COMMUNITY NEWS
Seventh Annual Notre Dame Club of Memphis Speaker Series: 2018 Everyone is Welcome! All sessions from 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM including Q & A
July 16: “Walk with Me on the Camino!” by Patrick Mason, partner in the law firm of Mason Zoccola Law Firm, PLLC (At Mullins Methodist) Celebrate the Camino del Santiago pilgrimage experience with Patrick through prayer, music, pictures and stories! July 23: The Neighborhood-Parish Family Meal: A Model for Pre-Evangelization by Sam Rodriguez, Member of Resurrection Parish (At St. Benedict) Explore with us a new Pre-Evangelization model as a way for parishes to overcome the pervasive disconnection with underprivileged neighborhoods! July 30: “Insights into the Catholic Family” by Khira and Derek Rotty, St Mary’s Parish in Jackson, MS (At St. Benedict) Discover how Natural Family Planning becomes the center piece of The Catholic Family, influencing the decisions couples make and how they teach their children!
Free and Open to the Public Continuing Education Credits Available from Diocese of Memphis Moderated by Dr. Charles T. Kenny, Notre Dame Club of Memphis More info at: www.ndmemphis.com or call Dr. Kenny at 237-7048
Monday – July 16, 2018 at Mullins Methodist
Walk with Me on the Camino! Patrick Mason, partner in the law firm of Mason Zoccola Law Firm, PLLC The Talk: The Camino de Santiago is a religious pilgrimage which people have been walking for well over 1,000 years. The Camino journey has many branches, but the classic Camino, the Camino Frances, is approximately 500 miles long. Beginning in a small town in southwestern France called St. Jean Pied de Port, it travels westward to Santiago de Compostela, to the Cathedral where the remains of St. James, the apostle, are buried. The experience of walking the Camino is a deeply personal one which Patrick will share in his presentation. Experiencing the Camino forces a pilgrim to live without distractions for the time it takes one to walk 500 miles. Patrick will share the experience of his 39-day journey, including his conversations with God, the special moments of closeness and sharing with fellow pilgrims from all over the world, the moments of difficult physical pain, the moments of exuberant joy, and the meaningful, spiritual encounters with new friends along the way. “Buen Camino” is the phrase which pilgrims share with each other many times each day on the Camino (translated into English: “good way”). Celebrate the Camino experience with us through prayer, music, pictures and stories. “Buen Camino!” The Speaker:
Patrick Mason is a Memphis lawyer practicing with the Mason Zoccola Law Firm, PLLC. He is a native Memphian, a graduate of Christian Brothers High School (1975), a graduate of the University of Notre Dame (1979) and a graduate of Vanderbilt University School of Law (1986). In addition to practicing law Patrick taught Business Law at Christian Brothers University for over 10 years in the 1990s and early 2000s.
