Benedictine Retreats - Directed or undirected?

[jwinch2]

Those of you who have gone on a retreat at a Benedictine Monastery, was your retreat directed, or not? I can see potential pro’s and con’s to both. My initial thought is that for beginners to Benedictine Spirituality, a directed retreat would likely be more appropriate. Then, as one progresses, perhaps the majority of retreats could be non-directed or even silent retreat, with the occasional directed retreat mixed in. I am just shooting from the hip on that so others may have differing opinions.

It is also my understanding that some monasteries do not do directed retreats at all, while others do. From the little bit of looking that I have done, it appears that those monasteries with Oblates offer directed retreats while those who do not have Oblates or Associates do not. Again, I just looked into this a little bit so my generalization could easily be off.

Any thoughts on this?

Peace of Christ,

Jason

 

[OraLabora]

Those of you who have gone on a retreat at a Benedictine Monastery, was your retreat directed, or not? I can see potential pro’s and con’s to both. My initial thought is that for beginners to Benedictine Spirituality, a directed retreat would likely be more appropriate. Then, as one progresses, perhaps the majority of retreats could be non-directed or even silent retreat, with the occasional directed retreat mixed in. I am just shooting from the hip on that so others may have differing opinions.

It is also my understanding that some monasteries do not do directed retreats at all, while others do. From the little bit of looking that I have done, it appears that those monasteries with Oblates offer directed retreats while those who do not have Oblates or Associates do not. Again, I just looked into this a little bit so my generalization could easily be off.

Any thoughts on this?

Peace of Christ,

Jason

At any retreat at the abbey of which I am oblate, you can request spiritual direction from one of the Fathers.

I myself attend the annual oblate’s retreat, which is directed, and do at least one undirected retreat myself (almost always in Lent) where I participate in the Divine Office, and pray, meditate and rest in silence.

 

[TrueLight]

At any retreat at the abbey of which I am oblate, you can request spiritual direction from one of the Fathers.

I myself attend the annual oblate’s retreat, which is directed, and do at least one undirected retreat myself (almost always in Lent) where I participate in the Divine Office, and pray, meditate and rest in silence.

I was having a discussion about Benedictine retreats with a couple of ladies after mass. I expressed my disappointment at some “retreats” I had attended recently at a couple of monasteries in that I was looking to have an experience more like this:

– lectures
– time for silent reflection and meditation
– opportunity to pray the Divine Office with the monks

I want to be able to get up at 2:30 or so and pray with the monks if need be.

So one of the ladies told me she got to experience that in another country.

I don’t think there are any monasteries that are that close to me.

And I would love for it to be somewhat directed.

So someone else saisd tha

 

[corsair]

As soon as I can save the $$$ for the plane fare, I’m going to visit these Monks. Call them and talk with their “GuestMaster”. sounds like a wonderful experience to me.

clearcreekmonks.org/index.html

 

[TrueLight]

As soon as I can save the $$$ for the plane fare, I’m going to visit these Monks. Call them and talk with their “GuestMaster”. sounds like a wonderful experience to me.

clearcreekmonks.org/index.html

Ooh. They have a gregorian chant weekend!

 

[jwinch2]

As soon as I can save the $$$ for the plane fare, I’m going to visit these Monks. Call them and talk with their “GuestMaster”. sounds like a wonderful experience to me.

clearcreekmonks.org/index.html

There may be options just as good but much closer if you are interested. I know there are monasteries of monks in Oregon and California as well as Sisters in Washington State. I’m not trying to discourage you or anything from going to the place you mentioned, I just thought you might like to know.

Peace,

 

[corsair]

For folks that prefer the 1962 Rite I would be very careful before signing up. The Oregon Benedictines (Mt. Angel) are modern Form Catholics.

so if the 1962 traditions are what you crave, then be a bit discerning and ask the correct questions.

 

[jwinch2]

For folks that prefer the 1962 Rite I would be very careful before signing up. The Oregon Benedictines (Mt. Angel) are modern Form Catholics.

so if the 1962 traditions are what you crave, then be a bit discerning and ask the correct questions.

