WEEKEND and MIDWEEK SCHEDULE INCLUDED

January 8-10 (Weekend)
Contemplative Prayer
(Frs. Tom Francis & Gerard, and Br. Michael)
Prayer is a loving exchange with God. When we learn to receive the gift of God’s presence through loving silence, we are able to develop our personal relationship with Him. One way to receive this gift is through centering prayer, traditionally known as contemplative prayer. This type of prayer enables us to rest in God, leading to a more intimate relationship with Him.

January 11-14 (Midweek)
Yoga and Spirituality
(Fr. Tom Francis & Jeanette Meyer)
Moving into stillness and contemplative prayer during mid-life and beyond involves quieting the mind, using yoga postures, breathing, and silent prayer. We need to listen for the voice of the Holy Spirit within the deep recesses of our being. For those new to yoga, or the experienced practitioner wishing to further explore the fundamentals, this retreat will provide an understanding of the different practices and their context.

January 25-28 (Midweek)
Vocation Discernment
(Br. Michael)
This retreat is open to both men and women. For some people, an experience such as a vocational discernment retreat comes at a point in their lives when they have begun to feel, or have felt for some time, an inner pull toward the religious life or perhaps the monastic way. This can prove to be a trying and confusing time in which it is hard to discern the basic direction in their lives. Vocational discernment retreats provide a prayerful atmosphere of silence, beauty, and peace in which retreatants come together with others to listen to God and their own hearts. We offer these retreats free of charge as a way of helping men and women to discern more clearly what they want and what God wants for them.

January 29-31 (Weekend)
Good Grief — Moving from Loss to New Beginnings
(Fr. Tom Francis, Br. Mark & Robert Coyne) 
Grief can help us to move from the pain of loss into new hope and trust. One door is closed, and the window of fresh air blows into our lives. We can get stuck in the mud of endless tears, or we can look up to God, who is waiting to draw us up on eagles’ wings. We can pretend there is no pain in our loss, letting it mysteriously rob our energy, hope, and love, or we can wake up to its pain in new and fresh horizons. God is waiting to be gracious to each of us.

February 2010

February 1-4 (Midweek)
The Writings and Religious Perspectives of Walker Percy
(Fr. James, Br. Elias & Victor Kramer)
The retreat will take a leisurely and reflective tour through the world and writing of the novelist/essayist Walker Percy. He was also a man of letters, particularly his correspondence with Shelby Foote. Percy explored religious and philosophical themes through his writing, and offered a fascinating glimpse of an American landscape devoid of spirituality, yet hungry for it. The winner of the National Book Award for his novel The Moviegoer, Walker Percy went on to publish essays and novels about the pursuit of salvation and the means we have to ponder its realization.

February 12-14 (Weekend)
The Monk Within
(Br. Michael)
As we are all contemplatives, we all have a “monk within.” Come and discover “the monk within you.” This retreat will focus on ways to nourish the contemplative dimension in yourself through prayer, silence, solitude, work, and community.

February 15-18 (Midweek)
Surrendering to Love: An Ash Wednesday Retreat
(Fr. Gerard & Martha Gross)
Lent awakens us to the invitation of God, echoed in the longing within every human heart. Lent encourages us to surrender to God’s unconditional love and live out His love always in all our ways.

March 2010

March 22-25 (Midweek)
Spirituality of Imperfection
(Abbot Francis Michael & Br. Michael)
The spirituality of imperfection speaks to those who seek meaning in the absurd, peace within the chaos, light within the darkness, and joy within the suffering, without denying the reality – and even the necessity – of absurdity, chaos, darkness and suffering. This is not spirituality for the saints or the gods, but for people who suffer from what the philosopher-psychologist William James called “torn-to-pieces-hood.” We have all known that experience. To be human is to feel at times divided, fractured, and pulled in a dozen directions . . . and to yearn for serenity and for some healing of our “torn-to-pieces-hood.”

March 26-28 (Weekend)
Palm Sunday: Meeting Jesus During Holy Week
(Frs. Tom Francis & James)
In the Passion narratives of the Gospels, we meet three facets of Jesus: (1) Jesus, who plumbs the depths of human pain and alienation; (2) Jesus, who reaches out to others in concern and forgiveness, even on the road to Calvary; and (3) Jesus, who freely lays down His life and embraces death as victory. Contemplating these facets assures us that God is listening, even in our darkest hours of pain, failure, and alienation. We can find God in suffering when we open ourselves to His reconciling compassion and forgiveness. Even the worst evil and distortion in our world have no power over Jesus and those to whom He gives life.   

