– PARISH  MISSION* –

AN ACT OF LOVE, CONSTANTLY REPEATED

~ Sample Responses of Participants ~

• “Dynamic, uplifting, thought-provoking, moving.”
• “Wow!”
• “I could listen to Dan forever! . . . . I am reaching to take it all in – but great – invigorating, challenging, nourishing.”
• “The content was so moving and relevant. It really touched my soul.”
• “Excellent! Dan is a compelling speaker.
I kept coming back for more and more.”
•  “Fresh stuff.”
• “Beautiful! Thank you, thank you & thank you again. Bless you, bless you & bless you again.”

Once, when asked by a grade school student how she saw Christ in the destitute whom she fed, clothed, and sheltered every day for fifty years, Dorothy Day, co-founder of the Catholic Worker Movement replied,  “It is an act of faith, constantly repeated. It is an act of love, resulting from an act of faith. It is an act of hope, that we can awaken these same acts in their hearts, too, with the help of God and the Works of Mercy.”

This engaging series of presentations is a wonderful opportunity for communities to gather for spiritual renewal and faith formation. The talks are based on the conviction that the spiritual life is not reserved for a small religious elite, but rather is the privilege and responsibility of all persons and is lived in the ordinariness of the daily with its many blessings and challenges. 

The presentations are intended to encourage participants to “transpose Jesus” into this place and this time by offering their own unique renditions of the Christ-life through common deeds and acts of faith, hope, and love, constantly repeated. This series seeks to invite people to live significant lives, to evoke contemplative wakefulness, a sense of wonder and awe, gratefulness and greater awareness of the indescribable surprise of living, as well as to encourage a sense of deep sympathy, tender mercy, and a commitment to compassionate action and just relationships with all others.

Dan’s presentations are informative while being inspirational, gracious yet challenging, substantive though accessible, serious but sprinkled with humor. The Parish Mission is appropriate for mature persons at any point on the spiritual journey who are curious about or committed to living lives of spiritual depth be they genuine seekers, catechumens, life-long practitioners, soulful artisans, weary travelers, or blessed sages.

Dan makes use of biblical texts, story, poetry, song, personal experience, theological reflection, and wisdom from a variety of traditions as resources to help participants reflect more deeply on their own lives. The presentations work within Catholic, Protestant, and ecumenical contexts.

Typically, the series consists of three or four morning presentations (Monday – Wednesday/Thursday) with the same material offered again later on those evenings. Smaller communities often just gather in the evening. Each gathering consists of two reflective talks with a break in-between. The time of the two talks combined is usually between 75-90 minutes, but this is negotiable. Dan is happy to stay afterward for individual questions and conversation. The presentations touch on the following themes:

• Living a Significant Life
• Listening for the Burning Questions
• Being the Beloved
• To Be or Not to Be—Holy
• Married to Amazement
• Sunset is My Business
• Living the Blessed Tension
• The Kiss of God
• An Act of Love, Constantly Repeated

* A Parish Mission is often called a Spiritual Renewal Series, Parish Retreat,  or Church Retreat. Dan will use whichever term best fits the particular faith community’s tradition,  nomenclature, or preference.

For more information, contact Dan.