Weekend Liturgies

Come celebrate weekend Liturgy with us in the main chapel of Mariandale Retreat and Conference Center on Saturdays at 4:00 pm.
Beginning September. Please call in advance.

WINTER/SPRING 2012

Advent Taize Prayer
Come join us in an ecumenical evening prayer service modeled upn those designed by the interdenominational Christian community of Taize, France. These sacred candlelight services include beautiful seasonal chants, sacred readings, generous time of silence for personal reflection, and prayer of intercession.

Presiders: Nancy Erts, OP; Linda Rivers, OP   Learn more . . .

Advent Weekend Retreat or Day of Reflection: Advent, Joseph, and Acting on our Dreams
Joseph preserved the life of Jesus by being attentive to the voice of God in his dreams and acting upon them. We are also given the opportunity to tend and protect the holy through dreamwork. This weekend retreat, or day’s workshop, will suggest ways to record, interpret and implement our dreams in order to bring Christ fully alive within us.

Presenter: Brother Don Bisson, FMS, Ph.D.;   Learn more . . .

Advent Wisdom: A Morning of Prayer & Reflection
How to get ready for Christmas with all its sacred and secular trappings has been a question many ask every year, with few answers. With Vaclav Havel who said: “Hope is not the same as joy that things are going well, but the conviction that…something makes sense, regardless of how it turns out,” this morning of reflection will try, using prayer, quiet, scripture and conversation to sketch “a wisdom path” as a way to enter the mystery and hope of the seasons of Advent and Christmas.

Presenters: Gaynell Cronin; Jack Rathschmidt, OFM Cap.    Learn more . . .

Group Spiritual Direction: Holy Listening
Do you sense the need to pray and share with others about your spiritual life? The heart of Group Spiritual is prayerful small-group sharing. Participants gather with a facilitator to focus on discerning and articulating God's presence in daily life and to engage in the process of deep listening to self, God and others. Join others who seek a greater awareness of God in all of life. Attend the orientation to discover if God is calling you to this type of spiritual direction.

Facilitator: Gaynell Cronin  Learn more . . .

Tuesday, January 17, 7:00 – 9:00 pm, Orientation for new members
Tuesday series: February 7, March 13, April 17, May 15:  Choose time: 10:00 am – 12 noon; 4:00 – 6:00 pm; 7:00 - 9:00 pm
Friday series: February 3, March 9, April 20, May 18; 10:00 am - 12:00 noon
- Saturday series: February 4, March 10, April 21, Mary 19; 2:00 - 11:00 am
Fee:  $75 - $85 (as you are able)

[Online registration form]

Mysterious Blessings of Winter
Families, come join in celebrating the ‘shortest time of daylight’ marking the beginning of winter and ‘close at hand’ coming of Jesus, the Light in our world. We will hear the story of how the Solstice relates to Christmas and participate in praying together with scripture passages, poems, songs and dances. You may decorate a Yule log or large pillar candle for your home and enjoy simple seasonal refreshments. Wear comfortable ‘play’ clothes.

Presenter: Nancy Erts, OP   Learn more . . .

Directors: Gaynell Cronin; Rose Marie Harkins, OP; Beth McCormick, OP; Judy SchiavoLearn more . . .

Burrowing Deep Mini Retreat
If you cannot come for the whole Burrowing Deep retreat (described above), come for a weekend. The same gentle quiet, prayer and meetings with a spiritual director will be waiting for you.

Directors: Gaynell Cronin; Rose Marie Harkins, OP; Beth McCormick, OP; Judy Schiavo Learn more . . .

Thy Kingdom Come: The Second Coming in Our Midst
An artist’s work reveals the artist. So it is when we view creation we glimpse God’s own self. The new and exciting current science with its understanding of the cosmos as fully interconnected, demonstrates the Creator-God relationship, whose very presence is made manifest by our loving presence to each other. And what is usually called the Second Coming of Christ is about our own birthing of the Word of God now and into the future. Bring a Bible; come to this morning program and see yourself, the world and God anew!

Presenter: Pat Connick, OPLearn more . . .

Lenten Taize Prayer
Come join us in an ecumenical evening prayer service modeled upon those designed by the interdenominational Christian community of Taize, France. These sacred candlelight services include beautiful seasonal chants and songs, reading of a psalm and Gospel passage followed by a generous time of silence for personal reflection, prayer of intercession for global needs and closing prayer.

Presiders: Nancy Erts, OP; Linda Rivers, OPLearn more . . .

Living the Contemplative Life
The call to be a contemplative person is an invitation to a new way of living. Might you be hearing that invitation? What might be involved in such a life? What are the myths and the obstacles? What is the cost for this “pearl of great price?” If you have ever been attracted to a deepened spirituality, perhaps God is stirring within you the desire for a contemplative life beyond a monastic setting and encompassing the fullness of your life.

Presenter: Janet E. CorsoLearn more . . .

Are Your Feet on Solid Ground?
There are some current spiritual thinkers and writers who expand our perceptions through their groundbreaking theological ideas. Michael Morwood is one of those visionaries and his book, From Sand to Solid Ground, is one of those books. Join other seekers who wish to participate in lively discussions of ideas and see how the author’s suggestions can profoundly alter one’s views. Participants will read approximately four chapters for each session of this series. Book may be obtained online or at Mariandale.

Presenter: Louise MancinelliLearn more . . .

