|
Glorifying God
"Mind, Body, and Soul"
Men's Retreat
Led by: Fr. John Antony
Saint John Paul II made an astounding claim when he wrote, “The body, and it alone, is capable of making visible what is invisible, the spiritual and divine. It was created to transfer into the visible reality of the world, the invisible mystery hidden in God from time immemorial, and thus to be a sign of it.” By those words, the saint-pope ushered in a new era of Catholic theology with his ground-breaking “theology of the body.”
The beauty of the human body – in a way unequalled by anything in creation – makes manifest the beauty of God. Have you not sensed something sacred hidden behind a baby’s innocent smile, or in a lover’s kiss, or in a saint’s eyes turned toward the Cross? Gazing upon the human body, we glimpse more than what meets the eyes, we catch a glimpse of God.
Applying John Paul II’s reflections on the human body like a kind of “leaven,” we will explore various themes relevant to modern theology and daily life. The first two talks will lay the foundations for understanding the pope’s original teaching. This will be followed by talks on the sacraments, human stages of development, the role of the Church, and conclude with a contemplative gaze upon Michaelangelo’s masterpiece, “The Last Judgement.” Above all, these presentations will attempt to be practical, inviting discussion and dialogue, questions and criticisms.
To Register, Click Here: 
About Fr. Antony:
My family is originally from Kerala, India, and we emigrated to the U.S. when I was a child, settling in Little Rock, Arkansas in 1976.
I am a product of Catholic education, for which I am very grateful. After attending Catholic grade school and high school, I graduated from the University of Dallas (also Catholic), and Mt. St. Mary Seminary in Emmitsburg, MD. I was ordained a priest on May 25, by the grace of God and at the hands of Bishop Andrew J. McDonald. The bishop sent me to Catholic University of America for further studies in canon law and I now serve on the Marriage Tribunal helping people find healing after a divorce.
As a priest, I’ve served in 14 parishes in the course of 18 years. Each parish I've been in and the friendships I’ve made along the way have helped make me a better priest. My absolute favorite job as a priest was serving as vocation director under (then) Bishop J. Peter Sartain. I told Bishop Sartain at the time, “I jump out of bed every day to be vocation director!” On my ordination card was a black and white print of an ordination ceremony, with a caption that read: “How great is the dignity of a priest, to whom is given that which is not granted to the angels.” There’s no better job in the world.
A word about the man behind the collar: my personal interests include reading, especially Josef Pieper, C. S. Lewis, John Henry Newman, and listening to sermons by Archbishop Fulton Sheen and Scott Hahn. I enjoy all sports, except racquetball. I relax by watching movies and I enjoy learning other languages, especially Latin. My favorite food is Indian, but only the way my mom prepares it. My favorite prayer is the Rosary. My deepest conviction is that there is a grace in every moment, and those who are humble, peaceful and cheerful can catch that grace. I hope someone will scratch that on my tombstone: “There is a grace in every moment.”
|
