Indianapolis parish to host annual Lenten speaker series

By Sean Gallagher

Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary Parish, 520 Stevens St., in Indianapolis will host its 11th annual Lenten speaker series titled “Spaghetti and Spirituality,” on March 16, March 23, March 30, April 6 and April 13.

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 April 6, which will take place during Holy Rosary’s annual 40 Hours devotion, during which Mercy Father Christopher Crotty will conclude his series of sermons on the Holy Spirit given during the parish mission.

On that day, a solemn celebration of the traditional Latin Mass will begin at 5:15 p.m. Benediction, a solemn closing of the 40 Hours devotion and a sermon by Father Crotty will begin at 6:30 p.m. The “Spaghetti and Spirituality” dinner will conclude the evening at 7:30 p.m.

Father Michael Magiera, the administrator pro-tem of Holy Rosary Parish, is looking forward to the 40 Hours devotion being given by Father Crotty, a member of a religious community that is known for powerful preaching in parish missions.

“The Fathers of Mercy have the special charism of preaching, particulary preaching parish missions,” said Father Magiera.

“One can never go wrong in visiting, adoring and learning about Our Lord, substantially present in the Blessed Sacrament,” he said.

The 40 Hours devotion will begin at Holy Rosary Church with eucharistic adoration following the conclusion of the parish’s noon Mass on April 3. Eucharistic adoration will continue at the parish during each of the following days until the mission’s conclusion on April 6.

Father Crotty will preach a sermon each evening at 6:30 p.m.

Bruch Konicek, who has coordinated the “Spaghetti and Spirituality” series for 10 years, said the series fits well with the purpose of Lent.

“[During] Lent, we are called to come closer to Christ,” said Konicek, a member of Holy Rosary Parish. “ ‘Spaghetti and Spirituality’ offers an entire evening packed full of events to become closer to our Lord, including eucharistic adoration, confession, Mass, friendship at dinner and, of course, listening to an incredible list of speakers.”

On March 16, Filippini Sister Margherita Marchione, a professor emerita of Italian language and literature at Fairleigh Dickinson University in Teaneck, N.J., and noted author on Pope Pius XII, will give a presentation on the sanctity of that pontiff.

On March 23, Sister Rosalind Moss, the foundress of the Daughters of Mary, Mother of Our Hope religious order, will give a presentation titled, “Why the Sacrifice of Christ?”

Sister Rosalind was born and raised as a Jew, later became an evangelical Christian, and ultimately entered into the full communion of the Catholic Church. Before entering religious life, she was a staff apologist at the El Cajon, Calif.-based apologetics and evangelization apostolate Catholic Answers.

Guy Gruters will give a presentation on March 30 titled “God’s Presence in a Communist Prison Camp” that will be based on the U.S. Air Force veteran pilot’s experience of living for five years as a prisoner of war in the “Hanoi Hilton” during the Vietnam War.

Father Peter Stravinskas, the founder of The Catholic Answer and The Catholic Response magazines, will give a presentation on April 13 titled “The Bible and the Mass.”

(People interested in attending any of the presentations should call Holy Rosary Parish at 317-636-4478 by no later than 5 p.m. on the Monday prior to each seminar. For more information about “Spaghetti and Spirituality” or to register for each session online, log on to www.holyrosaryindy.org/spaghetti.html.) †