New ministry
Father Mike Kerin, pastor of Glenmary’s Holy Family Catholic Church in Blakely, Ga., has worked with LifeBrite Community Hospital of Early County to form a new chaplaincy program. The program will include ministers from across various Christian traditions and will provide patients at the hospital with spiritual care. “When I came to Blakely, I realized that we didn’t have a chaplaincy program here,” said Father Mike. “I know that it can mean a lot to someone who is in the hospital to have someone to listen to their concerns, to pray with them and to let them know that they are not alone. My desire was to have chaplains from as many of the churches as possible, as a visible sign that we were working together serving those in need.” So far, seven local ministers have volunteered their time and talents for the program.
photo by glenmary vocations
o u t r e ac h / Chaplain service
Mission youth Come and See vo c at ion s / Seminarians lead discernment retreat
A group of young men from Glenmary’s Holy Family and St. Michael the Archangel missions in Tennessee visited Glenmary’s headquarters for a special Come and See discernment retreat Nov. 1-3.
The retreat included a unique approach, with Glenmary seminarian
Ken Wandera and novice Kevin Riedel leading the event. The youth were
treated to talks on growing in prayer, everyone’s call to vocation and the Universal Church. Vocation Director Brother David Henley spoke about discernment and “what’s special about Glenmary.”
The retreat took place at the novitiate house at Glenmary’s Cincinnati
headquarters. Spiritual elements included a rosary walk along a wooded
trail, Eucharistic Adoration and Mass. There was also a field trip to Cincinnati’s Cathedral of St. Peter in Chains to highlight the connection to the Universal Church.
“The goal is to help the young men grow spiritually,” said Wilmar Zaba-
la, Glenmary’s vocation counselor, “because without that growth, discern-
photo by john feister
ment doesnʼt really take root.”
The retreat marked the second time youth from Glenmary missions
have participated on a Come and See retreat with Glenmary.
Learn more about discerning with Glenmary at Glenmary.org/vocations.
ABOVE: Young men from Glenmary missions visited Glenmary headquarters for a Come and See retreat. LEFT: Father Mike Kerin, pastor of Holy Family Catholic Church, is leading the charge to install a chaplaincy program at a local hospital.
Winter 2019
GLENMARY CHALLENGE
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