The Upper Room Group & Lectures

The Upper Room Group sponsors lectures designed to offer a deeper spiritual experience. Our focus is on the teachings of the Catholic Church and how these teachings apply to our daily lives. Come and explore Catholic faith with us. We welcome those in all vocations, whether single, married or religious.

Meetings are typically scheduled on alternating Wednesdays from 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Upcoming meetings can also be found on the WebCalendar. Light refreshments are served. All are welcome!

Location
The upper room/meeting hall at St. Clement's. Enter through the main entrance of the church, enter the church and walk up the right aisle to the front of the church. Go through the doors on the right and up the stairs into the upper room/meeting hall.

Group List
Reminders and notices of upcoming lectures and related events are sent out via a Yahoo Group list. To join this list, visit the Yahoo Group for The Upper Room Group.

Past Topics

• "Redeemed" by Heather King
  Heather King discusses her book on her personal conversion. Heather King describes the journey of a spiritual misfit who stumbles toward God, marginal sanity, and the peace that passes all understanding. Heather King is a graduate of the University of New Hampshire and Suffolk Law School. Born and raised on the New Hampshire seacoast. After 10 years in Boston, she moved to L.A. in 1990. Following a disastrous 4-year run as a Beverly Hills civil litigation attorney, King quit her job, converted to Catholicism, and began writing. Today King is a commentator for NPR's "All Things Considered" and a personal essayist. (Dec 17, 2008)
• "Sex, Children, and the Common Good: How the Theology of the Body Illuminates the Crisis of Marriage" by David Franks
  What is marriage, anyway? An "adult partnership"? Or something more? The accelerating crisis of marriage has been long in the making, arising from the separation of sex from public commitment and children. The sexual revolution is a revolution against children, and it is therefore a revolution against true love and the common good of society. The theology of the body shows clearly why the health of marriage and family life, entailed by the defense of children, is at the heart of social justice. The future depends on the lifelong and life-giving love of marriage. (Dec 3, 2008)
• "C. S. Lewis, Liberal Education and Christian Orthodoxy" by Professor Aeschliman.
  Dr. Aeschliman is a professor of education at BU, widely published, and a Fellow of the BU Center for the Advancement of Ethics and Character. (Nov 19, 2008)
• "The Catholic Church - Judaism Fullfilled" by Roy Shoeman
  Roy's talk will include a discussion on how the Catholic Church is the fulfillment of Judaism, referencing his own experience, that of other Catholic Jews, Catholic doctrine, and Sacred Scripture. Roy Schoeman was born of Jewish parents who had fled Nazi Germany. After receiving an extensive Jewish education under some of the most prominent Rabbis in contemporary American Jewry, he went to college at MIT and then Harvard Business School, where he received an MBA and was invited to join the faculty. Midway thru his career of teaching at Harvard he received the grace of several supernatural experiences that resulted in his totally unanticipated and enthusiastic conversion to Christianity. (Nov 5, 2008)
• "Relativism" by Fr. David Beauregard, OMV
  Bringing Christ to a secular world of "Don't be judgmental, don't impose your values on me" and "Morality is relative." The trouble with relativism and skepticism. Join us, and learn the truths about dictatorial relativism, its dogmas and cliches. (Oct 15, 2008)
• "Deepening Our Love and Amazement for the Eucharist" by Fr. Greg Staab, OMV
  We do not know enough about the Eucharist. We need to approach Jesus Himself with more trust, more awe and more frequency in the three aspects of the Sacrifice, the Banquet, and his abiding Presence.(Oct 1, 2008)
• "The Way of Mary" by Sister Olga
  Sister Olga of the Eucharist is perpetually professed as a diocese hermit. Sr. Olga earned her bachelor's and masters degrees in Iraq, where she was born and raised. A survivor of four wars, she has for years served the homeless, the elderly, the handicapped, and the imprisoned. Sr. Olga has also ministered to college students and youth in parishes throughout Iraq. In 1995, she established the Missionaries of the Virgin Mary, the first order for nuns in the Assyrian Church of the East in 700 years. In 2001, Sr. Olga came to the United States to continue her studies. She was received into the Roman Catholic Church in 2005 and received her perpetual vows on December 8th, 2005 by Cardinal Sean Patrick O'Malley, OFM. Cap. She is currently involved in the campus ministry of the Catholic Center at Boston University. (May 7, 2008)
• "Evolution and Intelligent Design" by Fr. Dave Beauregard
• "Finding the Splendor of Truth" Lead by Nick Desany
