LIVING CONTEMPLATIVELY
6 Saturdays 9:15 AM – 3:30 PM
January 4 March 7 May 2
February 8 April 4 May 30
This program calls out to those who desire to live more contemplatively in the world, to grow in union with God and others, and to become more aware, intentional, and free. God liberates us and heals us through the practice of contemplative prayer. Wonderful spiritual reading will support our contemplative prayer throughout the year. It’s worth a day a month and an hour a day. Bring a bag lunch. Donation: $240.
CLASSICS ON CONTEMPLATIVE PRAYER
6 Tuesdays 6:30 – 8:30 PM
January 7 March 3 May 5
February 4 April 7 June 2
Treat yourself to an evening of prayer each month. Grow in the practice of contemplative prayer by coming to these monthly sessions. The evenings include two 20-minute contemplative prayer periods, some prayer with Scripture, God Is Love DVD Series by Fr. Thomas Keating, OCSO with An Invitation to Contemplative Love and Into the Silent Land, between sessions. This is a wonderful group of pray-ers. All are welcome! Donation: $100, includes books.
FRIDAY MORNING RETREAT
THE INTERIOR CASTLE OF ST. TERESA
6 Fridays 9:15 AM – 12:00 PM
January 3 March 6 May 1
February 7 April 3 May 29
This year we will use St. Teresa’s Interior Castle for the content of our Friday mornings. Each month we will focus on one of her 7 dwelling places as a means of understanding and experiencing the dynamic of the spiritual journey. The morning will also include two 20-minute sessions of contemplative prayer, time for some quiet reflection and a 20-minute video on the Interior Castle by Keith Egan. Donation: $150, includes book.
DELIGHT IN GOD
WITH ST. HILDEGARD OF BINGEN
Friday, January 31 & Monday, March 2 9:30 – 11:30 AM
Connect with God through the inspirations of St. Hildegard of Bingen who came to know God deeply through Scripture, nature, music…just to name a few. This most recent woman Doctor of the Church offers us simple ways to be more aware of God’s generous love. Donation: $30, includes materials.
THE SPIRITUAL EXERCISES OF ST. IGNATIUS
6 Wednesdays 3:00 – 4:30 PM
January 8 March 4 April 29
February 5 April 1 May 20
The Ignatian Spiritual Exercises change lives and the Jesuit Monty Williams has an insightful and creative expression of them. The Exercises are well worth your time and energy. What a wonderful gift to yourself for 2020! I hope you will join us. Donation: $150, includes 2 books.
DISCERNMENT OF SPIRITS
RULES AND TOOLS
6 Wednesdays 5:00 – 6:30 PM
January 8 March 4 April 29
February 5 April 1 May 20
How can we know what is of God, and what isn’t? How can we live in the peace and joy of God’s Spirit, and not be overwhelmed with the darkness of our times, or our own darkness within? St. Ignatius teaches us well in his Rules for the Discernment of Spirits. Truly, they are life changing! This course is a wonderfully comprehensive treatment of Ignatian Discernment. We will further our experience of discernment with the practice of Examen, to enhance our awareness of God’s presence and action in our lives and grow in attentiveness to our daily response in the midst of our busy lives. Donation: $150, includes 2 books.
SPIRITUAL READING GROUP
6 Fridays 6:30 – 8:30 PM
January 3 March 6 May 1
February 7 April 3 May 29
Good spiritual reading is a must for spiritual growth. Companions on the journey help with the practice of this spiritual exercise. This will be fun as well as fruitful. Can you devote one Friday night a month to this pursuit? As usual, we will feast on a variety of spiritual gems. Donation: $150, includes all books. This year we will read:
Word by Word...........Marilyn McEntyre
The Universal Christ........Richard Rohr, OFM
Wrestling with God…Ronald Rolheiser, OMI
TEILHARD READING GROUP
6 Fridays 1:00 – 2:30 PM
January 3 March 6 May 1
February 7 April 3 May 29
Our study of Teilhard continues this year with the reading of Teilhard’s Struggle, by Sister Kathy Duffy, SSJ and The Universal Christ, by Richard Rohr, OFM. Please join our lively discussions about Teilhard’s vision of God’s plan for the ongoing growth and evolution of all creation into full union with God in Christ. Donation: $125, includes books.
