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’.
After a much anticipated build-up of cicada talk, we are finally starting to see a few around the Retreat & Conference Center. Their "buzz" hasn't begun yet and we do hope these new neighbors will be able to keep it down a bit during their stay. ;) The unique life cycle of these insects certainly piques our interest every 17 years, doesn't it? Can you imagine the anticipation if our lives were so brief? The amazing features of the cicada…
Are you familiar with contemplative, Christian meditation practices? If you're curious, but not sure when to begin, we've included a nice introduction video below that we discovered on YouTube. Many find that it's helpful to adopt a prayer practice like this within a group setting. Centering Prayer sessions have been held at our Center for over five years and many guests return week after week for this special time of spiritual growth. Throughout the pandemic, many returning guests and also…
Today's reflection comes from frequent blogger, Fr. Michael Schleupner. He shared the following through his homily last Sunday, on Mother's Day. It provides wise words inspired by a famous musician for Mother's Day, during the pandemic and really every day of any year. Enjoy the video after the reflection too. How does this inspire you today? Who will you pick today? Share with us in the comments. Songs of Comfort Many of us have heard of the famed cellist Yo…
Today's blog is from last Sunday's homily by Fr. Michael Schleupner and shares a creative analogy that makes the scripture come alive! We're blessed to have Fr. Mike for weekly Mass on Fridays at the Center and he will also be a spiritual director during our August Directed Retreat (click here for more information). Let's read his thoughts about a funny sight during a drive around the area. “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He…
Mary DeTurris Poust, author and retreat presenter, will be with us for a special weekend retreat June 25-27. (Click here to learn more.) Although written a few years ago during Holy Week, the message below is still inspiring and relevant. After all, as imperfect human beings, grace is something we are always seeking, right? Finding grace, even in the shadow of the cross I’ve been in desperate need of some grace these days. So much so, that I pulled a…
Today's post is a powerful excerpt from "Fearless Conversations with a Limitless God" by Dr. Veirdre Jackson. She will be returning to the Center this September as the featured speaker for annual Women's Wellness retreat and we're so excited to host her again. Let's read this short excerpt, based on a familiar passage from scripture.... Stepping into Peace "Yes, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me;…
Our guests often comment on the delicious food that comes from our kitchen! The man behind those amazing meals is our talented chef and food service manager, Giovanni Faudale. Each week at the beginning of our staff meetings, one of the managers offers a reflection, so during last week's meeting Gio read this inspiring poem. We hope that it touches and inspires you too! Are there other promises that you live out each day? Share with us in the comments.…
Fr. Michael Schleupner offers another wise reflection today. Let's read his thoughts about lessons from failed expectations. Great Expectations When I was in high school, I remember reading the classic novel Great Expectations; it was written by Charles Dickens. I imagine that many of us have read this somewhere along the way. In the story, a young woman named Miss Havisham is about to be married. All the preparations for the wedding have been made. On the day of the wedding,…
As you probably are aware, yesterday was Earth Day, a day to demonstrate support for our environment. Here at the Center, we have established many earth-friendly practices to reduce waste and care for our beautiful planet. Fittingly, Rose Kurtz, our Guest Services Manager compiled today's reflection that shares a common earth-minded spring theme with analogies about our own personal growth. Let's take a few quiet moments to read what she discovered... ------------------------------------- I have a book called “Words of Wisdom…
Today's reflection comes from Sr. Ji Choi, novice with the Sisters of Bon Secours. Sr. Ji is presenting a variety of retreats at the Center and her next retreat will be held on Friday, May 7. The retreat will focus around the Easter theme, "On the Road to Emmaus". You can learn more about the retreat by clicking here. Let's take a few quiet moments to read Sr. Ji's thoughts about recognizing Jesus' presence in our lives today. How well…
