The Catechism of the Catholic Church beautifully describes prayer at "the raising of one's mind and heart to God" (CCC 2559).  When we pray, we lift up our minds and hearts to the Lord, who simultaneously lifts us to His heart.  During this year's Lenten Speaker Series, we will lift our eyes to the top of the Triumphal Arch, reflecting on how it's images teach us to pray, to be lifted humbly into God's love, and to let God lift others through us.

Tuesday, February 23
Lift up your hearts
The Eucharist - Heaven on earth
PRAYER: Evening Prayer
SPEAKER: Fr. Dan Scheidt, Pastor, Saint Vincent de Paul, Fort Wayne

VIEW HERE

Recap:
Fr. Dan Scheidt describes the architecture of Saint Pius X church, particularly some background on columns and arches.  The Church is designed to be a place of prayer and worship where the Church gathers, both those physically inside the church building, along with the saints and angels.  The Church community is much larger than the visible community that we can see.  We are welcomed into a community of believers that worship night and day, enveloping the whole earth and extending to our own time and location.  Also, our triumphal arch describes our relationship to the Good Shepherd, with all of the sheep traveling to Christ from Bethlehem, Galilee, and Jerusalem.  Finally, the covenants of the Old Testament, located in the center aisle, bring forward the blessings of the Body of Christ, which culminates in the covenant of the New Testament, the Eucharist, which is celebrated upon the altar.

Tuesday, March 2
You have lifted up the lowly
Praying to recognize Christ in the poor
PRAYER: Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament
SPEAKER:  Dr. Timothy O’Malley, Director of Education, McGrath Institute for Church Life, University of Notre Dame

VIEW HERE

Recap:
“Man ate the food of angels, He sent them food in abundance.” (Psalm 78:25)  The Lord provides food (the Bread of Life) for us, wherever we are.  We haven’t done anything to deserve this love, and in fact, we too often turn from gifts with complaints of ingratitude.  However, God invites us to trust.  Manna provided in the desert sustained Israel in the journey to the Promised land and foreshadows the Eucharist, which communicates love (caritas).  We must offer back the confession of faith that God is our God alone.  In our view and care of all the poor, we must emphasize human dignity with presence, led by Jesus’ Presence shared with us.  The righteous and the unrighteous shared together that they didn’t see Jesus in the hungry, the thirsty, the poor, and the sick.  Let us bend our knee before Jesus’ presence!

Tuesday, March 9
That He may lift you up in due time
Peter: repentance and humility as the fruit of prayer
PRAYER:  Liturgy of the Word
SPEAKER: Fr. Peter Jarret, C.S.C.
Assistant Provincial, Congregation of Holy Cross

VIEW HERE

Recap
St. Peter was formed by Jesus during his public ministry, and that journey is an example for us.  Fear can creep into our relationship with God, but God's never going to stop loving us! Fr. Pete shares a powerful story of forgiveness and how our first instinct is to hide, but Jesus extends His mercy, even in that brokenness.  Jesus is calling us, but we often respond with hesitancy.  Jesus wants the person right in front of Him.  How do we listen to the voice of Jesus?  What areas of our lives are already involved in the faith, and what areas are we trying to keep hidden?  Jesus isn't looking to humiliate our betrayals of Him, but He's only interested in tender love.  St. Peter was asked 3 times about his love for the Lord, a commitment that led from fisherman to disciple.  A disciple who has some experience about the heart of the Lord.  With this experience of the faith, the Lord sends out disciples into the world, no longer attached to the shallow fear of material or human things.  We must be ourselves (saint and sinner) and ask for a greater revelation of the Lord's presence.
 

Tuesday, March 16
He went up to the mountain to pray
Sharing Jesus' intimacy with the Father
PRAYER:  Evening Prayer
SPEAKERS:
Josh Noem, Senior Editor, Grotto Network, University of Notre Dame

Stacey Noem, Dir. of Human & Spiritual Formation, Master of Divinity Program, University of Notre Dame

VIEW HERE

Recap
How does Jesus draw us into intimacy? There are different levels of intimacy that we see & experience, which are related to our relationship with God. The Last Supper and prayer in the garden is the last moment of intimacy of Jesus with the 12 during his public ministry. Jesus shows us an example of vulnerability, to model prayer and closeness with the Father. Honesty and communication are greatly aided by our time spent in prayer. On our Triumphal Arch, Jesus is on a mountain, a familiar place of encounter with God. Noah’s ark rested, Moses, Elijah, and Abraham spoke with God, and Jesus preached the Beatitudes all on a mountain. Mountains are an analogy of creating a new place of encounter with God to find rest & peace. Relationship with God is more than a 10 minute reprieve from daily life. Mountains are a place of intentionality- no one ends up on a mountain by accident! This type of journey establishes an openness to prayer and conversation with God that leads us forward in the spiritual life.

Tuesday, March 23
Carrying the Lambs
Praying as part of the flock
PRAYER:  Liturgy of the Word
SPEAKER: Fr. Craig Borchard
Saint Vincent de Paul, Elkhart

During this year’s Lenten Speaker Series, we will reflect on how the saints on the right side of the triumphal arch show us what it means to evangelize and how we can joyfully and boldly share the Good News of Christ’s love with those who need it.