  Who is God? Why does God care about me? What does the Catholic Church have to offer? These are questions we hove all asked ourselves to understand who we are and to search for meaning in our lives. This search becomes increasingly important as we become distracted, dissatisfied, and consumed with what the world has to offer. Left only with emptiness we often begin to discover or recover God's presence in our lives. No matter how far we've wandered from God, the Good Sheppard unfailing reaches out to each of us, with a call to enter into a deep, personal relationship with Him. With open minds and hearts, we have the freedom and honor to respond to the call and to recognize the Splendor of Truth that has been revealed through His Church. Bobbi Bloom and Br. Patrick Reilly share their own personal experiences and how they came to recognize God's presence in their lives and discovered the fullness of the Catholic Church. (Bobbi was raised in a Jewish home and questioned God's existence early in her life. Like so many people in their 20's, God was placed on a bookshelf as she pursued her career and life experiences. Br. Pat was raised in a strong Catholic family, but slowly drifted away from the faith though adolescence.) (Apr 30, 2008)
• "The Book of Revelation: Decoding its Message of Joyful Hope" by Steve Fahrig
  The Book of Revelation is the most puzzling text in the Bible, full of cryptic and frightening imagery with a sad history of misinterpretation. St. John Chrysostom wanted to keep it out of the Bible. Martin Luther wanted to have it removed. Many Christians simply ignore it. We will take a look at what the Book of Revelation meant to its original first century audience and what it means for us today. Learn why Revelation's message is not "gloom and doom" but "joyful hope" - and how we experience that message whenever we go to Mass. Stephen Fahrig serves as the pastoral associate at Saint Brigid and Gate of Heaven Parishes in South Boston. A former student of the Oblates of the Virgin Mary, Stephen is currently pursuing a Licentiate in Sacred Theology at the Weston Jesuit School of Theology in Cambridge, MA. He is involved with efforts to revive the Amicizia Cristiana, a movement begun in the 19th century to encourage solid theological and spiritual formation of the laity. (Apr 2, 2008)
• "Sacred Heart" by Fr. Fernando Cuenca (Mar 5, 2008)
• "Mother Theresa's Trial of Darkness: Crisis of Faith (NY Times) or Pathway to Sainthood?" by Fr. Tim Gallagher (Feb 20, 2008)
• "Pro-Life Voting and Social Justice" by David Franks (Jan 30, 2008)
• "Was Shakespeare a Catholic?" by Fr. David Beauregard
  A look at Protestant and Catholic theology in the plays, concentrating on important points off difference in theological doctrine, sacramental liturgy and devotional practice. (2007)
• "Sacred Art of Icon Paintings: The History and Technique" by Fr. Dave Yankauskas (2007)
• Catholic Movie Night: "Diary of a Country Priest"
  Hosted by Fr. John Wykes with guided discussion of the movie (2007)
• "Whatever Happened to Purgatory and Limbo?"
  November is a time when Catholics focus special attention on prayers for the dead and remembrance of the faithful departed. Where did such devotional practices arise? Why do Catholics pray for those who have died? What is the difference between Purgatory and Limbo - and does the Catholic Church still teach that these concepts are part of the deposit of our faith? (2007)
• "On Having a Happy Death: Lessons from the Saints" by Anjelica Avcikurt (2007)
• "Our Lady of Guadalupe" by Fr. Fernando Cuenca (2007)
• "The Arts and Religion" A slide show presentation by Fr. David Beauregard, OMV
  The connection of art and religion in ancient Greece, The Middle Ages and Renaissance, and its decline in Modern Times. A look at Greek tragedy, Medieval architecture and painting, Renaissance papal patronage, and the secularization of the arts after the Reformation. (2007)
• "Divine Mercy"
  A talk by Sister Katrina Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy (2007)
• "Theology of the Body on the relations between men and women: From the beginning it was not so" by Dr. Al Ramey (2007)
• "Christians in the Work Place: Ordinary Work, Extraordinary Grace" by Elizabeth Mahoney
  Salt of the earth, Opus Dei sanctification of ordinary work, divine filiation and putting Christ as the summit of all human endeavors. (2007)
• "Salvation is from the Jews" by Roy Shoeman
  Visit salvationisfromthejews.com (2007)
• "Margaret Sanger and Eugenics" by Angela Franks
  Visit angelafranks.com (2007)
• "Who is Man for Woman and Who is Woman for Man?" by Fr. Thomas J Loya, STB, MA (2007)
• "The Examen Prayer: Ignatian Wisdom for Our Lives"
  Fr. Tim Gallagher, OMV speaks on his latest book (2007)
• "St. Thomas Aquinas on the Virtuous Life" by Fr. David Beauregard, OMV (2007)
• "Walking with Jesus: Bearing Crosses, Conflicts and Trials" (2007)
• "The Single life: Vocation or State of Life"
  An open discussion lead by the Upper Room leadership team (2007)
• "Walking with Mary: Mary as Model, Mother and Intercessor" by Jerome Kiley (2007)