An Advocate Of Centering Prayer
The People of Faith feature is compiled by Steve Halbig, who asks a series of questions of people of the diocese – some who have reached the “age of wisdom” and some who are younger. All will share stories of faith.
This month’s People of Faith features Mary Jo (Wargel) Bennett, a parishioner at St. Mary Church in Evansville who has a lot to say about faith, change, prayer and wisdom.
Parish: I grew up in St. Joseph parish in the county, attended Mass at various churches in the United States and in Germany while my husband, Gordon, was in the Army, and since 2002 have attended St. Mary Church in downtown Evansville.
Age, Occupation: I’ll be 65 this year. My job is a seasonal one working with the super fine people at Paragon Promotions, which is a school fundraising company.
Children, grandchildren: Gordon and I have two grown daughters, Theresa and Anne Marie, who are both getting married this year. No grandchildren but two grand dogs and six grand cats!
Who or what has had the biggest impact on your life? The people who impacted me have changed with the years. Without a doubt, my parents had the biggest impact on my life as I was growing up. Faith was not something we talked about but it was evident in our daily lives. We prayed at mealtimes and at bedtime and went to Mass every Sunday. From the time that Gordon and I married, which will be 40 years in December, he has had an immense impact on my life, particularly in the area of self-confidence. I must include our children. Because of them my mind expanded in acceptance of all types of people and I have become a much less judgmental person.
Who do you consider the best role models today? Each of us can have a huge impact on others, whether we intend to be role models or not. On the grand scale, Pope Francis is a role model for Catholics, Christians, those practicing any other religion and atheists. His respect for each individual is a trait that anyone can look up to.
Describe how your faith helped you through a difficult time in your life. Years ago, I learned to use Centering Prayer. A few months into my practice of this prayer, I had surgery for cancer followed by chemotherapy. That was a hard time. I attribute my calmness during the medical procedures and period of healing to the unfailing support of my Gordon and to my newfound practice of Centering Prayer, both of which continue to this day.
Do you have any hobbies? I like to watch movies, especially romantic comedies. I also enjoy reading, crocheting and being entertained by the antics of our cats.
How do you stay active? Now that the weather is nice, I walk while listening to “playaways,” which are stories on tape that I get from the library.
My job at Paragon is very physical with bending and reaching and walking. We joke with our boss that we should pay gym fees!
What do you like most about being Catholic? Definitely, participating (really participating) with the community in the Mass. I enjoy singing the “Gloria” and the “Holy, Holy, Holy” with the angels and those already in heaven, and often imagine them around the altar.
If you could make one change in your community, what would it be? That more congregations and individuals would see the value of working for justice in our community. Our St. Mary justice ministry is connected with Congregations Acting for Justice and Empowerment (CAJE). Working ecumenically with other congregations, we are changing systems that unjustly hinder people from having a full and productive life. The more that people understand and participate in promoting justice, the better our quality of life in Evansville will be.
Any regrets in life? Yes, a big regret is that I, thus far, have been ineffective in passing on my love of my faith to my children, my wonderful children. I am sad that these two things that mean so much to me, my faith and my daughters, don’t mesh. I am happy, though, to realize that no matter what, God loves my children even more than I do and they reflect his goodness.
Tell us a few more things about yourself. My Mom, Erma Wargel, is my best friend. We spend most Fridays together going to the market and to church rummage sales and sharing a meal.
In the past few months I have become involved with the local group of the Indiana Abolition Coalition (IAC) which works to abolish the death penalty. It is a logical extension of working for justice in Evansville.
What do you do in your spiritual life that you would recommend to others? I learned Centering Prayer at a time when my prayer life was extremely dry. Centering Prayer takes me out of myself. It puts control of prayer with the Holy Spirit and “all I have to do” is listen. Believe it or not, that is not easy.
Another prayer form that is becoming more interesting to me is lectio divina, which is mediating with the Scriptures.
The rosary is a powerful instrument in itself, even without praying it, just to hold it can turn my worries and thoughts to God.
What is your best wisdom on life? Become involved in something bigger than yourself. My own faith is enhanced by interacting with the dedicated ministers of our St. Vincent de Paul. We support each other with friendship and prayer as well as offer assistance to people in our wider community.
