Preview of Seeing God: An Exhibit of Sacred Art 2021 Join us for a special sneak peek of our upcoming virtual exhibit! We invite you to pause with each image as if you were walking our Gallery at St. Paul’s Monastery and read the artist’s statement about their piece. We will post the rest of…
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Blog
Spiritual Director Profile: Sheryl Rose
Spiritual Director Profile: Sheryl Rose Be Still and Know that I am God. Psalm 46:10 I am one of the great all time efficient “doers,” a quintessential Martha if you will. Being a firstborn overly responsible type, I worked full time while raising two children and volunteering at our parish and in the community. This…
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Discernment Begins Now
Discernment Begins Now Discernment means a lot of things to people, but I like the approach of seeing discernment as a way of life. To put it another way, discernment is spending time in God’s presence today as a way to prepare for what’s coming tomorrow. The decisions or crises will still be hard, but…
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Life Is a School for Discernment
Life Is a School for Discernment Benedictine spirituality moved from theory to practice again for me this month during the first online School of Discernment. Dr. Kathleen Cahalan taught, accompanied by familiar members of the spiritual direction team, but this time twice as many participants came together as we explored what hope and practical help…
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Discernment Flows From a Deeper Place
Discernment Flows From A Deeper Place During the School of Discernment a few weeks ago, Kathleen Cahalan described discernment in a way that was particularly meaningful. She said discernment can be practiced as a disposition, a way of life, instead of an occasional exercise we take up when we have a big decision to make.…
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Waiting for What is Yet to be Born
Through the Triduum and Easter, Jesus provides a roadmap for the spiritual path of transformation. His actions model how we might live more deeply from our souls in ways that lead to service. He shows us a path from living out of the karmic self of the ego into the Kriya action of Essence.
Welcome, Feelings
Welcome, Feelings: Praying Through the Full Range of Emotions Like so many people, I have been on an emotional roller coaster since March. Coming to terms with the pandemic and its ripple effects has mirrored aspects of the grieving process: denial, bargaining, acceptance, meaning making. In the United States, more have died from coronavirus than…
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What Crisis Teaches: A Benedictine Perspective
What Crisis Teaches: A Benedictine Perspective The Great Conversation series began several years ago to convene people around pressing issues of the day. The purpose was not simply to describe an issue, but to explore its meaning in light of the Benedictine tradition. This Conversation, which ends the series as the Center pauses its ministry,…
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Writing From the Center
Writing From the Center One of the upsides of COVID is figuring out workarounds. People are getting versatile using online platforms to meet, party, build and sustain relationships. But the itch to be in each other’s presence is strong. There is something about physicality that makes it an irreplaceable variable. Last spring when I was…
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Full of Days
Full of Days: On Retirement and Deserts I’ve always liked my feet. I thought they were quite pretty, at least as feet go. But a few months ago, after a long hike in the mountainous desert, I took off my shoes and socks and someone else’s feet emerged. Far from pretty, they looked like a…
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