Say Yes: Winter Summit

Dec 10, 2020

This 2021 event has ended.

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Say Yes to Holiness: Winter Summit

How can we be agents of healing and transformation in our world today?

This last year has seen levels of uncertainty, even violence, that hasn’t been seen for decades.

It is critical for Catholics to actively strive to become people filled with joy. Who actively share  hope, faith and love within our families, neighborhoods and workplaces.

Throughout this week-long summit, from January 18-22, watch the videos, participate in the live sessions, and pray with us daily together.

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Welcome Letter from Christina Semmens


What an honor and privilege it is to have you join us!

The first Say Yes Online Summit was held last May, early during the coronavirus pandemic.

Our hope was that the Summit would help people begin to find out how to live “their best selves.”

8 months later, some signs of hope about COVID are growing.

Several vaccines, more effective medical treatments, new ways to return to daily life…

Just as importantly, we see the resilience, courage and perseverance of people across the world.

But, there are also signs of the enormous mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual toll that this pandemic is taking upon us. It is impacting our families, churches, neighborhoods, nations, and the world.

This Summit focuses on sharing and discerning together an answer to a great challenge as followers of Christ:

How can we be agents of healing and transformation in our world today?

3 reasons why we need this seminar:

1. This seminar week also marks the celebration of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity within the Roman Catholic Church.

The theme for this year’s Week of Prayer for Christian Unity is, “Abide in my love…you shall bear much fruit,” from John 15.

I can think of no better focus for each of us. We must find our own ways to root ourselves deeply in the love of Christ. Only then may we be filled with His grace and bear fruit, sharing that love and grace with everyone – especially those suffering around us.

2. It is a challenging time for our nation.

2020 has seen a level of unrest, hate, and even violence in our cities which we haven’t seen for decades. A contentious national election only added fuel to the fires. All we see is more discouragement and distrust.

It is critical for us to actively strive to become people who actively share joy. Who share hope, faith and love with our families, neighborhoods and workplaces.

3. It is a critical moment in our world.

Our world is uniquely challenged right now. Political upheavals, economic uncertainty, and natural disasters – plus a global pandemic.

How do we people of good will trust and obey God’s plan? How do we step up and step out in courage, towards becoming the holy men and women God has created each one of us to be?

This is what we discuss together during the week of this Summit.

Join us, and engage with newfound friends:

1) Watch and comment on the videos.
2) Be present for the LIVE Discussion Panels and Q&A sessions
3) Join fellow attendees in prayer for a daily Rosary and Chaplet.

Prayer is the best and fastest way to bring about unity, healing and transformation! If you have time for nothing else this week, come and pray!

A huge thank you to our speakers, who have shared time and talent with us; SmartCatholics, for hosting and running the techy stuff behind the scenes, our sponsors for spreading the word, and you, for joining us!

I look forward to meeting many of you during the Summit. If I can do anything for you, let me know.

For the greater glory of God!

Your sister in Christ,
Christina Semmens

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2 Comments

  1. Avatar

    I assume that this course in in 2022…

    Reply
    • Dominic

      Hi Douglas, this event was hosted in the beginning of 2021. Christina Semmens is considering turning it into an evergreen course, but the content is currently no longer available.

      Reply

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Dominic

A cradle-Catholic passionate about how Faith, history, and science meet in today’s world. Born in New Zealand, studied in Fiji and France, raised in Australia, and now living in the USA. Dominic is riveted by the Catholic frontier between faith, science, and history. He converted from radical traditionalism by a strange route – archaeology, quantum physics, psychoanalysis, mythology, evolution, angeology, and our Holy Father Pope Francis. See Dominic's Posts
My Personal Website | LegendFiction

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Abuse and cover up at Franciscan University with Liz Hansen

Abuse and cover up at Franciscan University with Liz Hansen

This week, Paul and Dominic talk with Liz Hansen. A couple of years ago she wrote an article titled, “Franciscan University and Its Friars Face a Reckoning” about Fr. Dave Morrier, a former campus minister at Franciscan University of Steubenville who pled guilty to rape and sexual battery. Liz was a student at Franciscan while Morrier was director of household life. This story felt like a microcosm of the abuse and cover up that plagues the Catholic Church as a whole, so we talked about what it’s like being Catholic without denying the real good or the terrible evil in our Church.

