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September 3 , 2007 • VOL. 45, NO. 15 • Oakland, CA
Concord, Alameda
parishes offer
opportunities for spiritual growth
St. Bonaventure Parish in Concord and St. Joseph Parish in Alameda are
launching educational series this month that focus on interfaith issues
and developing inner spirituality.
Passionist Father Tom Bonacci will lead a four-week presentation on The
World Religious Experience and the Religions of India on Friday evenings
beginning Sept. 7 in the chapel at St. Bonaventure Church, 5562 Clayton
Road in Concord, from 7 – 8:30 p.m.
Topics are the religious experience of humankind on Sept. 7; Hinduism
on Sept. 14; Buddha and Buddhism on Sept. 28; and the possibility for
practicing intrafaith spirituality on Oct. 5.
The program will include some practical suggestions and perspectives for
developing a gentle, compassionate and peace-making spirituality that
is responsive to the real situations of daily life, said presentation
planners. For more information, contact the parish office at (925) 672-5800.
For the 10th consecutive year St. Joseph Parish in Alameda is offering
Ignatian Spiritual Exercises to parishioners in the Oakland Diocese as
well as those from other Christian denominations. Based on the Spiritual
Exercises developed by St. Ignatius of Loyola, the Nineteenth Amendment,
as it is called, has helped people throughout the world to deepen their
prayer lives for more than 400 years.
While the saint’s original vision of the Spiritual Exercises called
for an intensive 30-day retreat, his writings included a provision for
them to be adapted for those unable to take a complete month out of their
day-to-day lives. Holy Names Sister Barbara Williams, director of the
team offering the program at St. Joseph, will offer a 30-week format with
participants meeting weekly for guidance and faith-sharing, and once a
month with an individual spiritual director or mentor.
Participants can attend either a morning or an evening session. The morning
sessions will meet on Tuesdays from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. and the evening
sessions will meet on Thursdays from 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. The process
begins on Sept. 22, and there will be a closing day session on April 26,
2008. The suggested donation is $300, though no one will be turned away
for lack of funds.
For more information, or to register, go to the parish’s website
at www.st-josph-community.org or call Anne Marie Fourre at (510) 522-0181,
ext. 59.
