'Advent Once Again' in St. George

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Dominican Fr. Paul Philibert

ST. GEORGE — Dominican Father Paul Philibert will present a retreat with the theme "Disciples Welcoming their Master: Advent Once Again," at Saint George Catholic Church on Dec. 8.

The topic is meant to encourage Catholics toward a deeper discipleship to Christ during this season, which many people think of exclusively in terms of getting ready for the big feast of Christmas, Fr. Paul said.

"What our faith is about is to become increasingly conformed to Christ," he added. "The Christian life consists of a series of conversions or ‘awakenings’ to the reality of God present among us. Our faith starts in childhood with the imitation of our parents’ and neighbors’ faith, grows into youthful questioning, and only slowly matures into a fruitful life of loving service based on our gradual awakening to God’s presence in our lives."

Fr. Paul said he hopes those who attend the retreat "will go away with the idea that what the Christian life is about is not just things we do on Sunday when we go to Mass, but the way we live, as signs or sacraments ourselves of the way Christ wants to be present in the world today."

Fr. Paul holds a Doctor of Sacred Theology degree from the Dominican Pontifical Faculty. He recently was named the Reverend Robert J. Randall Professor in Christian Culture at Providence College.

Previously, he directed the Institute for Church Life at the University of Notre Dame and also has been a faculty member at various Catholic institutions, including the Dominican School of Philosophy and Theology in Berkeley, Calif., where he also served as president.

He is the author of many books and articles, including The Priesthood of the Faithful: Key to a Living Church.

Fr. Paul now serves as the promoter for permanent formation for the Southern Dominican Province. He also is a member of the team from the Congar Institute, which works with the Diocese of Salt Lake City in pastoral and spiritual formation for lay church leaders.

The retreat in St. George will be geared to older youth as well as adults, Fr. Paul said, and "I hope it will be nourishing for people who are already committed to doing lay ministry, and I hope it will be an explanation for people who are not to see how normal it is for someone who is baptized to become an agent of the faith for evangelization."

The retreat also will be an opportunity for people from various parishes to meet and learn from each other, he said. "It won’t be exclusively what I have to say. We can anticipate that the Holy Spirit is going to be talking not just to me but to everybody there."

Jill Luttrell, Saint George Parish’s director of religious education, said she is looking forward to the retreat, particularly because of the peace and spiritual inspiration she received from last year’s event, presented by Glenmary Home Missioners Father Dan Dorsey.

"You think, ‘What is the retreat going to do for me?’" Luttrell said. "Well, it is truly amazing the difference that you feel, and the peacefulness. … If you give this time to God, God will give you back time in your life."

WHAT: Advent retreat

WHEN: Dec. 8, 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.

WHERE: Saint George Catholic Church, 259 West 200 North, St. George

Continental breakfast and lunch will be provided. To register, call Jill Luttrell, 435-673-2604.