The Newman Center is offering a series of reflections during this year of Mercy as a part of our Spring Urban Immersion Trip. Matt Hubbard, St. Ann and Newman Center alum, is speaking at the first one. As always, you are welcome to attend any or all of these presentations. RSVP to Kay at 385-3455.

MARCH 2, 2016 at 6:30pm
Pope Francis declared that from December 8, 2015 through November 20, 2016 that the Church would be celebrating a Jubilee Year. So far we have seen the Church open “doors of mercy.” But is the Jubilee year just about opening ceremonial doors? Matt Hubbard will take you on a journey into the history of the Israelite people with the Biblical Vision of Sabbath Economics and the great power in celebrating a real Jubilee year.

What can a Jubilee year do to bring broken communities back together? What would a Jubilee year mean for the people of St. Louis? What would a Jubilee mean for the world? What does the season of Lent have to do with Jubilee? All are Welcome!

MARCH 9, 2016 at 6:30pm

Recently the musical artist Macklemore said in his song White Privilege II, “It seems like we’re more concerned with being called racist than we are about racism.”

So let’s concern ourselves with racism. On this evening we will dive into our own privilege. We will learn about the systems that are perpetuating white privilege and institutionalized racism. Jenny Traux from the Karen House Catholic Worker Community will bring us the challenging subject that we all would rather went unspoken.
We will gain a common vocabulary with which to continue these honest dialogues in the future. All are Welcome!

MARCH 16, 2016 at 6:30pm
It is so easy to label a group of people that we lose the individual human person. Tonight we will hear from The Urban Guerilla Andre Cole. Dre will talk about his decade working with people suffering from homelessness with organizations like The Benaryridge at Centenary and Peter & Paul Community Services. Dre sees the individual trees in the for-est. He knows each of the guys that enter Peter and Paul Emergency Shelter have an individual story and history and name. He treats everybody with a degree of compassion and respect that is modeled so well by Pope Francis.

Dre runs a newsletter, podcast and multiple Facebook groups on St. Louis homelessness. Questions and answers will follow his presentation.

These sessions are planned to be held at the Newman Center, but please RSVP to Kay for each event in case numbers dictate that we move to St. Ann to accommodate all wishing to attend.