April 2010

April 1-4 (Weekend)
Sacred Triduum and Easter Sunday
(Frs. Anthony & Tom Francis)
This retreat will help you to enter deeply into the powerful events that are the very foundation of our Christian lives. On Holy Thursday, we celebrate the gifts of the Eucharist and loving service to one another in the washing of the feet. On Good Friday, we walk with Jesus in His Passion and death. On Holy Saturday, we spend time with Jesus in the silence of the tomb, in preparation for the joy of the Resurrection on Easter.

April 9-11 (Weekend)
Divine Mercy Retreat
(Frs. Anthony & Gerard, and Br. Mark)
God has revealed to us His boundless merciful love in His Son, Jesus. His heart was broken with love as He wept over a Jerusalem that would later refuse His love, nailing Him to a cross. That cross brings us hope today. The message has rung throughout the centuries, yet we have often become deaf to His merciful love. This retreat will focus on how we can receive the healing love, poured out from the radiant heart of our Lord, once we learn to put our trust in Him.

April 12-15 (Midweek)
Cistercian Spirituality for Clergy
(Fr. Anthony)
The Charisms – or characteristics – that define Cistercian Spirituality are ecumenical, encompassing all Christian denominations. Silence, solitude, simplicity, prayer and other contemplative values are espoused by all, and will be examined in light of their similarities in the quest for Christian unity. A panel of clergy will be a part of this retreat.

April 16-18 (Weekend)
Vocation Discernment
(Br. Michael)
This retreat is open to both men and women. For some people an experience such as a vocational discernment retreat comes at a point in their lives when they have begun to feel, or have felt for some time, an inner pull toward the religious life or perhaps the monastic way. This can prove to be a trying and confusing time in which it is hard to discern the basic direction in their lives. Vocational discernment retreats provide a prayerful atmosphere of silence, beauty, and peace in which retreatants come together with others to listen to God and their own hearts. We offer these retreats free of charge as a way of helping men and women to discern more clearly what they want and what God wants for them.

April 26-29 (Midweek)
I’m a Caregiver.  Now What Do I Do?
(Fr. Tom Francis & Robert Coyne)
This retreat is designed to address the subject of care giving/caregiver for anyone who is, has been, or may become a caregiver in the future. This subject is very personal, challenging, and frustrating. The person who takes on this role as part of their daily life will go through thoughts of love, frustration, anger, isolation, sadness, loneliness, and even satisfaction, knowing they did the right thing. There is no greater calling in life than taking care of someone you love.

April 30-May 2 (Weekend)
Boundaries
(Br. Michael)
This retreat will focus on “boundary issues.”  Do you “invade” other people’s boundaries? Do you allow others to “cross” your boundaries? Boundaries are legitimate, healthy “fences” that we put between ourselves and others in order to maintain healthy relationships. The purposes of having boundaries are to protect and care for ourselves, and to respect others, thereby establishing healthy relationships.

May 2010

May 3-6 (Midweek)
Celebrating God in Motherhood
(Martha Gross)
Mothers, grandmothers, stepmothers, and mothers-to-be are all welcome! Motherhood is far more than what we do; it is the mystery of what God is doing through us, with us, in us, and all around us. We can begin to notice and appreciate the countless ways that God reveals Himself through all the experiences of motherhood. Mothers who cannot stay for the entire retreat are encouraged to come at the beginning and stay as long as you can.

May 7-9 (Weekend)
Yoga and Christian Contemplation
(Fr. Tom Francis & Scott Hodgman)
Communion with God in the silence of the heart is a God-given capacity. For the Christian, the life of prayer is central to living the faith. Also, for many Christians, yoga has become part of their everyday lives. Can the life of prayer and the practice of yoga be integrated? For those new to yoga, or for the experienced practitioner, this retreat will explore what the Early Church Fathers had to say about the life of prayer, while integrating yoga into Christian contemplation.

May 10-13 (Midweek)
Contemplative Prayer
(Frs. Tom Francis & Gerard, and Br. Michael)
Prayer is a loving exchange with God. When we learn to receive the gift of God’s presence through loving silence, we are able to develop our personal relationship with Him. One way to receive this gift is through centering prayer, traditionally known as contemplative prayer. This type of prayer enables us to rest in God, leading to a more intimate relationship with Him.

