Pastoral Formation Institute Offers
Series of Reflection Days on ‘Jesus of
Nazareth’
The Diocese of Scranton’s Pastoral Formation
Institute will offer a series of Reflection
Days for the 2007 fall session. Each
presentation will be held at Fatima Renewal
Center, Dalton, from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
The series is based on the recent book
Jesus of Nazareth, written by Pope
Benedict XVI, which focuses on the true
identity of Jesus as revealed in the
Gospels. The series will consider three
prominent aspects of the ministry of Jesus:
The Beatitudes, The Our Father, and The
Parables.
The first Reflection Day, The Beatitudes:
Our Call to Discipleship, will provide
for the faithful a deeper understanding of
the meaning of discipleship as experienced
in the Beatitudes, authentic models for
Christian living. Father Pio Mandato, FMHJ,
of St. Joseph Hermitage, Laceyville, will be
the presenter. The date is Saturday, Sept.
15.
The Our Father: The Prayer of Jesus
will be the second Reflection Day given by
Father Joseph R. Kopacz, V.G., Vicar General
for the Diocese of Scranton and pastor of
the Church of St. Mary of the Mount, Mount
Pocono. This talk will take place on
Saturday, Oct. 27.
Because the Our Father is the personal
prayer of Jesus to the Father, Father Kopacz
will explain how praying with Jesus will
strengthen our own relationship with God.
Father Charles P. Connor, Diocesan historian
and rector of the Cathedral of St. Peter,
will conduct the third program in the
series, The Parables: Message and
Mystery, on Saturday, Nov. 10. This
Reflection Day will concentrate on three
parables: The Good Samaritan, The Prodigal
Son, and The Rich Man and Lazarus.
Through these parables, Father Connor will
explain how Jesus’ message of love,
forgiveness and understanding of suffering
brings us closer into the fullness of the
Paschal Mystery.
On each of the days, the celebration of the
Mass will take place and the Sacrament of
Reconciliation will be available.
Participants may register for the entire
series or for one or two of the Reflection
Days.
Fee for one day is $25; for two days, $40;
and for the three days, $60. Lunch is
included in the fee.
To register, call the Pastoral Formation
Institute at 570-563-8500 or e-mail
Fatima@dioceseofscranton.org.