Tuesday, March 3
Saints Louis and Zelie Martin
Evangelizing In and Through Our Families
PRAYER: Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament
SPEAKER: Fr. Dan Scheidt, Pastor, Saint Vincent de Paul, Fort Wayne
VIEW RECAP AND VIDEO HERE

 

Tuesday, March 10
Blessed Basil Moreau & Saint Théodore Guérin
Evangelizing Our "Post-Christian" Society
PRAYER: Taizé Prayer
SPEAKER: Fr. Peter Jarret, C.S.C.
Assistant Provincial, Congregation of Holy Cross
 VIEW RECAP AND VIDEO HERE

Tuesday, March 17
Saint Kateri Tekakwitha
Evangelizing Our Contemporary Culture

SPEAKER: Dr. Timothy O’Malley, Director of Education, McGrath Institute for Church Life, University of Notre Dame
VIEW RECAP AND VIDEO HERE

Tuesday, March 24
Pope Saint John Paul II
Evangelizing Without Fear

SPEAKERS:
Josh Noem, Senior Editor, Grotto Network, University of Notre Dame

Stacey Noem, Dir. of Human & Spiritual Formation, Master of Divinity Program, University of Notre Dame
VIEW RECAP AND VIDEO HERE

Tuesday, March 31
Saint Teresa of Calcutta
Evangelizing Through Mercy

SPEAKER: Fr. Andrew Budzinski
Saint John the Baptist, Fort Wayne
VIEW RECAP AND VIDEO HERE

In his Apostolic Exhortation, Gaudete et Exsultate (Rejoice and Be Glad), Pope Francis describes five signs of holiness which are particularly important in our culture today.  During this year’s Lenten Speaker Series, we will reflect on how the saints (on the left side of the triumphal arch) are models of these signs for us, encouraging us to a deeper love of God and neighbor in our everyday lives.

Tuesday, March 12
Saint Gianna Molla
In Community
PRAYER: Evening Prayer
SPEAKER: Fr. Dan Scheidt, Pastor, Saint Vincent de Paul, Fort Wayne
VIEW RECAP AND VIDEO HERE


Tuesday, March 19
Saint Angela Merici
In Constant Prayer
PRAYER: Taizé Prayer
SPEAKERS: Josh Noem, Senior Editor, Grotto Network, University of Notre Dame
Stacey Noem, Dir. of Human & Spiritual Formation, Master of Divinity Program, University of Notre Dame
VIEW RECAP AND VIDEO HERE


Tuesday, March 26
Saint Charles Lwanga
Boldness and Passion
PRAYER: Liturgy of the Word
SPEAKER: Dr. Timothy O’Malley, Director of Education, McGrath Institute for Church Life, University of Notre Dame
VIEW RECAP AND VIDEO HERE

Tuesday, April 2
Pope Saint John XXIII
Joy and a Sense of Humor
PRAYER: Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament
SPEAKER: Fr. Brian Daley, SJ, Professor, Department of Theology, University of Notre Dame
VIEW RECAP AND VIDEO HERE

 
Tuesday, April 9
Saint Adalbert and Saint Juan Diego
Perseverance, Patience, and Meekness
PRAYER: Lenten Penance Service
SPEAKER: Fr. Bill Meininger, Pastor, Saint Mary of the Lake, Culver




Tuesday, April 16
Tenebrae
PRAYER: Tenebrae Service
PRESIDER: Msgr. William Schooler, Pastor, Saint Pius X, Granger

 

Tuesday, February 20: Covenant with Adam  VIEW HERE
PRAYER:    Evening Prayer
SPEAKER:  Fr. Peter Jarret, CSC
                    Assistant Provincial, U.S. Province of Priests & Brothers
                    Congregation of Holy Cross

 Tuesday, February 27: Covenant with Noah  VIEW HERE
PRAYER:    Liturgy of the Word
SPEAKER:  Fr. Daniel Scheidt, Pastor
                    St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church, Fort Wayne

Tuesday, March 6: Covenant with Abraham  VIEW HERE
PRAYER:    Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament
SPEAKER:  Fr. Jacob Meyer, Pastor
                    St. Monica Catholic Church, Mishawaka

Tuesday, March 13: Covenant with Moses  VIEW HERE
PRAYER:    Taizé Prayer
SPEAKER:  Sister Marie Morgan, OSF, Theology Department Chair
                    Marian High School

Tuesday, March 20: Covenant with David  VIEW HERE
PRAYER:     Penance Service
SPEAKER:   Fr. Bill Meininger (FB2), Pastor
                     St. Mary of the Lake Catholic Church, Culver

Tuesday, March 27: New Covenant
PRAYER:     Tenebrae
SPEAKER:   Fr. Bill Schooler, Pastor
                     Saint Pius X Catholic Church, Granger

February 16
Covenant with Adam ~ Fr. Peter Jarret, CSC  

February 23
The Cleansing of the Temple ~ Sister Marie Morgan, OSF

March 1
The Parable of the Barren Fig Tree ~ Msgr. Michael Heintz, Ph.D.

March 8
The Coming of Jesus' Hour ~ Fr. Jacob Meyer

March 15
A Woman Caught in Adultery ~ Fr. Jacob Runyon

March 22
Presider: Msgr.  Bill Schooler
Prayer: Tenebrae

2015: The Seven Last Words of Christ

2014: The Temptations of Christ in the Gospel of Saint Matthew

2013: Lost and Found

2012: The Lord's Prayer in Reverse: Turning from Self to God

2011: Beating the Devil at His Own Game: Renouncing Lies and Embracing the Truth