American Martyrs Retreat HouseProviding a hospitable environment

and the spiritual means for people to encounter and deepen their

relationship with God.

Newsletter

July - October 2017

American Martyrs Retreat House2209 North Union RoadCedar Falls, IA 50613-0028

Nonprofit Org.U.S. Postage

PAIDCedar Falls, IA 50613

Permit No. 153

American Martyrs Retreat House

Email

We email the newsletter to those of you who have requested it, emailing saves AMRH time, money, and resources. However, if you do not have an email account, we will continue to mail it to you.

To receive the newsletter by email, please send your name and email address to: dbqamrhsec@dbqarch.org

Advisory Board

Tom HoagCedar Falls, IA

Jackie Hoggins Plainfield, IA

Luke JensonWaterloo, IA

Deacon Greg LievensAplington, IA

Julie PaladinoWaverly, IA

Dale RothlerAlta Vista, IA

Deacon Al Weber - DirectorCedar Falls, IA

Msgr. Lyle WilgenbuschJesup, IA

www.americanmartyrsretreathouse.com

Catholic Daughters/Women’s RetreatOctober 6-8

“Live Successfuly with Faith, Hope and Charity”

With these 3 virtues active in our life we will find that our life will be filled with a success that supersedes all that we might find in worldly goals and ambitions.

Retreat Director, Fr. Dan Knipper, was ordained in June of 1967. He has served the Archdiocese in a variety of ways including parishes, high schools and grade schools, and director of the American Martyrs Retreat House.

He has also been very active in liturgy and especially liturgical music on a diocesan & national level. He is retired in Decorah and continues his priestly ministry through parish coverage in North East Iowa.

The retreat fee is $135 per person for the weekend. $25 deposit secures your reservation. The retreat starts at 8 pm Friday & ends Sunday after lunch.

To register or for questions, call 319-266-3543 or email dbqamrhsec@dbqarch.org.

RetreatsFrom the Director

Prayer is a very important part of my day. I pray at mealtime (even in a restaurant), when I get up in the morning, when I go to bed, when good and bad things happen, when someone asks me to pray for them, Morning & Evening Prayer from the Liturgy of the Hours and who knows what will cause me to pray. I’m not telling you this so that you think I’m a “saint”, quite the contrary, in my “humaness” I need to thank, praise and seek guidance from God on an ongoing basis.

2 years ago at NCYC (National Catholic Youth Conference) I purchased a t-shirt that says “Prays Well With Others.” Whenever I wear that shirt, I think to myself “Can I live up to what my shirt says?”

Every now and then in our prayer life we can hit a “dry spot”, there is something missing. We can begin the journey to find what is missing or just be content to stay “dry”. About 2 months ago I hit a “dry spot.” I stayed “dry” for awhile but didn’t like how I was feeling. So I began the journey, I prayed about it.

Many years ago, I was able to attend daily mass because I didn’t have to be at work until 8. I miss being able to attend daily mass because my day now starts much earlier. That’s it. I was missing daily mass. I couldn’t receive the Eucharist but I could read the daily readings. I went to the USCCB (United States Council of Catholic Bishops) website, put the cursor on Bible and clicked on Today’s Reading. When I got to the end of the Gospel there was a yellow box that said: “Get the daily readings sent to your email every morning.” I put in my email address. Sure enough the next day, I had the readings in my email.

2 days later I received an email from Bishop Robert Barron, I subscribe to his daily Gospel reflections during Advent and Lent. He was offering daily Gospel reflections for every day via email. Click. I was signed up. If you haven’t heard of Bishop Robert Barron, he was the rector of Mundelein Seminary in Illinois, where many of the seminarians from the Archdiocese of Dubuque study, before being appointed Auxillary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles. He has a wonderful way of explain-ing scripture in a brief and simple way. His daily reflections are usually 3 short paragraphs and easy to understand.

No more “dry spot”, for now. I know it will happen again and I will pray about it. I believe our “dry spots” are God calling us to a fuller faith life. So will we be content with where we are or hunger for more? God loves us so much he wants the best for us, stay hungry.

Please keep AMRH and all our retreatants in your prayers. God Bless,Deacon Al Weber

Like Us On Facebook

Marian Retreat for Men & WomenAugust 11-13

“Our Lady of Fatima-100 Years Later”In 1917, the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared six times to 3 young children in Fatima, Portugal. She gave them a number of messages and urged the to pray for the conversion of sinners. During this retreat we will review the story of Fatima and what Mary showed the children and what she told them. We will also see how the message of Fatima is still very timely and relevant for us 100 years later.

