Indianapolis parish to host ninth Lenten speaker series
By Sean Gallagher
Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary Parish, 520 Stevens St., in Indianapolis will host its ninth annual Lenten speaker series titled “Spaghetti and Spirituality” on March 4, 11, 18 and 25 and April 1.
Before dinner and each week’s presentation, the Blessed Sacrament will be exposed for adoration following the conclusion of the traditional Latin Mass at noon. Another Mass, celebrated in English, will start at 5:45 p.m.
A light, meatless pasta dinner begins at 6:30 p.m. at Msgr. Priori Hall. Each presentation will begin at approximately 7:15 p.m. and ordinarily conclude by 8:30 p.m.
The only exception to this schedule will occur on March 18, which will take place during Holy Rosary’s annual 40 hours devotion, during which Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter Father James Jackson will preach on the traditional “four last things”—death, judgment, heaven and hell.
On that day, a solemn celebration of the traditional Latin Mass will begin at 5:15 p.m. followed by Benediction, a solemn closing of the 40 hours devotion, and a sermon by Father Jackson, at 6:30 p.m. The “Spaghetti and Spirituality” dinner will conclude the evening at 7:30 p.m.
This year’s speaker series will be the eighth one that Holy Rosary parishioner Bruce Konicek has coordinated, although he is quick to acknowledge the help of other parishioners who work to make the series a success for the hundreds who participate each week during Lent.
“The program could not exist without the many dedicated volunteers who wish to see the faith alive in everyone,” Konicek said. “I believe the Church thrives when people act on their faith and, through their faith, encourage others to strengthen their faith.”
Over the years, Konicek has seen “Spaghetti and Spirituality” benefit Catholics from many archdiocesan parishes, and he hopes it will continue to help them grow in faith this year.
“People thirst for truth,” he said. “They wish to learn and be taught to help answer questions they may have [about] a particular Church subject …
“[This year’s] speakers, like so many others over the past eight years, present the truth, answer questions and, most importantly, inspire the listeners to appreciate the great gift we have as being Catholic.”
On March 4, Tarek Saab will give a presentation titled “The Battle of the Ordinary.” Saab, 30, is the co-founder of Lionheart Apparel, a Christian clothing company, and president of T. Saab Media Inc. He appeared with Donald Trump on NBC show “The Apprentice,” and is the author of Gut Check: Confronting Love, Work, and Manhood in Your Twenties.
Father Tadeusz Pacholczyk, a priest of the Diocese of Fall River, Mass., and the director of education for the Philadelphia-based National Catholic Bioethics Center, will speak on March 11 on the topic “Stem Cells and Cloning: Understanding the Scientific Issues and Moral Objections.”
A regular columnist for The Criterion, Father Pacholczyk approaches his topic with unique expertise, having earned a doctorate in neuroscience at Yale University and completed graduate studies in bioethics at Rome’s Lateran University.
On March 25, Charles Rice, a professor emeritus of the University of Notre Dame’s law school and author of many books on law and religion, will give a presentation titled “Natural Law: What Is It and When Was It Repealed?”
Dr. Ray Guarendi will conclude this year’s “Spaghetti and Spirituality” series on April 1 with a presentation on “Parenting: Then and Now.”
Guarendi, a father of 10 and clinical psychologist, is the host of national radio shows “On Call with Dr. Ray and Friends” and “The Doctor is In.”
(People interested in attending any of the presentations are asked to call Holy Rosary Parish at 317-636-4478 by no later than 5 p.m. on the Monday before each seminar. Information about the series can also be found on Holy Rosary’s Web site at www.holyrosaryindy.org.) †