Presented By: Prison Creative Arts Project, The
Literati Bookstore Presents Sister Helen Prejean
Literati is pleased to welcome Sister Helen Prejean to First United Methodist Church of Ann Arbor in support of her latest, River of Fire: My Spiritual Journey. Sr. Helen will be introduced by Ashley Lucas, Director of the Prison Creative Arts Project at the University of Michigan, and joined in conversation by Rev. Nancy S. Lynn. A Q&A and book signing will follow.
The event is free and open to the public, though a free general admission ticket is required. A limited number of book bundle tickets are also available, and these include a hardcover copy River of Fire, reserved general admission seating at the front of the venue, and signing line priority (note that for parties wishing to sit together in this reserved area, each member must purchase a book bundle ticket).
Copies of River of Fire and a selection Sister Helen's previous books will be available for purchase for all guests. Any person with books to sign may join the signing line, following all Book Bundle guests.
Please note that FUMC's sanctuary is not air-conditioned. Guests are welcomed and encouraged to bring personal fans if it proves to be a particularly warm evening.
Parking in downtown Ann Arbor can be difficult. Surface spots are sparse, but a detailed map of available (and walkable) parking structures can be found here.
About the Book: In this revelatory, intimate memoir of her childhood, her spiritual evolution, and how she became “lit” to her crusade, Sister Helen chronicles her journey from one who prayed for God to solve the world’s problems to one engaged full-tilt, hands-on, in the work to transform societal injustices. She writes about growing up in a well-off Baton Rouge family, one that still employed black servants in the racially segregated South, and how she joined the Sisters of St. Joseph at the age of eighteen. Life in the novitiate, which aimed at spiritual holiness, set strict boundaries of separation from the (sinful) “world” – but all that changed in the wake of Vatican II, which brought the winds of change in the Catholic Church. Inspired by Catholic activists such as Dorothy Day in the inner city and Jesuit priests who went to prison for destroying draft files in opposition to the Vietnam war, Sister Helen started to immerse herself in the struggle of poor people in New Orleans forced to live on the margins of society. River of Fire is at turns honest and humorous, and she writes openly about her friendships with other women who have inspired and nurtured her, as well as a close friendship with a priest— obsessively intent on marrying her—and how these relationships challenged her vocation in “new territory of the heart” and propelled her further into deepening both her life in the Sisterhood and her engagement in social justice, where she is today.
River of Fire is a story of faith and spirituality, doubt and belief, addressed to believers, agnostics, and “nones” alike. It tells about “catching on fire” to purpose and passion. Accessible, humorous, luminous and on point for these polarized times when awakened social conscience and citizen action have never been more needed, Sister Helen shows us how to live a spiritual life that is wide awake to the sufferings and creative opportunities of our world.
Helen Prejean, CSJ, is the author of the #1 national bestseller Dead Man Walking. A member of the Congregation of St. Joseph, she has appeared on 60 Minutes, Frontline, The Oprah Winfrey Show, ABC's World News Tonight, The Rachel Maddow Show, Democracy Now!, Crossfire, NBC's special series on the death penalty, and NPR's All Things Considered, and has been featured in The New York Times Magazine, USA Today, Los Angeles Times, and The New York Review of Books.
About First United Methodist Church: At First United Methodist Church of Ann Arbor, we welcome everyone of every ability! Young or old, Democrat or Republican, gay or straight, genderqueer or cisgender, filled with doubts or firm in your faith--you are invited to join us. Our congregation is grounded in the gospel of Jesus Christ, which tears down walls and builds up community. We are progressive and relevant--committed to seeking peace and building hope through worship, service, social justice, and educational opportunities in our local, national, and international communities. www.fumc-a2.org
Questions? Email John@LiteratiBookstore.com
The event is free and open to the public, though a free general admission ticket is required. A limited number of book bundle tickets are also available, and these include a hardcover copy River of Fire, reserved general admission seating at the front of the venue, and signing line priority (note that for parties wishing to sit together in this reserved area, each member must purchase a book bundle ticket).
Copies of River of Fire and a selection Sister Helen's previous books will be available for purchase for all guests. Any person with books to sign may join the signing line, following all Book Bundle guests.
Please note that FUMC's sanctuary is not air-conditioned. Guests are welcomed and encouraged to bring personal fans if it proves to be a particularly warm evening.
Parking in downtown Ann Arbor can be difficult. Surface spots are sparse, but a detailed map of available (and walkable) parking structures can be found here.
About the Book: In this revelatory, intimate memoir of her childhood, her spiritual evolution, and how she became “lit” to her crusade, Sister Helen chronicles her journey from one who prayed for God to solve the world’s problems to one engaged full-tilt, hands-on, in the work to transform societal injustices. She writes about growing up in a well-off Baton Rouge family, one that still employed black servants in the racially segregated South, and how she joined the Sisters of St. Joseph at the age of eighteen. Life in the novitiate, which aimed at spiritual holiness, set strict boundaries of separation from the (sinful) “world” – but all that changed in the wake of Vatican II, which brought the winds of change in the Catholic Church. Inspired by Catholic activists such as Dorothy Day in the inner city and Jesuit priests who went to prison for destroying draft files in opposition to the Vietnam war, Sister Helen started to immerse herself in the struggle of poor people in New Orleans forced to live on the margins of society. River of Fire is at turns honest and humorous, and she writes openly about her friendships with other women who have inspired and nurtured her, as well as a close friendship with a priest— obsessively intent on marrying her—and how these relationships challenged her vocation in “new territory of the heart” and propelled her further into deepening both her life in the Sisterhood and her engagement in social justice, where she is today.
River of Fire is a story of faith and spirituality, doubt and belief, addressed to believers, agnostics, and “nones” alike. It tells about “catching on fire” to purpose and passion. Accessible, humorous, luminous and on point for these polarized times when awakened social conscience and citizen action have never been more needed, Sister Helen shows us how to live a spiritual life that is wide awake to the sufferings and creative opportunities of our world.
Helen Prejean, CSJ, is the author of the #1 national bestseller Dead Man Walking. A member of the Congregation of St. Joseph, she has appeared on 60 Minutes, Frontline, The Oprah Winfrey Show, ABC's World News Tonight, The Rachel Maddow Show, Democracy Now!, Crossfire, NBC's special series on the death penalty, and NPR's All Things Considered, and has been featured in The New York Times Magazine, USA Today, Los Angeles Times, and The New York Review of Books.
About First United Methodist Church: At First United Methodist Church of Ann Arbor, we welcome everyone of every ability! Young or old, Democrat or Republican, gay or straight, genderqueer or cisgender, filled with doubts or firm in your faith--you are invited to join us. Our congregation is grounded in the gospel of Jesus Christ, which tears down walls and builds up community. We are progressive and relevant--committed to seeking peace and building hope through worship, service, social justice, and educational opportunities in our local, national, and international communities. www.fumc-a2.org
Questions? Email John@LiteratiBookstore.com
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