Desire of the Everlasting Hills: Movie Screening and Talkback with David Michael Phelps
Everyone is invited to a screening of the powerful film, Desire of the Everlasting Hills, an intimate portrait of three Catholics who try to navigate the waters of self-understanding, faith, and homosexuality. This event is part of our series, "Gay and Christian: The Conversation Continues."
On Wednesday, March 9, 2016, the Saint Benedict Forum was pleased to host a screening of the powerful documentary film, Desire of the Everlasting Hills, an intimate and candid portrait of three Catholics who try to navigate the waters of self-understanding, faith, and homosexuality. After the film, there was a talkback with the writer, producer, and Hope College alumnus, David Michael Phelps. This event explored the themes and questions raised by the Gay and Christian Symposium, hosted a few weeks ago.
Sr. Miriam Inspires Hope College
Sr. Miriam James Heidland, SOLT, rocked Hope College campus this past week with a series of inspiring talks, workshops, and simply with her joyful and evangelical presence.
Sr. Miriam James Heidland, SOLT, inspired Hope College this week with a series of talks. On Tuesday night, Sr. Miriam led a workshop entitled, "Called to Love: A Heart Fully Alive," where she discussed John Paul II's Theology of the Body with Hope College women. One of the participants, Rebecca Pavlock, said, "This was easily in the top five best things I've ever done at Hope." Another student shared, "This is exactly what I needed right now in my life."The following day, Sr. Miriam spoke to a thousand students in Hope College's chapel. Her theme was "God's Masterpiece" and she brought the house down. You can listen to her inspiring talk here. Even President Knapp thought she was great.
Later that evening, Sr. Miriam led the annual Saint Benedict Forum Lent Retreat where she spoke on "Merciful Like the Father: Living in Forgiveness and Freedom." Over a hundred people crammed into Western Seminary's Mulder Chapel to listen to Sr. Miriam's beautiful words. Her talk was followed by adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, confession, and Mass. On the walk back to the car after the retreat, two students stopped us and said what everyone was feeling: "Sr. Miriam! You were so awesome today. You have no idea how much you touched people. Everyone has been talking about you all day. Seriously, you have message that people really need to hear and reached a lot of people with it today. Thank you."
SR. MIRIAM JAMES HEIDLAND, S.O.L.T. is a popular speaker on the Theology of the Body, authentic love and conversion, the healing power of Christ, and the dignity and beauty of woman. She is the author of Loved As I Am: An Invitation to Conversion, Healing, and Freedom through Jesus (Ave Maria Press, 2014).
Dr. Ortiz on the Journey Home (VIDEO)
Cradle Catholic and director of the Saint Benedict Forum, Jared Ortiz, tells the harrowing tale of how he drifted away from God in his youth and how God slowly drew him back through providential encounters with Muslims, Jews, a few Catholics, and reading a lot of books. Watch it here:
Dawn Eden Gives Hope to the Hurting (VIDEO)
On September 16, author and popular speaker, Dawn Eden, gave two talks on the campus of Hope College: "How Jesus’ Sacred Heart Healed My Memories" and "Thrill of the Chaste: Finding Fulfillment While Keeping Your Clothes On"
By Anna Jones, Religion and Philosophy Major, Class of 2018
It was almost three o’clock, and the afternoon’s talk by speaker and author Dawn Eden was about to begin. Coffee-shop conversation bubbled around me in the Fried Hemenway Auditorium as we waited for her to start. I had heard Eden speak that morning during the Wednesday chapel service and was excited to hear more of her story. The chapel talk had given a brief introduction to the topic Eden was about to discuss at length: “How Jesus' Sacred Heart Healed My Memories.” The talk was linked to her book, My Peace I Give You: Healing Sexual Wounds with the Help of the Saints, which discusses the whole story of her trauma and healing.
Strangely enough, joy was tangible in her presence. Eden had experienced severe suffering and was now in a sense reliving that pain with all of us by retelling her story. She spoke of how she still suffers from PTSD, yet her presence was one of such peace and joy that I couldn’t help but marvel at the work God has done in her.
Raised in a semi-devout Reformed Jewish home, Eden eventually lost her faith in God, seeking love and fulfillment by living a promiscuous life as a rock-and-roll journalist. In the afternoon talk, Eden spoke of how she had blocked out many painful memories, and in so doing brought an even greater pain to herself. Through the mercy of Our Lord and devotion to His Sacred Heart, Eden found the transforming love of Jesus, which turned the suffering of her memory into a pathway that brought her into union with Himself.
That evening in Winants Auditorium, Eden gave another talk entitled, “Thrill of the Chaste: Finding Fulfillment While Keeping Your Clothes On.” This talk touched on the story found in her book of the same name. Eden gave a testimony that recalled the abuse she suffered as a child, her search for fulfillment and value, and her eventual conversion and healing in Christ. Before her conversion, the wounds Eden suffered as a child told her that her value rested not in who she was but in what she would do. She suffered from guilt, made even worse by being told that the abuse perpetrated on her was her own fault.
In spite of this, Eden related that as a child she knew the necessity of love and came to the realization that if we loved one another, there would be peace. Eden related how she pursued an ever allusive “love” by chasing relationships and pushing the physical boundaries of each one. In essence, she was attempting to prove her worth. Her lifestyle was enabled by the rock-n-roll world she chose to be a part of which asked no questions of her about moral rightness. Ironically, it was this very life of wandering that eventually brought Eden to the fulfillment and healing she longed for.
During a phone interview with a member of a popular band at the time, Eden was introduced to a book entitled, “The Man who was Thursday” by G.K. Chesterton. Her interest was piqued and she picked a copy of the book. She was struck by the book’s statement, “The most poetical thing in the world was not being sick.” This struck a chord in Eden’s heart. Eden read more work by Chesterton, which eventually led her to Chesterton’s inspiration, the Bible, particularly the Psalms and the Gospels. Scripture became real and three-dimensional for Eden, not just “flat words on a page.” Through the working of the Holy Spirit she was led become a Christian, eventually discovering the richness and truth of the Catholic Church.
Finding the teachings of the Catholic Church “profoundly liberating,” Eden began to see that Chastity is an active virtue and not a mere restriction. This new found teaching defied the accusations of her wounds and confirmed her identity as a beloved daughter of the living God. Dawn Eden’s story was truly inspiring, filled with joy and grace and the message of Jesus’s redemptive healing which is so needed in this world’s broken culture. Her testimony offers hope not only to those who have suffered as she has, but also to all those seeking a life of abundance in Christ.
Dawn Eden is the author of Thrill of the Chaste (Catholic Edition): Finding Fulfillment While Keeping Your Clothes On (Ave Maria Press, 2015, revised and updated from 2006 edition) and My Peace I Give You: Healing Sexual Wounds with the Help of the Saints (Ave Maria Press, 2012).
All photos by Joy Rhine.
Director Jared Ortiz Featured in FAITH Magazine
FAITH Magazine recently ran an article on Jared Ortiz, Director and Co-founder of the Saint Benedict Forum. The article discusses the gory details of Ortiz's conversion story as well as how the Saint Benedict Forum came into being. Well worth a read, though not for the faint of heart. Read the whole story here.