Free presentation Nov. 18 in Lincoln open to all
Southern Nebraska Register
‘Sometimes we can struggle to hear and receive that Word fully, to discern what God is trying to say to us. Come and learn how... to deepen your relationship with the One who is speaking to you: the living God.’
Several Catholic speakers will travel to the Diocese of Lincoln as part of a special “Prepare and Proclaim” presentation for priests, parishioners and students Nov. 18 and 19.
The speakers are from the McGrath Institute for Church Life at Notre Dame. The presentations are part of the diocese’s ongoing “Prepare and Proclaim” focus on homiletics and preparing for Mass.
On Monday, Nov. 18 at 7 p.m., everyone in the diocese is invited to a free presentation at St. Mary Parish in Lincoln, across from the State Capitol. Dr. Joshua McManaway, program director for the Savoring the Mystery homiletics project, will give a talk, “Reading Scripture as a Christian: Finding Christ on Every Page.”
“The Bible often seems bewildering with so many books written in different languages across many centuries,” Dr. McManaway said. “What is it that ties these books together as a single, coherent story of God’s saving action in the world? The New Testament authors understood that Jesus Christ stood at the center of the Bible’s story, especially in the books we now regard as the Old Testament. I will discuss how the New Testament and early Church read the Old Testament to find Christ on every page.”
Also speaking that night will be Carolyn Pirtle, who is the program director for the Notre Dame Center for Liturgy. She speaks regularly on the theology and practice of liturgical music, the importance of the arts in Catholic life, and formation in liturgical and devotional prayer, particularly for the domestic church.
“At every Mass, we hear the Scriptures proclaimed, the ‘living and effective’ Word of God,” Pirtle said in regard to her talk entitled “Contemplating God’s Beauty through Scripture and Art.”
“Sometimes, though, we can struggle to hear and receive that Word fully, to discern what God is trying to say to us. Come and learn how the beauty of art can help you not only to encounter the Scriptures in a new way, but also to deepen your relationship with the One who is speaking to you: the living God.”
Craig Gould will speak to students on “The Power of Storytelling” at Pius X High School in Lincoln Monday morning. Students from several other Catholic high schools in the diocese will also watch the presentation via a livestream. Gould is the program director for Notre Dame Vision, which includes summer conferences for high school students that help them recognize their vocational call and understand their own story as it connects to the story of Jesus.
“In his ministry of preaching, Jesus used the power of stories to challenge his listeners and connect with his audience,” Gould said about his talk, adding, “We’ll explore how to think about our own stories and how knowing the story of others helps us answer our call as missionary disciples.”
Father Michael Wurtz, SCS, will also join several of the other speakers at the diocesan priest study day in Seward Tuesday, Nov. 19. Father Wurtz is an assistant professor of theology at King’s College (Pa.) where he has taught since 2019. His talk with the priests will focus on “understanding the homily as an ongoing work of craftsmanship.” Father Wurtz has presented at preaching workshops including those at Notre Dame and the Diocese of Pittsburgh.
Parishioners across the diocese are encouraged to attend the evening of talks Monday night at 7 p.m. at St. Mary Parish.
Dennis Kellogg, director of communications for the diocese, said McManaway and Pirtle both bring excellent credentials and knowledge to share about the Catholic faith.
“The presentation for parishioners will provide insight into understanding the Mass readings and how art can help one dive more deeply into Scripture,” Kellogg said. “Both talks will allow one to be better prepared for Mass and to better proclaim the message from the readings and the homily.”
“Prepare and Proclaim” is an ongoing program in the Diocese of Lincoln encouraging parishioners to grow in their faith by setting aside time to better prepare for Mass. Learn more about the program at lincolndiocese.org/prepareandproclaim.
