National Speaker and Author Visits Camillus to Share God’s Teaching
By Eileen Jevis, Staff Writer
Photos by Nick Longo
It was a packed house at Holy Family and St. Joseph’s Churches in Fairmount and Camillus for a three-day retreat co-hosted by the parishes on March 3-7. Chris Padgett, a national speaker and author of more than a dozen spiritual books, was the keynote speaker. Padgett’s mission is to share the truth of God’s love and forgiveness and guide people through marriage and life. Padgett used themes from his book, “I’m Not OK, You’re Not OK, But it’s OK,” and through song and stories, touched on a variety of topics including our identity as beloved children of God, deepening our relationship with Him and deepening our connection with family and community.
Presenter Chris Padgett engages his audience.
Father John Manno, pastor of Holy Family Church, said the parish mission gave those who attended the opportunity to examine their relationship with God and others. One-sided relationships die quickly, he explained. However, if we have a strong relationship with God, it will allow us to love better, forgive easier, show empathy and compassion, and be generous and charitable. “We live in a busy world and at times, it may seem hard to make time for God, make time for prayer, and to make space,” said Father Manno. “By collaborating with the parishes around us, we can share resources, learn from each other, and grow in faith together.”
Father Manno explained that in a four-mile radius from Holy Family there are 9 Catholic Churches. On any given Saturday or Sunday, there are 26 Masses in that four-mile radius. “In reality,” he said, “many of the Masses have small attendance, so we recognized that we need to partner with the parishes around us. Our collaboration with St. Joseph’s Church to host this parish mission during Lent is just one way for us to recognize there is a tremendous benefit in working together.”
“This parish mission hosted by Holy Family and St. Joseph’s Church is an effort to collaborate more fully with our Pastoral Care Areas of Western Onondaga County,” added Father Rob Hyde, pastor of St. Joseph’s. Attendance was higher than expected as Christians in the area gathered to listen, learn, pray and reflect during the Lenten retreat. One attendee compared the full pews to Christmas Eve Mass.
In his book, “I’m Not OK, You’re Not OK, But it’s OK”, Padgett says there are three basic relational pillars, or primordial structures to assist us in knowing God. The first is parental, the second deals with friendship, and the third involves interactions and encounters with what he calls our significant others. During his presentation, Padgett often referred to the struggles in his own childhood.
“I share my stories as a kid from a broken home who felt that he never fully fit in. The teachers didn’t like me. My friends were smarter than I was and better at everything compared to me,” said Padgett. “How could Jesus love a lonely kid like me? A kid whose parents couldn’t love each other?” he asked the audience. In his book, Padgett writes, “The wounds from our parents can be so powerful and leave such a mark on our lives that often we stumble in our relationship with any type of father figure in religion. Sometimes the scars we carry are not even known until we hear about a God who wishes to father us.”
Deacon Nick Alvaro said that the different aspects of relationships that Padgett talked about were done with humor and humility. “He has a remarkable ability to make you laugh and inspire you at the same time.”
“The retreat was a wonderful way to explore our faith, get to know our God and one another and to remind us that we are not alone,” said Deacon Nick. “I think that during Lent, folks are looking for ways to build their relationship with Jesus.”
The religious leaders at both parishes look forward to future collaborations that will serve all members of the Catholic Church. Father Manno said that when he walks into any church and encounters our Lord in the Eucharist, he feels at home. “I know and understand that parishes can have their own particular culture or charism, but being Catholic reminds us that the Church is universal. Local churches sharing resources is a positive thing. It allows us to ask the Holy Spirit for guidance and to listen to the Holy Spirit as to how to find new and exciting ways to proclaim the Gospel.”
