The rafters at the Boulder Ridge venue in Orwigsburg were ringing with affirmation on June 13, as 60 women gave their resounding “yes” to a call for prayer and evangelization. It was the Feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, and the women had gathered for a Rosary walk, wine-and-chocolate tasting, and a presentation by Amy Brooks, founder of the “Prayer, Wine, and Chocolate” (PWC) ministry.
Setting the tone for the event was Marie Muncy of the Bishop’s Commission for Women. She shared both Morning Prayer – “The seed on good soil stands for those with a noble heart” – and the message of the day’s Gospel – ‘“Let your ‘yes’ mean ‘yes’ and your ‘no’ mean ‘no.’”
“This gathering is about Mary’s ‘yes’ and ours, too,” said Muncy.
During the Rosary walk, volunteers took turns leading the prayers as the group wended its way toward a grotto. Brilliant sunshine illuminated their path, which ended at a stone alcove sheltering a pure white statue of Our Lady of Grace.
At the conclusion of the Rosary, the group entered a beautiful manor-like space known as “The Barn.” In front of a tall window was an inviting spread of cheese, crackers, and fruit, and dotting the polished wood tables were bottles of wine and trays of assorted chocolates.
“We're having chocolate for lunch,” joked Rhady Tulloch, Director of Marriage and Family Life for the Allentown Diocese. Using the PWC “Prayer and Pair” free resource as a guide, Tulloch went on to describe the wine and chocolate pairings that the women could enjoy.
After a tasting session enlivened by fellowship, Amy Brooks shared her story.
“When I was in my early 20s,” said Brooks, “everybody else got married, and here I am single. I was brokenhearted, clinically depressed, and I wondered if God had heard my prayers.”
A friend suggested that Brooks start a Rosary group.
“We would watch [the TV show] ‘Friends,’ people would bring food, it was a potluck. Then we would start with our intentions. Often we didn’t pray the Rosary until 11 at night, because we had a lot of intentions.”
A Rosary group “regular” introduced Brooks to her brother Matt, who would become the husband for whom Amy had long prayed.
“My broken heart was able to call on Mary’s broken heart through the Rosary,” said Brooks. “Mary is like, ‘Jesus, let me throw them a rope.’ She throws it, and she pulls us up.”
Brooks noted that, compared with women religious who live in community, “laywomen have a problem with loneliness,” especially when it comes to meeting others who share their faith. “Girls’ nights are fun, but they don’t go deep.”
Enter “Prayer, Wine, and Chocolate.”
“It’s not a Bible study or a book club,” said Brooks, “and there’s no homework. It’s all about community.”
At PWC gatherings, participants pray the Rosary, enjoy wine and small “bites,” and take part in “creative faith expression,” such as prayer journaling. While a parish-based PWC group will normally meet monthly, the PWC ministry also offers resources for a one-time event. Gatherings can also provide an opportunity to invite fallen-away Catholics to re-enter the sacramental life.
“Mary really becomes present,” said Brooks. “When we pray the Rosary before fellowship, we are asking Our Lady to take the lead.”
In a drawing that followed Brooks’ presentation and subsequent Q&A, St. Ignatius Loyola Parish, Sinking Spring won a PWC starter kit.
For more information, go to www.prayerwinechocolate.com.
To form a Prayer, Wine, and Chocolate group at your parish, email Rhady Tulloch at rtulloch@allentowndiocese.org.
Photos by Celeste Behe.
Copy Permalink