Retreat Director, Fr. Jerry Kopacek, grew up on a farm near Britt and graduated from Britt High School in 1973. He graduated from Iowa State University in 1977 and the University of Iowa Law School in 1980. He was ordained a Catholic priest in May of 1988. He has served as an associate pastor, pastor, principal of Newman High School and is currently the spiritual director for St. Pius X Seminary at Loras College in Dubuque.

The retreat fee is $135 per person for the weekend. $25 deposit secures your reservation. The retreat starts at 8 pm Friday & ends Sunday after lunch.

To register or for questions, call 319-266-3543 or email dbqamrhsec@dbqarch.org.

DREAM Weekend10th Anniversary

July 28 & 29We will be celebrating the 10th Anniversary of the DREAM Weekend starting at 5:30 p.m. on Friday July 28th.

5:30 - 6 Social6 - DinnerProgram in the Chapel after dinner.

We have sent invitations to all the DREAMers we had email or snail mail addresses. If we missed you please contact us and let us know you are coming. Reminder for all of those who received invitations to RSVP by July 21.

The DREAM Weekend schedule will be the same Friday & Saturday, start at 8 am and work till 3pm, with all the normal breaks and meals. Let us know if you can help a little or a lot, so we can prepare projects, breaks and meals. Call 319-266-3543 or email dbqamrhsec@dbqarch.org

The projects for this year include: cleaning carpets, wash-ing windows, painting window frames, weedeating, edging sidewalks, weeding and mulching flower beds, mulching the hiking trail, repairing cracks in driveway and parking lot, trimming trees, planting shrubs and trees, and building benches for the fire pit area.

We are always in need of funds to carry out our projectsand when unforeseen problems occur during the year.

We want to thank all of you for your help over the past ten years. Please keep AMRH in your prayers.

Veteran’s RetreatAugust 25-27 Part 1

September 22-24 Part 2Sound familiar?I am having difficulty getting used to civilian life.I am impatient & frustrated and find myself isolating.I feel like God is MIA or KIA in my life.I can’t sleep, and when I do sleep I have frequent nightmares.I experience intense emotions like guilt, resentment & anger.I often turn to unhealthy activities to mask my pain.My friends & family don’t understand me. They don’t “get it.”

The Veterans’ Retreat is a Christian-based program designed to help military men & women come to spiritual healing and reconciliation with God and one another. The program spe-cifically addresses the issue of Post-Traumatic Spiritual Stress Disorder.

It is a 2 night weekend retreat offered at no cost to veterans& their significant other (if they wish to attend) in a place ofsafety, respite & support. Retreat leader, Sr. LindaMcClenahan, a veteran herself, served as a communicationsSergeant in the III Corps area of Vietnam. She is now a Domin-ican Sister and Licensed Professional Counselor & Therapist whose ministry involves helping veterans deal with trauma. She is assisted by Augie Sisco, Major, USMC (Ret.).

Veterans of any age or faith are welcome. For questions or to register, contact Mayslake Ministries at 630-852-9000.

This retreat is held at American Martyrs Retreat House. Veterans who have attended this retreat before can attend Part 1 again or attend Part 2. First timers should attend Part 1.

Men’s Retreat

Phone : 319.266.3543

I would like to contribute to the mission of American Martyrs Retreat House

Enclosed is my gift of ___$25 ___$50 ___$100 ___$500 ___Other

I prefer that my donation be used for:___ Whatever is needed.___ The Dream Project Fund.___ We are remembering the Retreat House in our estate plans.___ Other:____________________________________________

Within the guidelines established by the IRS, your gift is tax-deductible.Please make check payable to : American Martyrs Retreat House.

Name:__________________________________________________________________

Address:________________________________________________________________

City:_________________________________ State:__________ Zip:________

Phone:_______________________________________

Email:________________________________________

Benefactors are remembered in daily prayer at AMRH.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ &Please help us carry out

our mission, by donating.

Cut out the form on the right and send it with a check to: AMRH 2209 N. Union Rd. Cedar Falls, IA A 50613 Peaceful Place of Grace & Prayer

Holy Hour of Adoration - Tuesday 6:30 pm - 7:30 pmSecond Tuesday of the month. Call 1st in case of a conflict with a retreat.

