You know prayer is important but still find it challenging. Perhaps it’s hard to find time, or you’re unsure what to do when you pray. Or maybe you feel discouraged by your weaknesses and your inability to overcome them. If you have any of these feelings, you are not alone. Many of the saints struggled in prayer. They were like us. But each time they fell, they got up again and learned to rely more on God’s grace. What God did in the lives of countless saints, he wants to do in the lives of ordinary people like us. And that’s what this study is about: the journey of prayer God wants to take us on! Authored and presented by Dr. Edward Sri.
Led by Norma Jahl (normadjahl@gmail.com)
Seven sessions in person on Mondays, 10:00-11:30 am, October 9, 16, 23, 30; November 6, 13 & 20.
Discipleship Groups
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Discipleship Groups are opportunities for small groups of people to gather for faith-sharing purposes. A menu of opportunities is available during Lent and in the Fall, and occasionally, a Discipleship Group may also begin at other times during the year.
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Questions? For specific information about one or more groups, please e-mail the facilitator(s) indicated. For any other questions, please email Cristina Folan at commsupport@ndcarmel.com.
Some of the groups require the purchase of a book or related materials. If you need financial assistance, please contact our parish office at 973-538-1358, ext. 105.
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Fall, 2023
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Please review the options available this Fall, then register below!
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Monday
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Escape from Evil's Darkness
Journey in a six-session
book club series on “Escape From Evil's Darkness: The Light of Christ in the Church, Spiritual Conversion, and Moral Conversion" by Fr. Robert Spitzer. Father Spitzer, S.J., draws together some of the best advice given by Catholic spiritual masters across the ages and brings it into harmony with modern scientific research, offering practical ways to live out the gospel in our busy days. It is a roadmap to a deeper relationship with the Lord and to authentic transformation through the imitation of Christ. Click HERE for book reference. Led by Laura Balogh (lbalogh@ndcarmel.com)
Six sessions via Zoom on Monday afternoons from 4:00-5:15 p.m., beginning October 16 through November 20, 2023. -
When You Pray: A Clear Path to a Deeper Relationship with God
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Angels, Our Guardians in Spiritual Battle
Join us for six weeks as we journey through Angels, Our Guardians in Spiritual Battle, by Rev. Msgr. J. Bransfield. We will follow the trail of the angels through these pages and be led to a deeper friendship with the good and holy angels. Through these chapters, you will rediscover the work of the angels in the Old Testament and the New Testament. Our journey takes us through the Good Angels and the Fallen Angels. Please purchase this book and read the introduction and Chapter 1 prior to our first meeting. Click HERE to purchase the book. Led by Carol Critchley (majkidmom@gmail.com)
Six sessions - in person or via Zoom - on Mondays, 7:00-8:00 p.m., October 23, 30; November 6, 13, 20 & 27.
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Tuesday
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Unanswered Prayer
In five sessions, we will go deeper, provoking honest conversation around the hardest and most personal questions we all ask about prayer:- God on Mute: Engaging the Silence
- Mundy Thursday: How am I going to get through this?
- Good Friday: Why aren’t my prayers working?
- Holy Saturday: Where is God when heaven is silent?
- Easter Sunday: When will my prayers be answered?
Led by Ann Bono (annbono@verizon.net).
Five Sessions in person, Tuesday evenings, 7:00-8:30 pm, October 10 through November 14 (no session on Oct. 31).
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Morning Teleconference Calls for Christians
Have you wanted to join a discipleship group but can’t fit one more thing into your schedule? Are you at home taking care of kids or loved ones and can’t seem to interrupt your schedule? Are there other reasons that you have been unable to join a group? This group is for you! Matthew 18:20 reminds us, “Where two or more are gathered in His name, there He is.” You will be amazed by the warmth and caring you will feel while you draw closer to our wonderful Lord. Led by Patty Allocca: clinicalpastoralcounseling3@gmail.com.We will be offering two Teleconference calls a week for six weeks. You can sign up for one day of the week or both:- Thursday morning, 7:30-8:00 am - Prayer Call. In this comfortable environment, we will be listening to various topics inspired by the Holy Spirit, discussing the topic, and praying for one another. Six Calls, 7:30-8:00 AM, beginning October 12 through November 16, 2023.
- Tuesday morning, 7:30 - 8:00 am - Old Testament Bible Study- Bring your Bible. In this comfortable environment, we will be practicing Lectio Divina - where we read a few verses several times, summarize what we read, and then listen for the Holy Spirit and discuss how He is guiding us in our lives. Six Calls, 7:30-8:00 AM, beginning October 10 through November 14, 2023.
