THOMAS MERTON,
COMPANION ON THE WAY
an online retreat
COMPANION ON THE WAY
an online retreat
Please join us for an online Lenten retreat inspired by the life and writings of Thomas Merton, 20th century Trappist monk, writer, poet, spiritual teacher, artist, social critic, and pioneer in interreligious and intermonastic dialogue. In his Trappist community, he was known as Father Louis.
Though most of us are not monks, part of Merton's great appeal is that his writings speak to persons in many walks of life. Their honesty encourages our own.
Each week of the retreat will feature short passages from Merton's writings, on themes of prayer, war and peace, solitude, nature, community, suffering, and new life. These writings come in a variety of forms: poetry, prayer, journal, essay, memoir.
These readings (they will be brief: this is a retreat, not a class) will be posted three times a week, usually on Monday morning, Wednesday evening, and Saturday morning. The retreat will continue through Holy Week, until the celebration of the Resurrection on Easter Sunday.
Along with the writings by Merton will be suggestions for reflection, meditation, journal-keeping (verbal or visual), and prayer. Participants can use and adapt these suggestions to their daily life and to their own spiritual practice.
It is up to you to make the retreat your own. You can check the retreat blog in the morning or late at night. You can take longer than the suggested minimum time and delve more deeply into the readings and spiritual exercises. You can do so while remaining anonymous and simply following the retreat on the retreat blog (which is open only to retreatants and not searchable on the internet), or you can participate in conversation with other retreatants through the comments feature of each blog post.
Note: We are also offering three other Lenten retreats this year, for those who prefer to make a shorter commitment of daily practice nine days in a row. The Merton retreat is the only one that lasts all of Lent.
Click here for information about and registration for Feb. 21-March 1 online retreat with writings by Dorothy Day.
Click here for information about and registration for March 5-13 online retreat with writings by Howard Thurman.
Click here for information about and registration for March 16-24 retreat with writings by Dorothee Soelle.All of the retreats have a structure and a schedule, but they are flexible enough to integrate into your daily life: you are the one who decides when and where to read and pray with the materials in the retreat (day or night, at home or elsewhere) and how to apply the invitations to practice.
An online retreat? How does that work?
* Your Merton retreat offers resources --quotes, spiritual exercises, and prayers (with some images as well to nourish you visually, and a little music for your ears and your soul)-- online on a blog. More specifically, a closed blog.
* What's a closed blog? It's a blog like this, but it is not public: it is open only to those whom the blog owner-administrator (that's me) has signed in. In other words, it is not open to anybody wandering around the internet. It is not "searchable": random web surfers will not be able to view either the blog or our conversations in the comments.
* Once you register for the retreat, I will send instructions for the one-time-only sign-in mechanism. After that, the blog will always recognize you.
Registration and payment
1) If you wish to pay by credit or debit card or with a PayPal account, simply register and pay in a single transaction using the secure PayPal button below.
Note: You can use that PayPal button and its secure connection to pay with a credit or debit card even if you don't have a PayPal account. PayPal never shows me your card number, only your name and contact information.The PayPal mechanism will record your name and e-mail address and serve as your registration. You will also receive an automated acknowledgment from PayPal and a personal e-mail acknowledgment from me.
2) If you prefer to pay by check, write me, Jane Redmont, at readwithredmont@earthlink.net and I will acknowledge your registration and send you the mailing address. I will also notify you when I receive your check.
Payment is non-refundable and due upon registration.
If you are in a situation of financial stress, please use the discount rates on the menu below or write me so that we can arrange for a payment plan, discount (see the "Seriously Broke" rate below), or scholarship.
If you wish to help make possible our scholarships and discounts, just check the "Benefactor" rate below and pay accordingly.
Privacy and community
During the retreat, you can remain private and just read the blog and use the quotes, spiritual exercises, and prayers on your own.
or
If you wish, you can share your thoughts, experiences, and questions via the comments function on the blog and engage in conversation with other retreatants and with the retreat facilitator (me).
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