1-1 The Salvation Story
The importance and significance of the Salvation Story through our biblical history. Beginning in the Old Testament and moving through the New Testament this presentation will focus on God's great love and desire to be in relationship with humankind. A wonderful opportunity for spiritual inspiration and a message to share with those seeking to belong to a faith community. The presentation will immerse you in the ancient Biblical world and bring the Salvation Story alive in the world around you.
Dr. Misty Jesse; Mon., March 5; 7:30-9:00 pm; St. Lawrence Martyr—Redondo Beach, Church
Dr. Misty Jesse; Mon., March 5; 7:30-9:00 pm; St. Lawrence Martyr—Redondo Beach, Church
1-2 The Gospel of Happiness
What is true happiness? How can you experience it? And can you live it wholeheartedly in your day-to-day life? Every thoughtful person asks such questions. Thoughtful Christians ask a few more questions such as, Can Christian practices enhance happiness? If so, how? And does Christianity provide happiness in a way that other paths, like psychology, cannot? Christopher Kaczor suggests answers to these and other questions about how to be happier. In The Gospel of Happiness, the bestselling author of The Seven Big Myths of the Catholic Church highlights seven ways in which positive psychology and Christian practice can lead to personal and spiritual transformation. Focusing on empirical findings in positive psychology that point to the wisdom of many Christian practices and teachings, the author provides not only practical suggestions on how to become happier in everyday life but provides insight on how to deepen Christian practice and increase love of God and neighbor in new and bold ways.
Dr. Christopher Kaczor; Mon., March 5; 7:30-9:00 pm; American Martyrs—Manhattan Beach, St. Kateri Room
Dr. Christopher Kaczor; Mon., March 5; 7:30-9:00 pm; American Martyrs—Manhattan Beach, St. Kateri Room
2-1 Pumping Up Your Prayer Life During Holy Week
Give yourself a mini retreat. Explore some meditation exercises and ways to pray during Lent that will help you follow Jesus more closely and love him more deeply.
Sr. Kathleen Bryant; Tues., March 6; 7:30-9:00 pm; Holy Trinity—San Pedro, Auditorium
Sr. Kathleen Bryant; Tues., March 6; 7:30-9:00 pm; Holy Trinity—San Pedro, Auditorium
2-2 God’s Presence in the “Busyness” of Our Lives
Much of our busyness is necessary to the welfare of family and us. In the whirlwind of our lives, however, it may seem impossible to focus beyond the daily grind. We long for a greater awareness of God in our daily lives. Explore ways be renewed in Spirit as we rediscover the wonders of the God in our busyness. Take time to pause and embrace the light, the love and the presence of God with us.
Sr. Edith Prendergast, RSC; Tues., March 6; 7:30-9:00 pm; St. John Fisher-RPV, Barrett Hall
Sr. Edith Prendergast, RSC; Tues., March 6; 7:30-9:00 pm; St. John Fisher-RPV, Barrett Hall
3-1 The Seamless Garment of Life in 2018?
The workshop will present an overview of the writings of Cardinal Joseph Bernardin on the consistent ethic of life. Are his thoughts relevant today? How might each of us advance a consistent ethic of life in our family and community.
Anne Hansen; Wed., March 7; 7:30-9:00 pm; St. James School O’Gorman Center-Torrance
Anne Hansen; Wed., March 7; 7:30-9:00 pm; St. James School O’Gorman Center-Torrance
3-2 Being God's Partners
The Jewish tradition is not unique in its commitment to be God's partners in the ongoing creation of the world. Yet, through the generations, Judaism has developed a particular approach to the work of social justice and repairing our very broken world.
Rabbi Leah Lewis; Wed., March 7; 7:30-9:00 pm; St. Lawrence Martyr—Redondo Beach, Church
Rabbi Leah Lewis; Wed., March 7; 7:30-9:00 pm; St. Lawrence Martyr—Redondo Beach, Church
4-1 God is my Co-Worker: Developing a Spirituality of Work
Do you sometimes feel like you have to leave your spiritual life behind when you go to work? Are you able to find a sense of meaning and hope in work beyond the practicality of a paycheck? Like it or not, we will spend more of our adult lives working than in any other activity! Does our faith have anything to do with this significant part of our lives? In this workshop, we will draw upon scripture, spiritual writers, and over 125 years of Catholic social teaching to explore a spirituality of work, and we will offer some practical ways to integrate our work life with our faith life.
Douglas Leal; Thurs., March 8; 7:30-9:00 pm; Holy Trinity—San Pedro, Auditorium
Douglas Leal; Thurs., March 8; 7:30-9:00 pm; Holy Trinity—San Pedro, Auditorium
4-2 Divine Mercy in Our Lives
The amazing message of the Divine Mercy of Jesus to St. Faustina Kowalska, how it is understood and lived in the life of the Church, and my own experience of the Divine Mercy in my life: "There is nothing that mankind needs more than Divine Mercy" (St. John Paul II).
