MinkisiIf we are to serve, if we are to care, if we are to minister, we have to get right inside. And so let us pray: Spirit, touch me. Touch me with your grace. Touch me with your wisdom. Touch me with your love so that I can help somebody, so that I can serve somebody, so that I can bless somebody. Be the bridge over troubled waters so that I can be the balm in Gilead, be the hands of Jesus stretched out to heal. (from Sr. Thea Bowman, on "Healing Ministry" at St. Stephen's Catholic Church, Minneapolis, MN, 1989. Listed in Thea Bowman: In My Own Words by Maurice J. Nutt, C.Ss.R., Liguori Press, 2009)
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MINKISI MINISTRY 2020 RETREAT
NOVEMBER 14, Sat., 8:45 a.m.-3:00 p.m., EDT, Virtual 23rd Annual Minkisi Mini-Retreat. The theme is: “Brokenhearted and Bound in the Lord! Psalm 147:3, He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. The Retreat Director will be Fr. Robert P. Boxie III, the Chaplain of the Howard University Catholic Community, Washington, DC. The Music Director will be Jeff Corry of the 8:00 Choir at Our Lady Queen of Peace. Come and be refreshed and renewed by the liturgies, songs, contemplative prayer, scripture readings, faith talks, and small group discussions on the Word of the Lord. For more details, see the flyer. Register by Nov. 11: https://bit.ly/minkisiretreat 2020 Retreat Materials: MINKISI (pronounced men-KEY-see) is a ministry that believes that in the Spirit of the Living God, we are all called to be healing instruments of God. Minkisi is a Swahili word for "healing objects". The Minkisi ministry cultivates and attends to the inner spiritual life that is followed through in an individual's relationships, actions, and religion. Group members see themselves as spiritual friends, who develop (or have developed) a daily prayer discipline in their lives that includes quiet prayer. Similar to what is sought in the Prayer Attributed to St. Francis, the group prays, "Lord, make me an instrument of Your Peace. Where there is hatred, let me sow love..." Most Minkisi group members are involved in works of charity and other ministries, and they appreciate the on-going faith development aspect of the small group. The Minkisi contemplative group is open to adults who are parishioners, neighbors, friends or co-workers. This interracial group meets virtually in monthly sessions open to all. Because of the covid 19 pandemic, Minkisi z-meets usually on the first Mondays of the month, 6:45-9:00 p.m., for prayer and reflection. (For the 2020 September 14th session, 20 people from Washington metro parishes joined with the Minkisi group in their evening session.) Different from a bible study group and more like a lectio divina group, these individuals use the Bible and meditation as a springboard to learn how God is speaking in their daily lives. African American spirituality is highlighted in the virtual Minkisi scripture prayer and reflection sessions, the annual retreat day in November, as well as in the evening prayer-dialogue events on racism and white privilege. Contact Cecilia Braveboy for registration and admission to the Zoom sessions: [email protected]. (Telephone only participation is possible, too.) One of Minkisi's call and response prayers begins: "Lord, send the gift of your Spirit to fill this place and myself and the world. Touch me with truth that burns like fire, that moves me like the wind; and set me free Lord. Free to try new ways of living; Free to forgive myself and others..." Since 1997, Sr. Thea Bowman, F.S.P.A., (photo) has been the patron saint-to-be for the Minkisi ministry. With the U.S. bishops proclamation in November 2018, Servant of God Sr. Thea Bowman is in the first step of the canonization process. Sr. Thea’s words of wisdom can be found in several books, for example, A Retreat with Thea Bowman and Bede Abram: Leaning on the Lord by Joseph A. Brown, S.J. The Minkisi group reflects on that book as a foundational faith-piece of African American spirituality. Lately the Minkisi group has been studying Fr. Maurice Nutt’s 2019 book, Thea Bowman: Faithful and Free, Liturgical Press. NEW ANNOUNCEMENT -- In September 2020, Minkisi began recruiting members for a parish Sister Thea Bowman Committee. For parish information about the Committee, contact Cecilia Braveboy, [email protected]. May Servant of God Sr. Thea Bowman, be with us. For general information and to learn how you can support the canonization cause of Sr. Thea, go to www.sistertheabowman.com. Prayers and donations are much needed. See the prayer for intercession on Sr. Thea’s website. Minkisi ministry is in Our Lady Queen of Peace Church, 2700 South 19th Street, Arlington, VA 22204, with pastor Fr. Tim Hickey, C.S.Sp. Some of the Minkisi members are: Cecilia Braveboy, Facilitator/ Coordinator, [email protected], Joan Brown, Stefanie Gooden, Barbara Harris, Gail Meighan, Tyra Newman, Veronica Ong, Celestine Person-Green, Grace Rissetto, Julia Rocchi, Bob Rohde, and Jackie Smith. MINKISI UPCOMING EVENTS:
For further program information and to be on Minkisi email list, contact coordinator Cecilia Braveboy, coordinator, [email protected]. PAST ANNUAL RETREATS:
Lovely Spirit-filled retreat & Mass. As usual: I’ve been rekindled. It is my first time and I have been truly Blessed throughout the celebration of the Eucharist and continued to be blessed through the physical food and the spiritual food (the retreat the scripture readings, the sharing). As always, the Minkisi retreat brings me to a sense of calmness and serenity when I need it. The theme is right on time and I love what Therese said, “What Good is strength if you don’t use its power!” Thank you for a spiritual renewal day. Love Fr. Boxie’s message about healing and my sister Therese’s reflections stirred my soul. It is Good! I look forward to Minkisi Retreat to prepare me for Advent, and the rest of my year presently and into the next. Thank you. I always end with something to use in Faith Formation… My mission is to inform my fellow Catholics to understand who and what they are. OTHER PAST MINKISI EVENTS & NEWS ARTICLES:
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Our Lady Queen of Peace
2700 South 19th Street Arlington, Virginia, 22204, USA 703-979-5580 Office 703-979-5590 Fax [email protected] Office hours: Mon-Fri, 8:30 am - 4:30 pm (closed on federal holidays) Weekend Mass Schedule Saturday: Vigil Mass at 5:30 pm Sunday: 8 am, 9:30 am, 11:15 am, 1 pm (Spanish), 6 pm (young adult) |