As part of the V Encuentro process and Diocesan V Encuentro Sept. 24, parishes in the St. Cloud Diocese have been invited to organize five small group sessions during Lent to help Catholics live out the call to be joyful missionary disciples in a culturally diverse church.
Training sessions for people to lead the groups have been set. The sessions will provide a brief overview of V Encuentro and the Lenten small group gatherings.
V Encuentro (“fifth encounter”) is a national four-year process initiated by the U.S. bishops that calls all Catholic leaders to listen to the needs, challenges and aspirations that the growing Hispanic/Latino population faces in daily life.
The schedule for remaining sessions is:
7:30 p.m. Jan. 31 at St. Mary of Mount Carmel Church in Long Prairie;
7 p.m. Feb. 2 at St. Leonard of Port Mauritius Church in Pelican Rapids;
7 p.m. Feb. 7 at old St. Joseph school building in Waite Park;
7:30 p.m. Feb. 9 at St. Ann Church in Wadena;
7 p.m. Feb. 13 at Mary of the Visitation Church, Becker Campus;
7 p.m. Feb. 16 at St. Mary School in Melrose; and
7 p.m. Feb. 17 at Assumption Church in Morris.
All trainings will be in English and Spanish.
Each small group gathering during Lent, which begins March 1, will focus on a theme:
• “Called to a loving encounter with Jesus;”
• “With words and actions: Do It!”
• “Walking together with Jesus;”
• “Bearing fruits of new life;” and
• “Celebrating the joy of being missionary disciples.”
For information, visit http://dmd-vencuentro.stcdio.org or call 320-251-0111.