Fr. Pat Torres Thurs., March 8; 7:30-9:00 pm; St. Lawrence Martyr—Redondo Beach, Church
Fr. Pat Torres Thurs., March 8; 7:30-9:00 pm; St. Lawrence Martyr—Redondo Beach, Church
5-1 Awaken Your Heart
All are called to Live From Your Heart--to live a life of Passion, Purpose and Joy. The first step in doing this is to “Awaken Your Heart". Come to awaken your heart’s deepest desires and explore how our hearts deepest desires actually reveal the amazing life and story God has planned for each of us.
Dan Sheen; Mon., March 12; 7:30-9:00 pm; St. John Fisher-RPV, Auditorium
Dan Sheen; Mon., March 12; 7:30-9:00 pm; St. John Fisher-RPV, Auditorium
5-2 Commemorating the Reformation during this 500th Anniversary Year
We will examine the causes of the Reformation and where Catholics and Lutherans are today in the journey towards Christian unity.
Rev. Alexei Smith; Mon., March 12; 7:30-9:00 pm; American Martyrs—Manhattan Beach, St. Kateri Room
Rev. Alexei Smith; Mon., March 12; 7:30-9:00 pm; American Martyrs—Manhattan Beach, St. Kateri Room
6-1 Jesus and Walt Disney: in the midst of lies, hate and violence; a parable of truth, hope and peace
Using the parables of Jesus and the stories of Dory and Morana and other Disney stories we will unpack the SOCIAL JUSTICE PRINCIPLES of the Catholic church for self reflection and for public conversations.
Fr. Chris Ponnet; Tues., March 13; 7:30-9:00 pm; St. James School O’Gorman Center-Torrance
Fr. Chris Ponnet; Tues., March 13; 7:30-9:00 pm; St. James School O’Gorman Center-Torrance
6-2 The Significance and Reality of Jesus
Why is Jesus more significant than other prophets or wise men? If our moral life, prayer life, and Church community are all grounded in the teaching of Jesus Christ, how can I be sure that he is an actual historical figure who said he was God, performed miracles, and rose from the dead?
Fr. Robert J. Spitzer, S.J.; Tues., March 13; 7:30-9:00 pm; St. John Fisher-RPV, Barrett Hall
Fr. Robert J. Spitzer, S.J.; Tues., March 13; 7:30-9:00 pm; St. John Fisher-RPV, Barrett Hall
7-1 Four Simple Steps To Forgiveness
Participants will learn the “Four Simple Steps to Forgiveness” from the filmmaker who walked 550 miles across Spain on the Camino de Santiago to learn to forgive. We will watch her 45-minute documentary film "A Way to Forgiveness" and then she will talk about the "Four Simple Steps to Forgiveness." Anyone who has been hurt, or has hurt someone, will benefit from this session.
Erin Dooley; Wed., March 14; 7:30-9:00 pm; St. Margaret Mary Alacoque, Hegarty Hall
Erin Dooley; Wed., March 14; 7:30-9:00 pm; St. Margaret Mary Alacoque, Hegarty Hall
7-2 Restore Your Heart
All are called to Live From Your Heart--to live a life of Passion, Purpose and Joy. The second step in doing this is to “Restore Your Heart”. Our hearts seek life but find pain. The enemy uses this pain to make us put up walls and present a false self to the world. To escape and console ourselves within the walls, we get lost in comforts, attachments and addictions. To truly follow and live from our hearts, we must brings these wounds and holes in our heart to God who alone can heal and fill them. Only then, can our hearts be made whole and we begin to live the life we were called to by our Heavenly Father.
Dan Sheen; Wed., March 14; 7:30-9:00 pm; St. Lawrence Martyr—Redondo Beach, Church
Dan Sheen; Wed., March 14; 7:30-9:00 pm; St. Lawrence Martyr—Redondo Beach, Church
8-1 Letting Ourselves Be Cared For and Loved
Anxiety, like the common cold, afflicts all of us as human beings, whether we’re rich or poor, famous or ordinary. This presentation will show how Jesus teaches us to deal with our anxieties, in contrast to what popular culture and “worldly wisdom” admonishes us to do.
Dr. Wilkie Au; Thurs., March 15; 7:30-9:00 pm; St. Lawrence Martyr—Redondo Beach, Church
Dr. Wilkie Au; Thurs., March 15; 7:30-9:00 pm; St. Lawrence Martyr—Redondo Beach, Church
8-2 Developing an Image of God Using Augustine's City of God Imagery
We are created in the image of God. As such we are called to live in a particular way. Humanity both longs to enjoy this world and yearns for the next world. How do we balance enjoying God's creation and the natural world and seek his kingdom? Augustine saw the destruction of man's city, the City of Rome. In his "City of God", Augustine outlines how a Christian should live in the City of Man yet live as a citizen of the City of God. This workshop will look briefly at the biblical context of 'image Dei' and then delve into Augustine's work. Participants will be able to recognize and discern where they are on their own spiritual journey.
