Theology Uncorked

Meet Our Presenter

2011-02-15T14:06:00.000-08:00

Father Jeremy Rodrigues, a native of Bristol, RI, was ordained to the priesthood at the Cathedral of SS. Peter & Paul, Providence, on June 28, 2008.

After attending public schools, he studied international business at Merrimack College and then entered the Seminary of Our Lady of Providence, receiving a Bachelor’s Degree in Philosophy from Providence College.

He was assigned by Bishop Mulvee to the Pontifical North American College, Rome, and received a Bachelor’s Degree in Sacred Theology from the Pontifical Gregorian University.

For the summer following his priestly ordination, he served at St. Thomas More Parish, Narragansett, and Yawgoog Boy Scout Camp, returning to Rome to complete his studies leading to a License in Sacred Liturgical Theology from the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross.

While in Italy, he served in the United States Navy Chaplaincy in Naples.

Father Rodrigues will speak at the next Theology Uncorked event on Friday, March 4. We will gather at 6:30PM for wine and cheese in Father Greenan Center at Saint Francis of Assisi Church, 114 High Street, Wakefield, RI. Email us for more information.

Our Next Installment

2011-02-12T12:46:00.001-08:00

Theology Uncorked makes it way to South County! Saint Francis Church in Wakefield in pleased to be hosting the next installment of Theology Uncorked! The topic for our upcoming gathering is:

"NEW WORDS: A DEEPER MEANING BUT THE SAME MASS"

Within less than a year, the English-speaking world will welcome a new translation of the texts used in the Celebration of Mass. Why the change? What can the new translation teach us about the centrality of the Liturgy in the life of the Church? Come and hear these and other questions answered by our presenter,

FR. JEREMY J. RODRIGUES, S.T.L.

assistant pastor at Saint Philip's Church in Greenville. Come for the wine, the food, the engaging discussion, and especially the presentation! Bring a friend or two!

FRIDAY, MARCH 4, 2011, 6:30PM
Saint Francis Church - Father Greenan Center
114 High Street, Wakefield, RI

6:30PM - Wine and Cheese Reception in Father Greenan Center
(Father Greenan Center is located behind the church)
7:00PM - Presentation by Fr. Jeremy Rodrigues
8:00PM - Discussion

Hors d'oeuvres consisting of assorted cheeses, fruits, and other light fare will be provided. For more information and directions, call 401-783-4411 or email us at TheologyUncorked@aol.com.

This event is free of charge, although free-will offerings will be accepted. RSVP is required by March 2, 2011.

Heart Speaks to Heart: An Evening in Honor of John Henry Newman

2010-08-19T05:01:00.000-07:00

Please visit http://newmanfellowship.org for information about an upcoming event in the Diocese of Providence to coincide with the beatification of Cardinal Newman. Information is also available by writing to NewmanFellowship@aol.com.

Upcoming Events

2010-03-10T16:24:00.000-08:00

Please be aware of two upcoming events which coincide with the Year of Evangelization:

On Saturday, March 20, Deacon Joseph Upton will preach the 5:00PM Mass at Saint Luke's in Barrington. A presentation, entitled "Ten Reasons to Celebrate Our Catholic Faith," will follow after Mass (approximately 6:30PM) in the Church Hall. Refreshments will be served. Registration is not required.

On Sunday, March 21, Deacon Joseph Upton will direct an afternoon retreat at Saint Philip's in Greenville. The theme of the retreat is "Encountering Christ in the Catholic Church," and it will be held in the church from 1:30PM to 4:00PM. While the retreat is intended primarily for RCIA candidates, all are welcome to attend. The afternoon will include time for personal prayer, group reflection, song, Confession and Eucharistic Adoration. Registration is necessary. Please email the Diocesan Office of Religious Education for more information.

For more information about either event, contact us by email. We hope you can make it to at least one!

