The composer of “On Eagle’s Wings,” a nun known for her comedic routines and a bishop who attended the Second Vatican Council sessions 50 years ago will be some of the special guests at The Marianist BILAC 2013, Sept. 26-28, in the Mystical Rose Oratory on the campus of Saint Louis School, Chaminade University and the Marianist Center of Hawaii.
Save the dates.
Father Michael Joncas, who wrote “On Eagle’s Wings” and other well-known hymns, will be one of the performers at the event’s opening concert.
Sister Ann Bryan Smollin, the Sister of St. Joseph of Carondelet also known as the Laughing Nun, returns to the annual event with a new laugh-filled presentation on the role of humor and joy in the spiritual life.
Retired Canadian Bishop Remi DeRoo, one of the few surviving Second Vatican Council bishops, will give the Mackey Lecture “Catholicism in Prophetic Dialogue.”
Other well-known musicians and composers in the lineup include Marty Haugen, Bobby Fisher and Kate Cuddy.
Other workshop presenters and their topics are:
- Maryknoll Sister Yoo Soo Kim, artist and dancer
- Kumu hula Maelia Loebenstein Carter and her halau, on hula’s spiritual side
- Pearl Gervais, on the Gospel of John and mystical prayer
- Joe Miller, on youth ministry and the choral proclamation of Scripture
- Paulette Ching and Kathy Babayan, on practical techniques for lectors
- Makana Paris, on Scripture and Hawaiian spirituality
- Dr. Dale Sieverding, on contemporary liturgical spirituality
- Linda Haugen, on meditative massage
According to organizer Marianist Brother Dennis Schmitz, this year’s event will open with a Hawaiian ritual and also will feature a concert by Hawaiian composer Joe Camacho, a first-time presentation that will incorporate hula with Camacho’s original Hawaiian and English hymns. The show will be taped and offered on DVD the next day.
BILAC stands for Big Island Liturgy and Arts Conference. This annual forum for liturgical and spiritual renewal originally was hosted by Malia Puka O Kalani Parish in the Big Island. It moved to Honolulu several years ago under the sponsorship of the Marianist congregation.
For more information, go to www.marianistbilac.wordpress.com or contact Brother Schmitz at 232-6691 or baldschmitz@aol.com.
