Welcome to the Bon Secours Retreat & Conference Center’s blog! This blog will extend our retreat ministry by bringing prayers and reflections into your home ‘retreat’. Many of our presenters and staff share their homilies, favorite prayers and reflections through this medium. We encourage you to comment, pass it along to friends or simply take a moment to pray with us. We hope that this will serve as a moment during your day when you can ‘retreat with us’.
So Today, of All Days, I Pray God gave me faith in myself, Not only on days when I’m doing great and winning And nothing seems impossible But on days when the whole world looks different… And I’m wear and the road ahead holds little promise. When my family is looking to me for strength When I wonder if I’m brave enough, smart enough And understanding the I must be crazy to try, don’t let me quit Lord, not…
Tessa Newton, Sisters of Bon Secours Program Manager of Fundraising (and former Sales & Marketing Manager for the Retreat & Conference Center), attended the sister's blessing of trees around our labyrinth last week. She shares about this circle of life on today's blog... When you have 313 acres of mostly wooded land, it comes as no surprise when a tree or two needs to be cut down. We have regular site visits from a local tree company to inspect, prune,…
Retreat presenter and spiritual director, Fr. Michael Schleupner, shares another inspiring homily with us today. What will you learn about these words that you've likely said over and over during your life? Thank you Fr. Michael! He was praying in a certain place, and after he had finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples.” He said to them, “When you pray, say: Father, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom…
Today's blog is written by retreat presenter, Andrea Springer. Andrea will be presenting a retreat that corresponds with this theme on Saturday, August 27 and you can click here if you'd like to learn more. Now, let's read her incredible insights about the courage we can each find within! Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak; courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen. ~ Winston Churchill Winston Churchill really gets my attention with…
It was such a pleasure to have Fr. Michael Schleupner and Fr. Phil Cover with us last week for the directed retreat. They took turns celebrating Mass each day and Fr. Michael shared today's post on Friday for the Feast of St. Mary Magdalene. Let's see what we can learn about this amazing woman from scripture. On the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early in the morning, while it was still dark, and saw…
During our staff planning meeting this week, Rainey Taylor, Sales Manager, shared this beautiful reflection from Joyce Rupp's "Anchors for the Soul". As our July Directed Retreat finishes up tomorrow, we hope that this has been a special week of Sabbath Time for the guests. Maybe this reflection will inspire your quiet time at home, work or outdoors too? Sabbath Time The only sounds breaking the immense quiet are crickets humming and the first yawns of robins and cardinals. My…
Today's post is a repeat from 2020, but we wanted to re-share this relaxing music video that showcases beautiful images of God's creation. You'll notice that the images repeat after the first sequence. What can you notice within the same image when viewing it a second or third time? Taking a few moments to relax and connect with nature, even via technology, can provide a calming effect that lasts throughout our day. Be still. “Who covers the heaven with clouds,…
Grace The torrential rains drenching our earth Pelting from the shrouded sky Enfolding our days in sorrowful grays We could weep, but for the flourish of life revealed Grace The fierce winds gusting our earth Churning wide from the swirling air Shaking our days in fearful frays We could tremble, but for the sweep of fresh air imbued Grace The fiery sun bearing down on our earth Blasting hot light from its blazing sphere Scorching our days with merciless rays…
Today, we continue on the Good Samaritan theme from Sunday, sharing Fr. Michael Schleupner's homily. Let's read about a modern day example that can inspire each of us to do our part in the world. NODA Last December, the Washington Post Magazine carried an article that I find very inspiring: One night several years ago, nurse Sandra Clarke was making her rounds at Sacred Heart Medical Center in Eugene, Oregon. An elderly, frail patient made a request. His organs were…
Today's Gospel lesson comes from Luke 10:25-37, the familiar lesson of the Good Samaritan. What can you draw from the modern poem that we're sharing, based on this passage from Scripture? Where have you seen injustice? How are you helping those in need? How does the poem paint a picture of Jesus as the Good Samaritan for you? Share with us! We'd love to learn more from you. The Good Samaritan How kind the good Samaritan To him who fell…
