Father Jacques Philippe, a world-renowned Catholic author and lecturer who has sold more than 1 million books in 24 languages, will lead a pre-Lenten retreat and conferences in the Diocese of Knoxville Feb. 28-March 4.
Father Philippe will give talks on a variety of faith topics, including inner peace, personal prayer life and forming a deep relationship with God, and how to grow in faith through trials and suffering.
Over the course of the five-day visit, Father Philippe also will lead discussions, celebrate Mass, lead adoration and Benediction, and sign his books.
The pre-Lenten retreat will take place at All Saints Church and All Saints parish hall. Two separate conferences will be held in the cathedral hall adjacent to the Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus.
Father Philippe was ordained a priest in 1985, beginning his work in spiritual direction and leading retreats. He is a member of the Community of the Beatitudes, an ecclesial family of consecrated life founded in France in 1973.
His community gathers faithful from all states of life (married or unmarried lay people, seminarians, priests, permanent deacons, men and women consecrated in celibacy) who wish to conform as closely as possible to the model of the early Christian community through the common life, the sharing of goods, voluntary poverty, and an intense sacramental and liturgical life. Members of the community (which has a contemplative vocation based on Carmelite spirituality), are actively engaged in the service of the poor and the proclamation of the Gospel.
Sister Mary Charles Mayer, RSM, facility coordinator and delegate for religious for the Diocese of Knoxville, said Father Philippe’s retreat and conferences will be a spiritually enriching way to begin Lent in 2019.
Ticket information will be available soon at www.dioknox.org.