St. Edmond Senior Retreat

Newman Kairos

St. Patrick School 5th & 6th Grade Retreat

Xavier Kairos

Society of the Holy Trinity

Columbus Junior Day of Renewal

Antioch - St. Stephen the Witness

Engaged Encounter - March

Quilter’s Retreat

Blessed Maria Assunta Pallotta

Regina Kairos

Radical Listening

ACCW Board

NE Iowa Synod

DonorsAndrew, JaneAnonymousAschenbrenner Fund, Jack L. & Carol F.Boos, Tad & BeckyCunningham, Gene & Mary AnnDemmer, John & JaneDevick, Victor & GlendaDole, AudreyFaga, LindaFangman, Mary AnnFoss, KenFroyen, Len & GailGerhart, StacyGlaser, Rev. KennethGudenkauf, DianeHoly Family Parish, ReinbeckIn Memory of Lisa GillesIn Memory of Greg StibalIn Memory of Jeanne TuveKass, LarryKaumans, Dave & JeanKlostermann, JeraldKlostermann, RitaKnights of Columbus 4th DegreeKnights of Columbus-Fr. Clarence A. Ferring Council 8227 Knights of Columbus- Council 4516, JesupKnipper, Rev. DanielKoopman, DavidKopacek, Rev. JerryKramer, BobKruse, Rev. AnthonyLagenfeld, KarenLudwig, Darrell & SallyMcPherson, PatMitchell, PattyMoody, JudyMorris, ShirleyMurphy, Mary EllenMurphy, Mary LouNachtman, CarolineOberhauser, BarbaraPeters, RaymondReicher, ThereseRiley, Steve & MargeStejskal, R. GarySweet, KellyTacheny, RitaTallman PatrickTentinger, Mark & RosalieTierney, GeorgeUpah, Elaine,

Waterloo Deanery Council ACCWWatts, GaryWeber, Al & JillWeber, RichardWeber, SharonWilberding, Dee

THANK YOU!The list of donors is from February 20,

2017 to June 6, 2017.

To make a donation, please make checks payable to

“American Martyrs Retreat House” and mail to

2209 North Union Road, Cedar Falls, IA 50613

If we have inadvertently left your name off our list, we apologize. Please let us know and we will include it in our next

newsletter.

ScheduleJuly 20172 Secular Franciscans2 Centering Prayer4 July 4th - AMRH Office Closed5-10 Catechesis of the Good Shepherd10 Fr. Knipper - Mass & Reception11-12 ACCW Executive Board 14-15 Totus Tuus15 Centering Prayer17 Priest’s Support Group21 Impact Planning Meeting21-22 Totus Tuus28-29 Dream Weekend28-29 Totus Tuus31- August 2 Iowa Conference - United Church of Christ

August 2017July 31- 2 Iowa Conference - United Church of Christ3-7 Catechesis of the Good Shepherd4-5 Totus Tuus6 Secular Franciscans6 Centering Prayer 11 IMPACT Planning Meeting11-13 Marian Retreat12 Archdiocese of Dubuque - Deacon Formation Spiritual Day of Reflection20 Centering Prayer25-27 Veterans Retreat - Part 127-28 Archdiocesan Priest Council

Gift ShopOpen

During Normal Business Hours8 am to 4 pm

Monday - Friday

September 20173 Secular Franciscans3 Centering Prayer7 Archdiocesan Faith Formation Commision8-9 Cedar Harmony Chorus11-13 Newly Ordained - State of Iowa15-17 IMPACT Retreat17 Centering Prayer19 PAMAD22-24 Veteran’s Retreat - Part 2

Remember American Martyrs Retreat House in your will.

Benefits:Estate tax deduction for the

value of your Bequest.

October 20171 Secular Franciscans1 Centering Prayer2 C.D.A., St. Patrick Church, Cedar Falls5 Nazareth Lutheran Church6-8 C.D.A./Women’s Retreat7-13 First United Methodist Church “5 Day Academy”14-15 Antioch, St. Stephen Catholic Student Center, Cedar Falls15 Centering Prayer17 Birthright - Social, Dinner & Program19-22 Xavier Kairos21 Archdiocesan Stewardship Committee22-26 Preached Priest Retreat27-28 Worldwide Marriage Encounter

Des Moines Diocese Lay Formation

Worldwide Marriage Encounter Work Day

Davenport Diocese Canonical Deacon Retreat

Bishop Garrigan Senior Retreat

Engaged Encounter - June

Beckman Kairos