Encounter

From our ministry and retreat work, one message is particularly clear, especially within our youth. People want a faith that is relevant to their daily lives. Faith based solely on doctrine or dogmas and without true experiences of God is not a living faith. Accordingly, we have strived to create an explanation of our Catholic beliefs grounded upon the idea that we can learn something about God through our human experiences. Further, we can experience our God who is active in his creation. This explanation of our faith is entitled, "Encounter: Experiencing the Risen Jesus, Fulfilling Our Deepest Longing." It draws upon the "theology of encounter" evident in Pope Francis' Evangelii Gaudium. In addition, it leverages the perspectives of modern theologians Karl Rahner, SJ and Dumitru Staniloae, modern Athonite ascetics, and earlier Fathers of the Church such as St. Gregory of Nyssa and St. Gregory Palamas. This is a companion book, a retreat, based on this explanation of our faith, inviting participants to discover or re-discover the beauty of the Catholic Christian faith, which we believe has much to say and is a shining lantern in a world filled with darkness, hate, and indifference.