Around The Diocese For July 7, 2017

Happy birthday!

Luke Keller, dean of students at Rivet Middle School and High School in Vincennes, celebrates his birthday on July 12.

Mike Hagerdon, parish catechetical leader at St. Joseph Parish in Jasper, celebrates his birthday on July 13.

Deacon Cletus Yochum, deacon at St. Francis Xavier Parish in Vincennes, celebrates his birthday on July 16.

Deacon Thomas Goebel, deacon at Corpus Christi Parish in Evansville, celebrates his birthday on July 18.

Father Joseph Erbacher, pastor of St. Mary Parish in Ireland, celebrates his birthday on July 18.

Spiritual Direction Training Program applications now being accepted

Applications are now being accepted for the next Spiritual Direction Training Program at Mount Saint Joseph Conference and Retreat Center (located 12 miles west of Owensboro, Ky.) Beginning the week of Oct. 16, the two-year program consists of four weekly training sessions each year.  This program prepares participants for the ministry of spiritual direction from a Catholic perspective and in the spirit of the Ursuline founder, Saint Angela Merici.  

    During each of the eight weeks, participants will enter study, reflection and prayer around a topic fundamental to the understanding and practice of spiritual direction.  Topics include spirituality, the inner journey, theology, prayer and scripture, ethics, supervision and case studies.  The last session ends with a three-day retreat.  Each weekly session will offer daily opportunities for Eucharist, prayer and reflection in an atmosphere of contemplation. The sessions begin at noon Monday and end at 1 p.m. Friday.

    Spiritual direction is the art of listening and accompanying someone in an atmosphere of openness, honesty and prayer.  Under competent supervisors, participants receive intense training, practice and supervision by a coordinating team of religious sisters and educators.

    For more information, contact Sister Mary Matthias Ward at 270-229-0200 or mary.ward@maplemount.org.  A brochure and more information can be found at www.ursulinemsj.org. A limited number of scholarships are available. The registration deadline is Aug. 31.

Introductory Sessions for reproductive health set for St. Vincent Evansville

St. Vincent Evansville will host monthly introductory sessions for the Creighton Model Fertility Care and NaPro Technology reproductive health services.  These Introductory sessions provide professional services in fertility awareness, cycle irregularities, determining the potential cause of infertility issues, breastfeeding, and menopause.   Each practitioner is a highly trained specialist in teaching the techniques of the Creighton Model for Fertility Care.  The sessions can assist couples with information and education in achieving or avoiding a pregnancy through the use of this method of charting the woman’s cycles, aid in identifying various women’s health concerns and also referring her to a medical doctor to evaluate these concerns as needed.

The next free Introductory Sessions will be held at St. Vincent Evansville Hospital for Women and Children on July 16.  The sessions will be held in the GIFT Conference Room on the 1st floor of St. Vincent Evansville Hospital for Women and Children.  To register for one of these sessions, call 812-421-2030.

Catholic Charities expands hours of service

In order to better serve clients, Catholic Charities is now offering expanded evening hours.  The new hours, effective Monday, July 10 will be:

Monday, Wednesday and Thursday 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. (Evansville)

Tuesday, 8:30 a.m. - 8:00 p.m.

Friday, 8:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.

Vincennes and Jasper outpatient counseling hours remain the same.

While these are the official office hours for client services, several staff members will be available to assist from 8:00 - 5:00 p.m. every day.  Please call Sharon Burns at 812-459-3735 or Annie Simpson at 812-661-8886 for assistance in an emergency.