Diocesan Day of Renewal to be held on Oct. 30

By RENEE WEBB, Globe editor
October 13, 2005

IDA GROVE - Are you looking for a way to have a deeper awareness of the presence of God in your life? An upcoming event sponsored by the Spiritual Renewal Pastoral Team of the diocese hopes to give people a chance to do just that.

Sacred Heart Parish in Ida Grove will be the site of the Diocesan Day of Renewal in honor of St. Francis of Assisi. The event, which is slated for Oct. 30, will begin at 1 p.m.

"We try to gather twice a year - around Pentecost and around the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi," noted Father Hemann, a member of the team. "The Spiritual Renewal Pastoral Team, which has a strong charismatic dimension in it, has always acknowledged that St. Francis was one of the most charismatic saints that ever lived. He had charisms of prophecy, charisms of healings, charisms of deliverance from evil. He was very gifted."

St. Francis, noted Father Hemann, possessed one of the key traits that allows someone to be open to the Holy Spirit in their life - the ability to get out of the way.

"You have to get out of the way," said the priest. "He became poor, little and nothing so that Christ could be everything through him and work beautifully through him to bring healing and preaching. Preaching was another of his gifts."

The Diocesan Day of Renewal will begin with praise music to be led by Father Hemann from 1 to 1:30 p.m., followed by Sunday Mass. A short break with refreshments will be held before the 3 p.m. talk by Father John McGuirk, who is also a member of the Spiritual Renewal Pastoral Team.

"Father McGuirk will talk about how to listen better and hear God speak in our soul and heart - deepening our dialogue with the Lord, listening to him and responding to him," noted Father Hemann.

At 3:30 p.m., members of the pastoral team will pray with the people for the gift of deepening prayer and deepening their relationship with the Lord.

While there will be charismatic elements to the day, the Diocesan Day of Renewal is open to all people who wish to spend some time in prayer. The day may also be a time to experience some aspects of the Catholic faith that people do not always have a chance to see - praying in the spirit, praying over the spirit and prophecy.

"The Eucharist is the source and summit of everything that we do, and within that contest of being eucharistic people, we are also people who want to be open to the spontaneous movement of the Holy Spirit within our souls and lives," noted Father Hemann. "This is an opportunity to help nourish people and give them guidelines to not only deepen their appreciation of the liturgy, but to deepen their appreciation of prayer in between the liturgies."

He pointed out that the Roman Catholic Church is blessed in that it is not limited to one particular expression of spirituality.

"The Catholic Church has so much breathe, depth and width. It encompasses so much in spiritual life that there is something for everyone to connect with the Lord. We want to have union with the Lord in every possible way," he said.

Father Hemann acknowledged that there are many different kinds of people and God may reach them in different ways.

"The Lord just so much wants to reach out and meet people right where they are at so that he can draw them into union with himself," he said. "It's like that old saying - 'We don't have it all together, but together we have it all.'"

Other members of the Spiritual Renewal Pastoral Team include Kelly and Mary O'Brien, Deacon Jeff and Trudy Gallagher, Margie Lancaster, Vicenta Cardenas and Adrian Paz.

There is no registration required to attend this event. They will take up a free-will offering.