Christ the King hosts international speaker Father Anthony Gittins, C.S.Sp.
Father Anthony Gittins, C.S.Sp., M.A., Ph.D., a member of the Congregation of the Holy Spirit, author, speaker, missionary and professor emeritus of theology and culture at The Catholic Theological Union in Chicago, Ill., presented a weeklong retreat, “Discipleship and Women,” at Christ the King Retreat House and Conference Center, Syracuse, Aug. 9 to 14. Father Gittins has worked with homeless women in Chicago for over 25 years, has worked as a missionary pastor with the Mendes people of Sierra Leone, West Africa, and traveled as a missionary to Pakistan, the Trobriand Island and the Republic of Kiribati.
Attendees of the Syracuse retreat included laypeople, clergy and religious, including several Sisters of St. Joseph of Peace from Washington State, and a group of Little Sisters of St. Francis of Assisi from Uganda.
Father Gittins travels full-time nationally and internationally, speaking on a number of theological topics including the significance of discipleship, God’s mission as a church and the meaning of hope.
“For Christians, hope is a non-negotiable,” explained Father Gittins during the Syracuse retreat. “If we call ourselves Christians, we are committed to living in hope. Hope is a divine gift from God and is different from optimism. We have every reason to be pessimistic about today’s world, but we never give up our hope.”
Sister Bernadette Kele, LSOSF, who traveled with the sisters from Uganda, smiled as she spoke of listening to Father Gittins. “He has been so inspiring and being here [at Christ the King] has been a time to enrich and refresh our spirituality.”
For more information on upcoming retreats and speakers at Christ the King Retreat House and Conference Center, visit www.ctkretreat.com or call
(315) 446-2680.
