Friday-Saturday, April 5-6

Kujenga Retreat

The diocesan Office of Black Catholic Ministry will sponsor a Kujenga retreat, “Rejuvenated belief and understanding of the Eucharist,” at Springville Camp. For more information, please contact the director, James Watts, at jwatts@bhmdiocese.org. The camp is located at 3886 Mountain View Road in Odenville. 

Sunday, April 7

Divine Mercy at Holy Spirit

Holy Spirit Catholic Church in Huntsville will hold a prayerful singing of the Divine Mercy Chaplet following the 9 a.m. Mass. The church is located at 625 Airport Road, Southwest. For more information, please visit holyspirithsv.com.

Sunday, April 7

Divine Mercy at St. Joseph’s

St. Joseph Catholic Church in Huntsville will mark Divine Mercy Sunday with a holy hour, adoration, benediction, and confessions from 2-4 p.m. in the church. The Chaplet of Divine Mercy will be prayed at 3 p.m. The church is located at 2300 Beasley Avenue, Northwest. For more information, please visit holyspirithsv.com.

Friday-Saturday, April 12-13

St. Elias Lebanese Food and Cultural Festival

St. Elias Maronite Catholic Church in Birmingham will celebrate its 26th annual Lebanese Food and Cultural Festival from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., Friday and Saturday. Admission is free. The festival will feature homemade Lebanese food, traditional Lebanese dancing demonstrations by the youth, a silent auction, informative church tours, and live music. The church donates 25 percent of the proceeds to local and national charities. The church is located at 836 8th Street, South. For more information, please visit stelias.org.

Friday-Sunday, April 12-14

Bible Institute

Blessed Trinity Shrine Retreat in Fort Mitchell will hold a retreat, “Wounded by God: Redemptive healing in Christ and His Church.” Tom Riello, chair of theology and director of faith formation at Montgomery Catholic Preparatory School, will serve as the retreat speaker. The retreat will dive into the Bible, exploring wounds, healing, and redemption. Retreat discussions will include the Lord as healer, the life and cry of Jacob, Paul and the Cross, the suffering servant, and St. John Paul II’s theology of suffering. The retreat will begin at 7 p.m. (Eastern) on Friday, April 12, and end after lunch on Sunday, April 14. The fee is $198 per person for the weekend, which includes a $90 non-refundable deposit. A day hop option is available for $90 per person, which includes a $45 non-refundable deposit. To register for the retreat, please visit msbt.org/btsr. The retreat center is located at 107 Holy Trinity Road.

Saturday, April 13

Rosary Prayer Service

The Diocese of Birmingham’s Office of Black Catholic Ministry, in conjunction with Guadalupe Radio Network, will hold a rosary prayer service for an end to gun violence at 10:30 a.m. at Holy Rosary Catholic Church in Birmingham. Guest speakers will be Deon Arnold of Holy Family Cristo Rey Catholic High School, Deacon Danny Rodgers, and Father Philip Paxton, C.P. A free hot dog lunch will be provided courtesy of the Knights of Columbus. The church is located at 7414 Georgia Road. For more information or to R.S.V.P., please text Deacon Walter Henderson at 205-222-2010.

Saturday, April 13

Catholic Campus Ministry semi-formal

BHM Catholic, St. Stephen the Martyr University Chapel’s campus ministry, will be hosting a semi-formal for all 18- to 30-year-olds in the Birmingham area in the Cathedral of St. Paul’s Great Hall. All students with a student ID get in free. All other tickets cost $10, with the proceeds going to BHM Catholic. Dinner will be provided. The cathedral is located at 2120 3rd Avenue, North in Birmingham. For more information, please contact marybethcm@stephenthemartyr.com.

Wednesday, April 17

Rest in Peace

The sixth anniversary of Bishop David E. Foley’s death. He was installed as the Diocese of Birmingham’s third bishop on May 13, 1994, and retired on May 10, 2005. May he rest in peace. 

Thursday, April 18

Adoration Sodality Day of Recollection Celebrating Mother Angelica's Birthday 

The Shrine of the Most Blessed Sacrament in Hanceville will hold an Adoration Sodality Day of Recollection celebrating Mother Angelica's birthday from 7 a.m. - 4 p.m. The will consists of Mass, confession, a spiritual talk, a eucharistic healing service, tours of the shrine and Pope St. John Paul II Eucharistic Center, as well as free breakfast and lunch. The guest speaker will be Father Wade Menezes, C.P.M. This monthly event is free to attend and open to all. The shrine is located at 3222 County Road 548. To learn more, please visit iadorethee.com.

Saturday-Sunday, April 20-21

Bloomin' Festival Arts and Crafts Fair

The 40th annual Bloomin’ Festival Arts and Crafts Fair will be held on the campus of St. Bernard Abbey from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day, with an admission donation of $10 (children 12 and under free). More than 150 booths will be filled with artists demonstrating and exhibiting their unique handcrafted work. The festival serves as the largest annual fundraiser for the operation and maintenance of St. Bernard Preparatory School. St. Bernard’s monks will be there as well to sell their famous homemade bread and cookies. For more information, visit bloominfestival.com or call 256.739.6682. The abbey is located at 1600 St. Bernard Drive, Southeast in Cullman. 

Sunday, April 21

Open House

Her Choice Birmingham Women’s Center will hold an open house from 2-4 p.m., highlighting their recent renovations. Refreshments will be served. The center is located at 2120 7th Avenue, South. For more information or to R.S.V.P., please call 205-252-0706 or e-mail mail@herchoicebirmingham.org.

Friday, April 26

Young adult wine social

St. Michael Catholic Church in St. Florian will host a wine social for all young adults in the parish’s gym. The wine-sampling social event will also feature a discussion on the saints. Those planning to attend are asked to bring a bottle of wine and snack to share. The evening will begin at 6:30 p.m. and conclude at 9 p.m. The church is located at 2751 County Road 30. For more information, please e-mail secretary@stmichaelscatholic.org.

Saturday, April 27

St. Ann’s Seafood Festival

St. Ann Catholic School in Decatur will host its 35th annual Seafood Festival from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. In addition to authentic Mexican food and genuine Cajun food, craft vendors and live music from The Cadillacs will be featured. In conjunction with the festival, the Big Fish Car Show will take place from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. The church is located at 3910 Spring Avenue, Southwest. For more information, please call 256.353.6543.

Saturday, April 27

Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic School to hold crawfish boil and auction

Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic School in Homewood invites the faithful of the diocese to attend their Crawfish Boil & Auction on 6:30-10:00 p.m. Ticket purchase includes entry into the event, food, drink, live music, and the opportunity to bid on some silent and live auction items. Tickets purchased by April 20 will be a savings of $5 per ticket. This event is for adults 21 years and older. For those not able to attend the event, crawfish plates are available for pickup. The deadline for food orders is also April 20. Please visit olsschool.com for more information and to make a purchase. For additional questions, contact olscrawfishboil@gmail.com. The school is located at 1720 Oxmoor Road.