Description: You are invited to the one-year anniversary event of Concerned Lay Catholic’s Pilgrims of Hope: Journey of Encounter in Waterloo!  The CLC, the Centre Oblat, the Star of North & Galilee Centre are co-hosting an interactive webinar featuring two roundtable conversations on the topic of the spirituality of Synodality.

Roundtable Speakers: 

Monique Washnuk, Facilitator, Dossier for Synodality, Archdiocese of Gatineau 

Fr. Ron Rolheiser, OMI, Theologian & Author 

Sandy Prather, Facilitator of Retreats, Conferences & Workshops 

Bishop Alain Faubert, Bishop of Valleyfield, Ordinary Council of the Synod Secretariat 

Date: Thursday, June 4th  

Time by Zones:

7-9 pm ADT 

6-8 pm EDT 

4-6 pm MDT CST 

3-5 pm PDT 

Co-organizers & Sponsors: Centre Oblat – A Voice for Justice; Concerned Lay Catholics; Star of the North Retreat Centre; Galilee Centre

Biographies:

Bishop Alain Faubert

Alain Faubert, Bishop of Valleyfield, holds a Master’s in Pastoral Studies and a doctorate in ecclesiology focussing on the pastoral leadership of bishops and priests.  He has served as the director of the Montreal Diocesan Office for Faith Formation; assistant to the Catechumenate Office; assistant to the vicar general and the Vicar General of the Diocesan Curia of Montreal. From 2004 to 2010, he co-hosted the television program Parole et Vie, exploring contemporary spiritual and religious quests from various perspectives. He also taught ecclesiology and the theology of ministries at the Montreal Institute of Theological Formation. 

Bishop Faubert currently serves on the Church and Society Council  of the Assembly of Quebec Catholic Bishops and on the Episcopal Commission for Liturgy and the Sacraments  of the CCCB. In 2024, Bishop Faubert was elected as a member of the Ordinary Council of the Synod Secretariat, whose main task, in addition to preparing for the next Synod, is to advise the Synod Secretariat and its Prefect on the implementation of the guidelines of the “Synod on Synodality ”.

Sandy Prather

Sandra (Sandy) Prather is a retreat leader and facilitator in the areas of faith and spirituality. Known for an infectious joy in her faith, she has worked locally, nationally, and internationally leading retreats, missions, and workshops. Drawing upon her theological training and faith perspective, Sandra ‘breaks open the ordinary’ so that we might know God `amidst the pots and pans.’

Sandra holds a Bachelor of Education from the University of Alberta and a Master of Theology from Newman Theological College. She served for 21 years as Executive Director of Star of the North Retreat Centre in St. Albert, Alberta. She is an Oblate Associate and Honorary Oblate of the Oblates of Mary Immaculate.

Fr. Ron Rolheiser

Ronald Rolheiser is a Roman Catholic priest and member of the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate. He is a community-builder, lecturer, and writer. He has published more than a dozen books, including the awarding winning books: The Restless Heart, The Holy Longing, and Sacred Fire. His books are popular throughout the English-speaking world and have now been translated into many languages. His weekly column is carried by more than 50 newspapers worldwide. He is in demand and well known as speaker. Keeping an active speaking schedule. Along with his academic knowledge in systematic theology and philosophy, he has become a popular speaker in the areas of contemporary spirituality, religion, and the secularity. Prior to this present position, he taught theology and philosophy at Newman Theological College in Edmonton, Alberta, for 16 years, served as Provincial Superior of his Oblate Province for six years, and served on the General Council for the Oblates in Rome for six years. He was President at Oblate School of theology from 2005 – 2020. He is now a professor of Spirituality at Oblate School of Theology

Monique Washnuk

Monique Washnuk is a pastoral worker and safeguarding coordinator for the Archdiocese of Gatineau and serves as Chair of the Fabrique at St. Mark’s Parish in Aylmer. She is currently pursuing a Master of Theology and Ministry, specializing in counselling and spiritual care, at McMaster Divinity College, and holds a master’s degree in Philanthropy and Nonprofit Leadership (MPNL) from Carleton University. With 25 years of experience in community development, fundraising, and philanthropy, she is wholeheartedly committed to creating safe and welcoming spaces where trust can grow, relationships can deepen, and where the Spirit can move, opening possibilities for co-creation and life-giving ways of being together.