Category Archives: Adult Faith Formation

May 23, 7:30 p.m. Reflections on Vatican II: The Roles of Yves Congar and Marie-Dominique Chenu by Fr. Maury Schepers, O.P. – Social Hall

Fr. Schepers, a Dominican priest from Kenya, is completing a year of study as a resident scholar at the Lonergan Institute of Boston College.  As Father Hehir pointed out in his recent lectures on Vatican II, Pope John invited several distinguished but controversial scholars to participate in the planning of the Council. Father Congar was a driving force in the ecumenical movement of the mid-twentieth century. He died in 1995, after being honored by Pope John Paul II who named him a cardinal. Father Chenu was a very progressive theologian who was influential in the drafting and ratification of the Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World.

June 5, 7:30 p.m.  Lecture and Discussion on John Henry Newman by Father Robert Imbelli – Social Hall
Fr.  Imbelli is an Associate Professor of Theology at Boston College.
Newman is considered one of the theological “giants” of the 19th century, an age when belief in God seemed in deep trouble in many countries. His extensive writings reflect his drive to make sense of the Christian vision, to appreciate in greater detail just how we arrive at faith. We too live in an age when many are struggling to understand the role that God plays in our lives. The thoughts and inspirations of Newman are as relevant today as they were when he died in 1890.

St. John’s Adult Faith Formation Commission
(Email: AFFC@stjohnwellesley.org)

Again we encourage you to consider reading  Michael Paul Gallagher’s wonderful book Faith Maps: Ten Religious Explorers from Newman to Ratzinger. The “explorers” included are: John Henry Newman, Maurice Blondel, Karl Rahner, Hans von Balthasar, Bernard Lonergan, Flannery O’Connor, Dorothee Soelle, Charles Taylor, Pierangelo Sequeri and Joseph Ratzinger. The book is readably available in paperback ($12 – $18) and the parish has a number of copies – contact John Stewart, 617 969-0950 and he will get it to you.

Faith Formation Calendar

May 8, 6:30 p.m.  Evening for Woman – Social Hall
Final gathering for this year, when we will complete our journey into the heart of prayer in St. John’s Gospel! Come with your Spring/Summer recipe. All welcome! Moderator: Sr. Evelyn Ronan

May 10, 7:30 p.m.  Book Discussion Group – Parish Center
This month’s selection is Demian, a short novel by Hermann Hesse, who received the Nobel Prize in literature in 1946.

May 10, 7:00 p.m. History of the Catholic Church in America by James O’Toole – Wellesley Public Library, Wakelin Room
Professor O’Toole is the Clough Millennium Chair in History at Boston College.
Professor O’Toole will discuss the history of the Catholic Church in America, with particular emphasis on the Boston Area.  Presented by The Wellesley Historical Society, World of Wellesley, and Wellesley Free Library.  For more information call (781) 235-1610, X1105

May 23, 7:30 p.m. Reflections on Vatican II: The Roles of Yves Congar and Marie-Dominique Chenu by Fr. Maury Scheppers – Social Hall
Fr. Scheppers, a Dominican priest from Kenya, is completing a year of study as a resident scholar at the Lonergan Institute of Boston College.
As Father Hehir pointed out in his recent lectures on Vatican II, Pope John invited several distinguished but controversial scholars to participate in the planning of the Council. Father Congar was a driving force in the ecumenical movement of the mid-twentieth century. He died in 1995, after being honored by Pope John Paul II who named him a cardinal. Father Chenu was a very progressive theologian who was influential in the drafting and ratification of the Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World.

June 5, 7:30 p.m.  Lecture and Discussion on John Henry Newman by Father Robert Imbelli – Social Hall
Fr.  Imbelli is an Associate Professor of Theology at Boston College.
Newman is considered one of the theological “giants” of the 19th century, an age when belief in God seemed in deep trouble in many countries. His extensive writings reflect his drive to make sense of the Christian vision, to appreciate in greater detail just how we arrive at faith. We too live in an age when many are struggling to understand the role that God plays in our lives. The thoughts and inspirations of Newman are as relevant today as they were when he died in 1890.

St. John’s Adult Faith Formation Commission
(Email: AFFC@stjohnwellesley.org)

Year of Faith – Last fall Pope Benedict XI summoned Catholics throughout the world to celebrate, in a “worthy and fruitful manner” a Year of Faith beginning October 11, 2012, the fiftieth anniversary of the opening of the Second Vatican Council. In a dramatic statement, parish communities were urged to focus their formation and devotional efforts on the magnificent gift of faith that is offered to each of us and “to rediscover the journey of faith so as to shed ever clearer light on the joy and renewed enthusiasm of the encounter with Christ.” In this spirit, St. John’s Adult Faith Formation Commission has created a special project to plan and present to members of our parish a series of discussions, readings, lectures and other programs focused on the often difficult task we all accept when we are baptized of renewing and expanding constantly our lives as faith-filled followers of Jesus Christ. This will be a major undertaking and we will be calling on people for help. We urge you now to go to the Vatican website and read the Pope’s letter Porta Fidei, which opens with these stirring words: The “door of faith” is always open for us, ushering us into the life of communion with God and offering entry into his church. It is possible to cross that threshold when the word of God is proclaimed and the heart allows itself to be shaped by transforming grace. To enter through that door is to set out on a journey that lasts a lifetime.

