Those who haven’t yet attended a Called & Gifted Workshop will have the chance to recognize their gifts of the Holy Spirit when the workshop returns to the Heartland Center in Great Bend May 21-22.

"Once in awhile an idea is presented to you that seems ingenious and yet so logical and applicable you can’t believe it hasn’t turned up in your life before," said Mary Calzonetti, a member of St. Dominic Parish in Garden City who attended a workshop last year. "The Called & Gifted Workshop was that way for me."

More than 400 people have attended one of a handful of workshops held in the diocese so far, where they were offered the chance to recognize their specific "charisms," or divine gifts given them by the Holy Spirit to be shared with others. Over the weeks that followed, participants who chose to met with guides to begin discerning how they could put their charisms to use.

Presenters for the upcoming workshop include Ed Hopfner of Seattle, Washington, and Mary Sharon Moore of Grand Forks, North Dakota.

Moore is Executive Director of Koinonia Ecumenical Spirituality Center in Grand Forks. She brings extensive background in adult faith formation in Catholic parishes in the Archdiocese of Portland, and has recently brought these gifts to the Upper Midwest. In addition to being a teacher of the Called & Gifted Workshop, Moore incorporates discernment of charisms into her spiritual direction practice for both lay people and clergy.

She has a master’s degree in theological studies from the Franciscan School of Theology in Berkeley, and is certified in spiritual direction through Queen of Angels Benedictine Monastery in Mount Angel, Oregon. She is a popular retreat and workshop leader, and awakens audiences with her enthusiasm and engaging teaching style.

Ed Hopfner began teaching Called & Gifted workshops for the Catherine of Siena Institute two years ago. As part of the Institute’s teaching team, he has presented workshops around the country and Canada. He conducts Interviewer and Facilitator training for the Institute as well. Hopfner lives in Seattle, Washington. A former high school teacher, he currently is an adjunct instructor at Seattle Central Community College.

In opening the program, the pair will offer participants a self-assessment quiz of 120 questions designed as a starting point in discerning their charisms. The two will then discuss many of the different kinds of charisms, such as "giving," "healing," "mercy," "prophesy," "pastoring," and "service," among many others.

"I really enjoyed the Called & Gifted Workshop," said Kathy McFarren of Hoisington. "I think it was helpful for me in discovering some possible charisms. I had my follow up interview and picked one charism to focus on …. I would strongly encourage others to attend [the] workshops."

The Called & Gifted workshop will be from 7-9:30 p.m., Friday May 21, and 9:30 a.m.-4 p.m., Saturday, May 22. For those wishing to spend the night at the Heartland Center, the cost is $20, which includes breakfast. There is no charge for the workshop, but a freewill offering will be accepted. For more information, Call Sister Celeste Albers at (620) 792-1396; or the Heartland Center at (620) 792-1746.