UPDATES

Lent “Women of Grace” Study “Blessed are we among Women”

On March 2nd, 2015, Fatima will launch 4 classes for women of our parish who have answered the call to study the unique gifts God has given them as women to bear and share with their families and the world. This is the third “Women of Grace ” study hosted by our parish. Our Sisterhood will number 225 when we finish the 2015 Lenten journey. The fruits of our “Women of Grace” Sisterhood continue to grow and bring the face of Jesus to our fellow parishioners. As our own Blessed Mother went in haste to visit and care for her cousin Elizabeth, so too our parish women are doing the same. Our parish is “blessed to be among these women” who are nurturing, praying for, and ministering to each other, their families, fellow women parishioners, the elderly of our parish and many more!

The fruits of Fatima WOG 2014 & 2015:

a)      2 new women’s Come Lord Jesus bible study groups were formed and meet weekly.

b)The launch of the Spiritual Sisters Program:  This program is a model of “praying it forward” to new women who have decided to register for the WOG study.  A previous graduate volunteers to be a prayer friend to a particular woman during the weeks of her study program.

c) Grace-Filled Moments was launched in November: WOG graduates meet to share in the celebration of the First Saturday Mass followed by a spiritual formation discussion based on Johnnette Benkovic’s book,  “Grace-Filled Moments” meditations. Speakers present important formation topics for this group on a regular basis.  This is also another venue for our women to share in food and fellowship following the class.

d) Women of Grace launched an annual Christmas Caroling event to our Homebound parishioners with a social to follow.

e) January 2015: The creation of “Mommy Meals” whereby Women of Grace graduates elect to volunteer to be a spiritual mother to a new mother in our parish. When a new baby is born, the Fatima office will be contacted by the new mom to say she is ready for the welcome meal.  The volunteer  will deliver a meal to the new mother and family in addition to welcoming the  baby to  grow up in the pews of Fatima –letting her know we  will be praying for her and the new baby…and reminding her that we believe that “a church with no crying is a church that is dying.”

For the Future:  We plan to hold a weekend retreat for all of our WOG graduates in Lent of 2016, Johnnette Benkovic will be with us along with other inspirational and learned speakers.