Healing Retreat & Mass
with Father Dan Leary
Monday, October 21 & Tuesday, October 22 at 7 pm in the Church
No registration is required for this retreat. All parishioners are encouraged to attend. Whether you are experiencing a time of trial or simply wish to draw closer to God, this event is for you.
Come, rest in the presence of the Lord, and let Him heal your heart. |
All are invited...You are warmly invited to a special two-day Healing Retreat and Mass with Fr. Dan Leary, Pastor of St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church in Clinton, MD. This spiritual gathering will be a time of profound reflection, prayer, and healing, rooted in the timeless wisdom of Scripture and the love of Christ.
Event Details:
Schedule:
About the Event: On October 21, Fr. Dan Leary will offer a talk centered on faith and healing, drawing from spiritual teachings to inspire and uplift. This talk will prepare us for the following day’s Healing Mass, where we will gather to receive the Eucharist and seek the Lord’s healing touch in our lives. Fr. Mike will join Fr. Dan in concelebrating this special Mass. Whether you are seeking physical, emotional, or spiritual healing, this retreat is an opportunity to encounter the tender mercy of our Lord in a profound way. Why Attend?
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Healing Mass Information
At the end of Mass, we will have Adoration of the Sacred Eucharist, and all will be invited to come forward to receive healing prayers in the Presence of the Blessed Sacrament through the anointed hands of the priests. The evening will conclude with Benediction and a hymn in gratitude to our Blessed Mother.
Why are healing prayers offered during Eucharistic Adoration?
Christ in the Blessed Sacrament is exposed because the Lord is the Healer. The priest offers intercessory prayers and serves as an instrument to bring Christ’s healing grace to the people through the power of the Holy Spirit.
Why are healing prayers offered during Eucharistic Adoration?
Christ in the Blessed Sacrament is exposed because the Lord is the Healer. The priest offers intercessory prayers and serves as an instrument to bring Christ’s healing grace to the people through the power of the Holy Spirit.
What is the atmosphere like during the healing prayers?
The atmosphere is one of great reverence, in which the primary focus is on the sacredness of the Blessed Sacrament and is maintained through prayerful and meditative music and silent Eucharistic Adoration. Traditional practices for solemn Exposition and Benediction are followed, during which incense and bells are used in keeping with the Church’s custom. Because of the solemnity of the atmosphere, and the presence of the Blessed Sacrament, modest dress is appropriate. To ensure appropriate modesty of dress within the Sanctuary, all who come forward to receive healing prayers are wrapped with a shawl.
Who can receive healing prayers?
Anyone may receive healing prayers, both Catholics and non-Catholics. All should come with an open heart and mind. For those that are Catholic, it is better to be in a state of grace. Healing prayers do not take the place of the Sacrament of Reconciliation. There is much greater healing that takes place during Confession.
What kind of healing might occur?
One may experience emotional, spiritual, physical, psychological, or relational healing. It might be visible and tangible as in healing from an addiction or illness, or invisible and intangible as in the healing of a memory or the freedom to forgive. The healing may not seem to happen as soon as one experiences the prayers but may instead become apparent to them as the Lord continues to work in them over the days, weeks, months, and even years that follow.
What should one do once they approach the Blessed Sacrament to be prayed over?
The person awaiting healing prayers should be reverently kneeling and completely focused on the Blessed Sacrament. Those who are unable to kneel will be guided to sit in a front pew. This is his or her personal time with Christ. They shouldn’t worry about anyone else around them. They should be communicating with Him through prayer. They should ask the Holy Spirit for an open heart that is free of fears and doubts so that they might be free to receive God’s grace.
What does it mean to pray in proxy for someone else?
A person can always stand in prayer for the healing of someone else who is not present and petition God on their behalf. To pray for someone in proxy, think of the person for whom you want to pray as you kneel before the Blessed Sacrament and offer them to Jesus Christ. Some people might bring a small picture of the person they wish to pray for, but this is not necessary. God will always know what is in their heart.
What does it mean to “Rest in the Spirit?”
