Billboard blessing
Auxiliary Bishop Mark S. Rivituso blessed several pro-life billboards for Our Lady of Guadalupe for Life Aug. 8 at DDI Media in St. Louis. Seven new vinyls will replace old ones on existing billboards in the area. Our Lady of Guadalupe for Life is a local nonprofit organization of Catholics dedicated to sharing a pro-life message of love for all life, born and unborn, through billboards placed throughout St. Louis and Metro East. The billboards feature an image of Our Lady of Guadalupe and the message, “Love your Babies, Born & Unborn.” A phone number for OptionLine (1-800-712-4357) connects individuals with pregnancy resource centers for one-on-one help.
Abortion healing retreat
A weekend retreat for women, men and couples wounded by abortion, will be held Sept. 15-17. The Holy Family Hope & Healing Retreat will be held in a comfortable and prayerful setting in the St. Louis area (exact location shared at registration). Cost is $100 to attend, which includes two nights of lodging, meals and materials. For more information or to register by Sept. 5, contact (314) 406-0815 or [email protected], or visit archstl.org/hope-healing. All information and inquiries are kept confidential.
Infant of Prague crowning
St. John Nepomuk Chapel will celebrate the 75th anniversary of the crowning of the Infant of Prague statue on Saturday, Sept. 9, at the church, 1625 S. 11th St. in the Soulard neighborhood of St. Louis.
Mass will be celebrated at 4:30 p.m., followed by the crowning of the Infant Jesus of Prague. The celebration will continue afterward with a Czech pork dinner and music in the Chapel Hall. Cost of the dinner is $25 for adults and $10 for children. Dinner reservations must be made by Aug. 31 by contacting Robert Klasek at (314) 250-0715. The program will include a special recognition of those who have crowned the statue in the past. If you or someone you know crowned the infant in the past, email [email protected].
SEEK preview
The Archdiocese of St. Louis and FOCUS (Fellowship of Catholic University Students) will offer a free SEEK Conference preview, SEEK First, from 2-4 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 30, at St. Louis University High School. Featured speakers will be Archbishop Mitchell T. Rozanski and FOCUS founder Curtis Martin. Pope Francis recently appointed Martin a consultor for the Vatican’s Dicastery for Evangelization.
FOCUS will return to St. Louis Jan. 1-5 for its national conference, SEEK24. For more information or to register for either event, visit www.archstl.org/seek.
Blue Masses
All Saints Parish will celebrate its annual Blue Mass on Saturday, Sept. 9, at the church, 7 McMenamy Road in St. Peters. The day will begin with a firetruck display from 10:30-11:30 a.m., followed by Mass at noon. Afterward, there will be several outdoor events, including photo opportunities with a Clydesdale, a barbecue sponsored by the Knights of Columbus and family games. The Mass will recognize all active, retired and veteran police officers, sheriff deputies, firefighters, military, emergency medical personnel, correction officers, rangers and K-9 officers in St. Charles County and will honor those who have died in the line of duty.
Archbishop Mitchell T. Rozanski will celebrate the annual Blue Mass at 10 a.m. Sunday, Sept. 10, at the Cathedral Basilica of Saint Louis. The Mass is held every year to honor and bless police officers, firefighters, EMS personnel, 911 operators and other first responders and support staff who help provide public safety to our communities.
First responders are invited to wear their uniforms and participate in the procession into Mass. A reception with light refreshments will follow Mass in the cathedral basilica’s garden area.