Twenty-eight retreatants, including long-term community friends and first-time guests, participated in “We Are One,” a Holy Week retreat held at the monastery. Retreatants joined the monastic community for the traditional Holy Week services in addition to participating in retreat programming.
The retreat opened on Wednesday evening with a session that connected the group using yarn to illustrate the weaving of a common purpose. Thursday began the celebration of the Triduum, the three-day celebration of the passion, death, and resurrection of Jesus. Reflections centered on each day’s focus with community liturgy reflecting One Who Serves (Holy Thursday), One Who Accompanies (Good Friday) and One Who Waits (Holy Saturday). The retreat ended with a festive Easter Sunday lunch shared with the sisters that included a traditional dance around the Paschal Candle as One Who Celebrates. Space for individual silence and group participation was interwoven into the program.
Sisters Ann Muczynski, Anne McCarthy, and Colleen Leathley facilitated the retreat, with spiritual accompaniment from Sister Rose Ann Kolbas. “We Are One” revived the practice of offering Holy Week retreats with the community that Sister Carolyn Gorny-Kopkowski led for many years, until the mid-2010s.
Retreatants spoke of the experience as very positive, with many sharing that the retreat nourished their souls deeply and significantly. “The work and the prayer that went into this retreat was such a tremendous gift to behold! I will never forget this Holy Week – so, so special – beyond words many times,” offered one retreatant.
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