Fall 2024 Online Retreat:
Schedule, Topics, and Speakers
The Fall 2024 Life-Giving Wounds online retreat will take place over seven consecutive Wednesday evenings, from October 2 to November 13, 8:15 - 10:00 p.m. EST each night (with a BONUS 8th session on Thursday, November 7, 8:15-9:15 p.m. EST). Below is the schedule for what is planned for each evening. The Life-Giving Wounds Retreat Guide will walk through the six meditations and provide additional information that break open the talks. Small group break-outs will give participants a chance to process together what they just heard, and share experiences with a supportive, compassionate group of peers and retreat leaders.
Wednesday, October 2, 2024, 8:15-10:00pm EST
First Meditation: “Blessed are Those Who Mourn for They Will Be Comforted” (Mt 5:4) - What’s your story?
Speaker: Dr. Daniel Meola
This talk will examine the common wounds caused by our parents’ divorce or separation, especially the “wound of silence” that can make it hard to even grieve family breakdown. It will also discuss the deepest wound, the loss of our parents’ love together, and how we can begin to find a deeper identity beyond that of our broken origins.
Dr. Daniel Meola is the co-founder (with his wife Bethany) of Life-Giving Wounds. He holds a PhD from the Pontifical John Paul II Institute for Studies on Marriage and Family and has been leading retreats for various groups for over 15 years. As an adult child of divorce himself, Dan’s passion is helping ACODs find the healing that God desires for them. He and Bethany live in Bowie, MD with their three daughters, Zelie-Louise, Grace, and Josephine.
Wednesday, October 9, 2024, 8:15-10:00 pm EST
Second Meditation: “Our Father Who Art in Heaven, Hallowed Be Thy Name” (Mt. 6:9) - How has the wound of our parents’ divorce or separation affected our personal identity and relationship with God?
Speaker: Fr. Carl F. Schlichte, O.P.
This talk will look at how our parents’ divorce or separation has impacted our personal identity and our relationship with God. It will examine the common experiences of being “torn between the two worlds of our parents,” “losing” our childhood (if you were a child when the divorce happened), and questions about God and our faith in the aftermath of our parents’ divorce. It will also discuss how Baptism, which makes us God’s children, is the foundation of our truest identity and gives us a new childhood and a new family.
Fr. Carl is Dominican friar of the Province of the Most Holy Name of Jesus (aka, the Western Dominican Province, USA). He has been a friar for 34 years and a priest for 26. He is an only child. His parents divorced when he was 7. He grew up with his mom, but saw his dad frequently. He has served in a wide variety of parishes, campus ministries, and Newman Centers both as a pastor and a parochial vicar. He currently serves in a new position, Vicar Provincial for Healthcare, helping to serve the retired, elderly, and infirmed members of his Province. His brothers like to call his position, "Vicar for Old Guys."
Fr. Carl came to Life-Giving Wounds thinking that it was to be of service to others. While not wrong, the first grace was the profound healing being involved in LGW has brought to him and seeing how much healing he needed (and still needs) to do. He is profoundly grateful to do this healing in such great company! (Hint: LGW friends and connections totally rock!)
Wednesday, October 16, 2024, 8:15-10:00 pm EST
Third Meditation: “Perfect Love Casts Out Fear” (1 Jn 4:18) - How has the wound affected our intimate relationships and vision of marriage?
Speaker: Michael and Alicia Hernon
This talk will examine how our parents’ divorce or separation has affected our own relationships (especially dating and marriage; but elements of this talk are applicable to friendships as well) and our understanding of love and marriage. It will draw on Sacred Scriptures and Saint John Paul II’s Theology of the Body as a guide for authentic, redeemed love, and it will reflect on how we can move from unhealthy self-protection to Christlike total self-giving.
Michael and Alicia are the founders of the Messy Family Project, a ministry that is dedicated to empowering moms and dads to embrace their sacred calling. Parents of ten children and grandparents to three, the Hernons have traveled around the world to encourage families and spark conversations between spouses on how to be the best parents for their children. Mike and Alicia offer down-to-earth, practical insights into family life through their podcast, free marriage and parenting resources, and their virtual courses.
Mike is an adult child of divorce as well, and has shared his story and journey of healing on his podcast as well as at Life-Giving Wounds events. Before launching the Messy Family Project, Mike was Vice President of Advancement at Franciscan University and host of Franciscan University Presents on EWTN. Mike has also served national political organizations, led statewide campaigns, directed grassroots non-partisan efforts, and has been elected to local office. In 2006, he helped found The Catholic Association, a non-profit organization based in Washington, D.C. Mike holds both a Bachelor's degree in Theology and a Master's in Business Administration from Franciscan University of Steubenville.
Wednesday, October 23, 2024, 8:15-10:00 pm EST
Fourth Meditation: “Let the Peace of Christ Control Your Hearts” (Col 3:15) - How has the wound led to anxiety, anger, sin, and temptation?
Speaker: Dr. Jill Verschaetse
This talk will examine the common experiences of anger and anxiety (among other emotional challenges) caused by our parents’ divorce or separation. It will look at how we can “live” these emotions in good or bad ways and, more generally, how the Eucharist and confession help us deal with the specific temptations that can come up for us as children of divorce.
