SPIRITUAL GROUP

SPIRITUAL GROUP
news / annual retreat page (photos)

July 30, 2008 We had a blessed annual retreat last May. We experienced a different kind of grace which will help our growth in God as we continue to seek his will for us together as spiritual sisters. Soon I will update it with some pictures which captured special moments of our days together.

February 5, 2008 Have a Blessed and Fruitful Lenten Season. We commend our two members: Sauling and Debbie to God as they facing some challenges.

January 1, 2008 ”Under her spiritual father's guidance and teaching, Minh has been making her temporary vow of chastity one year at a time and learning how to live it for almost ten years. Today, in the presence of Abbot John Eudes (spiritual father), Abbot John (confessor) and almost 50 family members and close friends, she made her perpetual vow of chastity for the love of Christ on the feast of his Blessed Mother, the Mother of God. Like for Karen, we pray for her love everlasting love for God and her fidelity in serving him and his church.

October 2007 We are praying for one of our members, Karen Webb, as she is preparing spiritually to be consecrated publicly as a Consecrated Virgin on November 18, 2007.

June 8-10, 2007 Our first Annual group retreat

June 9, 2007Happy Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ & Rev. Father's 51^th 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. This link will take you to a typical day of our First Annual Silent Retreat.

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 taken during our June 2007 retreat will 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. Amen.

April 2007 One of our ex-members has asked to rejoin the group. St. Benedict advised us to allow her back. So we welcomed her. We pray and hope that she will persevere and grow to love God who is especially present in our sisterly spiritual friendship.

January 30, 2007 Our spiritual group sent in our end-of-the-year comments and reflections. Praise the Lord! We made it through our first year and are growing despite of the fact that three out of seven original members withdrew from the group. As sad and discouraging as it might sound, Rev. Father reassured us that having more than 50% of us persevere and make progress in our spiritual life is not a bad thing! Quantity is a plus but without quality, we will not last! Everything seems to be better and go smoother but not without the members' extra effort in facing challenges. Even so, we believe we carry the right cross with the sisterly support and fatherly guidance of the group members and the spiritual advisor. Those who stay sure have proved to have the spirit and the character which are suited for our particular spiritual group.

We thank God for all the graces he has been bestowing on this group of friends, and also for his loving mercy to help us overcome and learn from the difficult trials. Only through these experiences we will learn to know ourselves and others better as individuals and as a small Christian community as much as to practice virtues through humility, trust, perseverance and charity. Dear Blessed Mother, please continue to intercede for us. Amen.