Sister of the Servants of Mary Joyce Rupp, acclaimed author and well-known retreat leader, will lead "Discovering Your Hidden Treasures," a Lenten retreat for women March 1, 1-5 p.m. at Holy Family Church, South Pasadena.

The retreat topic is "a call to recognize, accept and discover yourself as a marvelous human being and to deepen your relationship with the One who called you into being," explained Carlotta De Francisco, chair of The Women's Connection, a newly formed ministry at Holy Family Church. Participants will engage in prayer, private reflection, journaling and discussion.

Sister Rupp is the author of numerous popular books, Her most recent work is "Open the Door: A Journey to the True Self." She will also do a book-signing from noon to 12:45 p.m. on March 1.

Retreat registration fee is $20. Holy Family is located at 1501 Fremont Ave., South Pasadena. For information, call (626) 403-6125 or email at wsc@holyfamily.org.

Author Cornelia Funke visits St. Agnes School
Seventh- and eighth-graders at St. Agnes School enjoyed a lively discussion Feb. 3 with internationally renowned writer Cornelia Funke, author of bestsellers "Inkheart" (now in movie theaters) and the "Dragon Rider" series.

Funke, who moved from Germany to Los Angeles four years ago, talked to students about her experiences on the way to becoming a writer of young adult fiction.

"First I was a social worker," she said. "Many of the children in my caseload, some of them your age, had very difficult lives, had been abandoned by their families. Knowing them and listening to their stories made a deep impression on me. After a few years, I became an illustrator of children's books. The stories the writers sent to me were so boring, I decided to write my own books. And that's how my career as a writer began."

USC's Pen Pal program, now in its third year at St. Agnes, has played a significant role in cultivating middle school students' reading and writing skills through various activities. In January, students read Funke's "The Thief Lord," a story about a gang of homeless children struggling to survive and persevere in Venice, Italy. But they had no idea a famous author would take the time to come and talk to them.

- Kathleen Doherty

'Rebel Without a Cause' to be screened
at Mount Feb. 25
The Film and Social Justice program at Mount St. Mary's College will present a free screening and discussion of the 1955 Warner Bros. classic "Rebel Without a Cause" Feb. 25 at 7 p.m. on its Brentwood campus.

The film, which stars James Dean and Natalie Wood, tells the story of a rebellious young man with a troubled past who moves to a new city (aka Los Angeles), where he finds friends as well as enemies. It will be shown in the William H. Hannon Theater on the Chalon campus, 12001 Chalon Road, Brentwood. Introductory comments about the film's significance will be