October 18, 2024
What’s New This Week
We are thrilled to announce the awarding of a generous grant from Lilly Endowment Inc. for the establishment of a new initiative On Behalf of All: Toward an Accessible Divine Liturgy for Children with Disabilities.
The grant of $1,250,000 will provide funding for a period of five years for this project that has as its purpose to bring together people with disabilities, caregivers, priests, pastoral leaders, and others with disability ministry expertise, to chart and address barriers to participation, foster collaboration among parishes working toward this effort, provide education and professional development for clergy and pastoral leaders, pilot best practices, design and gather resources, and create replicable models for use in and beyond the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America…continue reading.
Together with the prayer from the Sacrament of Marriage: “Fill their houses with bountiful food, and with every good thing, that they may have to give to them that are in need…,” this directive from St. Augustine offers two abiding principles for married couples in regard to money and possessions: giving to the poor is a discipline necessary for life in Christ, and it is best that husband and wife manage their stewardship together.
(St. Augustine, Drinking from the Hidden Fountain: A Patristic Breviary, Ancient Wisdom for Today’s World, Thomas Spidlik)
October is Down Syndrome Awareness Month in the US, and Pres. Melanie welcomes Dr. Mary O’Callaghan, a mother, legal advocate, educator and ethicist in the Catholic Church who speaks on behalf of the human dignity of pre-born babies diagnosed with Down Syndrome and other disabilities.
She discusses her research on the history of Selective Abortion, describes existing ministries which provide support to parents who receive difficult prenatal diagnoses, and offers hope-filled, alternative perspectives to parents, medical professionals, clergy, and church communities.
We are pleased to announce the launch of our latest small group guide, “Doing Life With Your Adult Children” featuring Jim Burns, president of HomeWord, a non-profit that seeks to strengthen and equip parents, couples, families and leaders.
While parenting doesn’t end when your child becomes an adult, it DOES change. The principles discussed in this series will be helpful to all parents who listen.
Each video clip is accompanied by a few questions for couples to discuss together and/or in the small group setting.
We have a wide variety of topics for virtual or in-person retreats and workshops! Check out all we have to offer here.