Radiant Gift
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A Mother & Daughter Retreat
Mothers and their daughters ages 10-15 are invited to Mary, Queen of Peace Parish on Sunday, April 27th from 1pm until 4:30pm for an afternoon retreat inspired by Pope Saint John Paul II's Theology of the Body and to explore the Radiant Gift of femininity together.
This retreat is designed to celebrate and strengthen the unique bond between mothers and their growing daughters. While daughters will have two age-appropriate tracks that explore their physical and spiritual development, mothers will have their own dedicated time to reflect, connect to, and be inspired by other moms in their community who are embracing the radiant gift of womanhood in their own lives.
As a mother, you will have the opportunity to walk alongside your daughter during this special season of your lives, fostering deeper conversations and a stronger relationship as you both grow in the understanding of God's gift of femininity.
All are invited to join us for an afternoon of connection and renewal!
Registration is open. Space is limited.
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During his papacy, Pope Saint John Paul II gave a series of weekly audiences focused on human love in the divine plan that he titled Man and Woman He Created Them: A Theology of the Body. This body of work, while officially making its public debut in St. Peter’s Square in Rome from 1979 until 1984, finds its roots and foundation in the dawn of mankind itself: Genesis. The Holy Father addresses the original state of humanity before the fall and how knowledge of ourselves as a gift to one another empowers us to live as we were made to by our Creator. Pulling from the very words of Jesus Christ, we can also come to understand that this is a deeper call to conversion than just our actions, but that our Lord calls for a conversion of the heart. This inward vision allows us to see ourselves and others as true images of God. As a talented theologian, brilliant philosopher, and now canonized saint, John Paul II writes from a place of true love for human love and with a deep desire for man to live fully and freely in the light of God’s plan for humanity.
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Theology of the Body encompasses many teachings on God’s design for the person and His design for how persons should love one another - in marriages, the single life, friendships, and families. God’s intentional and masterful creation of human persons, as Genesis tells us, was not just good but "very good." The Church uses this scriptural account of the creation of man to tell us that we were made with an innate sense of human dignity, which gives weight to countless other Church teachings that shape our Catholic faith - especially how we relate to our fellow man.
This innate human dignity, which is an undeniable attribute of each and every human person, is a mirror that reflects just how much God loves each of us and why He has a divine plan for our lives that leads to our ultimate happiness and fulfillment.
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Human persons are often described by the Church as the crown jewel of all of God’s creation and women especially hold this role. It is no coincidence that our Lord chose a young woman, our Blessed Mother, to hold a crucial role in our salvation. It is particularly through the gift of her femininity and perfect alignment to the divine plan that Christ was conceived of the Holy Spirit and born to save us from sin and death.
While none of us are sinless as our Blessed Mother was, she is our model for true, good, and beautiful femininity and womanhood which is why it is often the target of the forces of evil. The world that we live in now aims to lie to and confuse us about the truth of who we are but Theology of the Body speaks truth over these lies; it affirms that we are made in the image and likeness of God and that He made men and women equal in dignity but distinct in role. The role that women play, not only in the family but also in the Church, is one that is distinct and irreplaceable. Instilling the truth of their dignity, regardless of vocation, and the beauty in the complexities of their bodies allows all women, especially our daughters, to be able to live more fully in the divine plan of our Creator and find their worth primarily as children of God.
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10 - 12 Year Old Track
Beauty in the Body
Given by Catholic OBGYN Dr. Angela Parise, this session will help girls receive an age-appropriate introduction into the way their bodies function from a biological perspective and how that reflects the beauty and intentionality of God’s design. Parents will have the opportunity to follow up and discuss with their children after this.
Goodness in the Heart
Given by Katie Boyle, this session will help girls learn that Jesus is the model for our lives and that relationship with Him is important. This primary relationship also feeds and supports the other relationships that we have in our lives: with our friends, families, and ourselves.
Truth in the Mind
Given by Aimee MacIver, this session will help girls receive guidance on how, at their particular age, they can replicate Jesus in their actions and how to make good and holy decisions.