FRIENDS OF ST. TERESA OF AVILA
6 Wednesdays 9:30 – 11:30 AM
January 15 March 11 May 6
February 12 April 8 June 10
St. Teresa has the great gift of writing about her relationship with God in such a way that helps us know that intimacy with God is an invitation and gift to us all. Come join us as Teresa leads us on our journey to full union with God. This journey is for all of us. This year we will focus on her autobiography. Each session will also include 20 minutes of contemplative prayer. Donation: $125, includes book.
MEETING CHRIST IN PRAYER
EXPERIENCE OF THE SPIRITUAL EXERCISES
8 Mondays 9:30 – 11:00 AM
February 24 March 9, 16, 23, 30 April 20, 27 May 4
This is another wonderful way to experience the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius. You will be invited to pray about 30 minutes each day. If your relationship with God is pleading for attention and if you feel called by God to deepen your prayer in 2020, please treat yourself to this retreat. Donation: $135, includes materials. You will:
– Learn to pray more deeply
– Grow in friendship with God
– Come to know Jesus more intimately
– Savor the Word of God as a primary means of recognizing the
presence and action of God.
WEDNESDAYS WITH JULIAN OF NORWICH
THE DRAWING OF THIS LOVE
6 Wednesdays 1:00 – 2:30 PM
January 15 March 11 May 6
February 12 April 8 June 10
This program is in response to a special request from some lovers of Julian. Julian of Norwich is one of those women mystics whose message has lasted over the centuries. She is best known for her quote, “All shall be well; all manner of things shall be well.” Julian offers confidence in confusion, calm in chaos, and soothing for the soul, because she is utterly focused on Jesus and his healing for us all. She is easy to understand and surprisingly relevant to our times. I’m looking forward to a great year under Julian’s care. If this Wednesday time works for you, please come. We will use The Drawing of This Love, for our reading between sessions. Donation: $125, includes book.
HONORING YOUR CONTEMPLATIVE SOUL
THE BEST OF THOMAS KEATING
6 Thursdays 10:30 AM – 12:30 PM
January 9 March 5 April 30
February 6 April 2 May 21
During this 2-hour session each month, we will combine the teachings of Trappist Monk, Fr. Thomas Keating on contemplation with our discussion of his classics on contemplative prayer, Intimacy with God and Invitation to Love. We will conclude each session with 20 minutes of contemplative prayer. This program is particularly for those who desire to deepen their practice of contemplative prayer, or centering prayer as we sometimes call it. Donation: $125, includes both books. If you can, make a day of it by attending the St. John of the Cross series at 1:30 PM.
STUDY OF ST. JOHN OF THE CROSS
6 Thursdays 1:30 – 3:30 PM
January 9 March 5 April 30
February 6 April 2 May 21
John is all about God and God’s insatiable desire and pursuit of us. He is about love and union with God, not asceticism or annihilation as popularly believed. We continue our study of St. John this year by reading John’s Spiritual Canticle and Iain Matthew’s John of the Cross, Seasons of Prayer. We end with 20 minutes of centering prayer. Donation: $125, includes book. If you can, make a day of it by attending the Thomas Keating series from 10:30 AM to 12:30 PM.
THE MATURING OF YOUR SOUL
PILGRIMAGE INTO THE LAST THIRD OF LIFE
3 Fridays 9:30 AM – 1:30 PM
March 13 April 1 May 15
To age is to transition into the last period of growth. The invitation from God in the final years of life is to deeper intimacy, and to living more courageously, consciously and contemplatively from your soul as you prepare for your eventual transition into new life. We are offering a 3-part series that meets monthly for the 65+ who are in this most graced season of life. We will use Ronald Rolheiser’s video Aging Gracefully, Living Fruitfully as part of our series and read Vesper Time by Frank Cunningham between sessions. Donation: $15 for the book and $25 for each session. Lunch included.
