THE BLOG OF THE BON SECOURS RETREAT & CONFERENCE CENTER
Retreat with Us
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’.
We are just ahead of the holiday season. It brings so much joy and so much anticipation. It also brings a full calendar, additional tasks on your to do list, special outfits and shoes, and a lot of stress. So before it gets too busy, take some time to learn about mindfulness and stress reduction through connection with God. Dr. Heather Alexander will be here November 19 to lead her (very popular) Mindfulness Retreat! After exploring the retreat, we encourage…
This weekend, Celtic teacher and author, John Philip Newell, is leading a sold out retreat at our Center. He and his colleague, Cami Twilling, are journeying with 70+ retreatants as they reawaken their awareness of what is sacred and that all things are sacred. John Philip and Cami travel the world teaching their course based on Sacred Earth Sacred Soul, one of Dr. Newell's books. We are delighted and honored to have them here with us! Today's blog post is…
Today's post is a prayer by Henri Nouwen. Nouwen is a well known Catholic priest, professor, author, and more. He is often looked to for reassuring and compassionate words of wisdom. Now, let's take a few moments of quiet to pray together... “Listen, O Lord, to my prayers. Listen to my desire to be with you, to dwell in your house, and to let my whole being be filled with your presence. But none of this is possible without you.…
We are in the midst of the Season of Creation, a time of year that Christians focus on caring for our earth through action and prayer. This is a worldwide and ecumenical celebration of the beauty of our world and a reminder of the utmost and urgent need to care for and protect it. We join the millions across the globe in this initiative and journey to and we invite you to join us! Seth Appiah-Kubi, National Director, A Rocha…
This week's post is a day early. Today is International Peace Day and as a ministry of the Sisters of Bon Secours, honoring this day is important to us. International Day of Peace was established by unanimous United Nations support. It began in 1981, setting out to unite people of the world in a commitment to peace. Today, we stand in support of building a culture of peace globally. Please join us in reading a prayer from Pope Francis: Lord…
If you are in the midst of a grief journey, you know that any time of year can be difficult. Before we know it, the holidays will be upon us, making things even more challenging. We have two grief retreats planned before Christmas and we invite you to join us. Links to both retreats can be found below the poem below. The poem was written by Jenifer Kirin, life coach and Bon Secours co-worker, who shares her thoughts about loss…
Later this week, we will commemorate the 23rd anniversary of September 11. We hold this as a solemn day to remember those lost, those that suffered, and those that risked their lives for others. Although we are 23 years removed from the devastation of that day, we continue to care for one another and move forward as a nation. Join us in prayer today and Wednesday... Holy God, Creator of all people and all nations, It is with sorrow and…
Seek Me with your whole being. I desire to be found by you, and I orchestrate the events of your life with that purpose in mind. When things go well and you are blessed, you can feel Me smiling on you. When you encounter rough patches along your life-journey, trust that My Light is still shining upon you. My reasons for allowing these adversities may be shrouded in mystery, but My continual Presence with you is an absolute promise. Seek…
Dear Creator God, You made the wind and the waves and the wide sandy beach that stretches as far as the eye can see. I felt Your presence as I baked in the sun and dove in the sea-green water, listening to the gulls darting overhead. May I continue to bask in Your warmth in the cooling autumn days. The ice cream truck was always there when I wanted it, and somehow the rain stayed away when the picnic supper…
Amy Sorensen Kulesa shared this poem with us, originally from ordinary on purpose. All of these are the perfect reasons to call out to God in prayer. GOD HEARS! More Hope... God hears. God hears our fancy, formal, memorized prayers, fingers slipping over beads. God hears our bitter, angry prayers. Why, God??? How??? What am I supposed to do now, God??? God hears our tiny, whispered pleas. Every single word. Please. Help. Be near. Or even… God???? God hears through our…