Pope Benedict's Lenten Message

2010-02-24T11:53:00.000-08:00

Dear Brothers and Sisters!

Each year, on the occasion of Lent, the Church invites us to a sincere review of our life in light of the teachings of the Gospel. This year, I would like to offer you some reflections on the great theme of justice, beginning from the Pauline affirmation: “The justice of God has been manifested through faith in Jesus Christ” (cf. Rm 3, 21-22).

Justice: “dare cuique suum”

First of all, I want to consider the meaning of the term “justice,” which in common usage implies “to render to every man his due,” according to the famous expression of Ulpian, a Roman jurist of the third century. In reality, however, this classical definition does not specify what “due” is to be rendered to each person. What man needs most cannot be guaranteed to him by law. In order to live life to the full, something more intimate is necessary that can be granted only as a gift: we could say that man lives by that love which only God can communicate since He created the human person in His image and likeness. Material goods are certainly useful and required – indeed Jesus Himself was concerned to heal the sick, feed the crowds that followed Him and surely condemns the indifference that even today forces hundreds of millions into death through lack of food, water and medicine – yet “distributive” justice does not render to the human being the totality of his “due.” Just as man needs bread, so does man have even more need of God. Saint Augustine notes: if “justice is that virtue which gives every one his due ... where, then, is the justice of man, when he deserts the true God?” (De civitate Dei, XIX, 21).

What is the Cause of Injustice?

The Evangelist Mark reports the following words of Jesus, which are inserted within the debate at that time regarding what is pure and impure: “There is nothing outside a man which by going into him can defile him; but the things which come out of a man are what defile him … What comes out of a man is what defiles a man. For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts” (Mk 7, 14-15, 20-21). Beyond the immediate question concerning food, we can detect in the reaction of the Pharisees a permanent temptation within man: to situate the origin of evil in an exterior cause. Many modern ideologies deep down have this presupposition: since injustice comes “from outside,” in order for justice to reign, it is sufficient to remove the exterior causes that prevent it being achieved. This way of thinking – Jesus warns – is ingenuous and shortsighted. Injustice, the fruit of evil, does not have exclusively external roots; its origin lies in the human heart, where the seeds are found of a mysterious cooperation with evil. With bitterness the Psalmist recognises this: “Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me” (Ps 51,7). Indeed, man is weakened by an intense influence, which wounds his capacity to enter into communion with the other. By nature, he is open to sharing freely, but he finds in his being a strange force of gravity that makes him turn in and affirm himself above and against others: this is egoism, the result of original sin. Adam and Eve, seduced by Satan’s lie, snatching the mysterious fruit against the divine command, replaced the logic of trusting in Love with that of suspicion and competition; the logic of receiving and trustfully expecting from the Other with anxiously seizing and doing on one’s own (cf. Gn 3, 1-6), experiencing, as a consequence, a sense of disquiet and uncertainty. How can man free himself from this selfish influence and open himself to love?

Justice and Sedaqah

At the heart of the wisdom of Israel, we find a profound link between faith in God who “lifts the needy from the ash heap” (Ps 113,7) and justice towards one’s neighbor. The Hebrew word itself that indicates the virtue of justice, sedaqah, expresses this well. Sedaqah, in fact, signifies on the one hand full acceptance of the will of the God of Israel; on the other hand, equity in relation to one’s neighbour (cf. Ex 20, 12-17), especially the poor, the stranger, the orphan and the widow (cf. Dt 10, 18-19). But the two meanings are linked because giving to the poor for the Israelite is none other than restoring what is owed to God, who had pity on the misery of His people. It was not by chance that the gift to Moses of the tablets of the Law on Mount Sinai took place after the crossing of the Red Sea. Listening to the Law presupposes faith in God who first “heard the cry” of His people and “came down to deliver them out of hand of the Egyptians” (cf. Ex 3,8). God is attentive to the cry of the poor and in return asks to be listened to: He asks for justice towards the poor (cf. Sir 4,4-5, 8-9), the stranger (cf. Ex 22,20), the slave (cf. Dt 15, 12-18). In order to enter into justice, it is thus necessary to leave that illusion of self-sufficiency, the profound state of closure, which is the very origin of injustice. In other words, what is needed is an even deeper “exodus” than that accomplished by God with Moses, a liberation of the heart, which the Law on its own is powerless to realize. Does man have any hope of justice then?

