June
2007
The Monks on Retreat
Last week was a special week for our community in Oxford. Taking some time off from the normal day-to-day routine in order to rejuvenate fervor for our vocation is something that is beneficial for every Christian – including monks! The retreat was a communal activity that included reflections by Fr. Peter Kutch of the Capuchin Franciscans. Father has a vast experience in ministry and currently directs retreats at his community’s retreat house in Washington, Michigan – just a few miles from our monastery. Other than a slight change in the liturgical schedule, during the retreat the monks observed a spirit of silence - making the monastery an atmosphere even more conducive to prayer and reflection. On Thursday evening, the community had a “send-off” dinner with Fr. Kutch as a thanksgiving for his help in making the week a special time to rekindle our enthusiasm for our faith as lived through the monastic vocation.
06/05/07
Taking It Deeper
This past weekend our Subiaco Retreat House hosted its final event for the school year. Known as the “Alumni Retreat”, this weekend was revived two years ago thanks to Mrs. Diane Montez, the youth ministry director at St. Genevieve Parish in Livonia. Since then twenty to thirty-five young people, most in their early twenties, have journeyed back in the spring as “alumni” of the Subiaco Retreat experience they had treasured during their high school years.
Although the retreatants come from a variety of area parishes, they are able to “hit the ground running”, since they quickly rediscover the peace and spiritual energy of making a retreat in the youth center. Fr. Dan Homan, who leads the retreat team, commented that, “the young people “are able to take the experience to a deeper level then before. We also gear our approach to where they are now in their lives.” The participants agree that returning to Subiaco was very beneficial, describing how they “reconnected” with God and with their faith and finished the weekend “ready to live more serenely” and purposefully.