Calendar of Parish Events

 click on the link below to view upcoming activities

OSJ Parish Calendar for 2008

275TH ANNIVERSARY ARS SACRA CONCERT SERIES

There will be a free concert of Colonial music performed by the Colonial Music Institute's David and Ginger Hildebrand on Sunday, April 20, 2008 at 4:00 pm in the church. For more information, please click on our 275th logo on the homepage.

EDUCATION AND FAITH FORMATION

For a complete listing of the past and future lectures in this series, please click on the link below:

FORMING A GOOD CONSCIENCE LECTURE SERIES

Upcoming Discussion Series: Three Faiths, One God is a documentary which thoughtfully examines the religious beliefs and practices shared by Jews, Christians and Muslims to illustrate how many in the Abrahamic faith communities are dealing with historical conflicts, and charts their dedication to facilitating understanding and respect. Authoritative speakers serve as both examples to follow and informative, rigorous, well-reasoned thinkers on the subject at hand. Three Faiths, One God captures a broad range of voices and ideas of ordinary people and respected scholars in the interfaith field. With a focus on encouraging interfaith dialogue, this film captures the well-reasoned and yet emotional forcefulness of the subject and its implications for global peace. The program contrasts the religious practices of the three faiths, including the rituals of fasting and marriage, holy days, and similarities and differences in beliefs. Later, the program features a dramatic and moving example of reconciliation as the father of murdered Wall Street Journal reporter opens a dialogue between Muslims and Jews to create better understanding between the two faiths. In the same spirit, a conflict-resolution workshop engages in an intensive dialogue as they attempt to dispel myths, misconceptions and stereotypes about each others' religions. Each session will be held on a Wednesday evening from 7-9PM. The dates are: April 23 (at Old Pine Presbyterian Church), May 7 (at OSJ Church), May 21 (at Old Pine), and June 4 (at Society Hill Synagogue). Lively and challenging discussion will follow a segment of the film at each session. Refreshments will be served. We hope you will be part of this dialogue.

ECUMENICAL & INTERFAITH

Walking God's Paths: A Jewish-Christian dialogue program produced by Boston College Center for Christian-Jewish Learning for the National Council of Synagogues and the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. This series is designed to encourage the development of Jewish-Christian relations and understanding within an environment of trust and mutual respect. Each of the six sessions contains a 15 minute video in which clergy and academics discuss Jewish-Christian dialogue; brief discussion as an entire group, and in-depth dialogue in small groups of approximately 10 persons. The sessions will be held Wednesdays from 7-9PM at either Old Pine Street Presbyterian (OPP) or Old St. Joseph's Church (OSJ). The next part of the series will be held on 2/13/08: Shared Origins, Diverse Roads (OSJ); 2/27/08: Common Texts, Different Scriptures (OPP); 3/12/08: Season of Freedom, Season of Rebirth (OSJ); Mar. 26: Metaphors for a Unique Relationship (OPP); 4/9/08: Mending Relationships, Mending the World (OSJ); For further info and to view a sample video, go to www.bc.edu and type "Walking God's Paths" into the search box. All are welcome and encouraged to participate in this ecumenical effort. For an easy to read flyer on the series, click on the link below.

Walking God's Paths

PRAYER & SPIRITUALITY

The Gay and Lesbian Spirituality Group at Old Saint Joseph Church meets on the second Friday of each month. The next meeting is Friday, May 9, 2008 at 7:30PM in the parish hall. The focus of prayer and conversation at this meeting will be "Gratitude and Thanksgiving for the Spirit in Our Lives". All lesbian women and gay men and their families and friends are welcome. The church parking lot is available for use until 10PM. For more info, contact Joseph Vattimo,via the parish office.

Feeling a desire to pray more? You may wish to join a small group of parishioners for an hour of quiet prayer in the presence of the Eucharist in the OSJ house chapel (2nd floor of the rectory) on the third Thursday of every month from 6:30 PM to 7:30 PM. For more information, contact Cornelia Farrell or the parish office at 215.923.1733.