I am posting this information to support the Sisters who lead these retreats. I am not personally involved in the programs, so if you have questions, please visit their website and contact them directly:
Deep in Iowa farming country, stands Our Lady of the Mississippi Abbey. Abiding by the centuries-old Rule of St. Benedict, this contemplative community of Cistercian nuns has left behind the clamor of the 21st century for a cloistered life of prayer based on the monastic values of silence, obedience and humility.
But in 2006 the Sisters allowed television cameras inside their abbey along with five women who knew nothing of monastic life. The Sisters agreed to the project because they wanted to give people a sense of hope and help them discover the impact monastic wisdom can have in their lives. The documentary that resulted is a testimony to a way of life that has endured for a thousand years and still remains a simple but profound guide for everyone, inside and outside the monastery.
Although the films were never broadcast, the sisters have used them as the basis for a series of retreats scheduled to be presented in three different locations this year. Retreatants will accompany the sisters and their guests on their journey, observing how each of the five women is changed by her experience. Follow up discussions will focus on practical suggestions and resources for incorporating specific monastic values and practices into everyday life outside the monastery in order to discover how this ancient way of life can make a difference in today’s world. For more information including registration details about the following retreats, go to http://themonasteryretreats.org
Monastery of the Holy Spirit, Conyers, Georgia
March 19-22, 2012
Our Lady of Florida Spiritual Center, North Palm Beach, FL
May 1-4, 2012
New Melleray Abbey, Peosta, Iowa
September 19-22, 2012
One Response
Thank you for sharing this! I am going to attend the retreat in Peosta as it is only five hours away!