Christ, the Justice of God

The Christian Good News responds positively to man’s thirst for justice, as Saint Paul affirms in the Letter to the Romans: “But now the justice of God has been manifested apart from law … the justice of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction; since all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, they are justified by His grace as a gift, through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as an expiation by his blood, to be received by faith” (3, 21-25). What then is the justice of Christ? Above all, it is the justice that comes from grace, where it is not man who makes amends, heals himself and others. The fact that “expiation” flows from the “blood” of Christ signifies that it is not man’s sacrifices that free him from the weight of his faults, but the loving act of God who opens Himself in the extreme, even to the point of bearing in Himself the “curse” due to man so as to give in return the “blessing” due to God (cf. Gal 3, 13-14). But this raises an immediate objection: what kind of justice is this where the just man dies for the guilty and the guilty receives in return the blessing due to the just one? Would this not mean that each one receives the contrary of his “due”? In reality, here we discover divine justice, which is so profoundly different from its human counterpart. God has paid for us the price of the exchange in His Son, a price that is truly exorbitant. Before the justice of the Cross, man may rebel for this reveals how man is not a self-sufficient being, but in need of Another in order to realize himself fully. Conversion to Christ, believing in the Gospel, ultimately means this: to exit the illusion of self-sufficiency in order to discover and accept one’s own need – the need of others and God, the need of His forgiveness and His friendship. So we understand how faith is altogether different from a natural, good-feeling, obvious fact: humility is required to accept that I need Another to free me from “what is mine,” to give me gratuitously “what is His.” This happens especially in the sacraments of Reconciliation and the Eucharist. Thanks to Christ’s action, we may enter into the “greatest” justice, which is that of love (cf. Rm 13, 8-10), the justice that recognises itself in every case more a debtor than a creditor, because it has received more than could ever have been expected. Strengthened by this very experience, the Christian is moved to contribute to creating just societies, where all receive what is necessary to live according to the dignity proper to the human person and where justice is enlivened by love.

Dear brothers and sisters, Lent culminates in the Paschal Triduum, in which this year, too, we shall celebrate divine justice – the fullness of charity, gift, salvation. May this penitential season be for every Christian a time of authentic conversion and intense knowledge of the mystery of Christ, who came to fulfill every justice. With these sentiments, I cordially impart to all of you my Apostolic Blessing.

From the Vatican, 30 October 2009

BENEDICTUS PP. XVI

January 8th Wrap-Up

2010-01-17T09:20:00.000-08:00

An electronic copy of the handout from last Friday's presentation is available upon request. Please email us if you'd like one!

Our sixth installment was a huge success. With roughly 100 people in attendance, we surpassed our average! We are especially grateful to Fr. Frank Santilli, pastor of Saint Paul's Church in Cranston for his generous hospitality in granting the use of the school auditorium for our gathering. Liz Neubauer and Julie Bradley of Saint Paul's Office of Faith Formation were also very helpful behind the scenes. We are especially thankful to Dave's Marketplace, for providing all of the food for the evening entirely free of charge! (Visit their website here.) Thanks are also due to Bill Patenaude of the Diocesan Committee for the Year of Evangelization, and Lisa Gulino of the Diocesan Office of Religious Education. The lay coordinators of the Newman Fellowship, Doug and Mary Bonneville, did so much to pull the evening together. (Be sure to check out the Newman Fellowship site here.)

Be sure to stay on the lookout for our next event, which will be held sometime in early Spring!

