Domestic Church Families, Become what you are

Men of the Cross Conference

On Saturday, October 22nd men from around the Diocese of La Crosse will converge in Marshfield to take part in this year's annual Men of the Cross conference. From its inception, the focus of this conference is to lead men into a deeper relationship with Christ and to discern through fellowship and prayer on how to be husbands, fathers and brothers of the Cross. Last year, the conference drew in more than 400 men and there is an expectation of growing from that number for this year.

The 2016 conference will take place in the sanctuary of Our Lady of Peace Parish with our Lord reserved in the Blessed Sacrament, watching over us as we learn more about Him. We will also have the opportunity to showcase Columbus Catholic High School as we will utilize this marvelous facility for lunch, adoration and confession. We want to geographically centralize the conference, as a great majority of the Catholics in our diocese range from central Wisconsin, especially in such Catholic powerhouse communities as Wisconsin Rapids, Plover and Marshfield.

This year's conference features three national speakers. Tim Staples of Catholic Answers will talk about how his Marine Corps experience helps him to confront the society and culture at large by means of his Catholic faith. Chris Padgett, an apologist and musician, will talk via his humorous style about his conversion to Catholicism as well as the importance of purity and chastity in marriage. Deacon Harold Burke-Sivers will inspire us through his bravado and enthusiasm to build up our reserves in male spirituality and help us to see how we can live our Eucharistic faith beyond the walls of our respective churches. We will conclude our day with a Mass of Anticipation with our own Bishop William Patrick Callahan where he will share his vision for the Men of the Cross.

Our online registration is now open, and the event is a little over a month away, so please share this information with every man you come across and inspire them to move beyond being men of the Diocese of La Crosse, and see how they can best serve as Men of the Cross today! For more information and online registration, please visit: menofthecross.org

Women of Christ Conference

Register now for this conference which will be held on Saturday, November 5th at the Washington County Fair Park in West Bend, WI. This event will be the 8th annual and has gained the reputation of being "the best of the midwest" Catholic women's conferences. The theme of this year's conference is Mercy: God's Love in Action. Nationally recognized speakers like Sister Miriam James Heidland, Fr. John Burns and Susan Tassone will provide the attendees inspirational messages of mercy and love.

The day will include mass, confessions, adoration, a vendors market, and much more. To register go to www.womenofchrist.net or call 262.384.8414.

Immersion Retreat

The Immersion Retreat for youth will be held Nov. 11-13, 2016 at the Wilderness Resort in the Wisconsin Dells. This is a time for young people in grades 9-12 to come together to grow closer in their relationship with Jesus Christ, to understand their faith on a deeper level regardless of where they are in their faith journey, and to connect with other Catholic young people from around the Diocese of La Crosse and beyond. The theme for this year's retreat is"MERCY." We encourage all attendees to reflect upon this quote from Pope Francis: "Mercy: the bridge that connects God and man, opening our hearts to the hope of being loved forever despite our sinfulness."

To register: talk to your parish secretary or parish youth minister. For more information visit: diolc.org/yya/youth-opportunities/immersion-retreat/


 

 




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prayer corner

October - That journalists, in carrying out their work, may always be motivated by respect for truth and a strong sense of ethics.

November - That within parishes, priests and lay people may collaborate in service to the community without giving in to the temptation of discouragement.

December - That the peoples of Europe may rediscover the beauty, goodness, and truth of the Gospel which gives joy and hope to life.

Great Websites for Internet Safety

We encourage you to bookmark these websites and blogs or download these apps this month.

Covenant Eyes – I know – I know. When you first click on this site, you are going to be asked to purchase an internet filter for your computer. PLEASE go beyond their sales pitch and click on their blog tab to read great articles about internet safety, how to become an internet accountability partner with a family member or friend or to download the free ebook on Your Brain on Porn. The good folks that created this program have a vested interest in providing families with the tools needed to block the dark side of the web. Their services are considered “top shelf” and well suited to Catholic families. In fact, they also offer an app for persons who have become addicted to porn and want to break free from it. The app can be found at: http://www.covenanteyes.com/challenge/

Internet Safety 101 –Preventing the Internet-enabled exploitation of  children can seem like an overwhelming task as kids are at risk of encountering inappropriate content, dangerous people and engaging in risky behavior across multiple Internet platforms.  The good news is that you don’t need a Ph.D. in Internet technology to be a great cyber-parent.  However, you do need to make a commitment to become familiar with the technology your children use and to stay current with Internet safety issues. 

This website provides parents with the absolute basics for the safe use of the internet. If your children are on the net and you are NOT sitting at their side, you must visit this site and become educated, equipped and empowered.