Kindred Spirits Holds Five-Week Series Of Talks

Published: September 11, 2003

ATLANTA—Kindred Spirits, a ministry of the Cathedral of Christ the King, will be sponsoring a five-week series that begins on Friday, Sept. 26, and continues through Friday, Oct. 24.

The evenings begin with a light supper at 7 p.m., and the program starts at 7:30 in the parish hall, 2699 Peachtree Road NE.

The series will focus on those who find themselves unmarried after age 35.

The first night’s topic will be “Body Language: The Gift Of Our Sexuality,” which will be presented by Alison Batley, an artist who uses her artwork to capture and convey the beauty of the church’s teachings. Batley will talk about the mystery of the body and sexuality as explored in “Theology of the Body” by Pope John Paul II.

The second night of the series, Oct. 3, will focus on “Healing our Brokenness,” which will be presented by Father Vincent Sullivan, parochial vicar at the Cathedral. Father Sullivan will discuss singles’ sense of loneliness and how they can learn to forgive and dare to trust, hope and love again.

On the third evening, Oct. 10, the topic will be “The Great Divide: Annulment and Divorce,” which will be presented by Father Tim Gadziala, a canon lawyer and judge in the Metro Atlanta Tribunal. Father Gadziala will share the church’s position on obtaining a Declaration of Nullity and why it can be a great healing process.

The fourth evening, Oct. 17, is entitled “Going to the Chapel: Engagement, Marriage and Remarriage” and will be given by Father Sullivan. He will explain how the church prepares engaged couples and offers them insight into their relationship. Father Sullivan will also cover the challenges of living together and remarriage.

The final evening of the series will be held Oct. 24 and is called “The Brady Bunch: Blending Families.” This program will be presented by Mary Ellen Hughes, LCSW, director of the Office Of Family Concerns for the archdiocese. Hughes helped design and implement “The Remarriage Workshop” for the archdiocese.

“We address ghosts from the past in a way that bonds the couple together rather than separates them,” Hughes said. She will also address parenting and step-parenting issues.

For many years, the “older” singles have looked for a niche of their own, and Kindred Spirits, sponsored by the Department of Adult Enrichment and Evangelization at Christ the King, has tried to fill that spot here in the archdiocese.

The group’s enthusiasm and monthly activities—both spiritual and social—have drawn more than 130 members in their first year.

This series is their kick-off for the beginning of their second year and is open to anyone who would like to attend.

There will be a charge of $5 for each evening, which includes a light supper.

For more information, please call (404) 634-8303 or e-mail netpeg@mindspring.com. Kindred Spirits also has a Web site, located at http://www.KindredSpiritsAtl.org.