Christ the King examines love, forgiveness, healing

during parish mission scheduled for March 16 - 20

The straightforward Gospel message of Jesus calls us to respond to the violence and evil of today’s world with love and reconciliation. How can we live this message, especially while seeking justice? And how do we find healing for our pain?

These fundamental questions will be discussed by the Rev. Dennis Koopman, O.F.M., during a three-day parish mission, “Enlivening Our Faith in the Year of Faith” at Christ the King Catholic Parish, 1501 S. Main St., Lombard, beginning with homilies during all masses the weekend of Saturday, March 16. The parish mission will continue during morning and evening sessions Monday, March 18 – Wednesday, March 20.

The weekend mass schedule at Christ the King is 5:00 p.m., Saturday, March 16; and 8:00 and 10:00 a.m., and noon Sunday, March 17. Weekday sessions of the mission will be held following mass at 8:30 a.m. and be repeated at 7:00 p.m. in the church. Everyone is invited to attend as many sessions as possible.

Father Koopman, a member of the Franciscan “Ministry of the Word” team for parish missions who holds a certificate in preaching from the Aquinas Institute of Theology in St. Louis, Mo., has extensive experience in leading parish missions. He began his full-time ministry in preaching parish missions in 1994 after attending the Vatican II Institute for Theological Renewal for priests at Menlo Park, Calif.

The topic of the first day is “Living in the Embrace of God’s Love,” and Father Koopman will explain how God’s loving embrace gives us the strength to carry on in the face of violence and injustice and the ability to reach out to all those in need.

During the second day, Father Koopman will examine “Forgiveness as a Path to Peace and Healing the Human Heart.” Discussion will center on our acceptance of God’s mercy for ourselves and its concomitant call to forgive those who have wronged us while wrestling with the truth that real peace and reconciliation cannot be attained without justice. Healing and restoration can be found through the death and resurrection of Jesus even though we are surrounded by suffering and sorrow.

The parish mission will conclude with being “Called to Be Witnesses of the Good News in Our Times.” Once restored to life through love, forgiveness and healing, we share this life with all by spreading this Good News.

Before preaching parish missions, Father Koopman taught chemistry and algebra for 20 years at Quincy University, a Franciscan university in Quincy, Ill. For most of those years, he was active in and held leadership positions in Worldwide Marriage Encounter and Engaged Encounter. The Franciscan friar also organized the marriage preparation programs for West Central Illinois in the Springfield Diocese. Father Koopman was ordained in 1970.

“Enlivening Our Faith in the Year of Faith” is part of Christ the King’s official observance of “The Year of Faith,” Oct. 11, 2012 – Nov. 24, 2013, as proclaimed by Pope Benedict XVI.

For more information about the parish mission, contact Eileen Maggiore, pastoral associate in adult faith formation at Christ the King, at (630) 396-6076, or at Eileen@CTKLombard.org.

Established in 1960, the faith community of Christ the King, a parish of the Diocese of Joliet, numbers about 1,200 households that include approximately 4,000 individuals. Complete information about Christ the King or parish activities is available at www.CTKLombard.org. For general information call (630) 629-1717.

#####