Nationally known Catholic author, speaker and Bible teacher Jeff Cavins will speak at Mount Vernon St. Vincent de Paul Church, 303 E. High St., on Monday, Feb. 21 from 7 to 8 p.m.
Cavins has spoken at the Columbus Catholic Men’s Conference and at parishes in the Diocese of Columbus on several occasions. He is creator of the Great Adventure Bible study series and its Bible timeline, the author of several books, the founding host of EWTN’s Life on the Rock program and co-host of the Bible in a Year podcast with Father Mike Schmitz of Duluth, Minnesota. He and his wife, Emily, host annual pilgrimages to the Holy Land.
He communicates the Catholic faith at a level that everyone can understand, taking theological truths and expressing them in a practical way. His engaging style of teaching has helped
hundreds of thousands of Catholics grasp a better understanding of the Catholic faith and the Bible.
Deacon Kandra to speak at Lancaster mission
Deacon Greg Kandra, a longtime broadcast journalist who has switched his focus to matters of faith, will speak at a parish mission at Lancaster St. Mary Church, 132 S. High St., at 7 p.m. Monday and Tuesday, March 7 and 8.
The mission’s theme will be “Giving Up Dessert and Entering the Desert: Make Lent Matter.” Topics for his talks will be “The Lenten Secret That’s in Your Hands” on Monday and “Five Simple Habits to Make Your Lent Great” on Tuesday.
Deacon Kandra is creator of “The Deacon’s Bench,” a blog which has gained 20 million readers around the world since its inception in 2007, and is senior writer for the Catholic Near East Welfare Association, a pontifical association founded in 1926 to serve residents of the Middle East.
He spent nearly three decades in broadcast journalism, mostly as a writer and producer for CBS News, where he won Emmy and Peabody awards for his work on weekday and weekend programs, 48 Hours, and 60 Minutes. He also spent four years as a writer and producer for the live finales of the Survivor reality series.
Online discussion on disabilities set for March
Columbus Holy Spirit Church will sponsor an online evening of reflection titled “Equal in Dignity and Dearly Loved – Welcoming Persons with Disabilities” from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, March 9.
The presenter will be Mark Butler, director of founded ministries for the Dominican Sisters of Peace and the father of two young adults with disabilities.
He will lead a discussion on six views of people with disabilities who appear in the Bible, and how the stories of some of those people continue to shape our attitudes today. There also will be an exploration of the rich body of Catholic teaching on the dignity of persons with disabilities and their participation in the life of the Church. The evening will conclude with participants identifying strategies for supporting families and creating a community of welcome.
Butler spent 20 years working in religious education and youth ministry on the parish and diocesan levels. He advocates for the rights of parents and young people with disabilities across Ohio, and in 2019 received the Champion of Children and Youth Award from the Ohio Children and Family First Coordinators Association for his advocacy.
Those wishing to participate are asked to register by indicating on Facebook that they are “going” to this event. Registration also may be made by calling (614) 861-1521 or by email at reled@holyspiritcolumbus.org.
Family Honor to sponsor two-day course
The Family Honor organization will sponsor a two-day course on “Understanding the Human Person” from 1 to 7 p.m. Friday, March 25 and 9 to 4:30 p.m. Saturday, March 26 at Westerville St. Paul Church, 313 N. State St.
The course is designed to provide a Catholic framework on issues related to sexuality, gender, marriage and family. Family Honor, established in 1988, develops and provides parent-only or parent-child programs on formation of virtues, including charity; family communication; fertility appreciation and more, as well as online courses, parent-empowering resources, webinars and national and regional conferences on the family and Pope St. John Paul II’s Theology of the Body.
The registration deadline is Monday, March 7 and the class size is limited.
For more information, contact rebecca.gjostein.fhofoh@gmail.com. To register, go to www.FamilyHonor.org, click on the Program tab, then scroll to Program Schedule & Registration and select the St. Paul in Westerville option, or go directly to the Eventbrite page https://www.eventbrite.com/e/understanding-the-human-person-ohio-tickets-243140669287.