RSVP for January 8

2009-11-30T06:01:00.000-08:00

Thanks to the Newman Fellowship, you can now RSVP online for our Theology Uncorked gathering on January 8. Please click the link below. Space and limited and a response is required. See the post below for more details.

CLICK HERE TO RSVP FOR JANUARY 8

Save the Date!

2009-11-11T14:42:00.000-08:00

Theology Uncorked is happy to announce that our next installment will be held on Friday, January 8th, 2010 at 6:30PM. The theme for the gathering is:

"TEN REASONS TO CELEBRATE BEING CATHOLIC"
A Presentation on the Joys of Our Catholic Identity

Our speaker will be Deacon Joseph Upton, a seminarian for the Diocese of Providence and the coordinator of Theology Uncorked. The gathering will be held in the auditorium of Saint Paul School, 1789 Broad Street, Cranston, Rhode Island. (For directions, click here.) Please use the main entrance on Broad Street. Parking is available in the front and in the rear of the school.

The topic is meant to coincide with the Year of Evangelization initiated by the Diocese of Providence, the theme of which is "Return to me with all your heart." This evening would be a great opportunity to invite someone who has fallen away from the Church to re-explore their Catholic faith and meet new people, all over a glass of wine!

The evening will be sponsored by the Newman Fellowship and the Diocesan Office of Religious Education. As always, wine, cheese and other light fare will be available. There is no cost to attend, although RSVP is required and space is limited. Email us at TheologyUncorked@aol.com. Spread the word and save the date now!

October Gathering of the Newman Fellowship

2009-10-06T05:54:00.000-07:00

Theology Uncorked is once again happy to pair with the Newman Fellowship in sponsoring an evening of prayer, food and fellowship at Saint Joseph's Church, 92 Hope Street, Providence, on Tuesday, October 13. The Newman Fellowship brings together converts and "reverts" to the Catholic faith, as well as cradle-Catholics, for the sake of prayer, support and community. All are welcome; formal membership is NOT required and families are most welcome! Eucharistic Holy Hour with Evening Prayer begins at 6:30PM in the church, followed by fellowship in the rectory. Visit http://newmanfellowship.org for more information. RSVP is required.

Theology Uncorked Featured in RI Catholic

2009-07-18T19:16:00.000-07:00

Theology Uncorked was featured in the latest edition of the Rhode Island Catholic, the diocesan-wide newspaper for the Diocese of Providence. Many thanks to staff writer Eric Adams for attending Fr. Stokes' presentation and preparing an informed and well-written article. Check it out here.

Newman Fellowship - Inaugural Gathering

2009-07-06T09:44:00.000-07:00

Theology Uncorked is happy to pair with the Newman Fellowship in promoting their inaugural event which will be held THIS WEDNESDAY, JULY 8TH, at 6:30pm in Saint Margaret's Church, Rumford, RI (click here for directions). This "no-strings attached" evening will consist of a Celebration of Evening Prayer with Eucharistic Exposition and Benediction, followed by food, testimony and fellowship. While the Newman Fellowship is made up primarily of converts and "reverts" to the Catholic faith, all "cradle Catholics" are also welcome to join us! Email the Newman Fellowship at NewmanFellowship@aol.com or visit http://newmanfellowship.org for more information. We hope you can make it on the 8th!

Fifth Installment Wrap-Up

2009-06-27T11:48:00.000-07:00

The fifth installment of Theology Uncorked was a huge success! We welcomed almost 80 people from nearly a dozen parishes and two dioceses! To mark the one-year anniversary of the initiation of our program, we invited Fr. David Lewis Stokes to give a presentation on the nature of the Catholic University. After tracing the development of the University structure in the United States, he explored the 1990 Apostolic Constitution of Pope John Paul II, Ex Corde Ecclesiae. Fr. Stoke's lecture was outstanding; it was truly challenging and thought-provoking. Pictures from the evening have been posted.

