Your family is beset with problems. That is to say, it is a normal family. Since you are a believer in God you have most certainly prayed to God about many of these problems. And maybe you have had the joy of answered prayer for some, some respite for others, but there are still those problems that don't seem to go anywhere! Your image of God is seriously shaken because you don't understand why He doesn't seem to hear you on these particular issues. Your voice feels like a cry in the desert.

This serious issue is the subject of a Day of Healing to be held at St. Vincent de Paul on Saturday, November 22. In healing the wounds we bear in our family life we also heal the wounds in our personal and spiritual lives. These wounds may be spiritual in nature but they can be physical as well. God wishes us to be whole, spiritually and physically.

Fr. Christopher will present a simple, effective, and powerful prayer method for freeing you and your family from problems you have prayed about for a long time without results, including health issues. The day will include a workshop on healing prayer during which you will learn to distinguish between the true Cross of Christ that we have to carry for our salvation (Mt 16:24), and the false Cross, which is a simple captivity and oppression of God’s children by the evil one (LK 4:18). God never wills evil and pain for us at any point in our lives. Evil and pain are interruptions of God’s plan for our lives (Jer 29:11), even if good can be extracted from them. 1 John 4:8 tells us: “God is love.” John 10:10 states: “I came that they might have life and have in abundantly.” God’s will is always good. When things turn out bad for us, it can never be the will of God.

In Baptism, God pre-equipped us with all the tools we need to effectively deal with the majority of our problems. In attending the Day of Healing you will understand how to use the tools of your Baptism to end recurrent problems in your lives.

8:30 AM	Coffee and Donuts	Conference Room
9:00 AM	Workshop on healing prayer	Conference Room
12:00 PM	Lunch (provided by the parish)	PEC Cafeteria
1:00 PM	Workshop (cont.)	Conference Room
3:00 PM	Holy Hour (Confession will be available in the church from 3:00 – 5:00 PM)	Church
5:30 PM	Mass (the Sacrament of Anointing will be available for those in need of it)	Church
7:00 PM	Healing Prayer Service	Church

Participants are encouraged to purchase the book The Healing of Families by Father Yozefu-B. Ssemakulato to help prepare themselves for the workshop and healing prayer service. The book can be purchased at http://www.healingoffamilies.com. This is not absolutely necessary but you will find it helpful.

Note that there is no charge for any portion of the day of healing and lunch will be provided. Please RSVP with the parish office (665-8933) so we know how many to plan for lunch.

You are invited to bring containers of water and salt which will be blessed during the day. This workshop and prayer service will be in English. We will offer one in Spanish during Lent.

Please make arrangements for childcare before attending the workshop.