The Circle of Light is currently a group consisting of twelve women. After attending a Cornerstone retreat in 1997 as candidates, several participants then served as team members for Cornerstone 1998. After that retreat, Sr. Celeste, a former staff member of the parish, suggested that some of us should splinter off and form smaller Spirituality groups. The theme for Cornerstone 1998 was LIGHT; therefore, the group was called the "Circle of Light," and it has been meeting monthly for the past 17 years. Some people from the original group moved away, and during the intervening years new members joined, effectively replacing some of the original twelve members. Seven current members are still from the original group.
Joan Herkomer leads the Circle of Light, and all meetings have been held at her house, which is located directly across the street from Our Lady of Perpetual Help. The house and the living room are small, but somehow everyone manages to fit in.
The group is a women's spirituality and prayer group as well as a support group for each other. Meetings are usually held on the third Thursday of the month at 7:30pm, but the schedule is kept flexible to allow for bad weather or other events. The meeting begins with a meditation, visualization, and music. If one of the members is in need of prayer, that person is placed in the middle of the circle and all do a "hands-on" praying for her.
A theme for the remainder of the meeting is open for discussion. Sometimes we tie in the calendar with topics such as Mother's Day, Father's Day, or Lent, for example. Music and spiritual tapes are used from various spiritual authors. All meetings end with coffee and cake or cookies.
There are no meetings during the summer months of July and August. In December, everyone meets for a Christmas social evening in place of a regular meeting.
Women of the parish are welcome to join the group. For more information or to speak with Joan about attending the next meeting, please call her at 201-337-5319.