Leading theologian coming to Vandalia in April to give talk on Mary

Looking to experience a weekend of grace and grow in deep knowledge of our faith? Our Sorrowful Mother’s Ministry (318 N. 8th Street) in Vandalia is hosting a series of talks from Father Aidan Nichols, one of the brightest theological minds in the Catholic Church.

“Through his love of the sacred page and as a faithful guide to the Church’s theological inheritance, Father Nichols has helped many to encounter the Truth, who is Christ,” said Father Seth Brown, pastor of Mother of Dolors Parish in Vandalia.

The three-day event will feature talks, prayer, and Mass. It starts on April 19 at 2 p.m. and concludes on Sunday April 21 at 9 a.m. The focus of Father Nichols talks will center on that while the Church is founded on St. Peter, it is founded in Mary. Father Nichols will discuss healing through deep prayer leaning on Our Lady of the Church. The cost is $45. To register, go to osmm.org/retreats.

Born at Lytham St. Anne’s (England) in 1948 and educated at Arnold School and the Universities of Oxford and Edinburgh, Father Nichols entered the Order of Preachers in 1970 and was ordained a priest in 1976. He has taught at several seminaries around the world. He held the Pope John Paul II Memorial Lectureship in Roman Catholic Theology between 2006-2008. He is currently staying with Canons Regular from St. Michaels’s Abbey in Orange County, Calif.