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This Lent, follow Jesus into the desert — go on retreat |
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By Julie Carroll
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Wednesday, 10 February 2010 |
Phyllis Laing, 69, experienced her first retreat in high school. Since that time, she has gone on 75 retreats, she estimates.
 “It’s kind of like a spiritual rejuvenation shot in the arm,” said Laing, a parishioner at St. Alphonsus in Brooklyn Center. “When you’re through with the retreat, you’re ready to go out and be the hands, feet and mouth of God.”
Lent is the perfect time to go on a retreat, according to Benedictine
Father Robert Pierson, guestmaster at St. John’s Abbey Guest House in
Collegeville. The 40 days of Lent represent the 40 days that Jesus
spent on retreat in the desert before beginning his public ministry, he
pointed out.
“Lent is a time to reassess our relationship with God, and it’s
difficult to do that if we’re busy all the time,” Father Pierson said.
“It’s helpful to just get away for a little while and slow down and
reflect.”
There are many kinds of retreats available to suit different
personalities and different spiritual needs. Here are a few to consider
during the Lenten season.
Find a retreat
For information about Lenten retreats offered by the retreat centers mentioned in this article, please call the retreat centers or visit their Web sites, listed below.
» Christ the King Retreat Center — (763) 682-1394,
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» Pacem in Terris — (763) 444-6408,
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» St. John’s Abbey Guest House — (320) 363-2573,
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» Jesuit Retreat House — (651) 777-1311,
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Other retreat centers in the archdiocese include:
» Clare’s Well — (320) 274-3512,
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» Totino-Grace Retreat Center — (763) 572-9128,
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» Villa Maria Ecumenical Retreat Center — (651) 345-4582,
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» Benedictine Center of St. Paul’s Monastery — (651) 777-7251,
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» St. Paul’s Monastery — (651) 777-8181,
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» Dunrovin, Christian Brothers Retreat Center — (651) 433-2486,
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» Franciscan Retreats — (952) 447-2182,
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» Carondelet Center — (651) 696-2750,
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For more upcoming retreats around the archdiocese, see the online calendar.
Read Deacon Scott Wright's reflection on a retreat he took at St. John's Abbey in Collegeville.
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Silent retreats
Silent retreats are the “heart and soul” of Christ the King Retreat
Center in Buffalo, according to director Father Louis Studer, an Oblate
of Mary Immaculate.
“We really emphasize the silent, contemplative kind of retreat because
we believe that that’s the way that Jesus can speak most intimately to
the retreatant’s heart,” he said.
During the silent retreats offered at Christ the King, participants
listen to thematic talks, which are followed by opportunities for
faith-sharing. They also participate in prayer services.
However, the majority of the time is reserved for silent prayer, such
as the rosary, Stations of the Cross, eucharistic adoration, Scripture
reading, etc.
“For Lent, we offer more of these preached retreats because more people
want to follow Jesus in a special way during his 40-day journey into
the desert,” Father Studer said. “They, too, want to go into the desert
and experience the Lord more intimately.”
Silent retreats are ideal for anyone seeking a more profound
relationship with God, Father Studer said. Individuals facing fear or
anxiety, or those searching for deeper meaning in their lives should
consider a silent retreat.
Centering prayer/‘lectio divina’ retreats
Centering prayer is a technique whereby a person sits quietly before a
holy image such as a crucifix or a religious icon, Father Studer
explained. The person reads a Scripture passage, concentrates on a
particular word or phrase, then repeats that word or phase to stay
focused, or centered, on God.
“Centering prayer is simply being with God in the silence of one’s
heart,” Father Studer said. “It’s delighting in being present to the
divine presence that is within each one of us.”
“Lectio divina” builds on this type of prayer by asking the retreatant
to consider how the Scripture passage applies to his or her life, say a
spontaneous prayer, and listen quietly for God’s voice.
This method helps the individual overcome obstacles to prayer, Father
Studer said. “It’s such a simple form of prayer that anybody can really
practice it easily.
“You can do it for any length of time,” he added. However, “what’s best
for a person who is learning centering prayer is to do it for a short
time every day as opposed to doing it for maybe two hours one day and
then not doing it for three weeks. The purpose of that is to learn
God’s fidelity to us and to give that fidelity back to God.”
Private retreats
For those who prefer a less structured or more individualized retreat
experience, many retreat centers offer private retreats or spiritual
direction.
Pacem in Terris, a retreat center situated in a secluded, wooded area
of St. Francis, offers people the opportunity to experience the
tranquil lifestyle of a hermit.
Retreatants stay in small cabins without electricity or plumbing to
free them from distractions that get in the way of prayer, according to
Shirley Wanchena, founder and director of Pacem in Terris.
“It’s the desert experience,” Wanchena said. “It’s going into the ‘desert’ as Jesus did to listen to the Father.”
At Pacem in Terris, there are no agendas or programs. People are free to spend their time however they choose.
Retreatants are welcome to stay as long as they desire, Wanchena said,
but she recommends a minimum of two days. “Our society is so tired that
most people come really exhausted and it takes the first 24 hours to
get rested,” she said.
Ignatian retreats
Ignatian retreats are based on the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius,
a set of prayers, meditations and mental exercises composed by St.
Ignatius 450 years ago to help retreatants discern God’s will in their
lives. The ideal length of an Ignatian retreat is 30 days, but the
Spiritual Exercises can be adapted to eight-, five- or three-day
retreats.
Retreatants listen to several talks lasting approximately 30 minutes
each, with silent time for reflection following each talk. There are
also opportunities for spiritual direction, reconciliation, rosary,
Benediction and Eucharist.
Strict silence is maintained during the retreat.
Ignatian retreats are about “discovering who you are in relationship to
God, to Christ and to the world around you,” said Jesuit Father Edward
Sthokal, associate director of the Jesuit Retreat House in Lake Elmo,
which offers Ignatian retreats for men every week of the year.
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