Dr. Jill Verschaetse is a wife, mother, and licensed clinical psychologist. She received her doctorate from Divine Mercy University, a Catholic graduate school for psychology, where her dissertation work focused on Feminine Bridal Identity. Her clinical work has been with individuals, families, couples, and religious communities/seminaries. Dr. Jill has conducted psychological evaluations for those entering or currently in religious life, in both cloistered and active communities. Before receiving her degree, she spent time in a religious community herself. Although it was not God’s Will for her to remain there, she lives a form of consecration in the world alongside a group known as the Cloistered Hearts. Although much of her work is currently at home, focused on mothering her own young children, she continues to do part-time work through psychological consultation, writing, and speaking engagements. Dr. Jill is also a child of divorce and a graduate of the Life-Giving Wounds retreat. She is honored to be a part of the Life-Giving Wounds traveling retreat team. She and her husband Dr. Nate Verschaeste own a Catholic counseling practice in Mesa, Arizona called Journey to Peace Counseling Services and serve as psychological advisors for Life-Giving Wounds.
Wednesday, October 30, 2024, 8:15-10:00 pm EST
Fifth Meditation: “Forgive Us Our Trespasses As We Forgive Those Who Trespass Against Us” (Mt 6:12) - Forgiveness and family boundaries
Speaker: Emily Jerger
This talk will reflect on the Christian meaning of forgiveness, especially in light of forgiving our parents or others who have harmed us during our parents’ divorce or separation. It will discuss strategies for forgiving in difficult circumstances, and establishing healthy boundaries, with an eye to breaking the cycle of divorce and brokenness in our lives and families.
Emily Jerger is an adult child of divorce with a heart of compassion for those who suffer and a deep desire to bring the healing love of Christ into people’s lives. In 2021, she earned a Master’s of Arts in Catechesis and Evangelization from the Franciscan University of Steubenville and is currently working toward completing a Certificate in Spiritual Direction from Divine Mercy University in Virginia. Emily dreams of launching a ministry called, “Into the Heart of Mercy,” with the mission of making the merciful love of God known and experienced more deeply through formation, spiritual direction, retreats, and resources. Over the years, Emily has served in a variety of ministry roles including as a SPIRITUS missionary, but she has especially loved leading children’s adoration and working in Catholic schools as a kindergarten and preschool aide. Emily lives in Wisconsin with her husband, Michael. They are licensed to adopt with Catholic Charities in the Diocese of Green Bay and are hoping to become parents. Emily is a contributor to the Life Giving Wounds blog and has helped on retreats as a small group leader and speaker. In her free time, Emily is working on writing a book that focuses on healing from trauma in order to embrace our identity as God’s beloved children.
Wednesday, November 6, 2024, 8:15-10:00 pm EST
Q&A with Some of the Online Retreat Speakers and the Founders of Life-Giving Wounds
In this special session, we’ll have a live Q&A session with some of our speakers (so far) about their talks and the founders of Life-Giving Wounds. This is a chance to ask them any questions you have about the topics of the retreat.
Speakers: Dr. Daniel and Bethany Meola, and Other Speakers from Previous Weeks
Dr. Daniel Meola is the co-founder (with his wife Bethany) of Life-Giving Wounds. He holds a PhD from the Pontifical John Paul II Institute for Studies on Marriage and Family and has been leading retreats for various groups for over 15 years. As an adult child of divorce himself, Dan’s passion is helping ACODs find the healing that God desires for them. He and Bethany live in Bowie, MD with their three daughters, Zelie-Louise, Grace, and Josephine.
Bethany Meola has a master of theological studies degree from the Pontifical John Paul II Institute for Studies on Marriage and Family in Washington, D.C. She and Dan met there and married in 2011. Bethany served the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops for seven years in the Secretariat of Laity, Marriage, Family Life and Youth before their daughter Zelie was born.
Thursday, November 7, 2024, 8:15-9:15 pm EST
Visio Divina with our Sacred Artwork
In this optional bonus session, we’ll do a prayerful “visio divina” of the sacred art we commissioned: Let the Children of Divorce Come to Me, by Michael Corsini. Mike will lead everyone on a prayerful reflection of the sacred art, exploring its many-layered symbolism, to draw closer to Jesus and receive his healing more. Mike will also play some praise and worship music too.
Speaker: Michael Corsini
Michael Corsini is a husband and father of five. Michael is an artist, musician, speaker and retreat leader. He believes that his mission is to help people experience the powerful love of God through an authentic encounter with beauty.
Michael is a graduate of Ringling School of Art and Design and has a Master of Theological Studies from the Pontifical John Paul II Institute for Studies on Marriage and Family in Washington, D.C. He also spent five years as a member of the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal.
Michael is a gifted worship leader and has led music for thousands of holy hours, masses and retreats for nearly two decades. His music and art can be found here: www.michaelcorsini.com.
Wednesday, November 13, 2024, 8:15-10:00 pm EST
Sixth Meditation: “By His Wounds You Have Been Healed” (1 Pt 2:24) - What is the Christian meaning of suffering? Where am I going?
Speaker: Beth Sri
This talk will examine the Christian understanding of redemptive suffering and how that helps us in our difficulties as adult children of divorce or separation. It will also reflect on how the wounds we experience can - through the help of Christ - become resources of faith, hope, love, and joy for ourselves and others. We can find meaning and purpose in the midst of the wound.
Beth Sri is a graduate of Benedictine College and was among the first FOCUS missionaries.
Married to Dr. Edward Sri and the mother of eight children, she has a heart for those around her, encouraging young adult women as well as fellow wives and mothers to meet Jesus in their call to marriage and motherhood through mentorship, small group gatherings, and connecting one-on-one.
She also helps lead retreats in Denver for Life-Giving Wounds, for which she also serves on the board of directors.
Though not Italian, she relishes cooking up autentico Italian pastas for her growing family. When she is not in the kitchen making a quadruple batch of something or chauffeuring children somewhere, she can be found on a long run in the Colorado sunshine, curling up with an annotated Jane Austen novel, or boisterously cheering for her kids at their soccer games.