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 retreat presenter Susan Boruff and she writes about the shocking, hateful actions on the Capitol building last week. Susan shares a beautiful letter that she received, offering a way for us to come together in prayer. Let's take a moment to pray for our nation as we try to heal and move forward in peace. Show Me The Way Becoming “awake” involves seeing our confusion more clearly. ~Rumi I woke up at 5am last Thursday morning…
Today's post is another wise reflection from Fr. Michael Schleupner. The theme of this week is the baptism of Jesus and his post shares the significance of this moment from scripture. Let's take a moment to learn and to reflect on our baptism or the possibility of baptism if we haven't been baptized. Jesus' Baptism/Our Baptism The baptism of Jesus is an important moment in his life. It marks the beginning of his public ministry. He has grown up, left…
But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus: for he shall save his people from their sins. ~Matt. 1:20-21 Pope Francis has declared this as the year of…
Friend and presenter at the Center, Fr. Michael Schleupner, shares another great message with us today. If you are looking forward to summer plans, you may want to consider a silent directed retreat and Fr. Mike will be serving as a spiritual director during the August 15-21 retreat. You can click here to learn more. We're saying goodbye to the Christmas season, but today's message is one that we can still carry forward throughout the whole year. Let's take a…
It's the first day of the New Year. Happy 2021! Today's post comes from the Director of the Retreat & Conference Center, Kevin Cassidy. He reflects on 2020, a very different year than we expected, and focuses on the gratitude that we all share for our friends of the Center! What are you grateful for as you begin the new year? Happy New Year! Is it “happy” because we are so glad that 2020 is behind us, and we survived…
Our last post of the year comes from Jen Murphy, Manager of Retreats & Events at the Center. Let's read her perspective on a rosy (or yellow!) side of 2020. In gratitude for 2020 "And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful." ~Col. 3:15 My 10-year-old and I were shopping at Target a few weeks ago. We wandered into the junior's clothing section, an area that…
We hope that you're enjoying this time of Christmas. If you are feeling lonely, due to the many restrictions in place right now, we hope that this can assure you of the One who can see us through even the darkest of pandemic days. Fr. Michael Schleupner shares this reflection on "Silent Night" and we have shared a prayer about God's Presence too. May you feel that Presence today and always, enjoying the quiet reflection of that silent night. Silent…
Christmas Day is only a few days away! How are you preparing your heart for the birth of Jesus? Today's reflection is a continuation from last Friday by Tara Mulder, our Guest Services Coordinator. Let's read this follow-up about her creative process for this year's Christmas cards, an inspiring post about the perfect love of our Savior. With Every Christmas Card I Write, Part 2 Back in September of this strange and difficult year, I starting researching Scripture passages to…
Our dear friend, Fr. Michael Schleupner, offers another poignant message today. We recommend reading the reflection and then googling this statue that Fr. Mike refers to (images are copyrighted so they cannot be used on our blog). As we reflect and prepare for Christmas in just a few days, how are you listening, speaking and working? How are you doing this during the pandemic? John the Prophet In the city of San Juan, Puerto Rico, there is a large sculpture…
Today's post comes from Tara Mulder. Tara is one of the friendly faces you may have seen in our Welcome Center. She serves as the Guest Services Coordinator and assists with conference group and retreat reservations. Tara is also a very talented artist. She'll be sharing a follow-up 2020 Christmas card post next week. Let's read about her creative process and Scripture insights used with her Christmas cards. With Every Christmas Card I Write, Part 1 For Christmas 2019, I…
