By Claudia Mathis
Sun staff writer

Anyone who is experiencing or has experienced the trauma of a divorce will find the upcoming retreat for separated and divorced, held Sept. 17-19 at Stella Maris Retreat Center in Skaneateles, extremely healing. The quiet, reflective setting of the retreat center facilitates a sense of serenity.

This year marks the retreat’s 10th anniversary. Dean Brainard, coordinator of the Syracuse Diocese’s separated and divorced ministry, said the retreat is usually attended by 20-35 people each year. Brainard has participated in the event for the last seven years. “It’s a tremendous, uplifting experience,” he said. “Every year that I attend, I receive a new level of inspiration from it.”

The theme of this year’s retreat is “Moving Out of Darkness and Into the Light of God’s Love.” The special event is enhanced this year by the addition of two new activities — a guided walk through scenic Skaneateles and Salsa dance lessons during the social hour on Saturday evening.

By Claudia Mathis
Sun staff writer

Sister Katie Eiffe, CSJ, Diocesan Director of the Office of Faith Formation, is hoping for a crowd of 500 to attend the faith inspiring 2010 Journey of Faith Conference Saturday, Sept. 26. The 16th annual conference will be held at the OnCenter in Syracuse.

This year the theme is “Paths to Discipleship.” As Sister Katie and her office considered the theme of discipleship, they invited Bishop Thomas Costello to return as keynote speaker for a second time (he was the keynote speaker for the first Journey of Faith Conference in 1995). “As you know,” said Sister Katie, “Bishop Costello has retired as auxiliary bishop, but his experience as priest, as bishop, as disciple will, we believe, challenge and inspire our own journeys of faith.”

Journey of Faith participants will have the opportunity to choose from among 32 workshops on a wide variety of topics, including three on the timely subject of using the tools of technology to enhance faith formation.

Sister Katie said that many of the workshop presenters will focus on how to live like a disciple of Jesus. “As always, we have invited workshop facilitators who will speak to people involved in catechetical ministry, and to people involved in other ministries in their parishes or schools, and to those whose ministry is to their families and co-workers in the marketplace,” Sister Katie said.

The event will also include a musical concert on the Friday evening preceding the conference, Sept. 25. ValLimar Jansen, a gifted singer, songwriter and storyteller, will perform at St. Margaret’s Church in Mattydale. “She is an amazing performer who will uplift and inspire,” said Sister Katie. Also performing that evening will be Sean Clive, a liturgical musician from St. Anthony’s Parish in Chadwicks. He has won national awards for his music.

By Connie Berry
Sun editor

Sister Katie Eiffe, CSJ, said whenever she is faced with a major decision, she usually requires weeks to think it over and then asks for advice from dozens of people —and then she asks for a few more weeks to think it over. This time, however, she answered right away.

Sister Katie will leave her position as diocesan director of the Office of Faith Formation, one she has held for nearly a decade, to join her community in Latham, N.Y. as assistant coordinator of the Sisters’ hospitality and retreat center at the Provincial House outside of Albany. Sister Pat Conran is the coordinator of the Carondelet Hospitality Center and she asked Sister Katie to join her at the sisters’ relatively new endeavor. The center offers space for meetings and retreats, as well as overnight accommodations and food service to parish, diocesan and community groups.

“When Sister Pat called there was something that felt right about it. It was an unexpected invitation but I knew it was right,” she said.

Sister Pat also knew Sister Katie would not be joining her in Latham until after the diocese’s annual Journey of Faith event. She plans to begin her new position Nov. 1. Hosting groups and organizing presentations is nothing new for Sister Katie. She has coordinated the annual Journey of Faith event for the diocese for years. Every year, Sister Katie said, she wonders if her office could possibly pull off the event “one more year.” And then, when she sees the large groups, usually around 400 or 500 people, gathered each year to hear presenters it is an “adrenaline rush.”

“It [Journey of Faith] is a huge undertaking  and I always think to myself, ‘Can we keep doing this?’” Sister Katie said. “Then you look at that group sitting out in front of you... it touches peoples’ faith, their lives and that’s incredibly enriching.”

Journey of Faith is one highlight of Sister Katie’s work in the diocese’s Office of Faith Formation. The close relationships she has with all the catechists is what Sister Katie said she will miss most. She began work in the ministry more than 20 years ago serving as regional director for the Northern and Southern Offices of Faith Formation before being named diocesan director by then Bishop James Moynihan.

Before forming lifelong learners in catechesis, however, Sister Katie did the same in Catholic school classrooms teaching at her alma mater, Rome Catholic, Notre Dame High School in Utica, Bishop Scully High School in Amsterdam and Catholic High in Troy, N.Y. She has been a Sister of St. Joseph of Carondelet for 33 years.