Thanks are due to Msgr. William McCaffrey, pastor of Saint Margaret's, for his gracious hospitality, to Deacon John Needham, pastoral associate at Saint Margaret's, for leading us in prayer, and to all those who helped with set-up and clean-up.

We would also like to express our most sincere appreciation to Seven Stars Bakery for donating the bread, cookies and other pastry for the evening. Be sure to check out their new branch in the old Rumford Mill, and tell them we sent you!

We hope to have another Theology Uncorked event soon! Be sure to check back often, and email us if you'd like to be included on our mailing list.

The Closing of the Pauline Year

2009-06-22T11:47:00.001-07:00

Monday, June 29th is the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul. It is also the last day of the Year of Saint Paul, inauguarated by Pope Benedict in 2008. Saint Margaret's Church, 1098 Pawtucket Avenue, Rumford, will be hosting a celebration of Solemn Evening Prayer with Eucharistic Exposition and Benediction on Monday, June 29th at 7:00PM in the main church. Deacon Joseph Upton will be presider and homilist. The theme is: "TO LIVE IS CHRIST." All are welcome to attend this service of prayer, song and reflection as we mark the closing of the Pauline Year. For more information, email us. For directions, click here.

UPDATE: The reservations are "pouring" in for our Theology Uncorked event on Friday, June 26th. If you're planning on attending, be sure to email us and let us know that you're coming!

Our Next Installment: June 26th, 2009

2009-06-10T07:02:00.000-07:00

After a long hiatus, we are excited to announce that our next installment of Theology Uncorked is going to be held on FRIDAY, JUNE 26TH at 6:30PM. Saint Margaret's Church, 1098 Pawtucket Avenue, East Providence, RI, will be hosting the event. The topic for our upcoming gathering is:

“FROM THE HEART OF THE CHURCH:
THE IDEA OF A CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY.”

There has been a media storm in recent months over the manner in which a Catholic university dialogues with society and culture. What exactly is a Catholic university? Can a university be truly Catholic and also truly committed to academic freedom? Come and hear these and other questions answered by our presenter,

FR. DAVID LEWIS STOKES, Ph.D.,

associate professor of theology at Providence College. Come for the wine, the food, the engaging discussion, and especially the presentation! Bring a friend or two! This is not a Theology Uncorked event you will want to miss!

This event, as always, is free of charge, but RSVP is required by Wednesday, June 24th. For more information, please email us at TheologyUncorked@aol.com. For directions, click here.

Night of Recollection

2009-03-21T13:13:00.000-07:00

Saint Joseph's Church in Providence, 92 Hope Street, will be hosting an evening of recollection on Tuesday of Holy Week, April 7th, at 7:00PM in the rectory.

In honor of the Pauline Year, the theme is: "REDEMPTION IN THE WRITINGS OF SAINT PAUL." What better way to prepare for Easter than to spend an evening reflecting on the significance of Jesus' saving death and resurrection through the eyes of Saint Paul? Seminarian Joseph Upton is the presenter.

While this is not a "Theology Uncorked" event per se, it is open to everyone. There is no cost to attend; light refreshments will be served. Please R.S.V.P. by Monday, April 6th at 401-421-9137 or by email .

Bring a friend or two! We hope to see you there!

Gracias, Merci, Grazie, Obrigado

2009-01-04T17:53:00.000-08:00

Many, many thanks to all those who helped in any way with our fourth installment of Theology Uncorked. We are particularly grateful to Fr. Raymond Bastia (Pastor, St. Joseph's Church), Sr. Mary Ellen Maytum, R.S.M. (Pastoral Associate, St. Joseph's Church), Jane Carey, Tom DeFalco, Wayne Kezirian, Ludis Montilla, and Betty Paroli for all their support and assistance. Once again, we hosted over thirty people for an evening of stimulating discussion and reflection, over wine, cheese, and other light fare. A great time was had by all! Our next installment will not be until the Spring, probably sometime in May. We will certainly keep you posted! The outline for Friday's talk is available upon request. Just email us at TheologyUncorked@aol.com. Your input is also welcome, especially if you would like to recommend a topic for the future. Photos from our last installment have also been posted. Visit the photo album here.

