Belize Lighthouse Ride
Father Matt Ruhl, SJ, and several friends are on a cross-country bicycle journey to raise money for Catholic schools in Belize. Father Ruhl, a former pastor at St. Matthew the Apostle Parish in St. Louis, now serves as a pastor at a parish in Punta Gorda. The Belize Lighthouse Riders took off from Portland, Maine, on July 15, beginning a 3,800-mile journey across the United States to raise money for critical infrastructure and supplies for Belize’s Catholic schools. The group made a stop in St. Louis in mid-August. Pictured at the Chain of Rocks Bridge, from left, are Tom Makarawizc, Father Ruhl, Mike Johnson and Jeff Chattin. To learn more about their journey, visit lighthouseridebelize.org.
Hope into Action
The Southern Vicariate will host Hope into Action, a morning of reflection on Catholic social teaching and its practical applications, on two Saturdays this fall. The event will be held from 8:30 a.m.-noon on Saturday, Sept. 6, at St. Joseph Parish in Imperial, and again from 8:30 a.m.-noon on Saturday, Oct. 18, at St. Joseph Parish in Farmington. Register online at stlreview.com/4leRtGc.
Evangelization and relational ministry
The Northern Vicariate will host “How Do I Respond? Evangelization and Relational Ministry,” an evening of prayer and fellowship to connect with others on mission to make disciples, from 6-8 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 10, at St. John the Baptist Church, 4200 Delor St. in St. Louis. Come share innovative practices, ideas and learn how to support each other in evangelization efforts. For more information and to register, visit archstl.org/northern-vicariate.
Respect Life Conference
The Archdiocese of St. Louis will celebrate Respect Life Month with the 49th Annual Respect Life Conference, “Hope in the Gospel of Life,” on Saturday, Oct. 4, at the Cardinal Rigali Center in Shrewsbury. The conference begins at 9 a.m. and includes Mass, presentations on timely topics from Catholic and pro-life leaders, lunch, a ministry partner fair, as well as an opportunity for networking, prayer and fellowship.
The conference will feature presentations on Missouri pro-life laws and advocacy (including the new Amendment 3), keynote from past March for Life president Jeanne Mancini, “Hope in the Gospel of Life,” a panel discussion on infertility, IVF and restorative reproductive medicine, and a special teen track. Cost is $25 for individuals and $10 for students, which includes lunch and program materials. To register, visit prolifestl.regfox.com/2025-respect-life-conference. For more information, contact prolife@archstl.org or (314) 792-7555.
Marriage Encounter weekend
The Worldwide Marriage Encounter Experience offers married couples the tools needed to help their marriages grow and blossom more beautifully. The next encounter weekends will be held Oct. 10-12 in Springfield, Illinois, and Dec. 5-7 in St. Peters. For more information or to apply, go to wwme.org, or call Terry and Eric Engholm at (314) 649-7317.
