Schedule a "Come to the Quiet" Retreat at Your Church this Spring

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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