Lwanga Center honorees

Ophelia Wilson of St. Nicholas Parish in St. Louis received the Father Edward Feuerbacher Lifetime Achievement Award at the 37th annual St. Charles Lwanga Testimonial Awards Celebration, held virtually on April 25. Torch Bearer Awards were presented to Better Family Life and Loyola Academy. Parish honorees were Ted Heidemann (adult) and Nydia Tate (youth) for Blessed Teresa of Calcutta; Ralph and Susan Ankenbrand (adult) for Most Holy Trinity; Marilyn Rusznak (adult) and Kasey Fairchild (youth) for Our Lady of the Holy Cross; Jean Anthony (adult) and Kyle Gregory (youth) for St. Alphonsus Liguori “Rock”; Marjorie Robinson (adult) for St. Augustine; Jane Wexler Brown (adult), Aurelia Garland (young adult) and Jacoby Combs (youth) for St. Elizabeth Mother of John the Baptist; Stephen Hutchison (adult) for St. Matthew the Apostle; Carlton Prince (adult) for St. Nicholas; and Tom Lyons (adult) for Sts. Teresa and Bridget. To learn more about the honorees, see https://stlreview.com/2S0KN6r

‘Fratelli Tutti’ unraveled

Catholic Charities USA is sponsoring a series of discussions, hosted by the Franciscan Action Network, that will unpack Pope Francis’ latest social encyclical, “Fratelli Tutti.” The discussions, on four Wednesdays, are: May 5, “Fratelli Tutti” on Culture and Society, with Kim Daniels and Heidi Schlumpf; May 19, “Fratelli Tutti” on Racism and Anti-Racism, with Olga Segura and Ralph McCloud; May 26, “Fratelli Tutti” on Economics, with Tony Annett and Meg Clark; June 16: “Fratelli Tutti” on Governance and Politics, with Amy Uelmann and David Cloutier. Discussions will begin at 6 p.m. and be moderated by Stephen Schneck, executive director of the Franciscan Action Network, and will feature questions and answers with the panelists. To register, visit https://stlreview.com/32U8JKT.

Worldwide Marriage Encounter Experience

Worldwide Marriage Encounter will hold two virtual encounter experiences. An experience will be presented in English on Thursday evenings from May 6 through June 17. For more information, contact Jim and Kris McCulloch at (630) 577-0778, or apply at wwme.org; an experience in Spanish will be presented May 28-30. For more information, contact Oscar and Flor Escobar at (778) 834-5974 or [email protected]; or Tito and Silvya Zapata, (604) 306-0474 or [email protected].

Next Chapter Program

The Next Chapter Program is a six-month program for people who are approaching retirement or who are recently retired. The goal of the program is to assist individuals who are discerning who God is calling them to be and what God is calling them to do in their next chapter of life. The program is grounded in Ignatian spirituality and is sponsored by the Office of Ignatian Spirituality of the Jesuits USA Central & Southern Province. The next cohort of the program will begin in October 2021 and the cost is $750. Information sessions via Zoom will be held at 6:30 p.m. on May 18, June 3 and June 7. To RSVP for an information session, email Tom Auffenberg at [email protected] indicating which information session you will attend. For more information on the program, see www.nextchapterprogram.org.

L’Arche makes friends

The L’Arche St. Louis Annual Breakfast with Friends will be held as a virtual event Thursday, May 27. The program, with broadcaster Martin Kilcoyne as emcee, features author and filmmaker Michael McDonald and actor Nick Herd as speakers along with Paula Kilcoyne, executive director of L’Arche. L’Arche St. Louis is a community of people with and without intellectual disabilities. Its mission is to make known the unique gifts of all people, working together toward a more human society. To register or for information, visit www.larchestlouis.org/breakfast.

Veterans’ Spiritual Retreat

White House Retreat in south St. Louis County will host its sixth annual Veterans’ Spiritual Retreat this summer. Offered July 1-3 to men and women who served in the U.S. military, it features a series of spiritual talks, small group discussion, quiet time for personal prayer and meditation, non-denominational prayer services and fellowship. The retreat will be directed by Jesuit Father James Conroy, a Vietnam era veteran. Veterans of all faiths are welcome to attend the event, which aims to promote healing and equip veterans with faith-based tools to help them cope with life’s stresses. White House offers the retreat, which includes private overnight accommodations and all meals, at a very minimal cost, a $40 deposit to reserve a space. Fundraising events throughout the year help offset the cost of hosting the retreat. Due to COVID restrictions, the retreat is limited to 57 veterans this year and COVID safety protocol will be in place. More than 300 veterans have attended the retreat the last six years. To register, call (314) 416-6400 or visit whitehouseretreat.org/ veterans-retreat. White House Retreat is located at 7400 Christopher Drive in Oakville along the banks of the Mississippi River.

Natural Family Planning

Introductory classes in Natural Family Planning are held at 14 locations in the Archdiocese of St. Louis each month. Intro sessions are for engaged couples undergoing marriage preparation or married couples wanting a natural way to plan their families or are having difficulty conceiving. For more information, visit stlouisnfp.org or to schedule an appointment, see bit.ly/NFPintro.