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’.
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,…
Today, we share Pope Francis' Prayer for Peace. As we approach the two month mark of the war in Ukraine, our hearts continue to ache as we watch the images of devastation and loss each day on the news. Will you join us in prayer? Lord God of peace, hear our prayer! We have tried so many times and over so many years to resolve our conflicts by our own powers and by the force of our arms. How many…
Reaching the one million mark for COVID deaths in the US is not a milestone that anyone wanted to reach. If this news is still weighing heavily on your heart, please take a few quiet moments to light a candle and to pray with us. We hope that it brings comfort for any personal losses that you're enduring. May the Father of mercies and God of all consolation, pursue you with untiring love, comfort you in your loss and…
Today's post comes from Fr. Michael Schleupner, friend of and frequent presenter/spiritual director for the Center. Fr. Michael shared this homily last week and we're grateful to be able to share it with you now. Do you follow Jesus by practicing simplicity and grace? Share with us. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me; and I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish, and no one shall snatch them out of my…
Today's inspiration comes from famous poets who eloquently express our gratitude for spring. We hope that you have a beautiful view of spring today as you read these poems. Say a prayer of thanks for the sun, the rain, the flowers, the breeze, the light. Share about it with us in the comments. For Flowers That Bloom For flowers that bloom about our feet; For tender grass, so fresh, so sweet; For song of bird, and hum of bee; For…
Have you ever been so tired or overwhelmed that it's difficult to come up with the words that you want to pray, yet you are seeking more than sitting in silent meditation? Today, we offer this morning prayer video as a resource for times like this. Pray with us... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aG_unqKaDrw
