Discovering God Amidst the Rwandan Holocaust,” was released in 2006 and became a New York Times Best Seller. The cost is $57 for an individual or $76 for two people. Register at www.immaculee.com. For information, contact Susan Dunn at (314) 304-4541 or [email protected].

Marriage enrichment

An evening of marriage enrichment will take place Saturday, Sept. 15, at Most Sacred Heart Church in Eureka. Married couples will learn about the one tool to enhance their marriage and relationship with God. The evening will begin with Mass at 5 p.m., followed by a potluck dinner and talk. The event, sponsored by Worldwide Marriage Encounter, is free; a freewill offering will be accepted. RSVP by Sept. 12 at www.perfectpotluck.com/AVBI3616 or call Suzann Cross at (314) 303-4290.

Music, faith

“Great Music of Many Faiths” is the theme of the Arts & Faith St. Louis Eighth Annual Interfaith Concert at 5:30 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 16, at the Sheldon Concert Hall, 3648 Washington Blvd. in Midtown St. Louis. The free concert will feature both adult and young singers and musicians from faith communities across the metropolitan area. Arts & Faith St. Louis was established in 2011 on the 10th anniversary of 9/11 to bring together the faith and arts communities. In 2018, Arts & Faith St. Louis is working with the Saint Louis Art Museum and the Interfaith Partnership of Greater St. Louis for interfaith tours that use the museum’s collection to build understanding among religions. For more information about the concert or other programs, contact Barbara Murray at: [email protected] or (314) 553-9900.

Marriage on Tap

Worldwide Marriage Encounter will host “Marriage on Tap STL,” a date night for couples who wish to enrich their marriages, on Tuesday, Sept. 18, at The Pasta House Company, 8213 Delmar Blvd. in University City. Scott and Karen Seaborn, married for 34 years, will talk about managing conflict in relationships. A buffet dinner (with cash bar) is $20 per person. The dinner starts at 6 p.m., followed by the Seaborns’ talk. RSVPs are required by Sept. 14 at [email protected]. Visit the group’s Facebook page at Marriage on Tap STL.

Better parenting and teaching

The Finding Your Way Toward Better Parenting and Teaching presentation is slated for 7-9 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 26 at La Salle Retreat Center in Glencoe. Presenter Paul Kraus of Christian Brothers College will explore new tools to help parents and teachers guide children in becoming faith-filled adults. Kraus is a teacher/administrator at CBC and Paul VI, as well as a retreat director/workshop presenter for schools in the archdiocese and Lasallian schools in Midwest district of The Christian Brothers. Freewill donations will be accepted. For registration or more information, visit www.lasalleretreat.org/events/finding-your-way.

Adoration conference

A Eucharistic Adoration Conference will be held from 8 a.m. to noon Saturday, Sept. 29, at the Cardinal Rigali Center, 20 Archbishop May Drive in Shrewsbury. The schedule includes Mass, a keynote address by Auxiliary Bishop Emeritus Robert J. Hermann and more. To register, visit www.archstl.org/sacred-worship. For information, email [email protected] or call (314) 792-7231.

Continuing Catholicism Series

Saint Louis University’s Catholic Studies Centre will host its Continuing Catholicism Series on “The Brothers Karamazov,” a Catholic novel written in 1881 by Fyodor Dostoevsky. Hilary Finley, who teaches English literature at Holy Apostles College, will lead the five-session series, which will explore human nature, sin, redemption, mercy, atheism, the role of the Church and how personal actions and ideals ultimately influence self happiness. The series will take place from 6-8 p.m. on Wednesdays beginning Oct. 3 at the Catholic Studies Centre, 3838 West Pine Mall. A freewill offering of $175 is requested, which includes a copy of the novel. For more information, contact Father David Meconi, SJ, at (314) 644-8445 or email [email protected].

Annual assembly

The Missouri Catholic Conference Annual Assembly will be held on Saturday, Oct. 6, at Helias High School in Jefferson City, Mo. The free event will focus on “Pope Francis at Five Years: the Church at the Peripheries.” Keynote speaker is Bishop Joseph Perry of the Archdiocese of Chicago. The assembly will offer both morning and afternoon workshops with topics including pro-life, human trafficking, the death penalty, immigration and more. Register at www.mocatholic.org or call 1-800-456-1679.