Diocese of Metuchen to Host "What the Bible Says About the Birth of Jesus Christ"

The Diocese of Metuchen will continue its eight-part adult faith formation series with a talk this Advent season on What the Bible Says About the Birth of Jesus Christ.

Msgr. William Benwell, Vicar General of the diocese, will present the third session of the series on December 15. In his talk, Msgr. Benwell will reveal how the stories surrounding the birth of Jesus found in scripture are meant to do more than satisfy curiosity about His early years; they also convey profound truths about God and about God’s plan for His followers. He will highlight aspects of the infancy narratives found in the gospels of Matthew and Luke, while examining their larger meaning and their relevance for Christians today.

Msgr. Benwell earned a licentiate in canon law from the University of St. Paul in Ottawa, Canada, and is currently pursuing a Master of Arts degree in Biblical Studies at Immaculate Conception Seminary School of Theology at Seton Hall University.

Sponsored by the Diocesan Office for Catechesis, the program entitled, “The Bible: Root of our Catholic Faith,” is designed to help Catholics better understand their biblical foundations and to explore Catholic beliefs, as revealed through Scripture. It began in September and runs through May 2012.

Sessions take place once a month on Thursdays from 7 pm to 9 pm at the St. John Neumann Pastoral Center in Piscataway. Participants are not required to attend all sessions.

With a different topic each month, Diocesan priests serve as presenters in their individual areas of expertise. Upcoming topics include: "What the Bible Says About the Marginalized," "What the Bible Says About Creation/Science," "What the Bible Says About Following Christ," "What the Bible Says About Music," "What the Bible Says About Peace."

The program is free and is open to all who want to know more about biblical tradition as it relates to Bible Scripture, and especially is intended as a resource for those who are involved in their parish ministries including: deacons, RCIA candidates and sponsors, evangelization and adult faith formation teams, catechists and parish catechetical leaders, Catholic school teachers, young adults, youth ministers, pastoral council members and liturgical ministers.

For more information, visit www.diometuchen.org or contact the Office for Catechesis at 732-562-1990, ext. 1310 or catechesis@diometuchen.org.

-Diocese of Metuchen