PREACHER:
Parish Missions and Retreats
When the grammar school principal was looking for me, Sister Seraphim, my second grade teacher, replied, “Just look for a group of students. Wherever two or three are gathered, Albert is preaching in their midst.” I must have been a tad bit precocious.
My priestly ministry is primarily centered on the ministry of the Word. At least once a month, I am packing my bags and going somewhere to preach a parish mission or a retreat. It has taken me awhile but I have finally made my peace with living out of a suitcase and sleeping in different beds.
My approach to parish missions is a no-brainer: I preach all the weekend liturgies to introduce the theme of the parish mission. I preach a three-night parish mission geared exclusively to adults. Each evening is centered around a Liturgy of the Word and a 45-minute homily. The service lasts exactly one hour.
Parishes Where I'll Be Preaching Parish Missions in 2012:
+ St. Isidore Catholic Church, Bloomingdale, IL
+ St. Joseph Catholic Church, Libertyville, IL
+ Our Lady of Mercy Catholic Church, Aurora, IL
+ St. Ambrose Catholic Church, Godfrey, IL
+ St. Cecilia Catholic Church, Glen Carbon, IL
+ Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Oakdale, LA
+ St. Joseph Catholic Church, Coreapolis, PA
+ St. Jude Catholic Church, South Bend, IN
+ Holy Family Catholic Church, St. Petersburg, FL
I also preach retreats and give workshops to priests, permanent deacons, cloistered nuns and religious sisters. I also give days of recollection to various groups or parishes.
Retreats and Workshops I'll Be Giving in 2012:
+ Sunday Services and Spirituality Talk, Our Saviour Lutheran Church, Naperville, IL
+ Workshop on the True Self / False Self, St. Bernard-St. Mary Catholic Church, Akron, OH
+ Workshop on the True Self / False Self, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church, Las Vegas, NV
+ Preached Retreat, Franciscan Sisters of Joliet, Joliet, IL
+ St. Jude Novena, Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church, New Orleans, LA
+ Retreat to Religious Sisters, Mercy Retreat Center, St. Louis, MO
+ Preached Retreat, Sisters of Charity, Dubuque, IA
+ Retreat to Religious Sisters, Quellen Spiritual Center, Mendham, NJ
+ Preached Retreat, Christ the King Retreat Center, Buffalo, MN
+ Preached Retreat to Congregation of Vincentians (India), Newark, NJ
+ Preached Retreat with Sean Herriott, Cedarbrake Retreat Center, Belton, TX
+ Workshop on the Spiritual Life, St. Patrick Catholic Church, Lake Forest, IL
+ Workshop on the True Self / False Self, Hospital Sisters Health System, Springfield, IL
+ Preached Retreat to Permanent Deacons, Diocese of Evansville, IN
+ Preached Retreat to Cloistered Carmelite Community, Toronto, Canada
+ Workshop on Spirituality, St. Frances Cabrini Catholic Church, Littleton, CO
+ Preached Retreat to Secular Franciscans, Dallas, TX
If you are interested in a parish mission or retreat, I suggest you call where I have already preached this year (listed above) and get the “skinny” on my content and preaching style. Though many people are polite and “guarded” in written evaluations, they will “sing like a canary” when asked over the phone.