Faith Formation Calendar

April 22, 7:30 p.m. Iran in Turmoil – Talk and Discussion
Sacred Heart Parish, Newton Centre

May 5, 7:30 a.m, Social Hall – Men’s Group
For information and to receive in advance the material to be discussed, contact Deacon Tom Smith (smithum@verizon.net)

May 8, 6:30 p.m. Social Hall – Evening for Woman
Final gathering for this year! Come with your Spring/Summer recipe. All welcome! Moderator: Sr. Evelyn Ronan

May 10, 7:30 p.m. Parish Center – Book Discussion Group
Demian, a short novel by Hermann Hesse

June 5, 7:30 p.m. Social Hall – Lecture and Discussion on John Henry Newman by Father Robert Imbelli
Associate Professor, Department of Theology, Boston College

Upcoming Events…
May 5, 7:30am Social Hall – Men’s Group
For information and to receive in advance the material to be discussed, contact Deacon Tom Smith smithum@verizon.net

May 10, 7:30pm Parish Center – Book Discussion Group
Demian, a short novel by Hermann Hesse.  Hesse was a German-Swiss poet,
novelist and painter who received the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1946. Demian is the story of a young man’s search for authenticity, self-knowledge and
spirituality.

May 8, 6:30pm Social Hall – Program for Woman 
A Journey Into the Heart of Prayer in St. John’s Gospel  Through prayer, presentation and sharing, we will ponder how the core of faith is Love offered and accepted; how God invites us to imagine our lives as grounded in a Love beyond all imagining. Come join us for this graced evening and bring one of your favorite recipes for a wonderful Pot Luck! All are welcome!
Moderator: Sr. Evelyn

June 5, 7:30pm, Social Hall – Lecture and discussion on John Henry Newman by Father Robert Imbelli, Associate Professor, Department of Theology, Boston College
Cardinal Newman lived in England in the 19th century. He was originally an evangelical Oxford academic and priest in the Church of England. In 1845 he was received into the Roman Catholic Church. His beatification was officially proclaimed by Pope Benedict in the fall of 2010. In addition to his work at Boston College, Father Imbelli has taught theology at the New York Archdiocesan Seminary, Maryknoll School of Theology, and has been visiting lecturer at Princeton Theological Seminary and Fordham University. This
program is being sponsored by the St. John’s Book Discussion Group, chaired by Peter Mongeau. 

St. John’s Faith Formation Commission
Linda Colozzi, Marcia Grondin, Pat Kelleher (chair), Sister Evelyn Ronan (advisor), John Salvati, John Stewart and Anne Wachtmeister
(Email: AFFC@stjohnwellesley.org)

When the Adult Faith Formation Commission was created about a year ago we decided to keep the definition of our role in the parish as simple and straight-forward as possible. We wrote in March, 2011:

As Catholics we have all been blessed with an intense desire to live close to God – trying hard to accomplish on earth what we were created to do, pursuing lives that reflect the will of God and the message of the gospels. Yet, we all recognize, at least when we stop and really think about it, that our knowledge of our faith is inevitably incomplete and that there is a need, indeed an obligation, to grow in our understanding of all that relates to the essential mission of our lives. Expanding our knowledge of God and appreciating more fully the message of Christianity and the doctrines of the Catholic Church is a never-ending process, something that should be a regular part of “practicing” the faith we have been privileged to receive. The Adult Faith Formation Commission was created with the basic goal of assisting members of the parish in this endeavor. St. John’s has always done well in making available to people a variety of faith formation programs, activities and resources. But clearly there is much more to do and the members of the new commission are committed to working hard and creatively in responding to the needs of every adult in the parish. We see our role as basically one of development, coordination and communication. In each, we can only succeed if can enlist the help of many others, for the challenge is a big one and, as we all know, the days of Catholics sort of sitting back and having all parish activities “delivered” to us are long gone. If we are to be a community of religiously informed men and women, constantly searching for ways to improve our relationship to God, we have to help each other, contributing whatever talents we have to the common effort.

We hope this little “column” in the bulletin each week is helpful, both the notices of programs and events and the suggestions and ideas about ways to enhance our individual spiritual journeys. As always, we would love to hear from you, with your ideas, suggestions, complaints and concerns. And as we approach the most glorious week the year we want to thank you for giving us this golden opportunity to serve the parish we all love so dearly!

St. John’s Adult Faith Formation Commission: Linda Colozzi, Marcia Grondin, Pat Kelleher (chair), Sister Evelyn Ronan (advisor), John Salvati, John Stewart and Anne Wachtmeister

Email: AFFC@stjohnwellesley.org