Elizabeth Hansen graduated from Franciscan University of Steubenville in 2008 with majors in English and Theology. She and her husband Luke met in the university’s Honors Great Books program; they raise their four children in Michigan. Elizabeth’s writing has appeared in Magnificat, Columbia Magazine, Plough, CruxNow.com, and FemCatholic.com.

*A heads up that this episode will include discussion about sexual assault and spiritual abuse.

Articles:

Franciscan University and Its Friars Face a Reckoning https://www.crisismagazine.com/opinion/franciscan-university-and-its-friars-face-a-reckoning

New allegations charge Franciscan University abuse cover up
https://www.pillarcatholic.com/new-allegations-charge-franciscan-university-abuse-cover-up/

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At the beginning of the Year of St. Joseph, Pope Francis wrote an Apostolic Letter about Joseph titled, Patris Corde (“With a Father’s Heart”).

A couple of years ago I formatted the letter into a novena. This year, for the nine days leading up to Joseph’s feast day, I’m going to publish a short podcast that will include one section of the pope’s letter about St. Joseph, Patris Corde, a short personal reflection, and a closing prayer.

Patris Corde:
https://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/apost_letters/documents/papa-francesco-lettera-ap_20201208_patris-corde.html

SUBSCRIBE: https://www.popefrancisgeneration.com

JOIN FATHERS HEART ACADEMY
Discover the truth and hope of Church teachings through a study of magisterial documents, access to Paul Fahey’s podcasts and articles, and a supportive community of learners.
https://fathersheartacademy.com

SUPPORT THIS SHOW: PFG MEMBERS
Got a question you’d like us to respond to in the next episode? Have some feedback? Visit us at popefrancisgeneration.com to send a message. Paid subscribers get to watch each episode before everyone else, join private Q&As, and pitch ideas for the topic of our final show this season!
https://popefrancisgeneration.com

ABOUT PAUL FAHEY
Paul lives in Michigan with his wife, Kristina, and five kids. A catechist, retreat leader, counseling student, as well as a contributor and co-founder of Where Peter Is. Paul writes and speaks about what he loves: the Kerygma, the Sacraments, Catholic Social Teaching, and Pope Francis. https://pfahey.com/

ABOUT SMARTCATHOLICS
The free online community for Catholic millennials, creators, and learners who want faithful conversations that are unafraid of doubts and questions, plus we’re free of trolls and ads and toxicity.
Join: https://smartcatholics.com

read more
St. Joseph Novena – Day 8

St. Joseph Novena – Day 8

At the beginning of the Year of St. Joseph, Pope Francis wrote an Apostolic Letter about Joseph titled, Patris Corde (“With a Father’s Heart”).

A couple of years ago I formatted the letter into a novena. This year, for the nine days leading up to Joseph’s feast day, I’m going to publish a short podcast that will include one section of the pope’s letter about St. Joseph, Patris Corde, a short personal reflection, and a closing prayer.

Patris Corde:
https://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/apost_letters/documents/papa-francesco-lettera-ap_20201208_patris-corde.html

SUBSCRIBE: https://www.popefrancisgeneration.com

JOIN FATHERS HEART ACADEMY
Discover the truth and hope of Church teachings through a study of magisterial documents, access to Paul Fahey’s podcasts and articles, and a supportive community of learners.
https://fathersheartacademy.com

SUPPORT THIS SHOW: PFG MEMBERS
Got a question you’d like us to respond to in the next episode? Have some feedback? Visit us at popefrancisgeneration.com to send a message. Paid subscribers get to watch each episode before everyone else, join private Q&As, and pitch ideas for the topic of our final show this season!
https://popefrancisgeneration.com

ABOUT PAUL FAHEY
Paul lives in Michigan with his wife, Kristina, and five kids. A catechist, retreat leader, counseling student, as well as a contributor and co-founder of Where Peter Is. Paul writes and speaks about what he loves: the Kerygma, the Sacraments, Catholic Social Teaching, and Pope Francis. https://pfahey.com/

ABOUT SMARTCATHOLICS
The free online community for Catholic millennials, creators, and learners who want faithful conversations that are unafraid of doubts and questions, plus we’re free of trolls and ads and toxicity.
Join: https://smartcatholics.com

read more

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