Merry Christmas

2008-12-25T19:18:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas! The Christmas liturgy proclaims on this day: "In the wonder of the Incarnation your eternal Word has brought to the eyes of faith a new and radiant vision of your glory. In Him we see our God made visible and so are caught up in the love of a God we cannot see." May this Christmas season be one of peace of joy for you and your loved ones!

Reservations are coming in for our next event on Friday, January 2nd. Read below for more information. Just as a reminder, this event is totally free and will include wine, cheese, and other light fare. RSVP is required by Wednesday, December 31st. Bring a friend! We look forward to seeing you. For more information call 401-421-9137 or email us at TheologyUncorked@aol.com.

PS - A great way to enter into the Christmas season (which is just beginning, not ending!) is to read what our Holy Father has been saying over the last few days:

Save the Date!

2008-10-20T07:31:00.000-07:00

Mark your calendars now! Our next installment will be held on Friday, January 2nd, at 6:30PM, at Saint Joseph Rectory, 92 Hope Street, Providence. Because of overwhelming interest in the previous topic, and a lack of time to address all the questions presented at our last session, the title for the evening is: "APOLOGETICS 201: Answering MORE Questions about the Catholic Faith." What better way to ring in the New Year than with a glass of wine and discussion about the distinctive nature of our Catholic faith? As Hilaire Belloc once wrote, "Wherever the Catholic sun doth shine, there's laughter and good red wine!" More information will follow, although it's safe to say that pizza and calzones will make an appearance at this special holiday edition of Theology Uncorked! To join our mailing list, please email us at TheologyUncorked@aol.com. We hope to see you there!

Third Installment: Wrap-Up

2008-10-18T18:55:00.000-07:00

Our third installment was a rousing success! Nearly thirty people gathered at Saint Joseph's to take a closer look at some of the most well-known yet widely misunderstood teachings of the Church. The crowd was enthusiastic about the topics, and the discussion that followed the presentation was lively, challenging and enlightening. Many, many thanks to Dr. Dan Harrop and the Our Lady of Fatima Council, #4331, K of C for sponsoring Theology Uncorked. Thanks are also due to Fr. Raymond Bastia, pastor of Saint Joseph's, and to the following people who volunteered in numerous ways: Ed & Anne Bozzi, Jane Carey, Tom DeFalco, Claire Corcoan, Betty Paroli and Wayne Kezirian. Please email us at TheologyUncorked@aol.com for the handouts or for more information regarding the topic.

Next Installment: THIS FRIDAY

2008-10-13T06:32:00.001-07:00

Please join us this coming Friday, October 17, for our next installment of Theology Uncorked. The topic is: "APOLOGETICS 101: Answering Common Questions about the Catholic Faith." Most criticisms regarding our Catholic faith are rooted in misunderstanding. Friday's presentation is designed to help you respond to common questions about the faith: Do Catholics worship Mary and the saints? Is everything the Pope says infallible? What does the Church teach about the Eucharist? What about an all-male priesthood, isn't that sexist? There are no stupid questions, and these questions all have answers! We will examine these and other questions this coming Friday, all over wine and cheese! Our speaker is Joseph Upton, a seminarian of the Diocese of Providence. Please join us.

6:30PM - Wine and Cheese Reception
7:00PM - Presentation
7:45PM - Questions/Discussion
8:15PM - Reception Continued (Optional)

RSVP required. This is a FREE event; bring a friend. Space is limited, so contact us ASAP! Email us your reservation and wine preference at TheologyUncorked@aol.com.