May 14-16 (Weekend)
Image, Faith, & Photography
(Fr. James, John Spink & Matthew Jeffres)
Humanity is made in the image and likeness of God.  Photography, at its best, can bring to view beautiful images that evoke a powerful sense of God’s presence in our world. John Spink, a well known photographer whose work graces the pages of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, will share his insights and images. Matthew Jeffres is a friend of the monastery and also a professional photographer. He will also share his photographs, many of which are from this area. Fr. James Behrens will lead the retreat and share his photographs and comments on faith and the photographic imagination.

May 21-23 (Weekend)
Come, Holy Spirit
(Fr. Tom Francis)
Jesus refers to the Spirit several times, especially in the Gospel of John.  Join us this Pentecost, as we unpack these references and come to a fuller appreciation of the Holy Spirit and the Mystery of the Holy Trinity.  Please reflect on John 14-17 in preparation for this retreat.

June 2010

June 4-6 (Weekend)
Writing & Journal Keeping
(Fr. James & Carl McColman)
Explore your personal connection between the inner life and the written word. This weekend includes time for silence, journaling, and reflection on the relationship between writing and the spiritual life. Suitable for professional and amateur writers at all skill levels, this weekend does not include personal criticism or feedback. Instead, it simply creates a space where you can write, pray, and perhaps even combine the two into a unified spiritual practice.

June 14-17 (Midweek)
12 Step Spirituality for Everyone
(Br. Michael)
This retreat will show how everyone can use the Twelve Steps of AA (recovering alcoholics) in their spiritual lives. The retreat will provide practical ways to use the Twelve Steps as spiritual “tools” on your journey to God.

June 28-July 1 (Midweek)
Eucharist: The Source and Summit of Christian Life
(Fr. Gerard)
We will spend time loving and adoring Jesus in the Most Blessed Sacrament, day and night, throughout this retreat. We will talk about bringing the power of that Adoration into every corner of our lives, especially our families, recreation, places of study, and work. Jesus longs for us to treat all persons as created in His image and likeness. St. Benedict says that we should be “treating the tools of the monastery like the vessels of the altar.” We seek to make this real, and not just pious talk.

July 2010

July 5-8 (Midweek)
Vocation Discernment
(Br. Michael)
This retreat is open to both men and women. For some people an experience such as a vocational discernment retreat comes at a point in their lives when they have begun to feel, or have felt for some time, an inner pull toward the religious life or perhaps the monastic way. This can prove to be a trying and confusing time in which it is hard to discern the basic direction in their lives. Vocational discernment retreats provide a prayerful atmosphere of silence, beauty, and peace in which retreatants come together with others to listen to God and their own hearts. We offer these retreats free of charge as a way of helping men and women to discern more clearly what they want and what God wants for them.

July 9-11 (Weekend)
Prayer and the Image of God
(Abbot Francis Michael & Fr. Anthony)
The focus of this retreat is discovering and exploring our images of God and how they affect our prayer. As St. Teresa of Avila learned, discovering the images of God can profoundly affect our prayer life and ultimately our relationship with God. 

July 16-18 (Weekend)
The Joy of Less
(Fr. James & Martha Gross)
Many of us long for simplicity. Others are forced to simplify by circumstances. Embracing simplicity in the midst of a culture that fights against it can be both challenging and immensely rewarding. This retreat will offer spiritual and practical support toward finding joy in living a simpler life.

July 23-25 (Weekend)
Wisdom of the Christian Mystics
(Fr. Tom Francis & Carl McColman)
 From the Desert Fathers to Julian of Norwich to Thomas Merton, Christian history is filled with stories of men and women who experienced a profound sense of God’s presence in their lives. Can the teachings of the mystics still speak to us today? The mystics themselves would say “yes,” and furthermore, that their message is not just for priests, monks, or nuns, but is indeed meant for the entire people of God. With this in mind, during this weekend we will look at several ways that the wisdom of the Christian mystics can provide insight and inspiration for our age, including the universal call to holiness; St. Paul’s directive to “pray without ceasing”; and the promise from the Psalms to “be still and know that I am God.”

July 26-29 (Midweek)
Joyful Challenges of Life after 50
(Frs. Anthony & James, and Br. Mark)
The autumn years are a time when the greatest riches of life can unfold. This retreat will explore some of the ways to nourish our inner lives and stir our souls through challenges that make the most of this stage in our life.