Good to know. Faithfulness to the Magesterium is very important to me but whether they use the EF of the Mass is not an issue. Providing of course that the OF is celebrated reverently. I have only been to one place where Mass was celebrated by Benedictines. They used the OF and it was absolutely awesome.

If the EF is important to you then your options obviously diminish to an extent and the Clear Creek Abbey looks like a great place to go.

 

[Loveolivia]

http://www.castoffdebt.comlol

 

[OraLabora]

Good to know. Faithfulness to the Magesterium is very important to me but whether they use the EF of the Mass is not an issue. Providing of course that the OF is celebrated reverently. I have only been to one place where Mass was celebrated by Benedictines. They used the OF and it was absolutely awesome.

If the EF is important to you then your options obviously diminish to an extent and the Clear Creek Abbey looks like a great place to go.

Clear Creek is of the Solesmes congregation, I can vouch for them, one of their monks was at our abbey for a few years taking courses locally as he studied for the priesthood; he was a transitional deacon.

What one needs to realize though is that OF in a Benedictine abbey, especially of the Solesmes congregation, has little resemblance to OF in your run of the mill Parish. Many though using the OF Mass, are using the current approved version of the Benedictine Divine Office, which has psalmody nearly identical to what St. Benedict spelled out in his Rule 1500 years ago. For the Mass, I know that Solesmes, St. Wandrille (in France) and others, use Gregorian chant daily even at the OF Mass. Unless you’re a stickler for details you’ll have a hard time telling the difference (concelebration being the biggest difference in a Benedictine abbey).

I was having a discussion about Benedictine retreats with a couple of ladies after mass. I expressed my disappointment at some “retreats” I had attended recently at a couple of monasteries in that I was looking to have an experience more like this:

– lectures
– time for silent reflection and meditation
– opportunity to pray the Divine Office with the monks

I want to be able to get up at 2:30 or so and pray with the monks if need be.

So one of the ladies told me she got to experience that in another country.

I don’t think there are any monasteries that are that close to me.

And I would love for it to be somewhat directed.

Where are you located, east or west? East I can think of Westfield, Vermont (Benedictine nuns), they do Gregorian chant and the Divine Office in Latin; St-Benoît-du-Lac, the abbey I’m associated with, is just up the road from there 32 miles. There are monks that speak good English to give you spiritual direction. Gregorian chant. They have a woman’s retreat house on the property. Lauds and Vespers in Latin. For lectures though, you’d have to become an oblate or ask to attend an oblate’s retreat, but the lectures would be in French.

They do Mass in the Ordinary Form but only a curmudgeon would find fault with it.

Vigils is at 5 am, Lauds 7:30, Terce 9:45, Mass 11:00, Sext and None 12:10, Vespers 5 pm, Compline 7:45 pm, night silence 9 pm.

Benedictines in general, and the Solesmes Congregation in particular, are very serious about the liturgy, regardless of the form used locally.

 

[jwinch2]

Clear Creek is of the Solesmes congregation, I can vouch for them, one of their monks was at our abbey for a few years taking courses locally as he studied for the priesthood; he was a transitional deacon.

What one needs to realize though is that OF in a Benedictine abbey, especially of the Solesmes congregation, has little resemblance to OF in your run of the mill Parish. Many though using the OF Mass, are using the current approved version of the Benedictine Divine Office, which has psalmody nearly identical to what St. Benedict spelled out in his Rule 1500 years ago. For the Mass, I know that Solesmes, St. Wandrille (in France) and others, use Gregorian chant daily even at the OF Mass. Unless you’re a stickler for details you’ll have a hard time telling the difference (concelebration being the biggest difference in a Benedictine abbey).

The times I have been to an OF Mass celebrated by the Benedictines, it has been wonderful. It was the OF, but it was very beautiful. I am lucky enough to attend here: basilicaofstjohn.org/ when I go home to visit family in my home town. That is where I first encountered the Benedictines.

Thanks for your comments,

Jason

 

[corsair]

The Benedictine Sisters of Shaw Island in the state of Washington do the LOTH in latin and Mass is provided by a Diocesan priest in the OF. We are going to visit them this fall. Probably spend the weekend with them.