THE CONFESSIONS OF ST. AUGUSTINE
5 Tuesdays 6:30 – 8:00 PM
January 28 February 25 March 24 April 21 May 19
We will continue January to May, we will! Are you looking for a grace-filled, spiritual challenge? Please come! Donation: $75, includes the book translated by Sarah Ruden.
THE 12 STEPS
A PATH TO RECOVERY
6 Thursdays 9:00 – 10:30 AM
January 9 March 5 April 30
February 6 April 2 May 21
The 12 Steps are for all of us, as we all have attachments and addictions and desire freedom from them. This Program will take us through the traditional 12 Steps that teach us to rely on God as our Liberator. We will use The 12 Steps Meet the Gospel and Divine Therapy and Addiction for further support between sessions. Whether you are new to the 12 Steps or are very familiar with them, you are welcome. If you’ve always wanted to do a 12 Step program but just haven’t had the opportunity, please come and give God a chance to set you free. Led by Mary DeJoseph and Deacon Bill Wilson. Donation: $30 for both books and a Love Offering for each session.
MONDAYS WITH MERTON
4 Mondays 1:00 – 2:30 PM
January 27 February 24 March 23 April 20
Thomas Merton will be our guide to the contemplative way of life. In this series, we will use his book, Choosing to Love the World: On Contemplation. Time will also be given to experience Lectio Divina and contemplative prayer. Donation: $75, includes book.
THE UNIVERSAL CHRIST
6 Mondays 1:00 – 2:30 PM
January 6 March 2 April 27
February 3 March 30 May 18
Enjoy discovering Christ who is at the center of our lives and who permeates all creation throughout the universe. Richard Rohr, OFM, draws on Scriptures, mystics, and saints to show how the love of God is at the heart of everything in the cosmos. Donation: $90, includes book.
MONTHLY BIBLE STUDY
6 Mondays 9:30 – 11:30 AM
January 6 March 2 April 27
February 3 March 30 May 18
We will study and pray with the Gospel of John during these 9 monthly sessions. What a privilege! Please bring your Bible. Led by Sister Pat Mensing, SSJ. Donation: Love Offering.
GOD’S GRACE CAN SET YOU FREE!
EARLY-BIRD SPECIAL
3 Tuesdays 8:00 – 9:15 AM
March 17, 24 and 31
Are you looking for something to enhance your Lenten Season? Is morning good for you? If so,this is the perfect choice! God wants to set us free from all co-dependency, attachments and addictions. Do you believe that? Are you willing to be set free by God’s grace? This 3-part series will help. St. John of the Cross and Teilhard de Chardin will be our teachers, as we use their treatment of detachment for our instruction and healing. Freedom is possible! How free do you want to be? Donation: $60, includes book.
THE GIFT OF LIFE & LIFE ETERNAL
2 Tuesdays 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM March 24 & 31
At some level we are always preparing for death. It is always before us. We experience dread sometimes and yet are fascinated by the Mystery which is so beyond us! The dying process is the culmination or peak of development – the whole development of the spiritual journey in which the total surrender into God involves the gift of life itself. Death is perhaps the most complete surrender. For that reason, it is not death, but life, a movement into a fullness that we can’t imagine. Trappist Father Thomas Keating, via tape, will lead us through this 2-part retreat. His final days and years were filled with wisdom that we all need as God prepares us for the awesome road ahead. Donation: $25 a session, lunch included.
REGISTRATION INFORMATION
Please register for all programs by calling 609-877-0509. Be sure to include your full name and PHONE NUMBER and the title of the program on our voice mail. Registering by phone is preferred!
If you wish to register by email, refer to "Contact Us."
MONTHLY SERIES
Francis House offers a variety of Monthly Series that meet from January to May. We would love to have you choose one that meets your need for on-going spiritual growth. These are so helpful in providing good content, a little structure for your life with God, and an enjoyable sense of community. There are 20 options from which to choose. Please join us!
GIFT CERTIFICATES
Gift Certificates for any amount are always available if you would like to treat someone to a retreat or program at Francis House. Call if interested, or get one when you come. A great birthday present!
Spring 2020 Series
Francis House of Prayer
TrenTON DIOCESAN SPIRITUAL CENTER
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