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13-15 Year Old Track
Beauty in the Body
Given by Catholic OBGYN Dr. Angela Parise, this session will give girls an age-appropriate dive into the way their bodies function from a biological perspective and how that reflects the beauty and intentionality of God’s design. Girls will also be able to ask Dr. Parise questions. Parents will have the opportunity to follow up and discuss with their children after this.
Goodness in the Heart
Given by Katie Boyle, this session will help all girls will learn that Jesus is our model for our lives and that relationship with Him is important. This primary relationship also feeds and supports the other relationships that we have in our lives: with our friends, families, and ourselves.
Truth in the Mind
Given by Aimee MacIver, girls will receive guidance on how, at their particular age, they can replicate Jesus in their actions and how to make good and holy decisions; especially in their current and potential relationship. Girls will also talk about the forgiveness and mercy of Christ and how it is always readily available to us through the sacraments.
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Mothers Raising Daughters
Given by Janice Charbonnet, this session is for mothers to discuss raising daughters, setting the example of holy relationships, and the overall vocation of their lives.
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Janice Charbonnet, Emcee
Janice Charbonnet was born and raised in Canada. She worked in various public relations positions across the country, ending with a position as PR coordinator for a Canadian politician. In 1996 she felt called to quit her job and serve as a missionary with NET Ministries, traveling with a team across the US preaching the Gospel to teenagers. After a life-changing encounter with the writings of Pope Saint John Paul II, she felt the Holy Spirit put a passion deep in her heart for ministering to women. She serves on the women's team for the Catholic Charismatic Renewal of New Orleans, speaks at marriage retreats with her husband, Jean, and loves to draw from her life as a mother of five children when teaching and preaching. She lives outside of New Orleans and preaches freedom in the power of the Holy Spirit, Psalm 18:20: “He set me free in the open; He rescued me because He loves me.”
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Dr. Angela Parise
Dr. Angela Marie Parise is a fellow in the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology (OB/GYN). She earned her medical degree from SUNY Downstate in Brooklyn in 2001 and completed her residency at Ochsner Health in 2005 where she served as the Chief Administrative Resident. She received the Special Excellence Award in Endoscopic Procedures and Minimally Invasive Surgery during her last year of training. Her specialties include advanced minimally invasive procedures and robotic surgery with an interest in routine obstetric care, adolescent gynecology, and advanced gynecologic surgery. Additionally, Dr. Parise started a PCOS multi-disciplinary center at Ochsner, where she also works closely with women seeking natural planning pregnancy methods and contraceptive free solutions for gynecological issues associated with reasons of faith or a desire for healthy hormone-free options. Outside the hospital she started a Ministry and Community Outreach at St. Clement of Rome in Metairie called Women of Faith. She is an advocate for the pro-life movement, works with LA Right to Life to support pro-life state legislation and advocacy, while working as the physician collaborator for Women’s New Life Center. Most importantly she remains very busy with her husband and their four children. She and her husband enjoy doing marriage preparation, public speaking and NFP instruction for the archdiocese and local churches.
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Katie Boyle
Katie Boyle is a wife of 27 years and mother to four children. She has taught in Catholic schools for twenty years and is now the Faith Formation Coordinator at Our Lady of the Lake. Six of her years in Catholic education were spent teaching the Theology of the Body to young women. First encountering Theology of the Body in graduate school, she was profoundly impacted by the truth of these beautiful teachings. Embracing them as a young woman, wife and mother was transformative. Since this first encounter, she has become passionate about sharing these beautiful truths with others.
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Aimee MacIver
Aimee Boudreaux MacIver is a wife, mom, author, artist, speaker, pilgrimage leader, and teacher. She has written almost a dozen award-winning books about Theology of the Body, the sacraments, social justice, Scripture study, and Baptism preparation, as well as Reconciliation and Mass companions for children. Aimee has frequently collaborated on projects with Fr. Mike Schmitz, Jason Evert, The Vigil Project, and others, contributing dozens of articles, reflections, and other content to various Catholic outlets and apps. She has a passion for pilgrimage, leads pilgrimages, and blogs about making every day life a pilgrimage at Thy Ship.
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