Women's Ministry Staff
Coordinator of
Women's Ministry
Barbara Prasad
573-635-9127, ext. 222
Administrative Assistant for
Women's Ministry
Nicole Secker
573-635-9127, ext. 226
Alphonse J. Schwartze Catholic Center
2207 West Main St.
Jefferson City, MO 65109-0914
A Message from Barb
“Don’t hold yourselves cheap, seeing that the creator of all things and of you estimates your value so high, so dear, that he pours out for you every day the most Precious Blood of his only-begotten Son.”~St. Augustine
We are half way through our year of the Jubilee of Hope and as we are in the peak of warm weather and summer vacations I want to take a moment to encourage you to dedicate some time this summer to go on pilgrimage! A pilgrimage is not like a normal vacation just for rest and relaxation. A pilgrimage is a journey with a specific religious or spiritual purpose, and most often to a sacred site. While your pilgrimage will most likely bring you to sacred sites or beautiful churches the purpose is more about the journey, and not so much about a journey to a destination but a journey within. If you are planning to visit some of our diocesan pilgrimage sites make a point to create a plan that will bring you to a point of encounter with our Heavenly Father. Plan prayers, spiritual readings and perhaps go when you can participate in mass or confession. Take a trip with God and see what he will teach you! For more information on our Year of Jubilee of Hope pilgrimage sites check out our pilgrimage info pages.
A pilgrim looks different than a tourist. While touring you are looking to see sites and check them off your bucket list, snapping pictures and enjoying views and perhaps local foods and customs. There is nothing wrong with this! It can be quite enjoyable. But a pilgrim lingers with a focus to be and not just see. In our busy world taking time out to journey to a site or sites with the intention of sitting in silence and prayer and allowing our Lord to speak to us may be just the true rest we are needing this summer!
So gather some friends together or pack up the family and head on your own pilgrimage this summer. Perhaps to one of our local locations or if you are out and about look up local pilgrimage sites near where you are visiting. Dedicate a little part of your summer travels to not just seeing the world but being transformed by God.
Because ultimately a pilgrimage is about renewing our faith and giving God a chance to speak to us in a time and place that we have carved out just for him.
Safe travels this summer! I hope you get more than you bargain for!!!
We Are Better Together,
Barb
Prayer Resources
July Prayer Challenge
Each month we suggest a prayer that you can add to your prayer routine for the month. This prayer is designed to bring your attention to the liturgical focus of the month. In July the Church turns it eyes to the Precious Blood of Christ. Join us for our July Prayer Challenge — a prayer attributed to St Catherine of Siena calling on the Most Precious Blood of Jesus.
Upcoming Events
Save the Date for Our Upcoming Events!
Make sure you have these dates added to your calendar. we hope to see you at one or more of our events soon!
Get Fired Up to Serve
You don't have to be on a Stewardship council to get benefit form this diocesan event. Gather women from your parish and get Fired Up to Serve!
Book Studies
Interior Freedom
Check out our July featured book of the Month — Interior Freedom by Jacques Philippe
Author Jacques Philippe develops a simple but important theme: we gain possession of our interior freedom in exact proportion to our growth in faith, hope, and love. He explains that the dynamism between these three theological virtues is the heart of the spiritual life, and he underlines the key role of the virtue of hope in our inner growth. As we continue on this Jubilee Year of Hope why not explore how cultivating this virtue can help lead to an interior freedom that nothing external can take away because its source is God himself!
Service Opportunities
Get information in how you can join in the efforts to grow women's ministry throughout our diocese! Check back with each newsletter for more service opportunities as they become available. Thank you for your interest!
Have Ideas or Suggestions?
Is your parish offering a ministry program or event you would like to share? Do you have ideas or suggestions for how to grow women's ministry in our diocese?
Please send us your ideas and suggestions to bprasad@diojeffcity.org!