Thursday, 02 August 2012 12:02

Father Ken Van Haverbeke will lead a preached retreat Aug. 17-19 based on Henri Nouwen’s book The Return of the Prodigal. This donation-based retreat is part of a continued effort of the Spiritual Life Center to make retreats affordable to everyone.
“Henri Nouwen’s book The Return of the Prodigal Son is a personal favorite of mine!” Father Ken VanHaverbeke says. “Nouwen is very assessable to everyone. We can relate to what he experienced and wrote.”
The Return of the Prodigal Son was Father Henri Nouwen’s favorite book to write and to preach about. Nouwen tells of his encounter with Rembrandt’s painting called the Prodigal Son in 1986 and continues to reflect on the painting throughout his life – how at first he was the younger (prodigal) son, then the elder son, and finally the father in the Gospel story. What struck him “like a thunderbolt,” though was a friend’s admonition, “Whether you are the younger son or the elder son, you are called to be the father!”
The Return of the Prodigal Son Retreat will both reassure and challenge you in the fatherhood of our God and in being his son or daughter, and how we are all called to be in the role of spiritual fatherhood for others.
“In coming to the Spiritual Life Center, I was concerned our retreat experiences would not be affordable to all, so we have designed numerous retreat experiences throughout the year on a donation basis. Of course, all of our retreats have scholarships available, so the only reason a person can’t come on a retreat is poverty of time or will!” Father Van Haverbeke said.
Renewed and Empowered in the Holy Spirit Conference Sept. 1 at All Saints Parish, Wichita
The Fourth Renewed and Empowered in the Holy Spirit Conference will be held from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 1, at All Saints Church in Wichita.
Featured presenter Holy Ghost Father Fr. Joseph Lam Nguyen will return for his third conference leading the sessions on Healing and Deliverance and Intergenerational Healing.
Other healing workshops will be conducted by Fr. H Setter, pastor at All Saints; Fr. Wayne Schmid, former pastor of St. Mary Parish, Derby, and Congregation of St. Joseph Sister Joann Schneider.
Confessions will be heard from 1 to 3 p.m. and Mass will be celebrated at 6:30 p.m.
Admission, breakfast, lunch, and dinner are free. Registration is requested by Aug. 29. For more information, contact Vanessa Banh at (316) 250-9147).
Want to go to the retreat?
The only required cost for the retreat is $29.75 which covers the cost of all the meals. An offering of $40 per night is suggested, but any donation will be accepted. Reservations can be made on line at www.slcwichita.org or by calling (316) 744-0167.