July 30-August 1 (Weekend)
Memories – Healing and Gratitude
(Fr. Tom Francis & Martha Gross)
Our memories, both good and bad, affect much of how we look at the world. This retreat will explore ways to open our painful memories to God’s healing touch, and ways to harness the power of memory to bring us into greater intimacy with the Lord. This retreat will culminate with a Mass for healing.

August 2010

August 2-5 (Midweek)
Praying with the Scriptures
(Frs.Tom Francis & Gerard, and Br. Michael)
The practice of lectio divina, meaning divine reading, is a form of prayer where one ponders Sacred Scriptures as a means of seeking communion with God. This retreat will discuss the steps of lectio divina and how we can practice this form of prayer in everyday life as a tool to deepen our relationship with Christ.

August 6-8 (Weekend)
Jesus was Not Co-Dependent. Are you?
(Br. Michael)
 Are you a people-pleaser? Are you an approval-seeker? Are you a control-freak?  Do you have inordinate self-esteem issues? Are you prone to high drama (chaos) in your life? Jesus is our role-model for healthy behavior: “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life.”

August 16-19 (Midweek)
Contemplative Living and Non-Violence: The Spirituality of Thomas Merton
(Fr. James & Patrick Mahon)
The five sessions of this retreat will explore the spirituality and the non-violence approach of Thomas Merton. The purpose of the exploration will be to enable participants to discover how they can live contemplatively in an upside down world.

August 20-22 (Weekend)
Yoga and Christian Contemplation
(Fr. Tom Francis & Scott Hodgman)
“Communion with God in the silence of the heart is a God-given capacity.” For the Christian, the life of prayer is central to living the faith. Also, for many Christians, yoga has become part of their everyday lives. Can the life of prayer and the practice of yoga be integrated? For those new to yoga, or for the experienced practitioner, this retreat will explore what the Early Church Fathers had to say about the life of prayer while integrating yoga into Christian contemplation.

August 27-29 (Weekend)
Listening to God
(Frs. Anthony & Gerard)
This retreat focuses on learning to listen to God with the ears of our heart. We will learn to how to listen to God speak to us through the Scriptures, how to listen in the monastic tradition (Rule of Benedict), how to listen to conscience – the silence of God – and how to listen to the hearts of our brothers and sisters. Please bring a notebook for journaling.

August 30 - September 2 (Midweek)
Matinee with the Monks
(Br. Michael)
We will show a full-length feature film that carries a redemptive and significant theme. There will be ample time for questions, and discussion. It will be a worthwhile excursion into the more insightful films of our time.

September 2010

September 3-5 (Weekend)
Telling Our Life Story in Word and Image
(Fr. James & Martha Gross)
Writing the story of our lives – reflecting on events that moved us in our past and present – opens us to God’s grace and presence in ordinary experiences. Bring your journal and/or camera, as published writer and photographer, Fr. James Behrens, helps us discover God by reflecting on our lives in word and image.

September 10-12 (Weekend)
Cistercian Spirituality Retreat
(Abbot Francis Michael & Fr. Anthony)
This retreat will explore how Charisms such as patience, humility, Liturgy of the Hours, lectio divina, silence, and solitude that define the life of the monastic community can be readily translated to the lay community. Both monastic and Lay Cistercians will discuss how they live the Charisms in their everyday lives.

September 13-16 (Midweek)
Live, Laugh, Love
(Fr. Tom Francis & Carl McColman)
Live, Laugh, Love retreat is a CELEBRATION – celebrating our relationship with God. It is an uplifting, joyous expression of our connection to our Creator and all of creation, a time of gratitude. Through our connection to Christ and the Holy Spirit, we come to recognize the hospitality of our hearts, and come to understand the value of each of us as participants in the unfolding of God’s plan.

October 2010

October 8-10 (Weekend)
Pray As You Can
(Fr. Anthony)
Just as there are no two snowflakes exactly alike, prayer is different for each of us. Personal preferences may vary, yet each one is called to “pray as one can, not as one can’t.” We will take an in-depth look at prayer, as described in the book Praying in the Cellar.

October 11-14 (Midweek)
Image, Faith, & Photography
(Fr. James, John Spink, & Matthew Jeffres)
Humanity is made in the image and likeness of God. Photography, at its best, can bring into view beautiful images that evoke a powerful sense of God’s presence in our world. John Spink, a well known photographer whose work graces the pages of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, will share his insights and images. Matthew Jeffres is a friend of the monastery and also a professional photographer. He will also share his photographs, many of which are from this area. Fr. James Behrens will lead the retreat and share his photographs and comments on faith and the photographic imagination.

