Pace e Bene! The peace of the Lord be with you!
The Portiuncula Franciscan Hermitage and Retreat Center is currently scheduling
"Come to the Quiet" Retreats
for
Ohio and Indiana
in the
Spring of 2013
There appears to be a growing interest in the monastic life among people of all lifestyles, and no wonder! For centuries, the monastic life has provided monks and nuns with disciplines and practices aimed at helping them maintain balanced, healthy and centered lifestyles while they "prefer nothing to Christ!" But these practices are not only for monks! Join us as we explore practices such as silence, prayer, simplicity, solitude and celebration, and the benefits they have for all our lives.
To book a "Come to the Quiet" retreat at your parish, all we require is a hand-written invitation from your parish priest on his personal stationery.
On January 6, 2001, at the end of the Jubilee Year 2000, Pope
John Paul II published Novo Millennio Inuente, his vision of dynamic
Catholic life for the new millennium, calling for the whole world to reconnect
with the mystical tradition, mentioning specifically Catherine of Siena, Teresa
of Avila, John of the Cross and Therese of Lisieux.
In our “Come to the Quiet” Retreats we try as much as
possible to let these saints speak for themselves by a generous use of their
own words, keeping our own commentary to a bare minimum, so as not to impede
the flow of the “road maps.” We restrict ourselves just to those saints of the
Western Church who have been recognized as Doctors of the Church and have made
a major contribution to our understanding of the spiritual journey, the only
exception to this being our Seraphic Father, St. Francis of Assisi.
When Pope John Paul II considered what was the most important
legacy of the Jubilee Year 2000 that should be carried forward into the new
millennium, this is what he said: “But if we ask what is the core of the great
legacy it leaves us I would not hesitate to describe it as the Contemplation
of the Face of Christ” (NMI 15).
The latent richness of our own
Roman Catholic tradition should regain its necessary role in the world through
the teaching of Repentance and Penance through prayer. Contemplative prayer
naturally extends to the Eucharist, incorporating an hour of meditation before
the Blessed Sacrament each week. Our “Come to the Quiet” Retreats speak
specifically to people whose hunger and humility have already brought them to
the point St. Paul meant when he said, “We do not even know how to pray.”
We always begin with the ancient Catholic monastic tradition
of the “Jesus Prayer,” progress through Teresian Prayer (Lectio Divina),
the Office of the Hours, the Rosary, and end with the Ladder of Monks; Lectio,
Meditatio, Oratio, and Contemplatio representing the four rungs on
that Ladder.
The only compensation we ask for at our “Come to the Quiet” Retreats is a free-will
offering at the end.
“Come to the Quiet”
Retreat Schedule
Friday 7:00-8:00 P.M.
Short (15
minute) talk explaining the weekend and an explanation of the ancient Monastic
practice of the “Jesus Prayer.” This is
followed by an hour of Silence where people split off individually and find a
place to be by themselves. They can choose to remain in their pews before the
Blessed Sacrament, walk around outside the church, whatever makes them most
comfortable.
Friday 8:00-9:00 P.M.
Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament,
remaining exposed throughout the entire weekend.
We humbly
request Reconcilliation be made available throughout the weekend, but especially during the first hour of Adoration. .Everyone is invited to leave in
total Silence.
Saturday 10:00- 11:00 A.M.
Praying the Liturgy of the Hours
Saturday 11:00-12:00 A.M.
Praying the
Rosary (Become Hidden in the Wounds of
the Savior ~ St. Francis of Assisi)
Saturday 12:00-01:00 P.M.
Pitch-In
Saturday 01:00-2:00 P.M.
Teresian
Prayer (Lectio Divina)
Saturday 02:00-03:00 P.M.
Contemplative
Prayer
Saturday 03:00-04:00 P.M.
Ladder of
Monks (Guiggo)
Saturday 04:00-05:00
Large Group
Discussion
Saturday 5:00 P.M.
Close with Mass
Mailing Address:
Portiuncula Franciscan Hermitage
P.O. Box 114
Richmond, IN 47375-0114
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