2025 Lenten Retreat

Freedom of Commitment: Benedictine Balance for Everyone

Retreat Leader: Mother Miriam, CSM, All Souls Visiting Monastic

Friday • March 14 • 7p to
Saturday • March 15 • 5p

“The wisdom here is that a Rule of Life is impossible to sustain without grace and a firm confidence in the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Mother Miriam, CSM

Anglican spirituality is rooted in Benedictine spirituality, an approach to life and prayer that arose from the monastic community of Saint Benedict in the sixth century. The influence of the Benedictine monasteries, with their daily rhythm of study, prayer, and work has influenced the patterns of Anglican spirituality. These patterns include the Daily Office, a daily Eucharist, prayer, and the study of Scriptures. Our Book of Common Prayer continues to embody and preserve Benedictine spirituality in our Anglican life together. 

This Lent we will explore together the wisdom of Benedict in both our Catechesis and Lenten retreat. While our catechesis will explore the spirituality embodied in the Benedictine vows of obedience, conversion, and stability, the retreat will offer us a time of mediation and self-examination on the benefits of shaping our lives around the Benedictine patterns of prayer, work, and worship.

Mother Miriam comes to us with a lifetime of experience in living in the Benedictine way. However, she will offer us her wisdom on how to live this life outside the convent and monastery under the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and his Holy Spirit. For, at the center of Benedictine spirituality is the glory of the Incarnation and the quest to see more clearly the divine presence in the visible world.

Format 

The Retreat will officially begin with an opening session of teaching at 7:00p. Attendees may also opt to check in early (after 5:00p) and gather for dinner at the Retreat Center at 5:30p. We will end the evening with Compline and then enter into silence until 4:00p on Saturday. Following the rhythms of Benedictine life, we will study and pray together, celebrate the Eucharist Saturday morning, and listen to the teaching of Mother Miriam in three guided meditations. Fr James will offer opportunities to hear confessions for the Rite of Reconciliation of Penitents.

Location 

Mount Assisi Retreat Center
13900 Main St, Lemont, IL

Fees 

$65 Early Bird Registration for the All Souls family only. Space is limited at the Convent. Ends March 3.

$80 Open Registration. Ends March 10.

$10 Optional Dinner on Friday night

Includes overnight accommodation in a private room + breakfast and lunch on Saturday.

Payment 

Make your payment via Venmo or by check to “All Souls Anglican Church.”
Place checks in Deacon Mary’s mailbox at church.
Designate “All Souls Lenten Retreat” in the memo line for Venmo & checks.

Questions? 

Contact Deacon Mary with any questions or to request scholarship funds to attend the retreat. If you are unable to attend Friday evening, please contact Deacon Mary for information about attending Saturday only.