Linda Perrone Rooney,
D.Min., a well-known teacher, spiritual facilitator and writer, will offer a
reflection workshop on the importance of healing in ministry and personal spiritual
formation.
The workshop “To
Heal As Jesus Did: What Does It Mean to Serve the Sick in Christ’s Name?”
will be held at St. Mary Catholic Community in Helena on Saturday, Sept. 16.
Rooney said the
workshop is intended to help people understand Jesus’ healing ministry
at a deeper level. “The workshop will be a combination of spiritual reflection
and some practical, pastoral tips on how to incorporate the healing message
and model of Jesus in our ministry, if we happen to be in some form of parish
or agency health-care ministry, as well as to look at it in the context of our
own lives,” she said.
Rooney emphasized
that the workshop is open to all participants, including those who work in healing
and care-giving ministries or professions, as well as those interested in addressing
their own healing needs.
“People will
hopefully leave feeling inspired, renewed, ready to do their ministries even
better. Some may leave saying ‘I never really thought about Jesus in terms
of the ministry that I do.’ Those who do this as their work sometimes don’t
recognize the work as their ministry,” she said.
“Healing is
our mission as Christian Catholics. In a more traditional language, Catholics
would say Jesus came to save us – and Jesus came to heal. This is fundamental
to our understanding of our faith. In a world that is so broken, so much in
need of healing, we have more opportunities than we can shake a stick at to
be ministers of healing. It’s really a core aspect of our faith,”
Rooney said.
The workshop will
run from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sept. 16. The $20 fee includes lunch. Harcourt
Religion Publishers is supporting the workshop, which is being sponsored by
St. Mary Catholic Community. Pre-registration is encouraged, as space is limited.
The first 100 registrants will receive a signed copy of Rooney’s latest
book, Hold Fast to Hope.
Rooney will also
facilitate a four-day parish renewal at St. Mary’s, Sept. 18-21, two times
per day (following the noon Mass and at 7 p.m.). The theme of the renewal is
“Everyday Spirituality: Called and Gifted.” Topics to be covered are
the call to Christian maturity, holiness, community, mission and ministry.
“During the
renewal, I will show not only what [the calls mean], but how [they] look in
encounters in everyday life – how Scripture and prayer can help us to fulfill
these calls,” Rooney said.
Following each
talk, Rooney will offer private spiritual direction to anyone who is interested.
For more information about either the workshop or the parish renewal, contact St. Mary Catholic Community at 406-442-5268. Electronic registration forms for the workshop are available via smcc@stmaryhelena.org
Published in The Montana Catholic, Vol. 22, No. 7, July 21, 2006.