Keeping the "Pat" in Patheos... here's my latest column there: "Praying St. Patrick's Breastplate"

You don't have to be Irish to find St. Patrick's famous prayer a treasure. I'm off on retreat later today, so I'll make this brief. Here's hoping you'll just head over to Patheos and read the whole thing.

Let us pray for one another.

"Your Word is My Delight" - Come to a Catholic Writer's Retreat Oct 5-9

I am happy to have been invited by the Catholic Writer's Guild to contribute a few talks to their first-ever retreat for writers. This is going to be a great escape in a lovely setting. Come bring a manuscript you are working on, or start on one! Imagine what you and God can write together! There will be talks, Mass, adoration, critique sessions, and more. Come mix and mingle with other Catholic writers and publishers -- or hide out and writewritewrite to your heart's content! Take time to be alone with God, with an opportunity to be refreshed by Word and Sacrament! This is interior development for your career development!

Here's a preview of my talks:

1. Psalm 119 for Writers: "Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light to my path." (Ps 119:105.)

Psalm 119, the longest in the Psalter, praises God and offers timely instructions to live by. This talk unpacks selected verses from this psalm as a devotional foundation for the retreat by offering inspirational delight and counsel for the writer's interior life. Writing prompts for personal journaling will be suggested.

2. Encouraging Words: What the Church says about writers, their craft, and the creative life.

This talk celebrates the role of Catholic writers and their call to put the divine spark of creativity into action for the sake of the Church and the world. This talk draws on the words and catechesis of John Paul II's Letter to Artists and Benedict XVI's Verbum Domini.

3. Hope - in theory and practice: "I have placed my hope in your word." (Ps 119: 74, 84, 114, 147.)

The theme of hope resounds in Psalm 119 and elsewhere in Scripture. This talk offers insights and practical tips for overcoming discouragement or setbacks by growing and nurturing hope in the writing life.

A team of other presenters will round out the experience. 

A full brochure is here. (.pdf)

The full schedule is here. (.pdf)

The retreat house website is here.  

SIGN UP HERE!

Catholic Conferences for the MEN in your life

In Massachusetts, the Boston Catholic Men's Conference is Sat. April 17th. Get tickets here!



2010 Boston Catholic Men's Conference Speaker Program from George Martell on Vimeo.



And coming to New Hampshire for the first time, another Men's Conference on Sat. April 24th!

Get tickets here. 

Special Note to SQPN and Catholic podcast fans: Joe McClane, of The Catholic Hack, Behold the Man, and Finding Your Keys is speaking at this conference!

Among Women Podcast #47

In this expanded episode of Among Women, Pat explores themes of reconciliation and healing, both in our Lenten journey and as it pertains to recovery from sexual abuse.

Two unnamed women give us insight into this subject matter.

In "Blessed Are They", the nameless Samaritan Woman, (aka the Woman at the Well) gives us an example of personal transformation in Christ.

In "Among Women", "Margaret"  (a pseudonym) describes her life story and her recovery from sexual abuse as a child and a young adult. "Margaret's" story is one of faith, grit, painful honesty, truth-seeking, and, finally, hope.  Episode 47's show notes lists retreats and resources for women who have been sexually abused.  (Note: this show contains content unsuitable for children.)

Join me for a half-day retreat for women on Jan. 23, 2010

Yours truly is speaking at a half-day retreat for mothers taking this Saturday morning, 8am to Noon at St. Augustine's Parish, Andover MA.  Our theme is "Finding the Sacred in the Everyday".
Please call the church to register: 978-475-0050.