Presentation Oct. 13 at St. Joseph Church in Lincoln
Story by Randy Porter
LINCOLN (SNR) - In the Year of St. Joseph, it is only fitting for parishes that bear his name to learn more about their patron saint.
Women Seeking Truth Catholic Bible Study will offer that opportunity when it hosts Sharon Doran, teaching director of Seeking Truth Catholic Bible Study.
Doran’s presentation, “He’s Not Your Average Joe,” is set for 7 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 13 at St. Joseph Church in Lincoln.
The event is open to the public with a free-will offering admission. After the one-hour program, there will be a reception with Doran in Resurrection Hall.
Seeking Truth is a Catholic Bible Study based in Omaha. It also has groups meeting throughout the country and online. Its study was commissioned by the Catholic Archdiocese of Omaha in response to the New Evangelization and exhortation for Catholics to study scripture.
“Our group has been studying with Sharon Doran the past 10 years,” said Trish Obrist, of St. Joseph’s women’s Bible study. “We have learned so much under her guidance.”
Because the Lincoln Bible study group was Seeking Truth’s first satellite group, it is the Year of St. Joseph and St. Joseph Church would be the location, Doran made her presentation available. The local Women’s Seeking Truth Catholic Bible Study, which has nearly 40 members, agreed to host the teaching director with the approval of pastor Father Michael McCabe.
The Women Seeking Truth Catholic Bible Study at St. Joseph gets a little bigger each year, Obrist said.
The group meets Wednesday mornings and starts with praise and songs. Members have already completed an assignment from the previous week from a Bible study book. Each assignment includes 20 questions.
The Bible study breaks down into smaller groups and discusses the 20 questions. Then, the members join for more discussion and to watch the hour-long video sent from Doran.
Members successfully used Zoom last year due to the pandemic, which Obrist said actually aided participation in some cases during inclement winter weather.
Meetings include petitions and end with prayers. After members dismiss, they can start on the next lesson. The St. Joseph group meets September through April.
“The more you read it, hear it and write it, helps us retain what we learn each week,” Obrist said.
The group is a satellite because members don’t see Doran in person, and lessons are sent to the group. Members can watch the video in advance of the lesson – which has its advantages. They can hit the stop button, or replay, for examples, to study it more.
“It’s been the best thing we’ve ever done,” Obrist said about study with the Seeking Truth ministry. “It’s so amazing. Sharon Doran is genuine and knows what she is talking about. We feel we can’t go wrong with her and are blessed to have her.
“It was through the Holy Spirit we found out about her — even on the golf course,” she said, referring to a story about two men talking on the golf course, which eventually led to the women from St. Joseph studying with Sharon Doran.
Indeed, it was because of that conversation that the women’s Bible study at St. Joseph in Lincoln became the first satellite class with Seeking Truth, Doran said.
Now in its 12th year, Seeking Truth has various satellites around the world.
“What we love about the St. Joseph group is that it has been with us for a decade,” Doran said. “They tell me they have learned so much. They study The Word first individually — line by line.”
The presentation, “He’s Not Your Average Joe,” features nearly 400 fast-moving slides, she said. It is not boring.
With virtue and character he leads the Holy Family, yet Joseph does not utter a single word in the Scriptures. He heard God and obeyed, and people who don’t know God’s voice don’t have a voice to follow.
