Retreat for DREs, pastoral ministers centers on Franciscan simplicity

By RENEE WEBB, Globe editor
May 18, 2006

For those who attended the retreat held at Okoboji last week, they had a chance to take time out of their busy lives for personal spiritual enrichment and learn about the life of St. Francis.

According to Linda Anderson, director of catechesis for the diocese, about 25 people attended the retreat. While the target group for the retreat consists mainly of DREs, pastoral ministers and other catechetical leaders, it is open to anyone interested in the topic as long as space allows.

"There was a nice mixture of people. Some were DREs and youth ministers, others were people involved in the church in other ways," she said.

Sister Marci Blum, O.S.F., was the facilitator. The theme was Living Like Francis Today. The woman religious has written a devotional book with that same title, Living Like Francis Today. All of the retreatants received a copy.

Originally from Sioux City, Sister Marci attended St. Michael Grade School and Heelan High School. She received her bachelor's from Briar Cliff College and later went on to earn a master's and doctorate. Sister Marci has served as a Catholic schoolteacher and parish faith formation director. Presently she is director of the Office of Family Life and Adult Faith in the Archdiocese of Dubuque.

"Sister Marci was very well received," said Anderson. "She started out talking about the life of St. Francis, his background. Then she spoke about Gospel values and how St. Francis lived those out."

She addressed poverty, humility, care for the poor, peacemaking, contemplation and care for creation.

"She spoke about how Francis lived these things out and then had us personalize it into our own lives," noted Anderson. "She helped people see poverty in terms of simplicity of life."

The speaker told them there was a difference between living in poverty and living the spirit of poverty.

Sister Marci encouraged them to look at the totality of creation.

Rebecca Ullrich, a parishioner at St. Rose of Lima in Denison, described the retreat as a good time to reflect on living simply like St. Francis.

"It was a good to reflect on your life and what you are doing with it," she said. "St. Francis says to live simply and humbly with prayer and care for creation. It was a reflection time."

Ullrich opted to attend the retreat because she wanted an opportunity for spiritual enrichment.

"People from the parishes should go to this because it is a nice time to relax a little bit," she said.

Julie Walding, DRE at Sacred Heart Church in Sioux City, found the message of living the simplistic lifestyle of St. Francis very appealing.

"It's a good reminder that we should keep things simple," she said. "We can have an abundance of things to do, but this was good to take some time out for yourself to reflect and not be caught up in phone calls and things."

Walding pointed out that she was educated by Franciscan sisters from Dubuque, so it was nice to reconnect with someone from that order.

Julie Anne Bovenmyer, DRE at Sacred Heart in Boone, said the commitment and belief in the value of living a life like St. Francis was evident in the retreat leader and that helped the participants to reflect on their own lives.

Along with the spiritual encouragement, the retreat afforded attendees the chance to socialize with others - who for the most part - serve in similar capacities within the church.

"People really appreciate this opportunity for spiritual enrichment," said Anderson, who added that those in charge of parish religious education programs are winding down for the year. "It's always a nice time."