Awakening Our Faith in Challenging Times

In a time when violence and evil have visited our lives how does the Gospel message of Jesus Christ call us to respond? How is God present to us? How do we live His message of love and reconciliation and at the same time seek justice? How do we find healing for our pain? DAY ONE: Living in the embrace of God's Love. In the face of violence and injustice it is indeed tempting to abandon our belief in a God of Love. We proclaim that God does indeed hold us in a loving embrace, giving us both the strength to carry on and the ability to reach out to all those in need. DAY TWO: Forgiveness as the path to Peace. In a world that more and more seeks to resolve conflict through retaliation, punishment and violence, we proclaim a God who is merciful and always seeks to forgive. In accepting his gift of mercy for ourselves, we are then called to be peacemakers by forgiving those who have wronged us. At the same time we must wrestle with the truth that real peace and reconciliation cannot come about without justice. DAY THREE: Healing the human heart. In spite of the advances made in medicine and technology, suffering and sorrow still afflict the human heart, due to sickness, injustice, or the violence that is so rampant in today’s world. We proclaim that through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ people of today will find healing and restoration. DAY FOUR: Called to be witnesses of the Good News at the dawn of a new millennium. Renewed and restored to life through Love, Forgiveness and Healing, we are called to share this life with all by spreading the Good News to men and women of today.

WHAT	The Franciscan Ministry of the Word offers a four-day Parish Mission. We focus our attention on the mystery of Jesus. Each morning we offer a Mass with a homily; in the evening a service of preaching and prayer to further develop the theme of the day (God's love, reconciliation, healing, evangelization). We also have presentations for the Religious Education and Parochial School children, the teenagers, and we visit your shut-ins.
WHY	The Mission is an opportunity for the parish community to heal hurts and divisions to experience what it means to be a parish to develop a spiritual vision to prepare for deeper participation and commitments to gather in the inactive to offer forgiveness to anoint the sick to encourage the lonely to revitalize itself
WHEN	A team of two friars (one friar for smaller parishes) presenting the Mission would arrive on Saturday to preach at all the weekend Masses. The Mission lasts from Monday through Thursday. At least a month before the Mission, the friars will meet with the parish staff to help in the publicity and preparation.
WHO	We hope to involve as many as possible in the Mission: Music Ministry, Ushers, Lectors and Eucharistic Ministers, Altar Servers, Publicity, Hospitality, Witnesses, and Drivers. In this way the Mission becomes more a parish effort.
THE FEE	We charge the parish no fee, but on the last day ask for a donation from those attending the Mission.

Fr. Dennis Koopman, OFM, was born and reared in northeastern Iowa. After having graduated from Loras College, Dubuque, IA, he attended the Franciscan St. Joseph Seminary, Westmont, IL, and in 1965 was professed in the Franciscan Order, Sacred Heart Province, St. Louis, MO. After theological studies at Catholic Theological Union, Chicago, IL, he was ordained to the priesthood in 1970. Having obtained a Masters degree in Chemistry at the University of Iowa, Iowa City, Fr. Dennis subsequently taught chemistry and algebra for 20 years at Quincy University, Quincy, IL, a Franciscan University. For most of Fr. Dennis' teaching years, he was active in and held leadership positions with Worldwide Marriage Encounter and with Engaged Encounter. He organized the marriage preparation programs for west-central IL in the Springfield diocese. Issues of family life and parish life were his extra curricular ministry while teaching at Quincy University. After attending the Vatican II Institute for Theological Renewal for priests at Menlo Park, CA, in 1994, Fr. Dennis began his new full-time ministry of preaching Parish Missions. He has now been full-time in the preaching ministry for several years. He is a member of the Franciscan "Ministry of the Word" team for Parish Missions. StGratian@aol.com

Fr. Donald Blaeser, OFM, entered the Franciscan Order in June, 1962, professed his final vows in 1966, and was ordained a priest in June, 1970. A Chicagoan by birth, he studied at the Franciscan seminaries, and earned his M.Div. in theology at Catholic Theological Union, and a B.Mus. in music education at Manhattanville College. Fr. Don served as chaplain at Marianjoy Rehabilitation Hospital in Wheaton for ten years, a confessor at St. Peter's Church in Chicago's Loop for three years, and a pastor of Sacred Heart Church in St. Paul, MN, for eight years. Most recently he was guardian and co-director of novices at the inter-provincial novitiate of the Franciscans in Cedar Lake, IN, for seven years. He has given numerous retreats and novenas. And as one who enjoys singing, humor, good stories, and human nature, Fr. Don loves to weave these through his homilies. trailblaeser@aol.com Since the Summer of 2000, Fr. Don has been a full-time preacher. In addition to giving Parish Missions, which are usually done as part of the Ministry of the Word team together with Fr. Dennis Koopman, O.F.M., Fr. Don offers a variety of retreats. He is available for preached retreats, whether at convents, motherhouses, or retreat houses. He also offers retreats for religious men and for diocesan priests. As a Franciscan he has specialized in giving retreats that are particularly based on Franciscan spirituality. He is happy to offer retreats on a variety of subjects that are broad-based, and are appropriate for other religious, priests and laity. The titles of some of the retreats he offers are: Franciscan Themes "Communion of Life in Fraternity" "A Franciscan Spirituality Retreat" "Fraternity: Agony and Ecstasy" "A Journey into the Paschal Mystery with Francis and Clare" "Relationships of Love" "A Secular Franciscan Retreat" General Themes "Discipleship: Living the Good News" "Living the Gospel Today" "Marriage Spirituality - A Retreat for Married Couples" "The Paschal Mystery - a Triduum Retreat" "Our Priestly Calling in Challenging Times - a Retreat for Diocesan Priests" "Wrestling with Restlessness" Of course, other ideas can also be worked out in negotiation with anyone who would like a more specialized retreat.

Fr. Dennis and Fr. Donald can be reached at:
ST. GRATIAN FRIARY 5536 So. Edgewood Ave. Countryside, IL 60525-3426 (708) 482-4546 FAX: (708) 482-8676