Benedictine Sisters Retreat Center

Sacred Heart Monastery 
916 Convent Road, Cullman, Alabama 35055
(256) 734-8302 --- retreats@shmon.org
Office Hours: Monday - Friday, 8:00am - 3:30pm

2008 Programs

Unless otherwise stated, ALL RETREATS BEGIN FRIDAY AT 7:30 P.M. AND END SUNDAY AT 1:00 P.M.

Room, meals and linens are included in program fees.
Retreat Center Programs may be cancelled for insufficient registration.

Register

Aug. 29 - 31, 2008

Introduction to Centering Prayer

Centering Prayer is a method of Christian prayer rooted in the ancient Christian contemplative tradition. Its purpose is to foster a deeper intimacy with Christ through the silence and stillness of contemplative prayer.

This workshop/retreat is designed for those new to Centering Prayer.  Private rooms and the ability to maintain silence are required.  Limited enrollment.

Fee: $175, Private rooms only.

Contemplative Outreach Staff

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Feb. 15-17, 2008

Lenten Retreat

During the season of Lent we intensify our efforts to understand the mysteries of God's grace unfolding in our lives. During this retreat, Retreat Master Frank Savage will engage participants in a reflection on the Lenten Sunday Readings and texts from the Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults. These readings, rich in catechesis on discipleship, will allow participants to explore the meaning of Church and discipleship. Participants will have ample time for private prayer and reflection. The quiet beauty of Sacred Heart Monastery and the Lenten Scriptures will be the setting for the Holy Spirit to guide participants deeper into the mysteries of God's grace. The Sacrament of Reconciliation will be celebrated.

Fee: Private Room $195; Shared $175/ person. A $60 non-refundable deposit required with registration.

Retreat Master: Frank Savage, Director of the Office of Catholic Education and Lifelong Formation for the Diocese of Birmingham, AL

The Sacred Triduum

Experience Holy Week immersed in the beautiful setting of Sacred Heart Monastery; join the monastic Community in commemoration of the Passion, Death, and Resurrection of Jesus. Silence. Limited enrollment.

Fee: Private Room $195; Shared Room $175/ person

Benedictine Sisters

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April 4-6, 2008*
October 3-5, 2008

Intensive Centering Prayer

Develop further the discipline of Centering Prayer and deepen your relationship with God. There will be extended periods of Centering Prayer, dialogue sessions, and shared Lectio Divina. The weekend will be spent in silence. Prerequisite: Introduction to Centering Prayer.

*For the April 4-6, 2008 retreat, simple techniques of movement and breath will be incorporated as a vestibule into Centering Prayer.

Fee: $175, Private rooms only

Contemplative Outreach Staff

Praying with Clay

Join the Benedictines at prayer while exploring your artistic expressions through the medium of clay. No previous experience with clay necessary. Prices include art supplies and firings. Limited enrollment. Experience begins Sunday evening after supper and concludes on Friday afternoon.

Fee: Private Room $395; Shared Room $375/ person.
A non-refundable deposit of $60 is required.

Sister Mary Adrian McLean, O.S.B.

Register

Apr. 25 - 27, 2008

Rule of Benedict: Prologue

Introduce yourself to this "little rule for beginners" (RB 73:8) authored by the Father of Western Monasticism, St. Benedict. The Rule has inspired men and women, clergy and laity for over 1,500 years and continues to guide, challenge, and encourage those who "cherish Christ above all" (RB 5:2).

Fee: Private Room $195; Shared Room $175/ person
Benedictine Sisters

8-Day Intensive/Post Intensive Centering Prayer

Intensive: An in-depth retreat for those experienced in Centering Prayer -- an entering into a more profound level of spiritual practice in an atmosphere of silence, solitude and community; designed to assist participants in entering a more intimate relationship with God.  Videotapes of Father Thomas Keating's Spiritual Journey course are viewed.

Post Intensive: A next step into a profound silence and stillness to facilitate a more intimate union with God. 
Intensive is a prerequisite for the Post Intensive.

