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’.
Today's post begins a series by Fr. Michael Schleupner about Saint Ignatius of Loyola. This reflection is a great introduction to the priest behind Ignatian spirituality and the foundation of the Jesuits. Several retreats about St. Ignatius are offered at our center each year too and this summer will feature our first 8-day Ignatian Directed Retreat (click here). Fr. Mike's reflection is followed by popular prayer by St. Ignatius. Let's take a few quiet moments to learn more and to…
Today's post is a short reflection about faith from Dr. Robert Wicks. Dr. Wicks is a popular speaker and author who shares his expertise in psychology and spirituality. He will be with us this fall for a day retreat, "Simple Care of a Hopeful Heart: Strengthening Your Inner Life in Challenging Times" (click here to read more). Throughout the pandemic, many of us have hung onto our faith on a deeper level to cope with the mounting stress and anxiety.…
On Sunday, we celebrated Pentecost - the day that the Holy Spirit descended upon the followers of Jesus. As we continue to invite the Holy Spirit to be with us, we share this beautiful prayer. Please take a few quiet moments in prayer with us. If you're able, share your intention with us in the comments. Pentecost Prayer by Joan Chittister, OSB The Holy Spirit embodies the life force of the universe, the power of God, the animating energy present…
Today's blog may seem to be an unusual spiritual topic, but Fr. Michael Schleupner shares a personal viewpoint about how he sees spiritual reasoning behind getting the COVID-19 vaccine. Many of our guests are feeling more comfortable with coming back to the Center after receiving their vaccine too. Let's read Fr. Mike's thoughts. We have also included a brief prayer for the vaccinated after his reflection. The Vaccine Dear Friends, Today I want to share with you my spiritual reasons…
Mary DeTurris Poust, retreat presenter and author, shares today's inspiring reflection. We look forward to her first retreat at our Center at the end of June, "Broken, Beautiful, and Beloved". You can click here to learn more. If you're feeling 'stuck' in your spiritual life you may want to speak with a spiritual director too. Sr. Bernadette Claps, CBS, meets with spiritual seekers at our Center and you can reach out to her via email at Bernadette_Claps@BonSecoursRCC.com. Now, let's take…
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…
