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, we offer a great way to begin your day. If you're reading this later in the day, why not set a reminder to revisit tomorrow morning? Now, let's set aside a few quiet moments to reflect on the Psalms below and then to view the prayer video as well. Wishing you a blessed day! "Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go,…
As a ministry of the Sisters of Bon Secours, we strive to fulfill their mission through many facets here at the Center. One of these areas of attention is our 'care of creation'. We do so by recycling and reusing anything possible and this has been evident at the Center with our reusable cups and recycling containers for years. We are proud to share that we also compost unused food and some paper waste now! Our composting project started in…
Fr. Michael Schleupner offers today's third post in a series about St. Ignatius. Let's learn more about discernment and how to incorporate a better practice of discernment in our own lives. We also want to wish our readers a Happy Father's Day! We've added a prayer at the end of the blog for all of the father figures in our lives. Pray with us... Saint Ignatius of Loyola - 3 Dear Friends, One of the major features of Ignatian spirituality…
Tomorrow, on June 19, we celebrate Juneteenth. Within the African American community, Juneteenth is known as a second “Independence Day”. It is a holiday that commemorates the June 19, 1865 announcement of the abolition of slavery in Texas, and more generally the emancipation of African American slaves throughout the Confederate South. This was more than two years after President Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation. With continued racism in our country, it's especially important to recognize this day of freedom and…
Today's reflection is shared by Jen Murphy, the Center's Retreats & Events Manager. Let's read her thoughts sparked by an upcoming retreat theme... Peace In the Middle of the Pieces One of my favorite retreats to plan is our annual Women's Wellness retreat. Unlike other retreats on our schedule, this one is very hands-on for me and our committee of other staff members. A featured presenter offers various themes that we pick from and they are responsible for the presentation…
Today's post is another powerful reflection from Fr. Michael Schleupner. We're so grateful that he regularly shares these inspiring thoughts with our Blog! Let's take a few quiet moments to read about a deeper meaning of the Eucharist. A Rabbi’s Embrace There is a story about a six-year-old Jewish boy named Mortakai. Mortakai was refusing to go to school. Each day, his mother would take him to school, but as soon as she left, he would run back home. This…
Sr. Ji Choi is a Novice with the Sisters of Bon Secours and is working within our retreat ministry. She is offering several retreats in the coming months around this year's theme of "The Heart of St. Joseph" (You can read about the next one by clicking here). Let's read her thoughts about today's feast day. Today we celebrate the Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus. This solemnity encourages us to devote ourselves to the love of the…
Amy Kulesa, Director of the Sisters of Bon Secours Associates, shares this beautiful poem from John Donahue about prayer. Does it stir an image of prayer in your mind? Do you have a favorite space for prayer? Maybe a favorite spot at our Center? Share with us, if you'd like, in the comments. Prayer sets our feet at large in the pastures of promise. When you pray, the submerged eternal melody in the clay of your heart rises from the…
Today’s post is the 2nd in a series by Fr. Michael Schleupner about Saint Ignatius of Loyola. This reflection introduces the inspiring Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius. Let's take a few quiet moments today to learn about how this incredible resource came to be. Then, we've included a prayer by St. Ignatius at the end. Please pray with us. Saint Ignatius of Loyola - 2 Dear Friends, Toward the end of his life, Ignatius wrote an autobiography and wrote it…
Upcoming retreat presenter, Mary DeTurris Poust, shares another wonderful reflection with us today. During this season of gardening, it is likely something that we can relate to. Let's take a quiet moment to read about a spiritual lesson gained from weeding! If you'd like to learn more about Mary or her upcoming retreat, please click here. The Journey Is the Goal Last week I was working out in a corner of our backyard where I decided to create a meditation…
