March 4, 2015
After a long winter of record setting snow storms and brutal cold temperatures, spending some time in retreat surrounded by the Adirondack Mountains may be just the ticket to warm your soul. St. Mary’s on the Lake on Lake George, N.Y., provides the scenery and serenity to reconnect with God … and yourself.
“I’ve seen from Lake Lucerne in Switzerland to Crater Lake in Oregon and many gorgeous places in between; for beauty and relaxation, as far as I’m concerned, Lake George is the best,” said Father Frank Desiderio, CSP, the new director of St. Mary’s.
“I’m looking forward to my new ministry as director of St. Mary’s and welcoming our retreatants,” he said. “It’s not just a beautiful place, but for me it’s a sacred place.”
And then there is the history of the place – Paulist history, of course! In the early days of the community, Paulist Founder, Servant of God Father Isaac Hecker and his companions would camp at Lake George in the Adirondacks in upstate New York. In the early 1870s the Paulists, thanks to the generosity of the O’Connor family, became the owners of a large portion of lakefront property at the southern end of the lake and five islands further north. A summerhouse was constructed followed by a building to house Paulist students. A larger chapel, boathouse, refectory and library were added later as well as a cabin and chapel on the islands.
Visit stmaryslakegeorge.com for registration and additional information.
Praying Your Life
Date: June 14-19
Retreat master: Father Vinny McKiernan, CSP
Retreat fee: $500 all inclusive
Join Father Vinny McKiernan, CSP, for a five-day inner journey, reflecting on the role of prayer in the Christian life. This retreat offers times for centering prayer, Eucharist, and group conferences.
Come Apart for a While
Date: June 21-26
Retreat master: Father Vinny McKiernan, CSP
Retreat fee: $500 all inclusive
Join Father Vinny McKiernan, CSP for five days of reflective silence. With Father McKiernan as your director and guide, extended silence offers the opportunity to pray deeply, and to come to a new appreciation for simplicity and mindfulness.
Pray All Ways
Date: July 6-11
Retreat master: Father Tom Ryan, CSP
Retreat fee: $500 all inclusive
Prayer expresses our yearning for deeper communion with God. It’s a thirst that sends us back unceasingly to the source of Life. “Pray always,” St. Paul tells us (1 Thessalonians 5:17). But how? Apparently we’ll have to learn to pray all ways! In this retreat you will learn and practice fresh approaches to a variety of prayer forms: praying with the Scriptures; praying with beads; daily practicing the Presence; the Eucharist; meditation; intercessory prayer; embodied prayer; and a method for prayerful review of each day. Throughout, the approach will be concrete and experiential. The broader the range of “tastes” we develop, the more we are able to respond to our thirst in a variety of ways in what sometimes feels like an inner desert. A few quality methods, regularly used, will help you dig deep and strike Living Water to refresh and sustain your spiritual life.
Have You Seen Him Lately?
Date: July 16-19
Retreat masters: Father Jack Collins, CSP; Father Steven Bell, CSP; and Father Tom Gibbons, CSP
Retreat fee: $399 per person, $99 deposit
Three Paulist presenters will explore with the participants how the story of Jesus can become more and more the story around which we form our lives. The story of Jesus Christ is the best story ever told because it is, indeed, our story. The more the story of our lives resembles His story, the more our lives will find the depth, fullness and richness that our souls are seeking. Come and join us so we can learn more about Jesus’ story together!
Paulist Plunge
Date: July 26-31
Retreat master: Father Larry Rice, CSP
This retreat is for men ages 20-40 who are interested in exploring a religious vocation, particularly with the Paulist Fathers. The Paulist Plunge is an opportunity to spend some relaxing time with the Paulists at their summer home. Join the Paulists for morning and evening prayer, daily Mass and a daily conference on vocational discernment, Paulist ministries, and an introduction to Paulist formation and spirituality. In addition there will be plenty of time to enjoy Lake George and its environs. If you are interested in discerning a vocation with the Paulist Fathers or to register for this retreat, please contact Father Larry Rice, CSP, at [email protected].
Paulist Associates Retreat
Date: Aug. 23-28
Suggested donation: $400
This special week for Paulist Associates will be an opportunity to re-connect with Associates from all over the world, and to deepen your commitment to the Associates movement in an atmosphere steeped in Paulist history. This week will feature regular times of prayer, liturgy, and daily conferences of special interest to Paulist Associates. In between there will be ample time to relax, enjoy Lake George and spend a little time away from life’s ordinary cares and routines. Please note that this retreat is open only to Paulist Associates, although spouses are welcome, of course. Registration requires an access code, which is the last name of the Paulists’ founder, in all lower case letters.
Communications for the Evangelizing Parish
Date: Sept. 10-12
Suggested Donation: $250
Workshop leader: Father Larry Rice, CSP
Designed for pastors, parish administrators, parish staff and key volunteers, this workshop will provide both theory and practical tools for improving your parish communications: a comprehensive communications audit for your parish; dynamic, up-to-date web sites; effective use of social media; and generating content: photography and video. Father Larry Rice, CSP, is the vocations director of the Paulist Fathers as well as a nationally-known speaker on the use of social media and branding for the Church.