Religion “is all the pieces” to Mike Bentley, who leads the Evangelization Workforce at St. Catherine of Alexandria Parish in Oak Garden, the place he’s been a member for 35 years.
“My religion permits me to have hope that God is happy with me,” he mentioned. “Religion strengthens my love of church, household and all mankind.”
He and others on his staff plan to share that religion throughout the Catholic Church’s newest Alpha session, a free 12-week program that begins at 6:45 p.m. Wednesday.
“We create a nonjudgmental and open surroundings the place it’s straightforward for anybody who is powerful, unsure, or just interested in religion in Jesus to discover questions of life and religion in a pleasant ambiance,” a brand new launch from the parish defined, including that this system will discover “life, spirituality, and religion via a Christian lens.”
Bentley, who’s led the staff for 4 years, mentioned Alpha’s aim “is to take our visitors on a journey of religion, giving them the chance to have interaction in discussions and be remodeled by the love of Jesus Christ.”
“Religion is critical to know God,” he added. “Understanding God is to know love. To know love is all we want.”
St. Catherine of Alexandria presents the Alpha program twice a 12 months. Every weekly session lasts 90 minutes.
“We hope all individuals will take part in Alpha,” Bentley mentioned. “This consists of believers, skeptics and nonbelievers.”
He and others are spreading the phrase close to and much. “We’re reaching out via our church bulletin, talking at Lots, our parish web site, our parish Fb web page and private emails,” he defined. “We’ve distributed flyers, promotional playing cards at native eating places and in native papers. After all the very best outreach is thru previous contributors who communicate to others about their expertise at Alpha.”
Bentley mentioned the Archdiocese of Chicago promotes Alpha as “an evangelization software” for every parish to run as an accompaniment to Christ Renews His Parish retreats.
Don Kolkebeck, who simply joined the Evangelization Workforce, had a tremendous expertise after he attended a two-day CRHP retreat about 10 years in the past at what’s now often called St. Augustine in Midlothian along with his brother. “The following time I used to be on this system as type of a counselor, and I gave my life speech. It was very, very profound.”
His relationship with religion could also be somewhat completely different from that of most parishioners. A former seminarian whose spouse was a nun for 4 years, he mentioned he has a “robust feeling for religion, and for us it’s just about not that a lot of a doubt.”
Kolkebeck, a 37-year member of St. Catherine, was persuaded to affix the Evangelization Workforce after collaborating in Alpha periods.
“I’ve been working with Mike. I’ve been in his Alpha group going for the final three or 4 years,” he shared. “I’ve preferred it quite a bit, so I’ve been within the final 4 Alphas type of as a helper, somebody who’s within the small teams, a frontrunner.”
He mentioned though the group is open to “cradle Catholics, the place you’ve been in Catholic faculties and collaborating in going to church,” he’d additionally wish to see others take part. “I’d wish to get individuals outdoors of our faith. That will be type of good to see completely different views, not simply individuals like myself.”
Alpha is not only a Chicago phenomenon. The motion started in 1977 at Holy Trinity Brompton London and ultimately got here to the USA.
The flexibility of Christianity to unite individuals world wide is among the messages of Alpha, Bentley mentioned. “God has created us to be one huge household. Alpha brings people collectively to expertise household and the love a household shares.”
For Kolkebeck, Alpha represents an vital approach to be taught extra about his religion.
“From what I perceive, the aim is to attempt to make you extra of a deeper understanding and a variety of stuff you thought you knew to get you extra concerned and the truth that you will get with different individuals in your parish to get to know them somewhat higher,” he mentioned. “It offers you type of a deeper understanding of faith, the Bible — issues of that nature. To me, it makes me a stronger Catholic.”
He mentioned contributors “benefit from the camaraderie, the getting collectively, the matters which might be mentioned. I feel it’s been fairly optimistic.”
Each day Southtown
Twice-weekly
Information updates from the south suburbs delivered each Monday and Wednesday
Throughout an Alpha session, the night begins with mild refreshments and dialog, adopted by a 30-minute video and small group discussions, Bentley defined. “The movies discover life points round religion and Christianity addressing questions comparable to ‘Is there extra to life than this?,’ ‘How can I’ve religion?’ and ‘How can I resist evil?’ Everyone seems to be welcome to share their trustworthy opinion and ask questions or simply sit again and pay attention. There may be nothing it is advisable to deliver. Simply deliver you.”
Kolkebeck described Alpha as “12 completely different retreats that final an hour and a half every. I prefer it quite a bit. It’s very rewarding.” He mentioned sometimes between 15 and 30 individuals attend Alpha periods.
Typically the session attracts individuals from outdoors the parish. “It’s refreshing as a result of they produce other packages which might be at their parishes, and it’s good to listen to about,” he mentioned.
“Should you don’t have religion, it’s the truth that issues aren’t the best way they’re speculated to be,” he mentioned. “Religion is a type of consolation. These items that within the Bible persons are telling you about are actual.”
Members have persistently supplied optimistic suggestions, Bentley mentioned. “Many of the contributors communicate of experiencing a way of belonging whereas opening their hearts to a brand new or higher relationship with Jesus Christ.”
Though this system is free, registration is requested with Bentley at mbentley@scaoaklawn.org or 708-423-4047.
Melinda Moore is a contract reporter for the Each day Southtown.
