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Join Us For Our Parish Retreat Featuring Msgr. John Cippel — Jan. 28-29
As Catholics, we regularly hear the word “Eucharist.” But how many of us know what that term means? Eucharist comes from the Greek eucharistia for “thanksgiving.” Indeed, our participation in the celebration of the Mass demonstrates our gratitude for the blessings the Lord has given us!
Thanksgiving and gratitude are the themes of Msgr. John Cippel’s retreat here at St. Timothy’s on Jan. 28-29. All are invited to join us for the three parts of this retreat in the evening on Friday as well as the morning and afternoon on Saturday. A priest of the Diocese of St. Petersburg, Msgr. Cippel recently celebrated 60 years since his ordination. He has been retired as a pastor for over 10 years but continues to be active in priestly ministry particularly through spiritual direction. Living his vocation, he has learned that proper formation — from youth programs like Lifeteen to seminary formation — is critical for engaging in the faith.
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During the retreat, Msgr. Cippel will help us identify the Lord’s blessings in our lives and evaluate how we can utilize these blessings to serve our families and greater community.
“Often, we get so caught up in the dayto-day of our lives, we fail to see and recognize the goodness in which the Lord has blessed us,” Msgr. Cippel says. “Our participation in the Mass each Sunday is more than going through the routine week after week, as it reflects our thanks to the Lord for giving us His Son.”
In the Catholic faith, community is one of our greatest blessings. It’s through the intentional participation of the parish community to support each other through ministries and the sacraments that we all truly grow. Msgr. Cippel recalls the impact of both hospitality and gratitude on his parish community.
“Once we implemented the stewardship model, we saw a sharp incline in the number of people engaging in parish activities and stepping outside their comfort zones to serve others,” he says. “They recognized their time and talents, thanked the Lord for these gifts, and shared them with our community.”
A joyous man and history buff, Msgr. Cippel hopes all in the St. Timothy community will prayerfully consider joining him and others in the community for the retreat later this month.
