Previous Missions

2017: Our Final Gift

Sister Sue Mosteller, CSJ and Fr. Ron Rolheiser, OMI are the mission leaders. Their talks focus on Henri Nouwen’s reflections on death and the promise of life everlasting.

In his last works, just before he died, Henri Nouwen began to speak of how the final task in life is to give one’s death to others. We are meant, Nouwen says, to give our lives for others, but we are also meant, to give our deaths for them. Just as elders are meant to teach the young how to live they are also meant to teach them how to die. That’s the final lesson we are meant to give the young, to die in such a way that our deaths are our final blessing to them.

The promise of life everlasting means that our death does not have to be our final failure, our final defeat in the struggle of life, our unavoidable fate. If our deepest human desire is, indeed, to give ourselves to others, then we can make our death our final gift.

2015: Beware the Holy Spirit

The 2015 Mission looks at when and where God speaks to us in our daily lives and how we, as an institution and as individuals, can ignore that voice at our peril. Father Anthony Gittins looks at the afternoon of life and discovers why it withers some people and brings freedom and joy to others who have learned to age with wisdom.

2014: Gift of Forgiveness

The 2014 Mission looks at how the hurts and cruelties we inevitably experience during the first half of our lives, at school, at home and at work, may be a source of the anger and resentment we feel in our later years. It offers a pathway to help us rediscover a mellow and compassionate heart. Father Ron Rolheiser, O.M.I., Sister Melannie Svoboca SND, Paula D’Arcy and Tom Zanzig all contribute to this mission.

2013: Year of Faith

The 2013 Mission addresses the subject of “Trust,” the lack of which can lead to paranoia and fear. It explains the importance of “Remembering” what Jesus said and what Jesus did in His time here with us.  Father Ron Rolheiser, Father Anthony Gittins and Father Patrick Fitzpatrick are the presenters.

2012 – Three Troubling Questions

The 2012 Mission explores:  Why does God allow good people to suffer, what was Jesus’ attitude towards women and what did He add to our concept of Justice? The speakers for this mission are Mr. James McGill, Sister Barbara Leonhard, Father John Heagle, and Father Pat Fitzpatrick.

2011 – The Heart of the Matter

Father Jack Lynch, Father Donald Senior and Sister Melannie Svoboda explore: Our world is suffering; our Church is suffering; many of our families are suffering, and we ask ourselves how can our faith help?  Is there anything in the vast arsenal of our rich, Christian heritage that we could call on to heal the wounds of division and conflict that seem to exist everywhere?  Someone has said if your faith has nothing to say to the real problems in our society, then your faith has nothing to say.  present this theme.

2010 – A God for all Seasons

“In our dreams, we are never eighty. Whatever happens to the body, the spirit does not grow old. In our dreams we are forever becoming. Our dreams reveal the basic truth of life; years are biological; the spirit is eternal.” Presented by Sister Joan Chittister and Father Pat Fitzpatrick

2009 – Reflections for Lent

For the 2009 Mission, Bishop Paul-André Durocher who preached the first three National Catholic Missions, returns to present: Reflections for Lent a companion and guide for our journey to Easter Sunday

2008 – Keeping a Mellow Heart in a Bitter Time

The 2008 Mission Father Ron Rolheiser’s message is how to survive and keep a mellow heart, for as the years go by life can twist our hearts and anger can threaten our ability to love.

2007 – Rediscovering Catholicism

The 2007 Mission presents Matthew Kelly and the St. Michael’s Choir School. Together they inspire young and old and help us Rediscover Catholicism.  A Mission for the entire family.
2006 – Beware of the Undertow

This 2006 Mission explores the subtle factors in our culture which are pulling us away from living the Christian life. We are a people obsessed with happiness, but can’t seem to find it, why?” Dr. John Markey O.P and Paula D’Arcy present this mission.

2005 – Memories of Martin

This 2005 Mission presents a documentary of the life of Father Martin Royackers, S.J.

2003 – Alive But Not Alone: Belonging Where?

The theme of the 2003 Mission is recovering our identity – how God chooses us and how we can choose to follow Jesus. Archbishop James Weisgerber, Tony Melendez, Barbara Coloroso, Michael Burgess, Fr. Stan Fortuna and Dr. Mary Jo Leddy explore this subject.