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Directed Retreats
What is a Directed Retreat?
A
Directed retreat is a time spent in silence with your God. The title can
be misleading because it may give the impression that a retreatant will
be told what to do during the retreat by someone accompanying them. In
fact it is a time when God takes me where I am in my personal relationship
with Him and leads me deeper into intimacy with Him.
A Spiritual Director (sometimes called a Prayer Companion) will support you to be sensitive to what God is doing and encourage you to follow God's promptings.A Directed Retreat is usually eight days.
It is a time of profound silence, interiority and stillness.
"You will show me the path of life,
the fullness of joy in your presence,
at your right hand happiness for ever."
Psalm 16:11
The program usually follows this format: participants meet daily with their spiritual companion; celebration of Eucharist daily; and the opportunity for the individual celebration of Reconciliation with one of the Team.
Your retreat begins with the 6.00pm meal on the evening of the first date, followed by a brief introduction and Eucharist. It usually concludes after 2pm Eucharist on the last date shown.
For Tariff information for directed retreats... (click here)
Guided Retreats
What is a Guided Retreat?
A guided retreat is a silent retreat with a morning presentation to help provide guidance for the retreatant. A time of coming aside to be with God, to listen to what God is saying in the depth of my being. Guided retreats are times ofr prayer and so much of each day is free for the retreatant to use for prayer. Guided retreats are usually 6 days thought his may vary depending on the purpose of the retreat.
Presentations
on retreats follow the advertised themes and cover such topics for example
as; prayer; relationship with God, with self, and with others; spirituality;
Liturgical Seasons of the Year; or the mystics. Themes are provided to
support the retreat not dictate the retreat; retreatants are always encouraged
to follow God's lead.
Guided Retreats begin with the 6.00pm meal on the evening of the first date, followed by a brief introduction and Eucharist. They usually conclude after 2.00pm Eucharist on the last date shown.
The usual daily program follows this format: meditation; morning input session; opportunity for spiritual accompaniment (encouraged); celebration of Eucharist; sacrament of Reconciliation is also available by arrangement with one of the Team.
For Tariff information for guided retreats... (click here)
Prayer Weekends
What is a Prayer Weekend?
Jesus' invites you to come aside and rest with Him for the weekend. To
take quiet time with God in the midst of your busy life. It is a time
of guided prayer, which may be focused on themes like; prayer; relationship
with God, with self, and with others; spirituality; Liturgical Seasons
of the Year; or the mystics. Themes are provided to support the retreat
not dictate the retreat; retreatants are always encouraged to follow God's
lead. .
Guided Retreats begin with the 6.00pm meal on the evening of the Friday, followed by a brief introduction and Eucharist. They usually conclude after 2.00pm Eucharist on the Sunday.
The usual daily program follows this format: meditation; morning input session; opportunity for spiritual accompaniment (encouraged); celebration of Eucharist; sacrament of Reconciliation is also available by arrangement with one of the Team.
For Tariff information for weekends... (click here)
Day only bookings
Only got one day ?
Wanting a day of quiet rest and prayer?
We
all need space and quiet in our lives, but often we can't afford a whole
week, because of commitments. Give yourself the time now, before things
get more serious - God will help bring rest to your heart.
Meals are available for day bookings, just have a chat with our administrator. Arrangements can also be made for you to speak with one of our Spiritual Directors if you need.
Give your soul the space it needs to heal you from within.
For Tariff information for one day... (click here)
Spiritual Direction
Need Regular Spiritual Accompaniment?
Spiritual
Direction (Prayer Companion) is the art of supporting people
in their growing awareness of the presence and action of God in their
lives.
It is not counselling for fixing personal problems or supervision of ministry, but focussed on a person's prayer - the relationship between them and their God.
Our task is to work with passion and patience to shape , to hold, and to be the particular space in which God does in people's hearts that which God needs and desires to do.
The Retreat Team and visiting directors are available
for spiritual direction by arrangement. Please contact the companion of
your choice directly:
Fr. Doug Smith msc (Retreat House Director) - 4630 0230
Dr. Kerrie Hide msc - 4630 0232
Fr. Terry Naughton msc - 4630 0229
Sr. Patricia Naughton SSpS - 4630 0231
To contact visiting spiritual directors please call the Retreat House
Director - 4630 0230
The recommended stipend for Spiritual direction is $50 per hour (1 July 2009 – 30 June 2010, Council of Catholic Religious Australia)
Massage
What has Massage to do with Spirituality ?
Your body is the temple of your spirit; the embodiment of your soul. Mystics from all traditions teach us to come to a quiet, stillness in order to be open and receptive to the movement of God in our prayer.
At
Douglas Park the sacred environment of the retreat house, the farm, and
the bush begins the process of relaxing and quietening our minds and bodies.
But sometimes we need more.
In the hussle and bussle of contemporary western culture there is such little respect for the ways of the body and how it holds our experience - pain and pleasure - on the energetic level. A wise teacher of meditation at St. Mary's Towers, Fr. Vyn Bailey msc, now deceased, showed how the spirit opens up more fully when the mind is anchored, and for the mind to be anchored the body must first be stilled.
Times for massage, as part of your retreat, are offered only when our certificated masseuse is available. When this is the case, a booking sheet may be found on the Retreat Centre notice board. All you need to do is book in by writing your name beside the date and time that suits you.
The usual donation for a massage is $30.
Counselling
Counselling and the Spiritual Journey
There is a simplisitic tendency to divide the human person into compartments and present these as opposing each other. One such dissection is the separation of spirituality and psychology. The human psyche and spirit and the journey of the human soul towards union with God, are so completely intertwined as to be inseparable. Sometimes through injury or hurt the inner person is left with limited capacity to be open and trusting of the ways of God. A skilled helper can facilitate a person in such process.
St.
Mary's Towers Retreat Centre does not offer general counselling services.
However, in the context of retreat, counselling and follow-up may be recommended
or offered when qualified counsellors are available. Counselling at St.
Mary's Towers is provided in order to support a person's way to God.
The tariff paid for your retreat will usually cover any counselling taking place during that retreat.
Costs involved for counselling outside retreat bookings will need to be negotiated with the counsellor.
external Bookings
Want to book the Retreat Centre for your group
?
We welcome requests for booking by external groups. However, commitments to our own annual program always take precedence. Enquiries can be made with the Retreat Centre Administrator as to spaces in the annual programme when the Centre is available.
Please note there are no special tariff deductions for group bookings.
Or want someone to give Retreats at your place
?
We welcome requests for members of our Retreat Team to give retreats in places other than St. Mary's Towers Retreat Centre. They may even be able to recommend other retreat givers who can assist you.
Commitments to our own annual program always take precedence. Please ensure all arrangements with Team members are cleared with the Retreat House Director.