Fee: $550, Private rooms only; $100 non-refundable deposit required.

Contact: D. Tschache (205) 991-6964 or tschached@bellsouth.net

Sponsored by Contemplative Outreach Birmingham
Presenters: Sister Mary McGehee, OSB, Diana Tschache, Rev. Katy Smith

Register

Aug. 1 - 3, 2008

Healing Grief

This retreat, in its 12th year, provides a spiritual framework for helping to heal the grief of those who have experienced the death of a loved one.  The experience can also be beneficial for those who minister to the grieving.  Through prayer, reflection, conferences and small-group interaction, participants can grow in their understanding of the grief process, and draw upon their spirituality as a means of healing.

Fee: Private Room $195; Shared Room $175/person

Rev. Carl Malm, Grief Minister, Hospice Chaplain

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Aug. 4 - 8, 2008

5-Day Directed Retreat

This retreat offers an opportunity for ongoing faith development under the personal guidance of an experienced director. Enjoy silence, scheduled consultations with a spiritual director, and time for personal reflection and prayer. You have the option of joining the Benedictine Community for Eucharist and Liturgy of the Hours.

Fee: Private room $375.00; Limited enrollment.
Sister Kathleen Gallas, OSB; Sister Mary McGehee, OSB

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Sept. 5 - 7, 2008

Benedictine Daily Prayer Retreat

Learn to pray the Liturgy of the Hours, the official prayer of the universal Church. Join the Benedictine Community for Lauds and Vespers. The Sisters will instruct you in psalmody, chanting, and historical background on praying the Hours. Enjoy silence, meditative prayer, and the rhythm of monastic life.

Fee: Private Room $195; Shared Room $175/person

Sister Janet Marie Flemming, O.S.B., Prioress, and other Benedictine Sisters

Register

Sept. 26 - 28, 2008

Woman Spirit Rising

Dr. Deborah Kern and the Woman Spirit Rising team will gather women to explore their inherent divine feminine power. This retreat will be a time for women to share in story, dance, art, rest, reflection and prayer, and in doing so create a vessel of healing and transformation for themselves and the world. Dr. Kern is a health scientist, speaker, author, mother and wife.

Fee: Private Room $195.00, Shared Room: $175.00/person. A non-refundable deposit of $60.00 must be enclosed with registration.

WSR Team: Sister Priscilla Cohen, OSB, Sister Mary McGehee, OSB,
Barbara Hammond, and Wendy Arthur

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Dec. 12 - 14, 2008

Seeking God: The Benedictine Way of Living

An opportunity for single Catholic women 18-45 to experience the Benedictine way of life.  Participants will share in the prayer and community life of the Benedictine Sisters and have time to reflect and pray about their future.  For those discerning their vocation, this is an invitation to come and see what our way of life is all about.  There is no charge for the weekend; however donations will be accepted.

Sr. Magdalena Craig, O.S.B. and Team
vocations@shmon.org
(256) 734-2199

Benedictine Journeys:

Journeying with the Saints through Italy

Padua (Anthony), Assisi (Francis and Clare), Siena (Catherine), Monte Cassino (Benedict), Petrelcina (Padre Pio); Venice, Florence, Rome. (+/- $2500.00)
* Note changes in dates.

Austria: A Lyrical Landscape

Vienna and Salzburg; Danube Valley; Salzhammergut Lake District and Hallstadt; Benedictine Abbeys of Melk (men) and Nonnberg (women). (+/- $2425.00)

Contemplating Norway

Oslo; Bergen; scenic Oslo-Bergen Railway; Flam; Sognefjorden; Stavanger; Lysefjord (+/- $3000)

Sister Magdalena Craig, OSB
magdalenaosb@shmon.org or (256) 734-2199

Mondays, 6:30-8:00 p.m

Sept. 8- Dec. 15, 2008

No Winter/Spring 2008 classes

OTHER RETREATS IN 2008 -- TBA   

Programs may be cancelled for insufficient registration.