RENEW International Hosts Theology on Tap with St Helen’s Church in New Jersey

The Rev. James Martin, S.J., a Jesuit priest, bestselling author, and associate editor of America, the national Catholic magazine, gave a talk entitled How To Become a Saint in an Hour, which focused on the surprising humanity of the saints, how they teach us about finding our own paths to God, and how they show us how being holy simply means being who you are. The event took place on August 27th, at Molly Maguire’s Irish Pub, 1085 Central Ave, Clark NJ.

The seminar led by Father Martin is the kickoff to RENEW International’s Theology on Tap speaker series. St Helen’s church in Westfield is sponsoring the series for the next two months with four gatherings featuring key speakers. The Theology on Tap series running at Molly Maguire’s in Clark, NJ, began on August 27. The series is running every other week on Wednesday nights with compelling and innovative guest speakers. The pub will provide a host of drink and food specials.

More information can be found online at http://www.theologyontap.com/

Dates and topics for the remaining three events in the series are listed below:

September 10 “Making a Difference Without Saying a Word”
Allan Wright is a husband, father, teacher and author who has been bringing the Gospel to life for more than 20 years. A national speaker, he serves on the Archdiocesan Commission for inter-religious affairs. His latest book, “Jesus in the House,” received the 2008 Catholic Press Association’s Book of the Year Award.

September 24 “Free Your Mind: Uncover Your Authentic Self”
Scotch Plains resident Jamie Novak has garnered nationwide praise for her talks on ridding one’s life of clutter. At Theology on Tap, she’ll step away from cluttered closets and examine the difficulties of cluttered souls. In a world full of distractions and work pressures, how do you let go and find out what’s truly important?

October 8 “Beautiful Mess”
Bill McGarvey, the editor-in-chief of bustedhalo.com, a young adult website, synthesizes pop culture and Christianity in unique ways. A singer/songwriter, McGarvey presents a compelling tale of personal conversion in which the arts continually draw him deeper into the mystery of God by illuminating experiences of challenge, loss, grief and love.

Father Martin is the author of several books, most recently, A Jesuit Off-Broadway: Center Stage with Jesus, Judas and Life’s Big Questions (Loyola, 2007). His bestselling book My Life with the Saints (Loyola, 2006), which received a 2007 Christopher Award, was also named one of the "Best Books" of 2006 by Publishers Weekly, and received a First Place from the Catholic Press Association for Spirituality Books.

Besides his articles in America and other Catholic publications, Father Martin has written for The New York Times, The Chicago Tribune, The Philadelphia Inquirer, and other national newspapers and websites. He has commented on religion and spirituality in the national and international radio media, and has appeared on National Public Radio, PBS’s “The News Hour with Jim Lehrer,” Fox News Channel’s "The O’Reilly Factor" as well as on all the major networks as well as Vatican Radio. Father Martin conducts seminars and retreats and assists on Sundays at the Church of St. Ignatius Loyola in New York City.

Theology on Tap is an outreach to and collaboration with young Catholic adults in pursuit of spiritual growth. Theology on Tap reaches young adults—women and men, single and married, 20s and 30s—where they are, inviting them to discover how faith can inform and give sense to their everyday lives, and how to deepen their involvement in the Catholic community and all that it does. Local Theology on Tap teams around the country and internationally offer friendly gatherings centered on topics of faith in relaxed settings like restaurants, bars, and other casual venues.

About RENEW International

RENEW International is a Catholic organization based in Plainfield, NJ, in the Archdiocese of Newark. RENEW International fosters spiritual renewal in the Catholic tradition by empowering individuals and communities to encounter God in everyday life, deepen and share faith, and connect faith with action. RENEW International has a 28-year record in revitalizing parish life in over 150 dioceses in the United States, touching the lives of 25 million people through its renewal processes. The official website for RENEW International is http://www.RENEWintl.org

Contact Information

Deirdre Malacrea

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RENEW International

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