February 23, 2007

Illness affects two March 3 events

Due to a family illness, Eternal Word Television Network host and author Johnnette Benkovic will not be able to participate in two events on March 3 in the archdiocese.

Benkovic was scheduled to present a “Day of Reflection and Renewal” at St. Mary Parish in Mitchell and the keynote speech at the third annual Catholic Pro-Life Dinner in Indianapolis.

Deirdre McQuade, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ primary spokesperson on abortion and related life issues in Washington, D.C., will present the keynote address at the pro-life dinner, which raises funds for the archdiocesan Office for Pro-Life Ministry and the Gabriel Project of Indiana.

McQuade will discuss “Truth, Dialogue and Jacob’s Well: A Scriptural Model for Building the Culture of Life” during the 7 p.m. dinner at the Radisson Hotel, 31 W. Ohio St., in Indianapolis.

She said promoting the culture of life is often challenging, but Scripture offers a helpful model in the Gospel of John’s account of the woman at the well (Jn 4:6-42).

“Jesus, the Lord of Life, meets the Samaritan woman where she lives,” McQuade explained. “He affirms the limited truth she speaks, confronts without judging her and offers a more satisfying way of life. As Christians, we are equipped to imitate his compassion, respect and generosity.”

For many people who are caught up in the culture of death, McQuade said, “such non-accusatory encounters could offer the freedom to start over and protect all life from conception to natural death.”

The Lenten mini-retreat in Mitchell sponsored by Catholic Women in Faith of Lawrence County has been cancelled and will be rescheduled at a later date. An event organizer said refunds were issued.

(To purchase tickets for the Catholic Pro-Life Dinner, call the archdiocesan Office for Pro-Life Ministry at 317-236-1569 or 800-382-9836, ext. 1569. Tickets are $45 each or $400 per table.) †

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