Dec. 3 Holiday Mission Market to feature 38 vendors, food, entertainment

Members of a St. Dominic Parish Bible study group have observed a heartbreaking pattern of activity at the parish office: impoverished people, mostly women with children, regularly approach Father Joseph Bahr and Sister Catherine Therese Pauley for financial assistance.

The Bible study members meet Monday mornings, which happens to be the busiest time at the office. The group members have seen the compact waiting room filled with women in need. Where federal welfare and the Salvation Army fall short, St. Dominic Parish steps in to help with rent, groceries, utilities and diapers. These critical needs often exceed parishioners’ donations to St. Dominic Charities. Fortunately, the Bible study women have a plan.

Led by Kathy Husband of rural Pierceville, the women have organized the Holiday Mission Market to take place at 11a.m., Sunday, Dec. 3 at St. Dominic Parish Center.

Holiday Mission Market will be a festive day of shopping, food and entertainment. Thirty-eight area vendors will sell Christmas decorations, home décor items, jewelry, scrapbook supplies, foods and baked items, coffees, toys, baskets, cosmetics, books, purses and more. Outside, Christmas trees will be on sale. Horse-drawn carriage rides and photos with Santa will add to the holiday ambiance. The Knights of Columbus will provide lunch.

"All proceeds from the rental fees of the vendors, the $1 per person admission fee, and the food sales by the Knights will benefit the local poor. Some vendors will donate a portion of their sales to the cause, "said Husband.

Husband and her group hope to make Holiday Mission Market an annual event.

Depot Theater features Christmas play about Catholic family

The comedy in two acts, "Greetings," was written by playwright Tom Dudzick, who has been called "the Catholic Neil Simon." Directed by Dona Lancaster, the play will include five cast members.

The play’s actors are Gary Foiles, who portrays the father; Connie Penick, the mother; Kyle Hager, one son; Lee Krause, the second son, and Wendy Nelson, the girlfriend of the second son.

The play was performed on Broadway, with the late Darren McGavin playing the father. McGaven achieved fame as the exasperated father in the movie, "The Christmas Story."

"This is a family show about a family," Lancaster said. "It’s a contemporary play in which miracles occur."

The play will be performed Dec. 8-10, Dec. 14-17, and Dec. 21-23 at the Santa Fe Depot Theater. Single ticket prices are $35 for the dinner and show.

For tickets and further information, call (620) 225-1001, or inquire at the box office, 101 E. Wyatt Earp Blvd. Office hours are 8:30 a.m. to noon and 1 to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

‘Journeys to Conversion’

Saturday 9:30 a.m. -3 p.m. (9 a.m. registration)

Facilitators: Renee Dreiling and Jolene Geier, OP; Matilda Monterrose and Maria Elena Martinez-Sifuentes, MCMI

Cost: $50 per parish and $15 per person, or $30 per person. (Lunch charge is included and family fees negotiable)

This retreat is a time of reflection and prayer with others who are also engaged in the RCIA program. It is designed as a preparation for the Lenten scrutinies but not intended to replace the scrutiny process in the parish. This RCIA retreat is for catechumens, candidates, sponsors and teams as part of the recommended RCIA formation process for the diocese. Both retreats will be divided into English and Spanish groups.

Register by Jan. 30, 2007. Contact the Heartland Center for Spirituality, 3600 Broadway, Great Bend, KS 67530, call (620) 792-1232 or e-mail: office @heartlandspirituality.org.

For a registration form, go to www.dcdiocese.org/HeartlandCenter/index.htm.

Advent Day of Prayer

December 3; 9 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.

Theme: Sabbath of the Liturgical Year

Presenter: Sister Janice Grochowsky, CSJ

"The season of Advent, just as the Sabbath day, is meant to be anything but ‘business as usual.’ Come join Sister Janice as she ponders some of the mysteries of this season of preparation and waiting."

Sister Janice is a Sister of St. Joseph of Wichita currently ministering as Director of the Marriage Tribunal and Chancellor for the Diocese of Dodge City. She is a member of St. Andrew Parish in Wright and serves on its Liturgy and Vocation Commissions and is involved with music ministry.

Fee: $10 for the day; $6.00 per meal; register before Nov. 30 for meals.

For more information, contact Heartland Center for Spirituality, 3600 Broadway, Great Bend, KS 67530; (620) 792-1232; email: office@heartland spirituality.org. Or go to www.dcdiocese.org/HeartlandCenter/index.htm

SpiritLife: A Spiritual Formation Process

On Dec. 9, from 8:30 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. the SpiritLife Spiritual Formation Process will be held at Heartland Center for Spirituality, 3600 Broadway Great Bend, KS 67530. Participants may join any of the sessions.

The topics and instructors for the day include:

9:30 a.m. -- Call and Response; Philip St. Romain, M.Div: God takes the initiative and calls us just as we are to a relationship of love. How do we hear this call? How can we respond to it?

10:55 a.m. -- From Patriarchy to Christian Feminism; Louise Hageman OP: Christian Feminism is a value transformation where freedom and mutuality characterize our personal and social relationships.

12:50 p.m. -- Spiritual Formation Group – a time to process what’s been happening in classes; sharing one’s journey; inquiry and feedback.

2:15 p.m. -- Journaling Process; Renee Dreiling OP: Writing about where we are in the quest for wisdom, truth, meaning and a personal relationship with God gives us a grounded ness as well as an openness to the truth of one’s own journey.

Single day rate (commuter) $50; Single day rate (overnight) $75; Single talk $10

For more information go to: http://heartlandspirituality.org/spiritlife. or call (620) 792-1232 or email: office@heartlandspirituality.org.