Knights of Columbus state essay winner
St. Catherine Laboure School seventh grader Charlotte Voyer (in center of image) was chosen as the winner of the Missouri Knights of Columbus state essay contest for the second year in a row. The state essay contest is open to students in grades 6-8 who attend Catholic schools or are Catholic students attending other schools. Essays are judged for each grade level. Charlotte’s 2024-25 essay answered the question: “God created each of us for a purpose, a vocation in life. What can you do right now to begin to know and respond to that vocation?”
Live on Purpose
Young adults are invited to Live on Purpose, a day of prayer, reflection and action rooted in the Eucharist and inspired by the examples of St. Martin de Porres and Blessed Carlo Acutis. The gathering will encourage young adults to bring Christ’s love into the world through compassionate service and authentic faith. The event will be held from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday, June 28, at the Cardinal Rigali Center in Shrewsbury. To register, visit tinyurl.com/23ae7htu.
St. Josemaria Escriva feast day Mass
A solemn Mass of Thanksgiving for the feast of St. Josemaria Escriva will be celebrated at 5:30 p.m. Monday, June 30, at the Cathedral Basilica of Saint Louis. Confessions will be heard beginning at 4:45 p.m. St. Josemaria Escriva was a Spanish priest who founded Opus Dei, an organization of laypeople and priests dedicated to the teaching that everyone is called to holiness by God and that ordinary life can result in sanctity. His feast day is celebrated on June 26. This year marks the 50th anniversary of his death in 1975.
Marriage Encounter weekends
The Worldwide Marriage Encounter Experience offers married couples the tools needed to help their marriages grow and blossom more beautifully. The next Marriage Encounter weekends will be held in Aug. 1-3 in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, 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.
Bridges Retreat
The Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius Loyola, adapted for persons from all walks of life over an eight-month period, are offered through the Bridges Foundation based in St. Louis. The Bridges Retreat includes a commitment to about an hour of prayer each day, following a modern translation of the original text; personalized, one-on-one guidance from an experienced and trained prayer companion and weekly or monthly small community meetings at four locations throughout the St. Louis area. An online option is offered for those outside the area or who need a virtual experience.
The retreat runs from September to May and coincides with the Church’s liturgical calendar. Registration is limited each year to about 40 participants. Free information sessions (in-person and virtual) will be offered beginning in July. For more details about the retreat and a schedule of information sessions, visit www.bridgesfoundation.org. For questions, contact Steve Givens at executive.director@ bridgesfoundation.org or (314) 401-2072.
