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’.
Today's post comes from Mary DeTurris Poust, spiritual writer and presenter (click here to visit her website). She has provided inspiring retreats at our Center and we look forward to having her back next year too. In the meantime, we're so grateful that she's sharing some of her reflections with our blog audience. Let's read her thoughts about taking a small moment to be still and appreciate the world around us. Where is the beauty in your world? As I…
Today's reflection is shared by Jen Murphy, Manager of Marketing & Events for the Bon Scours Retreat & Conference Center. Let's learn more about her favorite way to slow down and meditate in nature. Waves of Prayer Lord of the Seas, speak… to me. Flow heavens flow… over me. Wash words of God wash… in me. Lord of the Seas, speak… through me. ~Bill Gaultiere Summertime is a very special time for me because I am able to spend a…
May you find Peace. May you be one with your true self... Dear Heart Preface the persistent voice of midlife wooed and wailed, wept and whined, nagged like an endless toothache, seduced like an insistent lover, promised a guide to protect me as I turned intently toward my soul. as I stood at the door of “Go Deeper” I heard the ego’s howl of resistance, felt the shivers of my false security but knew there could be no other way.…
Today is the Feast of the Blessed Trinity, which "...may well be regarded as the Church's Te Deum of gratitude over all the blessings of the Christmas and Easter seasons; for this mystery is a synthesis of Christmas, Epiphany, Easter, Ascension and Pentecost. This feast, which falls on the first Sunday after Pentecost, should make us mindful that actually every Sunday is devoted to the honor of the Most Holy Trinity, that every Sunday is sanctified and consecrated to the…
Pentecost was celebrated on Sunday, the day that commemorates the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles and followers of Jesus Christ. May you feel the Spirit around you as we celebrate this incredible gift through prayer and song. A Prayer to the Holy Spirit Holy Spirit, You are God. I praise you because you are holy, and I thank you for dwelling in my heart. Thank you for working in my life. You guided me into salvation, renewed…
As we begin to enter the season of many week-long silent retreats at our Center, we are often asked about why guests are drawn these extended times of silence. It's a special week of deep listening and discernment with God. It centers our guests and allows them to reconnect more easily on a daily basis when they return home. These retreats are based around the many references of seeking the still, small voice of God in Scripture. The reflection below…
Today's reflection is another by Fr. Michael Schleupner, which he shared last week as he celebrated his 50th jubilee! Let's read about how he tied together readings from the gospel for his role as a priest and how we can use this within our own communities. We look forward to seeing more of Fr. Michael when he's here for our July and August Directed Retreats, serving as a spiritual director. Please comment below to congratulate Fr. Michael on an amazing…
Words are difficult to find after the shooting in Texas this week. We share this prayer from our health system and quotes passed along from the Sisters of Bon Secours. To learn more about the ongoing efforts of the sisters to end violence, please click here. Pray with us. Act with us. A prayer for healing and change Loving and merciful God, our hearts are broken. Our anger, frustration and sadness are overwhelming. We are crushed by this tragedy and…
The Sisters of Bon Secours have traveled from all over the world to begin their Mid-term Assembly at the Retreat & Conference Center today. It's always such a privilege to welcome them home! It is a time for the international congregation to gather for discussion about their mission focus, long term plans and to simply enjoy being in community together. Their theme is “Nurturing the Fire of our Original Call" and each day has a specific sub theme that includes:…
Last week we highlighted a few poems about nature by famous authors as we celebrate spring. Today we are sharing poetry by women authors that provide inspiration for our Creator's beautiful sanctuary outdoors at this time of year. Are you familiar with these poems too? Do you have other favorites that you'd like to share? Please let us know in the comments. Christina Rossetti, ‘Spring' There is no time like Spring, When life’s alive in everything, Before new nestlings sing,…