Saint Joseph Rectory
92 Hope Street
Providence, RI
401-421-9137

Click here for directions.

Any thoughts?

2008-08-10T19:56:00.000-07:00

Now it's your turn. Did you want to say something but didn't have the chance? Were you hoping the discussion would take a different turn? We would like to invite the participants from our last session to share their reactions to Friday's presentation. Perhaps we could generate a discussion based on the topic: What does Saint Paul mean for us today? Of the central themes presented by Fr. Frank, which one spoke most to you and why? What was the significance of Saul's conversion and in what ways do we need to be "converted" like Saint Paul? Any and all thoughts are welcome! Just click on the "Comments" link to the bottom right of this post to add your comment.

Photo Album

2008-08-10T19:52:00.000-07:00

Photos from both of our events have been uploaded to Flickr. Click the following links for access to the photo albums.

Photos from the Second Installment:
"To Live is Christ: What Saint Paul Means for Us Today"

Photos from the First Installment:
"Faith and Reason: Complementary or Contradictory?"

Second Installment: Wrap-Up

2008-08-10T19:37:00.000-07:00

Many, many thanks to all who helped make our second installment a huge success. We are especially grateful to Fr. Frank Santilli, Pastor of Saint Paul's Church in Cranston, for his fantastic presentation on Saint Paul. The discussion that followed was lively, encouraging, and challenging. And of course, the food and wine was great. As at our first installment, the group of attendants was very diverse and represented several different parishes. We hosted guests from three different Dioceses, and even one guest from Wales (he happened to be visiting a friend in Rhode Island)! We are also grateful to the following people who volunteered their time to help with the evening: Jane Carey, Claire Corcoran, Tom DeFalco, Wayne Kezirian, Sr. Mary Ellen Maytum, R.S.M., and Betty Paroli. Our next installment will be held in October. Stay tuned for more details!

To Live is Christ: Our Second Installment

2008-07-25T09:08:00.001-07:00

In honor of the Pauline Year proclaimed by Pope Benedict, our second installment will focus on Saint Paul the Apostle: “TO LIVE IS CHRIST: WHAT SAINT PAUL MEANS FOR US TODAY.” Aside from Jesus himself, Saint Paul is undoubtedly the most influential figure in the New Testament. What meaning does his life, ministry and teaching still have for us today? How influential can Saint Paul be in our own experience of faith?

Friday, August 8th, 2008
Saint Joseph Rectory
92 Hope Street, Providence

6:30PM - Wine and Cheese Reception
7:15PM - Presentation by Rev. Francis C. Santilli
(Pastor, Saint Paul Church, Cranston)
7:40PM - Discussion

Light fare of assorted cheeses and fruits will also be provided. Due to space limitations and discussion facilitation, only 25 slots are available. For more information, call 401-421-9137, or email us at TheologyUncorked@aol.com. For directions, click here. This event is free of charge, but RSVP is required by Monday, August 4th.

Suggestion: Have an early dinner at one of the many restaurants on the East Side and then join us for the talk and discussion.

Our Second Installment

2008-07-20T14:26:00.000-07:00

The second installment of Theology Uncorked will be held on Friday, August 8th. An informal wine and cheese reception will be held at 6:30PM, with a talk following at 7:15PM. To commemorate the Pauline Year proclaimed by our Holy Father, Pope Benedict, the topic will be: "TO LIVE IS CHRIST: WHAT SAINT PAUL MEANS FOR US TODAY." Second only to Christ himself, Saint Paul stands out as the most influential person in the development of Christianity. He shaped the earliest Christian thought and helped the nascent Church make sense of all they had experienced in Christ. We listen to Paul's letters almost every single Sunday, yet we often miss their significance. Come and experience the life and work of Saint Paul as if for the first time! Due to space limitations, and for discussion facilitation, there are only 25 slots for potential participants. Those who attended our first session have preference, otherwise, places will be reserved on a first-come, first-serve basis. This is a free event! Please RSVP by August 4th. Call Saint Joseph Rectory at 401-421-9137 or email us at TheologyUncorked@aol.com to reserve your place! Hope to see you there!

