Contemplative Days of Quiet and Centering

• Tuesday, Sept. 22, 2009
• Monday, November 9, 2009
• Monday, January 11, 2010
• Monday, March 1, 2010
• Monday, April 19, 2010
• Monday, May 24, 2010

These are day retreats in which we give ourselves to prayer and reflection in a peaceful setting; days comprised of a rhythm of centering prayer, walking meditation, and free time for reflection. Note that on these day retreats there is very little teaching or speaking. Meals are most often taken in silence. Contemplative Days of Quiet and Centering take place at the Ruah Retreat Center (in the Villa de Matel at Wayside and Lawndale). Ruah Center is a ministry of the Sisters of the Incarnate Word at the Villa de Matel (Wayside and Lawndale). The retreat facility includes 40 acres of grounds (with trails for walking), an art/creativity room, an icon room, a room dedicated to silent prayer, and a beautiful chapel.The retreats begin promptly at 9:30 a.m. and conclude by 3:00 p.m. Cost for these retreats will be $35, which includes use of the space and the noon meal.

You may register for this retreat by contacting Nancy Sterling at nsterling@chapelwood.org or (713) 354-4458. Your $35 payment will hold your place for the retreat. Checks may be made payable to “Chapelwood.” Those registering will receive more detailed instructions prior to the retreat.

 Seasonal Retreats

Advent Prayer Retreat  & Lenten Prayer Retreat

These day retreats are themed, with each led by a facilitator who leads us into a consideration of the themes of that liturgical season. Depending on the facilitator, they will include rhythms of prayer, group interaction, and silence for reflection. The Advent Retreat and the Lenten Retreat will both be held at The Cenacle Retreat House (420 N. Kirkwood in Houston). Cost for these retreats is $50/retreat, which includes materials, lunch, and use of the facilities for the day.

• Thursday, December 3, 2009 (Advent Retreat)
• Thursday, February 18, 2010 (Lenten Retreat)

To register for all retreats, contact Nancy Sterling at (713) 354-4458 or nsterling@chapelwood.org. Your registration for a retreat will not be complete until payment has been made. Partial scholarship assistance may be available on a case-by-case basis.

Retreats are settings of holy leisure. They invite us to heed the words of the Savior: Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest (Mark 6:31). For centuries those seeking God have found that spiritual retreat is a way to connect with God in life-transforming ways. The practice of setting aside a few hours or days to spend in God’s presence, listening to his voice and attending to his gentle heart-nudgings, typically brings renewed vigor to one’s relationship with God and provides fresh energy for the spiritual journey.

Retreats take place in settings of prayer and peacefulness. There is something refreshing about time spent in settings of natural beauty and devotion to prayer. Some places designate themselves as retreat centers. Their primary ministry is one of hospitality toward those who come seeking God on retreat. Some people make a habit of attending prayer retreats with a group, finding profound spiritual energy through praying in sacred space with others who seek God in the same setting. Others find they need time alone to retreat, when there is no group agenda to follow. Both play a vital role in spiritual formation.

Many times persons attend a retreat with expectations of what the retreat will be like or with a preconceived notion of how they will encounter God during the retreat. They may come looking for particular answers or to find direction for life-situations they face. These are legitimate reasons to retreat; yet, most always the retreat experience is different from what the retreatant anticipates. God meets us and sustains us in ways we do not expect. Those experienced in spiritual retreat learn to go on retreat with a spirit of openness, ready for whatever God wants to do and open to however God wants to lead us on our spiritual journey. This spirit of receptivity to whatever God brings will serve us well in all of life as we learn to listen and respond to the many-faceted call of God upon us.