Late-Life Spirituality: Wisdom from Henri Nouwen
Late life is a particularly challenging time on our spiritual journey. In Spiritual Formation: Following the Movements of the Spirit, the late author Henri Nouwen speaks of invitational movements from illusion to prayer, from sorrow to joy, from fear to love, and more. Using this book, discussion and other resources, we will explore our unique life experiences and learn how to make the journey from the mind to the heart - and there find God. The book may be purchased at Mariandale.

Presenter: Eleanor RamosLearn more . . .

Savoring the Celtic Flavor within Christian Spirituality
“May God shield you on every step, May Christ keep you in every path, May Spirit bathe you in every pass.” Journey Prayer - Carmina Gadelica
St. Patrick’s day is a prime time to ponder and celebrate the legacy of blessings, lore, liturgy, prayer poems and song lyrics, bequeathed to us by our Celtic ancestors. This day will include brief presentations, personal and group prayer along with a luncheon of stew, ‘brew,’ and soda bread too!

Presenter: Nancy Erts, OPLearn more . . .

Lent: Living Mindfully, Staying Awake throughout the Day
“Prayer is a process of appreciation, not comprehension; mystery being experienced, sensed, loved. It is attentive listening to God.” - Gerald May Lent is a time to fall in love again. It is a time to recognize the naturalness of contemplation, of staying awake to the present moment, of remaining open to all the thoughts feelings, sights, sounds and other perceptions that each moment brings. Through prayer, reflection, music and silence, participants will be invited to take a sacred pause and experience different contemplative practices that bring us more deeply into the heart of God, our own hearts and the heart of the world.

Presenter: Gaynell CroninLearn more . . .

Pre-Triduum Quiet Days
Come away, slow down, and prepare your spirit to celebrate the Holy Days. Arrive anytime after lunch on Tuesday and create your own quiet days. Participate in Taize Prayer (optional) on Wednesday evening at 7:00 pm. Contact Linda Rivers, OP before Wednesday, March 21 for reservations.

Tuesday, April 3; Wednesday, April 4BR>Fee:  $75 - $95 (as you are able); Tuesday and/or Wednesday

[Online registration form]

Triduum Retreat
You are invited to experience immersion in the ritual of these Holy Days. Check-in will begin at 3:00 pm on Holy Thursday. The first gathering will be at 5:00 pm, followed by a festive dinner. The Liturgy of the Lord’s Supper will be at 8:00 pm. The Triduum will conclude with breakfast on Easter Sunday.

Presenters: Francis Gargani, CSsR; Mariandale staffLearn more . . .

How Does Your Garden Grow?
“I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow.” - I Corinthians: 3:6 Gardening lovers are invited to spend a day together reflecting on the toils, tools and treasures of co-creating and nurturing your inner/outer gardens. Using the garden metaphor present in Scripture, poems, songs and nature we will listen to a presentation, engage in personal and group prayer, plant starter seeds/bulbs for your gardens and make the spiritual connections with what all ‘earthlings’ need in order to grow into Gardener God’s image and likeness. Please bring garden gloves and basic hand tools.

Presenter: Nancy Erts, OPLearn more . . .

Celebrating the 50 Joyous Days of Easter
Easter is a time of joy and delight that is filled with so many possibilities for new hope. Through quiet, reflection and imaginative prayer, this day of reflection will help participants enter the great feast of Easter a day at a time by exploring practices that will help us focus on refreshment, new life, wonder and awe with the God who is always vitally alive within and among us.

Presenters: Gaynell Cronin; Jack Rathschmidt, OFM, Cap.Learn more . . .

Women’s Spirituality: Finding God in Our Stories
“All theology is autobiography. As we tell our own stories, we often discover the divinity that is present in our lives.” - Rabbi Laura Geller As we seek deeper spiritual connections, many guides and examples of women of faith abound to illuminate our way but our own experiences need particular attention. During this day for women, we will tend the precious and personal moments of our lives when we have sensed God’s presence and notice what patterns may emerge. There will be opportunities for sharing, but the focus of the day will be on claiming our personal stories as our own. Bring a journal or notebook and an object that represents something about your own experience of the Divine.

Presenter: Martha LaValleeLearn more . . .

Dorothy Day: Conscience of American Cahtolicism
“It is no use saying that we are born two thousand years too late to give room to Christ. Nor will those who live at the end of the world have been born too late. Christ is always with us, always asking for room in our hearts.” - Dorothy Day Dorothy Day sculpted her life from tumultuous relationships to living the two Great Commandments. Come and spend an evening engaged in the life, writings, and works of Dorothy Day. Experience how she transformed herself by living in accordance with the justice and charity of Jesus as seen in the Gospels and through her founding of the Catholic Worker Movement.

Presenter: Judy SchiavoLearn more . . .

Women’s Leadership in the Early Church
“Retrieve the historical memory of early women leaders in the Church.” - Future Church From the time of Jesus, Biblical and early Church writings illustrate how the Church developed and flourished with women and men as complementary leaders. This presentation is an invitation to men and women to explore the role of women in leadership in the early Church. Through interactive visual presentations, participants will reflect on photo artifacts, early Church writings, as well as Scripture passages presenting women in various ministries: such as Sofia, deacon; Phoebe, deacon and missionary; Kale, presbyter. Time will be provided for dialogue and questions.

Presenter: Judy SchiavoLearn more . . .