Our Next Installment...

2008-06-09T07:10:00.000-07:00

Our next installment will be held sometime in early August. If you provided your contact information on the evaluation sheet, then you should receive a postcard in the mail as well as an email regarding the exact date, time, topic and speaker for our next event. If you did not provide your contact information and would like to be invited, please call St. Joe's at 401-421-9137 or send an email to TheologyUncorked@aol.com. And please feel free to leave your comments on this blog! Thanks again and we look forward to seeing you in August!

First Installment: Wrap-Up

2008-06-09T06:22:00.000-07:00

The first installment of Theology Uncorked was a huge success! We hosted almost SIXTY people, representing three different states. The evaluations were very positive, and we will carefully review the implementation of the suggestions offered. Ryan Connors, a seminarian of the Diocese of Providence, gave an excellent presentation (click here for the outline) on the relationship between faith and reason, and the discussion (click here for the discussion questions) which followed in the rectory was truly spirited, challenging, and uplifting! Many, many thanks to all who helped in any way, especially Our Lady of Fatima Council #4331, Knights of Columbus, who generously provided the food, drink, and supplies for the evening. We are also grateful to the following people who contributed to the success of the evening: Sr. Mary Ellen Maytum, R.S.M., Patricia McWilliams, Janet Jaquinto, Dr. Edward and Anne Bozzi, Jane Carey, Wayne Kezirian, Betty Paroli, Allison Amodie, Amanda Cooke, and Claire Corcoran. We hope that you will all consider joining us for our next installment in early August! Stay tuned for details!

RSVP Reminder

2008-06-04T20:27:00.000-07:00

The reservations are still coming in. If you plan on attending our first installment this coming Friday, please call the Saint Joe's Rectory at 421-9137 or email TheologyUncorked@aol.com as soon as possible. Please include the number of guests and wine preferences in the email. We have received an overwhelmingly positive response so far and a great deal of interest has been generated! We look forward to seeing you Friday! To clarify: thanks to the generosity of the Knights of Columbus, Our Lady of Fatima Council #4331, there is NO FEE to attend.

Our First Installment

2008-05-19T11:25:00.000-07:00

The first installment of Theology Uncorked will

focus on the interplay of faith and reason:

"FAITH AND REASON: COMPLEMENTARY OR CONTRADICTORY?"

We will explore such questions as: Is there a rational basis for faith? Can the claims of faith and reason be reconciled? What about science and religion? Are faith and reason mutually exclusive?

Friday, June 6, 2008 6:30PM
Saint Joseph Rectory
92 Hope Street Providence

Light fare of assorted cheeses and fruits will also be provided. All are welcome! Bring a friend or two, perhaps a neighbor or a relative, or someone interested in the Catholic Church.

For directions, click here. RSVP required by June 4th.

401-421-9137

TheologyUncorked@aol.com

Suggestion: Have an early dinner at one of the many fine restaurants on the East Side and then join us for the discussion.

Click Here for Promotional Poster

"Faith and reason are like two wings on which the human spirit rises to the contemplation of truth; and God has placed in the human heart a desire to know the truth—in a word, to know himself—so that, by knowing and loving God, men and women may also come to the fullness of truth about themselves."

- Encyclical Letter of Pope John Paul II, Fides et Ratio

"While we rejoice in the new possibilities open to humanity, we also see the dangers arising from these possibilities and we must ask ourselves how we can overcome them. We will succeed in doing so only if reason and faith come together in a new way, if we overcome the self-imposed limitation of reason to the empirically verifiable, and if we once more disclose its vast horizons…Only thus do we become capable of that genuine dialogue of cultures and religions so urgently needed today."

- Address of Pope Benedict XVI at Regensburg University