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Wednesday
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The Eucharist in Scripture
Join us as we delve deeper into the relationship between the Eucharist and Scripture through this video series presented by Dr. Scott Hahn from the St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology. In this journey, we will discover God’s plan as it is expressed through the Bible and the Mass. We will unlock the meaning of covenant, sacrifice, and sacrament as understood in the Bible, from Genesis through Revelation. We will examine the biblical foundations of the Eucharist and explore the Church’s liturgy as the original context for the books of the Bible. Purchase your participant bundle HERE. Facilitated by Tanya D'Souza (tancait@gmail.com).
Six sessions in person, Wednesdays, 7:00-8:30 p.m., beginning October 11 through November 15, 2023.
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Epic: The Early Church
Discover the extraordinary story of the Church’s beginnings! Here, you will get to know the people and events that shaped its first five hundred years. You will see how the Church Fathers boldly confronted early challenges to the Faith—challenges similar to the ones we face today. You will learn the stories behind the first ecumenical councils and the Roman persecutions and meet many of the men and women who gave their lives to defend the Faith. The heroic stories of the early leaders and martyrs of the Church will strengthen and affirm your own walk of faith. Click HERE to purchase the workbook.
Led by Ed & Barb Katona (barbkat2013@gmail.com).
Ten sessions via Zoom on Wednesdays, 7:30-9:00 p.m., October 4, 11, 18; November 1, 8, 15, 29; Dec. 6, 13, 20.
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Thursday
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Morning Teleconference Calls for Christians
Have you wanted to join a discipleship group but can’t fit one more thing into your schedule? Are you at home taking care of kids or loved ones and can’t seem to interrupt your schedule? Are there other reasons that you have been unable to join a group? This group is for you! Matthew 18:20 reminds us, “Where two or more are gathered in His name, there He is.” You will be amazed by the warmth and caring you will feel while you draw closer to our wonderful Lord. Led by Patty Allocca: clinicalpastoralcounseling3@gmail.com.We will be offering two Teleconference calls a week for six weeks. You can sign up for one day of the week or both:- Thursday morning, 7:30-8:00 am - Prayer Call. In this comfortable environment, we will be listening to various topics inspired by the Holy Spirit, discussing the topic, and praying for one another. Six Calls, 7:30-8:00 AM, beginning October 12 through November 16, 2023.
- Tuesday morning, 7:30 - 8:00 am - Old Testament Bible Study- Bring your Bible. In this comfortable environment, we will be practicing Lectio Divina - where we read a few verses several times, summarize what we read, and then listen for the Holy Spirit and discuss how He is guiding us in our lives. Six Calls, 7:30-8:00 AM, beginning October 10 through November 14, 2023.
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Into His Likeness
Do you sense that movement in you—that desire to go deeper in your relationship with Christ? Do you have a longing to follow Jesus more closely, to be transformed by Him? Do you notice a stirring inside, a longing to love God with all your heart, but feel unsure what steps to take next?If you answered yes to any of these questions, know that God is the one who has put those yearnings in your soul. He has already given you the heart of a disciple. This series simply aims to help you follow those initial promptings of the Holy Spirit so that you may more intentionally encounter Jesus anew each day and be more disposed to the power of his grace molding you, transforming you ever more into his likeness. Click HERE for more details! Led by Christa Cottone (christa_cottone@alumni.shu.edu)
Six sessions in person on Thursdays, 7:00-8:30 p.m., October 5 - November 9, 2023.
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Testimonials from past participants!
Here's what past participants have said about their Virtual Discipleship Group experience:
- The series helped focus me spiritually and insights shared by my fellow participants were awesome.”
- “Our facilitator guided us through our book with great care, thoughtfulness, and efficiency. She provided us with the tools to share our thoughts on every concept. I am deeply changed by this experience.”
- “This journey was a needed reminder of how easily our spirituality can be strengthened by sharing it with others, and by connecting with others who are yearning for the same thing.”
- “I benefited most from being with a group of people also seeking to deepen their relationship with Jesus and to share faith experiences with others. The series did a great job of bringing Jesus, the man, to life for us as well as the experience of being an early follower.”
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Discipleship Group Leaders Welcomed!
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If you have a passion for a particular topic, book, film, or program, and you feel called to lead a virtual group, please reach out to Cristina Folan at commsupport@ndcarmel.com to discuss partaking in this opportunity of helping others draw closer to Christ! Start and end dates for a group are flexible, within the context of our seasonal offerings. Guidance/coaching will be provided.
We also encourage leaders to team up to co-lead a journey. It's a great way to get started in facilitating small group discussions and to share and nurture leadership in our faith community.
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What do past DG leaders say about their journey?
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