Ephphatha! Be opened. (Lay Movements XXII).

Ephphatha House, located north of Stony Plain, Alberta, is a house of prayer, a retreat house, and a gather-ing place for groups of all types seeking faith-centred activities and an atmosphere of devotion to the Lord. It has come to be known primarily for its promotion of the truths of the Catholic faith, and takes its name from the miracle of Mark 7:34-35.

We believe that the project of Ephphatha House is an apostolate that incorporates the elements spoken of by the Pope in his exhortation "Ecclesia in America" and his document on the Third Millennium encouraging all the faithful to take more seriously their call to holiness. In response to this call, we have taken as our focus the four elements indicated in Acts 2:42 namely: the teachings of the apostles, the celebration of the Eucharist, community life, and prayer, and from those flow our way of life and our devotions.

We offer the Truth in its fullness to all who come here and we hope and pray that, by our commitment to provide an atmosphere of fidelity and submission to the Pope and the Magisterium of the Church, we will help others to come to a deeper understanding of their faith and a sincere desire to live Catholicism more fully. Ephphatha House is operated by the resident community, who have committed themselves to serve the Lord through this apostolate, and is supported by many benefactors. There are numerous associates of Ephphatha who help us in various ways according to their ability. Thanks to the generosity of these people, we are able to offer our facilities to individuals and groups who wish to have retreats, workshops, presentations, or simply solitude. We have a large chapel, a bookstore, a well-stocked library, and a fully-equipped dining room, and can accommodate many overnight guests.

In addition to our annual events of Divine Mercy Weekend, our Marian Eucharistic Conference, and our summer Family Camp, we also put on special event weekends throughout the year, offering a variety of topics and speakers, and giving opportunities for faith education and spiritual nourishment.

We are blessed to have perpetual adoration in our chapel and our residents each spend two hours a day in adoration. Our daily schedule also includes praying together the Liturgy of the Hours at morning and evening prayer, the chaplet of mercy, the rosary, and attendance at Mass in our local parish.

As our Holy Father has said, the ways to holiness are many, and each individual must choose according to his or her state in life. We believe that Ephphatha House offers people a means to serve God and deepen their faith commitment. If you are looking for a lay community and are interested in learning more about our apostolate, or if you would like to visit Ephphatha House on your own or with your group, you can find more information on our web site at www.ephphathahouse.ab.ca, call us at 780-963-0896, or write to us at Box 17, Site 320, R.R.3, Stony Plain, AB, T7Z 1X3.