SEPTEMBER-DECEMBER 2014
Midwife A Ministry of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet 1890 Randolph Avenue St. Paul, MN 55105 www.wisdomwayscenter.org
WELCOME
MIDWIFE
Midwives move with us through life’s transitions and faithfully attend our transformations. As we traverse the liminal spaces of uncertainty, those who embody the role of midwife guide us safely across whatever threshold lies ahead.
What holy longing stirs within and among us in this generative moment? In all that is and is yet to be, what spiritual treasures and values do we seek to pass on to generations to come and what is required of us for this to happen?
Remembering Wisdom Ways’ birth 20 years ago this fall, we focus our theme on Midwife. For two decades, Wisdom Ways has been a place for people to come together to deepen their spirituality and share with kindred spirits. Gathered in conversation, study, meditation and reflection, the Wisdom Ways community has been midwife to thousands navigating new thresholds.
This fall we bring to bear the midwife’s ancient wisdom, exploring how we can be present to one another as something new comes forth. Birthing is not easy, and when we falter, we need the supportive presence of spiritual midwives. Sometimes we receive. Sometimes it’s our turn to midwife another through life’s labors. The lived experience of each helps us stay with the pain, find our way through the obstacles, take risks, let go of what imprisons, and let the Spirit live in new ways.
The Holy Midwife of Creation leads us with ever more wonder and struggle into the unfolding 13 billion-year mystery of the universe. As in every generation, we wrestle with questions: Are there new ways of being church–ways to tell our faith stories, offer reverence to Earth and celebrate her seasons and cycles, gather with other religious traditions and uncover our common spiritual journeys, hold on to our belief that all is sacred, and breathe life into age-old truths and traditions?
OUR MISSION
In the company of midwives who are poets and musicians, theologians and scientists, artists and dancers, let us sing, create, challenge, learn, reimagine, and remember the words of spiritual midwife Pierre Teilhard de Chardin: Above all, trust in the slow work of God. Barbara Lund, Director
EXPLORE. RE-IMAGINE. EMBODY.
Wisdom Ways Center for Spirituality offers programs to explore the spiritual dimensions of contemporary life for women and men and to re-imagine and embody all that we can be as agents of transformation in church and society. Established in 1994, Wisdom Ways is a sponsored ministry of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet, St. Paul Province, who build their ministries around love of God and the dear neighbor without distinction. Your comments are welcome. Please contact us at 651-696-2788 or info@wisdomwayscenter.org to share ideas or to notify us of address changes.
WISDOM WAYS’ ADVISORY COMMITTEE Mary Beckfeld, Consociate; Mary Farrell Bednarowski, Ph.D; Meg Gillespie, CSJ; Ginger Hedstrom, Consociate; Rev. Barbara Kellett, Consociate; Honorary member Eleanor Lincoln, CSJ, Ph.D.; William McDonough, Ph.D.; Joan Mitchell, CSJ, Ph.D.; Rev. Julie Neraas; Joan Pauly Schneider, M.Div., Consociate. CONTRIBUTING WRITER Spiritual midwife JOYCE RUPP joyfully assists others in birthing their true self. Author of twenty books and leader of conferences and retreats around the world, Joyce is a Servite Sister and a volunteer for hospice. To learn more, visit www.joycerupp.com.
