Immaculate CONCEPTION
Stewardship Retreat
T
here are few ways to nurture our faith life in a more meaningful way than by participating in a parish retreat, and Lent is one of the best times to do just that! Here at Immaculate Conception, we are blessed to have the opportunity to increase our spiritual awareness this Lent with a virtual parish retreat on the Four Pillars of Parish Stewardship, led by the dynamic Fr. Godfrey Mullen, OSB. By opening our hearts and minds during such an important liturgical time, we can answer the call to deepen our faith this Lenten season. Fr. Godfrey, the current Rector at St. Benedict Cathedral in Evansville, Ind., is looking forward to joining us virtually on March 6 to share his deep passion for the stewardship way of life. He brings with him a great enthusiasm for the topic in addition to a wealth of personal experience. “Through the grace of God, I’ve been a Benedictine monk of
Fr. Godfrey Mullen, OSB
Saint Meinrad Archabbey since 1988 and a priest of the Catholic Church since 1994,” Fr. Godfrey says. “Each assignment I’ve been given by the superior has brought many blessings. I have served the Church as a seminary teacher, pastor, chaplain for a community of Benedictine Sisters, seminary administrator,
Choirmaster, and other tasks. I’ve directed retreats since soon after I was ordained a priest.” Our retreat day will be a unique opportunity for parishioners to experience spiritual renewal and to transform both individual lives and our entire faith community. The theme of stewardship is near and dear to Fr. Godfrey’s heart as it provides us with a valuable guide to life in Christ. “This topic is important because it helps people see their true vocation as Christian disciples,” he says. “In other words, what has Christ asked me to do? The four pillars are important because they embody the movement of Christian life. Each of us has the call to grow in these four ways: What does welcoming look like in our day? Do I tell God what I need and also listen for the answer? Am I willing to learn, be formed, and grow in my faith? And how does all of this move me to notice the needs of others and serve Christ in them?”
“It’s not an easy task to take stock of the most important elements of our lives while we’re in the thick of daily living,A retreat, at its best, gives us the ‘time away’ — even if it’s in our homes — to examine what is important and how we’re measuring up. Retreats also encourage the important art of listening toGod’s grace speaking to our hearts... so that we become stronger communities of faith.” — Fr. Godfrey Mullen, OSB 4
