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Thoughts and Inspiration from our Priest . . .
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Monday, August 9, 2010
Sabbatical Notes, part II
This week I am blessed to have some time to be on retreat.
I am at St. John's Abbey, in Collegeville, Minnesota. A Benedictine monastery dating back to the 1850's, St.
John's was started by a group of monks who came to this area to minister to native Americans and newly arriving European
immigrants. Over time, this place grew into a large monastic community that is also home to a university and very well
known church publishing firm, Liturgical Press.
Part of our heritage as Episcopalians rooted in Anglican Christianity is a connection
to the spirituality of St. Benedict. This spirituality is lived here in many ways. There is a rich rhythm of daily
prayer here, and retreatants are welcome to join the monks for worship. Hospitality is practiced here in wonderful ways,
and there are many spots for prayer and reflection, inside and outside.
The Episcopal Diocese of Minnesota has a House of Prayer on
the grounds here - very nice and beautiful, quiet space.
The retreat house is on the edge of campus, on a lake, and it includes thousands
of acres of forest - a perfect place for a guy like me to hike and pray... in one of his journals spiritual writer and
monk Thomas Merton writes about being here on retreat and spending time in the woods. I have been doing that, too.
This retreat is going
very well. I am praying through the seven 'signs' that mark Jesus' proclamation of the kingdom of God in
John's gospel. I am not sure how I got started with this as a format, but I think the Holy Spirit's in
there somewhere. It's been a wonderful lens through which to reflect on God's love and grace. Please keep
me in your prayers and please know that St. Mary's is very much in my prayers.
Gina and I are doing very well. Daniel, Gina and I continue
to learn about God's love and grace as we grow more and more into a family.
I look forward to returning to St. Mary's on September
5!
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