MURPHY — Members of Knights of Columbus Father James Wilmes Council 14087 and parishioners of St. William Church and Immaculate Heart of Mary Mission took part in a combined mission Aug. 3-7 led by guest retreat leader Father Kevin MacDonald.
The mission included Mass, reflection and prayer time, Eucharistic Adoration, the opportunity to receive the sacrament of confession, and talks by Father MacDonald on the theme “Speak Lord, Your Servant is Listening.”
Several parishioners commented on how wonderful it was to see the “Knights presence” for the retreat, and Knights distributed nearly 200 “A Guide to Confession” brochures during the course of the retreat and served as ushers and gathered the free-will offering for the event.
— Phil Roche, correspondent
HUNTERSVILLE — Continuing an annual tradition each first Wednesday in August, St. Mark Parish offered a Mass and Holy Hour of Reparation Aug. 7 for the sins of abortion, contraception, euthanasia and same-sex unions in the U.S., Ireland and Mexico.
Father Brian Becker, parochial vicar, offered the bilingual Mass, wearing violet vestments to denote the penitential nature of this liturgy. In his homily, delivered in both English and Spanish, Father Becker exhorted the faithful to continue to pray for the conversion of sinners.
“Each and every one of us is loved dearly by God, so much so that were the whole world to turn away, Our Lord would continue to bestow His love for the sake of one person who would convert.
We remind ourselves that Our Lord wills not the death of a sinner, but that he be converted, and live,” he said. The event was organized by the St. Mark Respect Life Ministry.
— Photo provided by Amy Burger; Mike Fitzgerald, Catholic News Herald
