The Diocese of Madison will offer a Called and Gifted workshop on Saturday, April 27, in the church hall of Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish, located in the school building, 4913 Schofield St., Monona.
The April workshop follows a wildly successful workshop which was offered in the diocese last October.
The Called and Gifted process helps Christians discern the presence of charisms in their lives.
A charism, or spiritual gift, is a special ability given to an individual by the Holy Spirit, which empowers them to bring God’s love, truth, mercy, and goodness into the world.
The Called and Gifted discernment process includes participation in a small group after you have attended the initial workshop.
Amy Meinholz, a participant in the October workshop and parishioner at Holy Family/ St. Mary of the Nativity in Marshall, shared her experience in the small groups.
She said, “Each week, our small group brought instruction on how to nurture what we are called and gifted to do, and not to just check the boxes of daily lists. Many of us are so list-oriented that we lose focus on having time with Christ on that list. In order to grow with Christ, we must make time for Christ.
At our first small group, our instructor spurred us on to be especially attentive to the promptings of the Holy Spirit in our lives as we discerned our individual charisms.
“In the days that followed, the Lord put one of these opportunities in my path. One of my students did not meet the requirements to pass a class and had to be remediated before I could grant her a passing score.
“In my small group the week before, we had talked about the charisms of teaching and encouragement. It was at this moment the Holy Spirit was showing me just how He was working in my life.
“My student needed to pass the skills I was testing her on in order to keep her employment, and the feelings that overcame me at that moment are hard to describe. As much as I wanted to head home and call it a day, I knew I needed to remain with the student and help her, no matter how long I’d be there.
When my student was able to fully embrace the concepts she had struggled with, I was ignited with energy! I was so incredibly happy that she was successful with the class!
“Despite the fatigue and stress throughout my 13-hour shift that day, the time with my student filled my spiritual tank.
“There may be too many of us, who like me, like to be organized, the ultimate planner, and you do not deviate from your plan.
“There is something better meant for you. I was ignited when I followed His prompting — His plan — and I want others to feel this way too.”
To find more details about the April Called and Gifted workshop and to register, go to madisondiocese.org/called-and-gifted.
The registration deadline is Tuesday, April 16.