Are We Ready to Serve OthersWith Joy? 
  
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Dear Friend,  
 
Pope Francis chose last Holy Thursday to make a dramatic gesture that set an example for all of us. By conducting the liturgy in a prison instead of in an ornate basilica, by washing the feet of incarcerated men and women instead of priests, he showed us what it means to be what all Christians are called to be—missionary disciples.

To read my blog, click here.
  
In Christ, 
Sr. Theresa Rickard, OP
President and Executive Director
 

 
 These mission students from Notre Dame Regional High School in
Cape Girardeau, Missouri, helped set up and stock the
Jesus in Disguise food pantry.

Jesus In Disguise Food Pantry Feeds Families
 
People in need of food in a southeastern Missouri community can now get help close to home, thanks to members of a parish who have been taking part in a faith-sharing process from RENEW International.
 
Members of St. Denis Catholic Church in Benton—a rural city with nearly 900 residents—were prompted by their participation in ARISE Together in Christ to organize a food pantry in cooperation with three other churches in the area.
 
To read more, click here.
 

 
The Turning Points film crew, from left to right, Eric Jensen, Matt Blair, Douglas Hutchinson, and Brad Morrison.

Through the Lens Comes a Turning Point
 
Douglas Hutchings, the manager for our Turning Points video series, admits that “at first, it was just a job.” However, as he and his video crew travelled the country to videotape personal stories of faith, the experience became much more.
 
As one person after another faced the cameras to share how he or she had been transformed by faith, Doug and the team began listening more attentively and even internalizing the message.
 
To read more, click here.

Turning Points: Witness Stories for the New Evangelization can be found online at www.youtube.com/turningpointsstories and in Spanish at www.youtube.com/cambiosderumbos
 
To learn more, visit www.renewintl.org/turningpoints.
 

Small Community Ideas that Work: Organization 
 
Get organized
Don’t know where to start as you launch small communities in your parish? If your parish team has been in place for a while, is it still all it needs to be to help your small communities stay relevant and vibrant? Wondering what effect small communities are having on the parish and how to maximize their impact?
 
For some ideas that can help answer those questions, click here.



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ARISE in Diocese of Monterey
Technology Allows for Greater Participation, Less Travel
 
ARISE Together in Christ, a faith-sharing process from RENEW International, has been launched in the Diocese of Monterey, California — with some high-tech help. Through video conferencing, parishioners can attend workshops at central locations while information flows in real time from the presenters at the live site to the groups watching close to home. This approach allows every participant to hear the comments, questions, and good-news stories from around the diocese.

 To read more, click here


 
 
Theology on Tap: A Ministry to Young Adults
 
Catholic young adults between the ages of 20 and 40 are searching for meaning in their work and their relationships, ways to be of service to others, and a deeper spiritual and prayerful life. To meet those needs, Theology on Tap was created by Fr. John Cusick in the Archdiocese of Chicago three decades ago and is now facilitated around the world by RENEW International as an effective ministry to these young adults.

Theology on Tap is structured around events held in restaurants, parish halls, and coffeehouses—places where young adults already are comfortable and feel welcome. These events feature engaging speakers presenting theological topics, time for discussion, faith sharing, and community building. 
 
To learn more about Theology on Tap and check out our interactive event map, click here.
 

 
 

Meet the Honorees: Second in a Series
Tom and Frances "Salsey" Sullivan to be Honored
 
SullivansTom and Frances “Salsey” Sullivan will receive the Spirit of RENEW Award, given to a person, couple, or group who, through actions in both private and public life, have exemplified the Catholic values central to the mission of RENEW International, and through word and deed have spread the message of the Gospel. Tom and Frances are members of St. Elizabeth Parish in Avon-by-the-Sea, New Jersey. In the early years of RENEW, “Salsey” was a small-community leader and facilitated many groups in her home, including groups of teenagers. Tom has long been an advocate of Catholic education and has served on the boards of several Catholic high schools as well as Providence College and the University of Scranton. 
 
To learn more about the RENEW Gala, click here. 
 

 
Meet Mary in Prayer This May

Mary, the mother of Jesus, has been revered since the earliest days of the Church. Over the centuries, Mary’s faithfulness, as it is portrayed in the Gospel narratives, has been a model of the kind of prayerful life Jesus calls us to. 

As the month of May approaches—a time of devotion to Mary—we invite you to take the time to pray with the Blessed Mother within your faith-sharing group or on your own. 