Influenced by the Catholic faith as a result of his many years attending Catholic schools and as a result of his friendships with Catholic friends, Patrick is a life-long United Methodist. He is a 50+ year member of Mullins United Methodist Church. Patrick is a baritone in the church choir and a tuba player in the Mullins Community Orchestra. In addition, each year he grows a white beard in December and wears a red suit doing what he refers to as “his favorite thing to do every year.” Patrick is most proud of his two children, Peter Mason and Colleen McNeil, who bring him great joy, although no grandchildren as of yet (no pressure intended). Follow Patrick on the Camino: patrick-elcamino.com
Monday – July 23, 2018 at St. Benedict’s
The Neighborhood-Parish Family Meal: A Model for Pre-Evangelization Sam Rodriguez, Member of Resurrection Parish The Talk: Under Canon Law, most Catholic parishes are “territorial parishes,” meaning that they have a geographical jurisdiction, with a duty to care for the souls in that jurisdiction — Catholic and non-Catholic alike! However, many parishes, have sadly become disconnected from their surrounding neighborhood. It is especially the case for many of the parishes located in underprivileged neighborhoods. The Pre-Evangelization model is designed to help these parishes overcome this disconnect. Imagine, for a moment, a team of missionary disciples stepping into an underpopulated parish to serve a high quality brunch every week, where all are welcome and all are received with love and dignity. Imagine the healing and growth made possible for each parish and neighborhood — and for the missionary disciples — who share in that community experience. The City of Memphis is 65% African American, and yet African Americans make up only a tiny fraction of our Catholic population. As the Universal Church, should not the demographics of our Church come much closer to the demographics of our city? We will explore how this model of Pre-Evangelization can become a promising first step in accomplishing that lofty, yet necessary, long term goal. The Speaker: Sam Rodriguez is actively involved in a variety of ministries in Memphis, including Fishers of Men and St Leo’s Lunch, Alpha and St. Paul Street Evangelization. Sam has also become a new and frequent regular co-host for The Catholic Cafe, which airs Saturdays at 3PM Central on EWTN Radio (SiriusXM Channel 130). Having earned a BA in History from Middlebury College (‘04) and a Juris Doctorate from Washington University in St Louis (‘08), Sam serves as Chief Operations Officer for Ontologix, a tech startup that he helped found here in Memphis.
Monday – July 30, 2018 at St. Benedict’s
Insights into the Catholic Family Khira and Derek Rotty, St Mary’s Parish in Jackson, MS The Talk: Derek and Khira are uniquely qualified to discuss how Natural Family Planning becomes the center piece of The Catholic Family. Derek and Khira bring more than two decades of combined experience raising children and ministering to teens. Using their experience, they share how parents and adult ministers can teach young people about the gift of the human body and its development. Children and teens need to learn from early ages how boys and girls are different; how their bodies are ordered toward sacred life; and how to care appropriately for the gift entrusted to them. The Speakers: Khira & Derek Rotty have been married for 12 years. They are the blessed parents of five children, one saint in heaven & four saint-makers here on earth. Khira has ten years experience working with high school youth, and she is in the process of completing her certification from the Theology of the Body Institute. She is also in the process of reducing the mounds & mounds of dirty laundry in their house. Derek has Master's degrees in History & Theology. He has worked in parish ministry for more than a decade, and he is in the process of publishing his first book. He is the happy beneficiary of the clean laundry that Khira provides. They both love the outdoors, especially hiking trips & beach trips with their children. Visit the Rottys at: http://thelifeofvirtue.blogspot.com/
Humanae Vitae: The Prophetic Voice of Blessed Paul VI….50 Years Later Commemorating the 50th Anniversary of Blessed Paul VI’s Encyclical Letter The papal encyclical, Humanae Vitae. (“On Human Life”) written by Pope Paul VI in 1968, provides beautiful and clear teaching about God's plan for married love and the transmission of life, and on July 25 we celebrate the 50th anniversary of this encyclical. Throughout the world, both nationally and internationally, conferences are being held examining the profound theological, pastoral, and prophetic implications of Blessed Paul VI's encyclical. Blessed Paul VI stood firm in the midst of the moral permissiveness which came under the guise of “freedom” in the 1960s, and boldly proclaimed the truth of married love. The world did not listen to Pope Paul in 1968 and the stark warnings he gave about what the widespread acceptance of artificial contraception would mean for society have all come to pass. We honor the memory of this soon-to-be-sainted pontiff by using this anniversary year to recall and boldly proclaim his often neglected message on the nature, purpose, and dignity of married love. Come join us on Wed. July 25 at 6:30 PM in the Family Room for study and reflection by Deacon Jim McBride on Blessed Paul VI's reaffirmation of the Church’s teachings in this prophetic document. Sponsored by the Respect Life Committee of Holy Rosary Church. Holy Rosary Church, 4851 Park Avenue Wednesday, July 25, 2018 + 6:30 – 8:00 PM https://www.eventbrite.com/e/humanae-vitae-the-prophetic-voice-of-blessed-paul-vi50years-later-tickets-47979359556