Press release
Symposium: “Is The Church A Blessing or A Burden?” on Jan. 18
Is Church A Blessing Or A Burden?
Brevard’s Sacred Heart Catholic Church is sponsoring a symposium, open to all, to explore why so many people no longer feel the need or desire for formal religious ties and see the institutional church as unnecessary for their spiritual lives. The symposium invites all interested to come and share their experiences and views. We hope to hear from persons with divorce and marriage issues, lifestyle issues, or those angry/hurt over institutional church actions or policies, or those who just don’t see the Church as relevant in today’s world or their world; in other words, All Are Welcome. Leading off the symposium will be the Right Reverend Stan Gumula, OCSO, Abbot of the Trappist Our Lady of Mepkin Abbey outside of Charleston, SC. Abbot Stan will highlight Pope Francis’ call for a church intertwined with the real world, but carrying a healing message of love, mercy, forgiveness and joy.
The audience will be asked to share their own experiences with organized religion and any thoughts they might have on how church might become an important resource in their lives or the lives of others. The symposium, organized and supported by Father Andrew Nowak, OFM Cap, pastor of Sacred Heart Church, will close with plans to continue this dialogue into the future.
The symposium, titled “All Are Welcome,” will take place on Saturday, January 18, 2014, from 8:30 to 12:30, on the Brevard College campus in McLarty-Goodson Hall, Room 125. It is open to all; there is no fee nor any requirement to register ahead of time. Light refreshments will be provided from 8:30 – 9:00.
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