At family Catholic conference, speaker to discuss

‘Keeping your kids Catholic’

Jim Burnham will talk about keeping your kids Catholic when he visits the Midwest Catholic Family Conference Aug. 4-6 at Century II in Wichita. Burnham, who has coauthored the popular Beginning Apologetics books, will discuss two points that will help keep children in the church: the Eucharist and apologetics.

"We have to prepare them to be able to crack open the Bible and explain that the Bible is a Catholic book," Burnham said. "That the Church is 2,000 years old and that the Church is Christ’s Church." Any question posed to children should lead them into a deeper appreciation for their faith, he added.

"We can’t teach love of the Eucharist unless we love the Eucharist. And we can’t teach the faith unless we know the faith." Burnham will speak to adults and to youth at the conference.

Other speakers include well-known apologists Tim Staples and Steve Ray; EWTN personalities Bob and Penny Lord; internationally-recognized speaker on the Church’s teaching about sexuality, Janet Smith, and many others including The Donut Man and Father Anthoine Thomas for youth.

To register for the conference call (316) 618-9787, email midwconf@cox.net, or go to catholicfamily conference.org. The registration link is at the bottom of the window. Hotel information is available with registration materials. Burnham’s website is www.catholic apologetics.com.

Retrouvaille: offering help for the troubled marriage

What can be done to save the most troubled marriages? One answer was created by Marriage Encounter leaders in Quebec who noticed that a growing number of couples were divorcing after the weekends. When they asked why, the couples replied their problems were more serious than those talked about during the ME weekend. From this, a new movement emerged called "RETROUVAILLE" (pronounced ret-ro-vie) - a word from French-speaking Quebec that means "rediscovery."

Retrouvaille is similar in format to Marriage Encounter. But while Marriage Encounter celebrates and enhances marriages, Retrouvaille digs deep into the pain and misery of unhappy and maybe near-broken marriages. The leaders of the Retrouvaille program are couples whose own marriages once nearly failed. They share how serious problems were destroying their marriages, and they inspire the couples in hurting marriages to try new and unique ways to "rediscover" what they once had with each other.

The next program in this area is Jul. 21, 2006. To ensure a reservation, please register early; rooms are limited. For registration and information please call Tim & Betty Stolz at (316) 796-0553.

To learn more about this program call, toll-free (800) 470-2230, or go on-line at www.help ourmarriage.com.

Rachel’s Vineyard retreat, Aug. 4-6 in Hays

Rachel’s Vineyard Ministry announces their next retreat to take place Aug. 4-6. This weekend retreat is designed for anyone affected by abortion.

"Once a woman has an abortion, she pushes it to the back of her mind," said Donetta Robben, retreat director. "But the pain remains, and women must pretend everything is okay when they are really falling apart inside.

"Rachel’s Vineyard provides a nurturing environment where anyone affected by abortion can safely grieve their loss while dealing with the anger, guilt and shame that accompanies this decision."

The retreat is not only for women who have had abortions, but for men, grandparents, aunts, uncles, siblings, married couples, people who have worked in the abortion industry —- anyone affected by the loss of abortion.

For more information, call 1-877-I-GRIEVE or by email: rachelsvineyard@salinadiocese.org. Registration deadline is July 28.

"The hunger and thirst of people for a closer relationship with God has been heard by the staff at Heartland Center for Spirituality. In the past few years the Diocese of Dodge City has responded to the spiritual need by promoting the Called and Gifted workshops and the Pastoral Religious Formation classes. Beginning this fall Heartland Center for Spirituality will offer a two year process for adult spiritual formation."

Course descriptions include:

Introduction to Christian Spirituality, Contemporary Issues, Spiritual Formation Group, Tools for Inner Exploration, History of Christian Spirituality, Spiritual Development, Discernment and Lifestyle.

The Saturday Classes (Semester I: Sept. 9, 30; Oct 21; Nov. 18; Dec. 9; Semester II: (2007 -- Jan. 13; Feb. 3, 24; Mar. 17; Apr. 28) are from 8:30 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. at Heartland Center for Spirituality, 3600 Broadway, Great Bend, KS 67530; phone: 620.792.1232.

There is a three year special track for Spiritual Director Formation which includes the two year SpiritLife core curriculum with additional classes from 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. and supervision/peer group for the third year.

For further information on fees and descriptions go to: http://heartlandspirituality.org/spiritlife

Upcoming dates for Engaged Encounter at the Heartland Center for Spirituality in Great Bend are Sept. 15-17. For more information, call (620) 564-3095, or go to www.dcdiocese.org, and click on the Engaged Encounter listing at left.