Annual Silent Retreat 6/8-10/2007

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A typical day schedule

5:00am Vigils

5:45am Lauds at Genesee

7:15am Terce

7:30am breakfast, meditation, prayer

8:00am work

11:15 Sext

11:30 Lunch (listen to instrumental music)

12:00pm Siesta

12:45-1:45 group discussion/sharing

2:00 None at Genesee/Rev. Father’s ordination celebration/ Rev. Father’s conference

3:30 confessions

4:00 Mass & 5:15 Vespers at Genesee

5:30 Dinner

6:00 (clean up, study, meditation, walk)

7:15pm Compline Retire, reading, study, etc in grand silence

 

June 9, 2007 Happy Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ & Rev. Father's 51th Ordination of Priesthood (6/9/56)

We spent three days living together as a small spiritual community of sisters, following the Cistercian way of life, in the New Helfta studio.  The studio apartment is about a seven minute drive from the Genesee Abbey. Daily, we joined the brothers for Lauds, Vespers and Mass, and had our conference with Rev. Father.  We had the privilege to pray for him in person and thank God for his fifty-one years of service to the Church as a good and holy priest.  Congratulations, dear Rev. Father.  Praise the Lord!


It was a wonderful and grace-filled experience for all of us. New Helfta studio was set up like a chapel, except the Eucharist was only present in our hearts. We each had our own choir stall. When we did not join the brothers at Genesee, we gathered and prayed together here where silence was strictly observed.


We worked for a few hours each day. We took turns cooking, cleaning up and working in the garden. We had a time slot when we could talk and share our faith, which was good for us because two of our members live far away and the retreat was the only time when we could visit with them in person.

 

We had time for private reading and study after supper. We also took advantage of the wonderful weather and took a walk to Highland Park before Compline one afternoon.

 

We were at peace and happy being together as a spiritual group of sisters, of one heart and mind, trying to seek and love God and one another. One could never share nor describe how wonderful and edifying she felt from the experience. The photos above help speak of the peace and the joy we shared together.

May the Spirit of the Lord who brought us together as spiritual sisters, continue to teach and guide us as we assist one another on our way to seek and love him.
Dear Blessed Mother, please intercede for us.   Amen.