Order now and receive a special 10% discount on all At Prayer with Mary and No temas, María resources. Use promo code Mary14 upon checkout.*

Visit www.renewintl.org/mary to view products and for more information.
 
*Offer valid through April 15, 2014 on selected items only. Not valid on prior orders.


 
 
Book Signing: Church of the Presentation, May 18
 
Come celebrate the publication of Beyond My Wildest Dreams: From Local Ministry to Worldwide Mission by Msgr. Thomas Kleissler! Fr. Tom will speak about his memoir and sign copies of the book at the Church of the Presentation in Upper Saddle River, New Jersey, on May 18 following the 11:30 a.m. Mass.

Beyond My Wildest Dreams is the story of Father Tom’s life-long passion and ministry, RENEW International, the organization that he co-founded with Msgr. Thomas Ivory in the 1970s. RENEW began in the Archdiocese of Newark and has spread across the country and around the world. Small discussion groups connecting everyday life with faith form the heart of the RENEW process.  

Books will be available for sale at the book signing. To pre-order a book and have it inscribed, click here or call RENEW at 1-888-433-3221. 
 

 
 Margie Grace, pictured with Msgr. Tom Kleissler, received the Spirit of RENEW Award at the 25th Anniversary Gala, June 2, 2005.
 
Memorial Mass Celebrated for Margie Grace
 
Staff members gathered on March 28 in the chapel at RENEW International to celebrate a memorial Mass for Margaret F. Grace, a longtime friend and supporter of the organization. Fr. Alejandro López-Cardinale, a member of RENEW’s pastoral team, celebrated the Mass for Margie, as she was known, who had died on Feb. 27 after a long illness. She was 93.
 
To learn more about Margie Grace's relationship with RENEW International, click here.
 

 
 
From the RENEW International Blog
 
The Bug
By Jamie Rickert
The sights and sounds of the Holy Land bring a traveler close to Jesus.
 
To read, click here.
 
The Big Rocks of Life
By Sr. Eileen Carmody, PBVM
Jesus is the foundation and center of our lives, our model and our way. 
 
To read, click here.
 
A Year with Pope FrancisCharming but Challenging
By Charles Paolino
The pope has given us a lot more to think about than his easy-going style.
 
To read, click here.
 
Sr. Terry Rickard, OP, at left, gives keynote address at Mid-Atlantic Congress. At right, Mark Buckles poses with Sr. Maureen Colleary, FSP, and Mary Beth Oria at the Los Angeles Religious Education Congress.
 
Connections at Congresses!
 
“Make new friends, but keep the old” could be the theme for RENEW’s recent experiences at two high–profile Catholic conferences. The Mid-Atlantic Congress in Baltimore was all about new friendships—and the New Evangelization.

The Los Angeles Religious Education Congress offered wonderful opportunities to reconnect with friends from our earliest days working on the West Coast.
 
To read more, click here.


 
National Conference of Catechetical Leaders 
2014 Conference
May 19-22, St. Louis, Renaissance Hotel, St. Louis, Missouri
 
Calling everyone involved in adult faith formation, catechesis, religious education! Sr. Terry Rickard, OP, and RENEW International staff members will be travelling to St. Louis to make presentations and meet with pastoral leaders from around the country. 

Sr. Terry’s workshop theme “Creating a Culture of Witness for the New Evangelization” fits perfectly with the emphasis of this year’s gathering. Dr. Laura Kolmar and Sr. Maureen Colleary, FSP, will offer roundtable sessions highlighting RENEW’s resources and the blessings for small faith-sharing communities.

Going to NCCL? Please stop by Booth #52.
 

 
Consider a Gift to RENEW International
 
Your tax-deductible donation to RENEW International helps us engage more people to strengthen their faith and find God in everyday life.
 
April 2014: In This Issue
Spring catalog cover
Check Out Our
Spring Catalog
To view our catalog,
click here.
 
Annual Report
Annual Report
Online 
To read our 2013 Annual Report, click here.
Share Your Story!
Share your story of inspiration with us and it may be included in the next World RENEW eNewsletter!
Prayer Request
You are invited to submit your prayer intentions. The RENEW International ministerial community gathers to celebrate Eucharist each day. Your prayer intentions will be placed before the altar in our chapel and will be remembered in the prayers of our entire staff. Click here to request a prayer.
Suggestions? Comments? Send us your feedback!
 
 

 
 

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