The Lord touches the hearts of some people in a way that allows them to trust in His presence. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, a person may be filled with such a heightened state of inner awareness that the body can no longer support itself. It isn’t the same as fainting or sleeping, and the person does not lose consciousness. Under the healing power of the Holy Spirit, one may rest in His love. They should trust that something is happening in them even though they may not feel it. Everyone who “Rests in the Spirit” is gently covered with a blanket which removes any concern about their appearance. They should stay in the position of relaxation as long as they feel they should.
What if someone doesn’t “Rest in the Spirit?”
The healing power of God through the Holy Spirit doesn’t depend on whether or not someone “Rests in the Spirit.” Whether or not a person “rests” also doesn’t mean they are any more or less holy than another person. God has a unique plan for each of us, at this moment in each of our lives.
Why do some people have different reactions while they are being prayed over or while they are “Resting?”
God touches and heals each person in their own unique way. He doesn’t want one to compare or judge, but to just trust in His unique plan for them and remain open to His love and grace.
How often should someone experience healing prayers?
It’s perfectly fine to experience healing prayers as often as they are offered. With each experience, one may grow deeper in their relationship with God as more barriers to that relationship are removed and healed.
The atmosphere is one of great reverence, in which the primary focus is on the sacredness of the Blessed Sacrament and is maintained through prayerful and meditative music and silent Eucharistic Adoration. Traditional practices for solemn Exposition and Benediction are followed, during which incense and bells are used in keeping with the Church’s custom. Because of the solemnity of the atmosphere, and the presence of the Blessed Sacrament, modest dress is appropriate. To ensure appropriate modesty of dress within the Sanctuary, all who come forward to receive healing prayers are wrapped with a shawl.
Who can receive healing prayers?
Anyone may receive healing prayers, both Catholics and non-Catholics. All should come with an open heart and mind. For those that are Catholic, it is better to be in a state of grace. Healing prayers do not take the place of the Sacrament of Reconciliation. There is much greater healing that takes place during Confession.
What kind of healing might occur?
One may experience emotional, spiritual, physical, psychological, or relational healing. It might be visible and tangible as in healing from an addiction or illness, or invisible and intangible as in the healing of a memory or the freedom to forgive. The healing may not seem to happen as soon as one experiences the prayers but may instead become apparent to them as the Lord continues to work in them over the days, weeks, months, and even years that follow.
What should one do once they approach the Blessed Sacrament to be prayed over?
The person awaiting healing prayers should be reverently kneeling and completely focused on the Blessed Sacrament. Those who are unable to kneel will be guided to sit in a front pew. This is his or her personal time with Christ. They shouldn’t worry about anyone else around them. They should be communicating with Him through prayer. They should ask the Holy Spirit for an open heart that is free of fears and doubts so that they might be free to receive God’s grace.
What does it mean to pray in proxy for someone else?
A person can always stand in prayer for the healing of someone else who is not present and petition God on their behalf. To pray for someone in proxy, think of the person for whom you want to pray as you kneel before the Blessed Sacrament and offer them to Jesus Christ. Some people might bring a small picture of the person they wish to pray for, but this is not necessary. God will always know what is in their heart.
What does it mean to “Rest in the Spirit?”
The Lord touches the hearts of some people in a way that allows them to trust in His presence. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, a person may be filled with such a heightened state of inner awareness that the body can no longer support itself. It isn’t the same as fainting or sleeping, and the person does not lose consciousness. Under the healing power of the Holy Spirit, one may rest in His love. They should trust that something is happening in them even though they may not feel it. Everyone who “Rests in the Spirit” is gently covered with a blanket which removes any concern about their appearance. They should stay in the position of relaxation as long as they feel they should.
What if someone doesn’t “Rest in the Spirit?”
The healing power of God through the Holy Spirit doesn’t depend on whether or not someone “Rests in the Spirit.” Whether or not a person “rests” also doesn’t mean they are any more or less holy than another person. God has a unique plan for each of us, at this moment in each of our lives.
Why do some people have different reactions while they are being prayed over or while they are “Resting?”
God touches and heals each person in their own unique way. He doesn’t want one to compare or judge, but to just trust in His unique plan for them and remain open to His love and grace.
How often should someone experience healing prayers?
It’s perfectly fine to experience healing prayers as often as they are offered. With each experience, one may grow deeper in their relationship with God as more barriers to that relationship are removed and healed.