John Weitzel; Thurs., March 15; 7:30-9:00 pm; St. Margaret Mary Alacoque, Hegarty Hall
John Weitzel; Thurs., March 15; 7:30-9:00 pm; St. Margaret Mary Alacoque, Hegarty Hall
9-1 Praying with Icons
Icons speak more to our inner then our outer senses, they speak to the heart that searches for God.
Rev. Alexei Smith; Mon., March 19; 7:30-9:00 pm; St. Andrew Russian Greek, Church
Rev. Alexei Smith; Mon., March 19; 7:30-9:00 pm; St. Andrew Russian Greek, Church
9-2 The Multicultural Bible: Why the Bible Must be Read From Diversity
It is not simply that the Bible can be read from different cultural perspectives, but we will consider the argument that it must be read across cultures in order to begin to understand scriptures on a deeper level. Different perspectives enrich our reading!
Dr. Daniel Smith-Christopher; Mon., March 19; 7:30-9:00 pm; St. James School O’Gorman Center-Torrance
Dr. Daniel Smith-Christopher; Mon., March 19; 7:30-9:00 pm; St. James School O’Gorman Center-Torrance
10-1 Finding Meaning in the Second Half of Life
The first half of life is very different from the second half in terms of the soul. What is the necessary work of this time of our live? How do we move forward into a greater serenity?
Fr. Jim Clarke; Tues., March 20; 7:30-9:00 pm; St. Lawrence Martyr—Redondo Beach, Church
Fr. Jim Clarke; Tues., March 20; 7:30-9:00 pm; St. Lawrence Martyr—Redondo Beach, Church
10-2 Contemplative Communication
Can you find God through good communication? Developing good communication is often thought of as learning a set of skills. Yet is it that simple? Communication problems are often seen at the core of many of society’s ills. It’s the number one reason couples seek marriage counseling, it is foundational in family conflict, and it is evident in the lack of discourse in our political landscape. In this workshop, we’ll explore the emotional barriers that betray our attempts at real communication. We’ll delve into the brain to see how it’s wired for connection but can keep us mired in conflict. Then we’ll look at the communication strategies that strengthen your marriage or relationships. Most importantly, you will learn a dialogue practice, often called a relational meditation, designed to promote safety and connection. In order to effectively dialogue, however, you must learn how to go inward, strip away the ego, and come from a place of genuine vulnerability – just what a contemplative lifestyle calls us to do. Come to the workshop where contemplation meets communication. Take away a practice to benefit your marriage, your ministry or any relationship in your life.
Dr. Michael DiPaolo; Tues., March 20; 7:30-9:00 pm; St. James School O’Gorman Center-Torrance
Dr. Michael DiPaolo; Tues., March 20; 7:30-9:00 pm; St. James School O’Gorman Center-Torrance
11-1 Am I the Only One Who Cannot Pray?
What do you do when your prayer life has become dry and meaningless, with no results whatsoever? This session will focus on practical ways and means of responding to this very real challenge.
Fr. Jim Clarke; Wed., March 21; 7:30-9:00 pm; St. James School O’Gorman Center-Torrance
Fr. Jim Clarke; Wed., March 21; 7:30-9:00 pm; St. James School O’Gorman Center-Torrance
11-2 The Church in China
This presentation will dive into a first hand look at the what the church is like in China.
Rev. Thomas P. Rausch, S.J.; Wed., March 21; 7:30-9:00 pm; St. Lawrence Martyr—Redondo Beach, Church
Rev. Thomas P. Rausch, S.J.; Wed., March 21; 7:30-9:00 pm; St. Lawrence Martyr—Redondo Beach, Church
12-1 Follow Your Heart
All are called to Live From Your Heart--to live a life of Passion, Purpose and Joy. The third step in doing this is to “Follow Your Heart". “I came so that they might have life and have it more abundantly.” (John 10:10) Our deepest desires are for this abundant life. It is the life God wishes to give us through a relationship with him. So we must enter into a sacred romance with God. We must follow our heart into Our Father’s love who, in turn, make us “partakers of the divine nature.” For this is why God, “wanting to make us sharers in his divinity, assumed our nature, so that he, made man, might make men gods." This is the glory of living from your heart.
Dan Sheen; Thurs., March 22; 7:30-9:00 pm; St. James School O’Gorman Center-Torrance
Dan Sheen; Thurs., March 22; 7:30-9:00 pm; St. James School O’Gorman Center-Torrance
12-2 The Multicultural Bible: Why the Bible Must be Read From Diversity
It is not simply that the Bible can be read from different cultural perspectives, but we will consider the argument that it must be read across cultures in order to begin to understand scriptures on a deeper level. Different perspectives enrich our reading!
Dr. Daniel Smith-Christopher; Thurs., March 22; 7:30-9:00 pm; Holy Trinity—San Pedro, Auditorium
Dr. Daniel Smith-Christopher; Thurs., March 22; 7:30-9:00 pm; Holy Trinity—San Pedro, Auditorium