We live in a goal-oriented society, a world that expects us to be productive every waking moment. But what if life is not about getting through a series of tasks or to a particular destination? What if the journey itself is where we are meant to find our purpose and God’s promise? When we look at Scripture, we see that it is often on the journey that the great spiritual lessons occur — on a trek up a mountain, pulling water from a well, on a boat waiting for fish to bite, on the road to Emmaus. Our faith story is full of “aha moments” that occur amid the ordinary tasks of everyday life. When we rush through the ordinary moments in our own lives to get to a “goal,” we risk missing the lesson, drowning out the voice of the Spirit, trampling over God right there in our midst.
Summer is the perfect time to step outside the fray and explore the possibility that exists within the details of our days. When we are willing to approach life as a never-ending pilgrimage rather than a rat race, we begin to find more meaning, more beauty, more joy right where we are at any given moment, even the challenging ones. Come away for a few days and take the first steps on the pilgrim journey, one that requires no passport or plane ticket. We are all pilgrims on the Way.
In addition to formal presentations, this retreat will include journaling, dialogue, music, movement, and more. A period of silence will be observed in the early mornings and through breakfast. Optional yoga classes will be offered. There will be a limited number of spiritual direction appointments available for those interested.
Check-in begins at 4pm. There will be a brief welcome session at 5:30pm, followed by dinner at 6pm. The retreat begins after dinner at 7pm on Thursday and concludes after lunch on Sunday. Mass will be celebrated in the Chapel on Sunday morning for those who would like to attend.
Mary DeTurris Poust is a writer, retreat leader, yoga teacher, and spiritual director. She is the author of six books on Catholic spirituality and six books of seasonal reflections. Mary writes about the spiritual journey in her award-winning monthly column, Life Lines, and hosts a podcast by the same name. She is also a frequent contributor to Give Us This Day. She and her husband, Dennis, have three adult children and live in upstate New York. Visit her website at NotStrictlySpiritual.com.