The Cathedral of the Incarnation, St. Ann Church and Regnum Christi Nashville invite Catholics throughout Middle Tennessee to join them for an evening of music, art and insight into St. John Paul II’s Theology of the Body with the “Made for More: Visions of the Promised Land” presentation by Dr. Christopher West with music provided by Mike Mangione from 7-9:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 27, at the Cathedral in downtown Nashville.
The event is sponsored by the Theology of the Body Institute in conjunction with the Cathedral, St. Ann, and Regnum Christi Nashville with St. Edward Church also serving as a secondary supporting sponsor.
“Theology of the Body is just so important. It really answers a lot of questions and issues that people are having these days about the meaning of human sexuality,” said Mandi Pitt-Reed, pastoral assistant at St. Ann. “A lot of people are discontented about the way the topic is approached in today’s culture and Theology of the Body addresses that.
“Christopher West is one of the foremost scholars on the Theology of the Body, so when the opportunity for him to come to Nashville came up, it was a no-brainer,” she said. “I really want people to take advantage of it and hear him speak and see the kind of presentation the Theology of the Body Institute puts on.”
Along with Dr. West’s presentation, the evening will include audiovisual presentations to help convey his message as well as music led by international touring folk/Americana musician Mike Mangione.
“We call it Made for More because we yearn for so much more than what the world is telling us. The world understands that we are creatures of hunger and passion, but they lead us to what I call ‘the fast-food gospel,’ which is the promise of immediate gratification for that hunger,” Dr. West said in a question-and-answer session to promote the event. “Many people think Christianity, on the other hand, is an invitation to a ‘starvation diet.’ No. That’s not the Gospel. Christianity is an invitation to an infinite feast of life-giving love, and that’s what this event is all about.
“It’s a presentation meant to meet you where you are and bring you to a place of communion. It is the culmination of Christopher’s 25 years in this work, my 15 in music and our friendship,” Mangione added. “It is a conversation through sight and sound about how God reveals himself through creation and how our desires are meant to draw us closer to him. It is a special and unique opportunity coming to your area.”
Pitt-Reed said she hopes the evening helps attendees understand what God is calling them to be as humans.
“I hope that they just get a really beautiful sense of how God calls us to use our bodies for the ultimate purpose of sainthood,” Pitt-Reed said. “I hope they get a better understanding of how everything in creation is meant to glorify God, including us.
“We’re a beautiful part of God’s creation,” she said, “and we’re called to stewardship of that.”
Event tickets are available for $25 per person and can be purchased at nashvillem4m.eventbrite.com. Tickets can also be purchased at any of the three parish offices.
For more information, call Hudson Martin at 205-999-0322 or email hlm341996@gmail.com.
