Special to the Year of Consecrated Life, Diocese of Green Bay Catholic Religious gathered over 150 strong on Saturday, April 25, 2015 at St. Bernard Catholic Church, Green Bay, WI.
Vicar for Religious Sister Louise Hembrecht, OSF, facilitated the day’s activities. Sister Laura Zelten, Sister of St. Francis of the Holy Cross, led the opening prayer. Green Bay Bishop David Ricken welcomed everyone and also presided at a later morning Eucharist.
Archbishop Joseph Tobin from the Diocese of Indianapolis presented on the topic: The Role of Religious Life in the Church of the 21st Century. Like Pope Francis in his encyclical Evangelii Gaudium , Archbishop spoke as a religious himself, encouraging consecrated men and women to the primacy of being committed witnesses of Jesus Christ, living Gospel-based community and being faithful to mission especially on the frontier, the margins of society.
The day was a joyful celebration of meaningful prayer, speaker interaction and a noon luncheon inviting lively conversation among those gathered.