Open the Door: A Journey to the True Self

    Opening the “door” is a way of speaking about an invisible passageway through which we enter the endless territory of truth secluded in our interior world. This symbolic door of the heart opens inward to the deepest, truest part of who we are. There we find the inherent goodness seeded in us at our birth. The door then opens outward to the world where we bring this giftedness and share it with others. In this workshop, come, be inspired to grow spiritually and to deepen your desire to be a person whose life reflects the goodness of the Holy One. we bring this giftedness and share it with others. In this workshop, come, be inspired to grow spiritually and to deepen yYour desire to be a person whose life reflects the goodness of the Holy One.

Becoming a Compassionate Presence

     The compassionate heart is in communion with all of life and is willing to enter into suffering with the heart of Christ. Compassion includes awareness, attitude and action. A deeper and clearer look at compassion, the central quality of Christ, enables us to accompany the hurting ones of our personal lives and the larger world with loving kindness. Compassion also teaches us how to live as a person of unbounded love. Bring your caring heart to this workshop and find support for what you believe and how you believe.

Open the Door: A Journey to the True Self

     This Lenten retreat day is based on Joyce Rupp’s latest book. The day offers both inspiration and encouragement for spiritual transformation. The symbolic door of the heart bears a similarity to physical doors in that it, too, opens and closes. Our heart-door opens inward to where we continually discover more of who we are becoming. There we find the inherent goodness God seeded in us at our birth. The door then opens outward to the world where we bring this giftedness to share with others. As Joyce explores aspects of opening the door, she will focus on the Lenten journey, a time of re-turning to the Holy One. The day will include two conferences, a quiet time of reflection, small group dialogue, and creative prayer experiences.

Discovering Our Hidden Treasure

     We have many jewels deep within us that are waiting to be discovered. One of our greatest treasures is the wonder of divinity residing in us. This God-ness (Goodness) activates and encourages our virtues and talents, urging them to come alive. In our busy world we often get caught in the whirlwind and miss this beauty of our truest, deepest self. This retreat is a time to slow down, to turn to our Divine Guide and let ourselves be led within to the place where much is yet to be revealed. It is a creative venture, an invitation to stretch and grow. It is a time to become clearer about our purpose in life and to gain greater inner freedom.

The day will include creative ritual and prayer, conferences by Joyce Rupp, time for quiet reflection and sharing in small groups. Most of all, the retreat will be about recognizing, accepting and celebrating the marvelous human beings that we are.

Growing in Faith Through Difficult Times

     Each of us experiences difficult times and situations. Our disturbances and distresses offer us the opportunity of spiritual growth. Christianity refers to this experience as the paschal mystery, the journey of life-death-life. This process mirrors the journey of Jesus and is at the heart of our spiritual transformation. How do we embrace the dying parts of this cycle that precede promised growth? How do we enter into the darkness, trust in the unfolding of newness, and keep hope in times of  obstacles and discouragement? Who and what holds and supports us until we emerge from the chrysalis of darkness into the birth of fuller love and peace? As Joyce Rupp facilitates this retreat she will reflect on these questions. Through creative prayer, conferences, quiet reflective times and group dialogue she will encourage participants to enter into the heart of the paschal mystery with confidence and a renewed sense of dedication to spiritual growth.

    Our truest self cries out to be known and integrated into the way we live. The “door” of the heart is a way of speaking about an entry to the deeper self. The Sufi poet, Rumi, describes this soul-space as a magnificent cathedral. St. Teresa of Avila notes, “I can find nothing with which to compare the great beauty of a soul…we can hardly form any conception of the soul’s great dignity and beauty.” The central purpose for opening the door inward is to discover and claim authenticity so this goodness and union with the divine can be expressed in every part of our life.

    This is a celebration in honor of Sr. Mary Dennison and her many years of ministry at the Cenacle in Houston. Macrina Wiederkehr and Joyce Rupp will each be giving a talk this evening.

Becoming a Compassionate Presence

Compassion for self and others is an integral aspect of spiritual guidance. In this workshop, Joyce Rupp provides theories and concepts of compassion from various disciplines including psychology, science, spirituality, theology, and sociology. Along with two presentations, this workshop includes processes to explore personal experiences of compassion in the spiritual direction relationship, as well as evoking ways of furthering compassionate presence.

Open the Door: A Journey to the True Self

This spirituality conference is based on Joyce Rupp’s book, Open the Door, in which she invites participants to take a journey inward. The day offers both inspiration and encouragement for spiritual transformation. The symbolic door of the heart bears a similarity to physical doors in that it, too, opens and closes. Our heart-door opens inward to where we continually discover more of who we are as we also enter into an ever fuller communion with the Holy One. The heart-door then opens outward to the world where this giftedness and communion touches the lives of others. As Joyce explores aspects of opening the door, she will invite participants to quiet reflection and small group dialogue.

Open the Door, Welcome Christ

"O Key of David, opening the gates of God's eternal Kingdom, free the prisoners of darkness!"  (O Antiphon for December 20)

     Each of us has a Sacred Door which allows us entrance into the dwelling place of God. Like Mary of Nazareth, who opened her heart to be the dwelling place of Jesus, so each of us is invited to open the door of our heart and welcome the Holy One with fuller faith and greater love. This retreat is an invitation to seek and re-discover this mystery of Emmanuel, God-with-us, as we delve deeper into the Advent season. During this retreat we will open the door of our heart inward in order to look within our deepest self, to discover the treasures abiding there.  We will also open the door of our heart outward in order to look beyond our self,  to be more ready to welcome those in whom God dwells and sends into our midst.

The retreat will include conferences by Joyce Rupp, creative ritual, quiet reflective times, and opportunities for group dialogue.