Category Archives: Adult Faith Formation

Art as narrative, memory, and prayer: ‘Christ Carrying the Cross’ at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum
Monday, March 27 at 7:30pm
St. John Powers Hall

Christ Carrying the Cross, painted by the Circle of Giovanni Bellini in the early years of the High Renaissance, was Isabella Stewart Gardner’s favorite painting. We’ll discuss the background of this painting and the stories it tells us.  We’ll look at why the placement of this painting at her Museum was so important to Mrs. Gardner and what that reveals about faith and memory.   Lastly, we’ll consider how Mrs. Gardner’s relationship with this painting demonstrates how the affective nature of art helps us to be more fully human.  We’ll see how art – as a meditative tool – opens our hearts to God.

CLICK THE FOLLOWING LINK TO LISTEN TO A PODCAST OF THIS LECTURE: Lenten Lectures 2017: “Art as narrative, memory, and prayer: ‘Christ Carrying the Cross’ at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum” with Donna Maria Ticchi (3/27/17)

 “Breathing Underwater – The Art of Snorkeling”
Monday, March 20, 7:30pm at St. Paul Church

Fr. Arthur MacKay’s lecture continues our theme of “Up From Water.”  The ancients believed water to be life giving and life taking. The divers of antiquity defied the death of going into the water for something more valuable. John the Baptist gives us a preview of facing our own death to sin to be open to a new life with the one who is mightier. The discussion will ponder snorkeling in the water of Baptism, the Ten Commandments and the Book by Fr. Richard Rohr, “Breathing Under Water” to find meaning in our Lenten spiritual journey.

Monday, March 20 at 7:30pm at St. Paul Church: FR. ARTHUR MACKAY
“Breathing Underwater – The Art of Snorkeling”
Monday, March 27 at 7:30pm at St. John Powers Hall: DONNA MARIA TICCHI
“Art as narrative, memory, and prayer: ‘Christ Carrying the Cross’ at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum”
Monday, April 3 at 7:30pm at St. John Powers Hall: MICHAEL MERAW
“How Music Leads Us through Lent to the Joy of Easter”
Monday, April 10 at 7:30pm at St. Paul Church: FR. JIM LAUGHLIN
“When All Seemed Lost: Waiting for the Third Day”

(The audio will be available online a few days after each lecture, so please visit our Podcasts  page to listen – or listen again!)

Reconciliation: Confession (sacred) and Civil Society (secular)
Monday, March 6, 7:30pm at St. John Church

In 2 Corinthians 5:18-19, St. Paul tells us, “All this is from God who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation.”  The ministry of reconciliation is central to the ministry of the Church as a whole. This Lenten Lecture will explore two distinct – indeed, quite different on the surface – expressions of the ministry of reconciliation today. The first, reconciliation within the Church, through the Sacrament of Reconciliation (Confession) and what this could mean during Lent. The second, reconciliation within the wider civil society, at a time when our social fabric as a nation seems tested and threatened.

Our Collaborative Lenten Lecture Series, focusing on our Lenten theme of “Up From the Water” (Mt. 3:16)  begins on Monday, March 6.  Join us Monday evenings at 7:30PM – please note the date and location for each lecture.

*PLEASE NOTE: THE ORDER OF THE LECTURES HAS CHANGED FROM THE  ORIGINAL SCHEDULE IN THE LENTEN MAILING.

MARCH 6: FR. J. BRYAN HEHIR St. John Church
“Reconciliation: Confession (sacred) and Civil Society (secular)”

MARCH 13: NO LENTEN LECTURE TONIGHT
Fr. Connelly’s lecture will be rescheduled for later this spring.

MARCH 20: FR. ARTHUR MACKAY St. Paul Church
“Breathing Under Water – Spiritual Snorkeling”

MARCH 27: DONNA MARIA TICCHI St. John Powers Hall
“Art as narrative, memory, and prayer: ‘Christ Carrying the Cross’ at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum”

APRIL 3: MICHAEL MERAW St. John Powers Hall
“How Music Leads Us through Lent to the Joy of Easter”

APRIL 10: FR. JIM LAUGHLIN St. Paul Church
“When All Seemed Lost: Waiting for the Third Day”