October 15-17 (Weekend)
Vocation Discernment
(Br. Michael)
This retreat is open to both men and women. For some people an experience such as a vocational discernment retreat comes at a point in their lives when they have begun to feel, or have felt for some time, an inner pull toward the religious life or perhaps the monastic way. This can prove to be a trying and confusing time in which it is hard to discern the basic direction in their lives. Vocational discernment retreats provide a prayerful atmosphere of silence, beauty, and peace in which retreatants come together with others to listen to God and their own hearts. We offer these retreats free of charge as a way of helping men and women to discern more clearly what they want and what God wants for them.

October 22-24 (Weekend)
Anger, Resentment, & Forgiveness
(Abbot Francis Michael & Fr. Anthony)
Forgiveness of all is a central challenge of Jesus’ ministry. We can often get stuck in anger or resentment. History teaches us that this has led tribes and nations to marginalize, dehumanize, and kill other tribes, nations, and peoples. This retreat will help us own our anger and resentment. While we have no pat answers, Christ is with us to empower us to forgive, to live forgiveness, and thus be the leaven of love to our communities, in our modern world.

October 25-28 (Midweek)
Praying Through Our Craft
(Fr. Tom Francis & Jeanette Meyer)
“Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us and confirm for us the work of our hands.” Psalm 90:17 Interweaving beads, yarn, breath, movement, and prayer into a compassionate awareness, we will create for those in need of solace, remembrance and celebration. Explore the silence and rhythm of awakening into presence of God through the handiwork ministry of beading, knitting, crocheting, and quilting. Beginners through advanced crafters are welcome, both men and women. Join us in this ministry of creating with our hands and through our hearts.

October 29-31 (Weekend)
Communion of Saints
(Fr. Gerard & Martha Gross)
The lives of the saints are some of the richest treasures of our Tradition.  Join us as we, through their lived experience, writings, and intercession, discover and live in the fullness of God's image within us.  Like them, we are all invited to be transformed into the very likeness of God - Love. 

November 2010

November 8-11 (Midweek)
Yoga and Spirituality
(Fr. Tom Francis & Jeanette Meyer)
Moving into stillness and contemplative prayer during mid-life and beyond, involves quieting the mind, using yoga postures, breathing, and silent prayer. We need to listen for the voice of the Holy Spirit within the deep recesses of our being. For those new to yoga or the experienced practitioner wishing to further explore the fundamentals, this retreat will provide an understanding of the different practices and their context.

November 12-14 (Weekend)
Contemplative Prayer
(Frs. Tom Francis & Gerard, and Br. Michael)
Prayer is a loving exchange with God. When we learn to receive the gift of God’s presence through loving silence, we are able to develop our personal relationship with Him. One way to receive this gift is through centering prayer, traditionally known as contemplative prayer. This type of prayer enables us to rest in God, leading to a more intimate relationship with Him.

November 22-24 (Midweek)
Spirituality of Thank-Full-ness
(Frs. Tom Francis, Gerard and Anthony)
Practicing the spirituality of thankfulness strengthens our faith, as we remember the evidence of God’s presence in our lives. Thank-full-ness encourages others, giving them strength and joy for their journey.

December 2010

December 6-9 (Midweek)
Christmas Stories
(Fr. James & Br. Mark)
Fr. James and Br. Mark will share some of their Christmas stories and memories. We will also invite those of you who would like to share your stories with us.

December 10-12 (Weekend)
12 Step Spirituality for Everyone
(Br. Michael)
This retreat will show how everyone can use the Twelve Steps of AA (recovering alcoholics) in their spiritual lives. The retreat will provide practical ways to use the Twelve Steps as spiritual “tools” on your journey to God.

If you have further questions please call 770-760-0959
Monday - Saturday 8:00 am to 4:00 pm
Closed on Sunday
Send email to retreat@trappist.net

“We are an ecumenical retreat house welcoming people of all faiths. We are here to share our faith and be open to the faith of others. We are however, careful to not teach anything contrary to the authentic Magisterium of the Catholic Church.”

The Archbishop has these requirements of priest presenters: In addition to faculties, a priest who comes here to give a retreat to persons outside our community, needs a letter stating that he is in good standing in his own diocese and his teaching in accord with the authentic Magisterium of the Roman Catholic Church. He needs to have a background check and fill out other paper work from the Archdiocese.