Last week, we introduced you to Joel and Lisa Schmidt from Des Moines, Iowa. In Catholic Vitamin T: Teamwork Part 1, we listened to the Schmidts as they related their first blind date, about the beginnings of a faith journey into Catholicism for Joel and a renewal and more intense faith practice for Lisa. We ended that show as Joel entered our beautiful Catholic Church at the Easter Vigil – and this actually took place before the two of them were married.
Now, in Teamwork, Part 2, we pick up on the life of this couple. Lisa discusses a wonderful church-based program for marriage (and teamwork) building: Teams of Our Lady. And Joel tells of another effort they’ve both been a part of: Christ Renews His Parish.
TEAMS OF OUR LADY IS...
An international movement of married couples whose purposes in the Movement and in Team life are: A growth in the spiritual life of the couple and family through a program of prayer and study, and growth in communication between husband and wife, with a developing intimacy through shared prayer and regular in-depth talks. It’s a way of life designed to make their Christian faith a daily living experience.
Each Team is made up of 5 to 7 couples and a Spiritual Counselor.
The movement does not impose a particular type of spirituality on its members, but rather Teams couples agree to practice a spiritual direction that includes:
daily individual, couple, and family prayer
regular reading and reflection on sacred scripture
a monthly husband and wife discussion of family and spiritual matters
an individual “rule of life” for personal improvement
Thanks to Lisa and Joel for giving us a heads up on this great program. You can find the above and lots more information about this at: http://www.teamsofourlady.org/
CHRIST RENEWS HIS PARISH
I found this information on the BellaOnline – The Voice of Women website. I beg their permission (and especially Melissa Knoblett-Aman) for letting me copy this material.
Christ Renews His Parish
Christ Renews His Parish (CRHP, often pronounced Chirp) is a parish based retreat program. CRHP is a renewal process that is recommended by the National Conference of Catholic Bishops. Christ Renews His Parish first began at Holy Family parish in Parma, Ohio in 1969 as a weekend of renewal. CRHP has now been implemented in not only the United States but several other countries as well. Over 500,000 people have participated in a Christ Renews His Parish retreat weekend.
The weekend is about 30 hours long, generally running from 8 o’clock on Saturday morning until about 4 o’clock Sunday afternoon. During the CRHP weekend participants stay somewhere on parish property. Sometimes this might be at the parish center or, like at my parish, the classrooms of the parish school. By staying on parish grounds participants increase their bond of faith as a parish community.
CRHP weekends are gender specific and most parishes offering Christ Renews His Parish hold 4 renewal weekends per year – 2 for women and 2 for men.
Team members are lay people from the parish who have previously experienced a renewal weekend and who have felt called to continue with the spiritual formation process.
To implement Christ Renews His Parish contact a local parish that offers CRHP and invite their team members to hold a renewal weekend at your parish. If CRHP is not offered in your diocese or at a nearby parish, request more information from the CRHP national office:
Christ Renews His Parish
P.O. Box 19100
Cleveland, OH 44119
Phone: 216-731-7903