Southwest Deanery will host women's retreat

Friday, Sep. 11, 2015

CEDAR CITY — The officers of the newly formed Southwest Deanery are inviting women – especially those from the parishes and missions within the region – to come to their first retreat, “Empowering Women of Faith,” which will be held at Christ the King Parish in Cedar City Oct. 10. 

The Diocese of Salt Lake City has five deaneries, divided by regions.

The Southwest Deanery, which was formed in 2014, includes the areas of Christ the King in Cedar City, the Saint Paul Center in Hurricane, Saint George Parish in St. George and Saint Christopher in Kanab, and “all the little towns and missions in between, such as Saint Elizabeth Parish in Central Valley, in Fillmore, Beaver, Delta and Panguitch,” said Judy Greene, deanery president and member of the St. Paul Center. “There are about a dozen missions, and we want to reach out to all of them, regardless of whether they have a women’s council or not. We want them to know we are here to support them and provide guidance; we want to know what their needs are and how we can help them increase their faith or start a women’s council.”

The retreat will be a social activity as well as a day to renew women’s faith and spirituality, said Green.

The presenters will be Mary Le-Baron, deanery vice president; Sister Yvonne Hatt, deanery spiritual moderator; and Toni Foran, a St. Paul Center member. 

LeBaron, also a member of the St. Paul Center, will give a presentation on lectio divina and enriching women’s prayer life to strengthen their faith. “We will also do some contemplative prayer, where we visualize ourselves in the Scripture reading and discuss our feelings as if we were there,” she said. 

In the deanery’s remote areas, “it is easy to feel isolated,” said LeBaron. “The retreat will give the women a chance to discuss their faith with others, and will give them an opportunity to meet others. A retreat gives women the tools to grow closer to Christ through Scripture study; to more deeply understand Scriptures and to apply the messages to their lives; to realize their own value as women of faith and to learn their potential for service as seen through the examples of other women.

The deanery leadership goals for the women are: Faith building, fellowship and support, education and service,” said LeBaron. “The more we build our community, the better we will meet these goals and thus better serve Christ.”

During the retreat, Foran will speak about strong female role models, both women who have become saints and some who are not saints yet, she said. “I hope it will stir a good discussion and that the women will realize that they have a strong role in the Catholic Church. I am always amazed when I attend the Diocesan Council of Catholic Women convention and I hear all the things the women do.”

Holy Cross Sister Yvonne Hatt, Southwest Deanery spiritual moderator, will discuss the strength in women today, she said. “We will end the retreat showing the women they can make a difference in the world.”

The Southwest Deanery will host the annual Diocesan Council of Catholic Women in 2018, “so we want to be prepared and make it as dynamic as possible,” said Green. “We are learning from the deaneries that have been established for a long time; they are impressive with what they have accomplished and with their leadership.” 

WHAT: Women’s retreat

WHERE: Oct. 10, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. 

WHEN: Christ the King Parish, 690 S. Cove Drive, Cedar City

Cost is free, donations will be accepted. Lunch will be provided; RSVP to Mary LeBaron, mflebaron@yahoo.com or 435-632-1572.