Adult Spiritual Renewal & Empowerment


The Institute for Adult Spiritual Renewal

Summer 2008

Week 1 June 29 - July 3

— 8:30 am to 10:30 am —

O'Connor/Murphy110 - THE LIFE OF PAUL
Jerome Murphy-O'Connor, OP



Only when Paul becomes alive as a person do his theological insights emerge in their full glory. Thus, the course will endeavor to tell his "story" in such a way that his thoughts and actions appear as a vital whole.


O'Murcho111 - THE SPIRITUAL AWAKENING OF OUR TIME
Diarmuid O'Murchu, MSC



During this course you will learn how to meditate using the Light of Christ as your focus.  You will also be taught some simple but very effective Neuro-Linguistic Programing (NLP) skills that can help you make significant changes in your life.  Joan will show you how, through the use of energy, it is possible to reduce stress, overcome depression, and improve your memory and creativity..



John Shea112 - FOCUSING: A BODILY WAY TO PRAY
John Shea, OSA



The biography of Merton is a spiritual journey. We shall see how this is so. Merton’s theology raised key questions in contemporary spirituality: conversion, authenticity, inter-religious connections, autobiography and grace, relationship, sexuality, anxiety and hope. We shall explore these themes in lectures, discussions and film.



— 1:30 pm to 4:00 pm —

Bergant120 - THE INTEGRITY OF CREATION AND THE WISDOM TRADITION
Dianne Bergant, CSA


The Course will look at various passages of the Old Testament through the lens of the integrity of creation in order to discover new ways of reading with sensitivity to natural creation.



Ashe121 - POETRY AND SPIRITUAL LANDSCAPES
Kaye Ashe, OP



Whether poetry enthralls or intimidates you, it is worth the effort to enter its realm and to appreciate how closely it is related to prayer. Arising from the same deep source within the human heart, they both give expression to joy, anguish, doubt, wonder and yearning. Both shed light on the mysteries of living and loving; both offer access to the ultimate mystery of God and of God-made-Flesh. We will consider ways of entering a poem, and will allow poets, old and new, to amaze us while they illumine our minds, widen our imaginations, and nourish our souls.



Silf122 - SPIRITUAL DISCERNMENT: FINDING AN AUTHENTIC WAY
Margaret Silf


In today's world we are bombarded with choice, and challenged to face unprecedented transitions. Never has the art of discernment been so badly needed. During this course we will explore an approach to spiritual discernment based on the wisdom of St. Ignatius Loyola, and presented in practical ways that are relevant to our own times and situations. We will reflect on such questions as: How do we find solid ground in a chaotic world? How can we plot a true course through the maze of everyday living and relate more closely to the person of Jesus of Nazareth? What might help us to let go of lesser distractions in order to be open to the "more" that God is constantly holding out to us? And in the greater scheme of things, where is humanity coming from and going to, and how can our personal choices make a difference to the greater destiny of the human family?



— 6:00 pm to 8:30 pm —

O'Murcho130 - ENCOUNTERING GOD IN CREATION'S STORY
Diarmuid O'Murchu, MSC



Thanks to the new insights of science and cosmology our understanding of the creation we inhabit has changed dramatically in recent decades. More dramatic still is the unfolding sense of how God works in the new evolutionary model. Even our understanding of God is undergoing a transformation.

[ ASRE Home ] - [ The Retreat Experience ] - [ Director's Message ]
[ Retreat Center List ] - [ Institute for Adult Spiritual Renewal ]
[ Speakers Bureau ] - [ Recommended Readings ] - [ Contact Us ]

Contact us at:
E-Mail: retreatsintl@luc.edu
Phone: (312) 915-7970
10 East Pearson Street 3rd Floor
Chicago, IL 60611

URL: www.retreatsintl.org