2 All programs are held at Carondelet Center, 1890 Randolph Ave., St. Paul, unless otherwise noted.
SEPTEMBER-DECEMBER 2014
Explore
Conversations about Sacred Wisdom, Divine Mysteries and Human Questions
* Cunning Wisdom: Hebrew Midwives and Other Examples
of the Trickster Spirit in Biblical Narrative............................. 4 * Midwifery: Wisdom for Spiritual Renewal............................... 5 * Sacred Art of Living and Dying Training Program, Unit 3: Healing Spiritual Pain.................................................. 6 * Soul Fury: An Evening with Coleman Barks........................... 7
TABLE OF CONTENTS
SPIRITUAL PRACTICES * Walking in Harmony: A Labyrinth Journey............................ 16 * Breathing: Listening and Discovery...................................... 17 * Lectio Divina: Mornings of Reflection during Advent............ 17 ART EXHIBITS..................................................................... 18 LOOKING AHEAD............................................................... 20 ADDITIONAL OPPORTUNITIES ~ SISTERS OF ST. JOSEPH SPIRITUALITY MINISTRIES
Re-imagine
New and Emerging Ideas and Understandings
* Evolution and the Christian Creed in Dialogue: Elizabeth
Johnson’s Ask the Beasts: Darwin and the God of Love – Hedgerow Seminar................................................................ 8 * Creativity as Midwife: The Dance of Creation – Labyrinths of Healing Prayer and Art ...................................... 9 * Literary “Midwives”: Assisting in the Delivery of Words and Stories............................................................................... 9 * Fall Soul Conference: The Price of Sand – The Value of Life.................................... 10
MEN’S SPIRITUALITY
Celeste’s Dream: Spirituality for Young Adults ....................... 21 Justice Commission ................................................................. 21 Membership and Association .................................................. 22 Rituals to Mark the Seasons ................................................... 22 Second Sunday ......................................................................... 22 Spiritual Direction .................................................................... 22
EVENTS IN THE WIDER COMMUNITY 8th Annual Myser Lecture with Joan Chittister....................... 23 Celtic and Nordic Services at Pilgrim Lutheran Church, St. Paul...................................................................................... 23
WISDOM WAYS RESOURCES
• Bridges to Contemplative Living.......................................... 11 • Men’s Centering Prayer....................................................... 11
Embody
Labyrinth Resources to Rent ................................................... 24 Library ...................................................................................... 24 Directions ................................................................................. 24
CALENDAR OF PROGRAMS ....................................25-26
Spiritual Practices for Everyday Living
MEDITATION * Meditation: A Way of Contemplative Prayer.......................... 14 • Times of Prayer.................................................................... 14 • Day of Contemplative Prayer during Advent....................... 14 • Becoming One with the One: An Introduction to Christian Meditation........................................................ 14
INDEX & REGISTRATION INFORMATION ............... 27 All programs are held at Carondelet Center, 1890 Randolph Ave., St. Paul, unless otherwise noted.
RITUALS AND CELEBRATIONS * Crossing Borders: A Prayer Service ..................................... 15 * Wisdom Spreads Her Table: A Feast Celebrating Wisdom Ways........................................ 15 * The Soul Landscape of the Long Night: A Winter Solstice Gathering.................................................. 15
You can learn more about programs and presenters at www.wisdomwayscenter.org
www.wisdomwayscenter.org
651-696-2788
info@wisdomwayscenter.org
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Explore EXPLORE
Conversations about Sacred Wisdom, Divine Mysteries and Human Questions
CUNNING WISDOM: HEBREW MIDWIVES AND OTHER EXAMPLES OF THE TRICKSTER SPIRIT IN BIBLICAL NARRATIVE
The Bible is filled with characters who employ clever misdirection and deception to subvert power and expectations. These archetypal “tricksters”, present in many mythic stories, are richly present in biblical narratives. Hermes, the Greek mythic character who is both trickster and divine messenger, lives on in hermeneutics, a traditional word for biblical interpretation. Beginning with Shiphrah and Puah, the Hebrew midwives who tricked Pharaoh to save children, this Jewish-Christian conversation will explore the vitally important, fascinating and under-appreciated theme in our shared and distinct traditions. Using Rabbinic midrashim or commentary and the parables of Jesus that reflect and value this aspect of human-divine dealings, we will tangle with the problems and possibilities these crafty characters pose to how we understand the Bible, God’s will, and how to live.
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John Marboe holds advanced degrees in mythological studies and theology but regards himself as a lifelong student of mythological and biblical reflection. An ordained ELCA minister, freelance writer, and convener of interfaith dialogues, John grounds himself by conducting funerals for persons without a church and by hauling trash for a St. Paul garbage company. Born in South Africa, Rabbi Alan Shavit-Lonstein immigrated with his family to the United States as a young child. He grew up in Golden Valley, MN, and attended college at Washington University in Saint Louis. He lived in Israel where he attended Machon Pardes, an egalitarian yeshiva, and graduated from the Jewish Theological Seminary in 2000 with rabbinic ordination and an M.A. in Jewish Education. He has served as rabbi of the Tri-City Jewish Center in the Quad Cities of Illinois and Iowa, and was a rabbi at the Temple of Aaron from 2002 to 2014.
WHEN: Thursdays, COST: $90.00
October 9, 16, 23, 6:30 to 8:30 pm
All programs are held at Carondelet Center, 1890 Randolph Ave., St. Paul, unless otherwise noted.
EXPLORE
SEPTEMBER-DECEMBER 2014
MIDWIFERY: WISDOM FOR SPIRITUAL RENEWAL What in you—and in our world—most wants to be born? And how will you participate in that vulnerable and messy birthing process? In this three-part workshop, we’ll apply the wisdom of midwifery to our spiritual journeys. Traditional midwives are able to coax out new life through pain and fear and great risk, and so have profound wisdom to offer the life of the soul. Using writing exercises, birth narratives, midwifery lore, film, art-making, and dance, Elizabeth Jarrett Andrew will guide participants (men and women) to tap natural birth as a metaphor for spiritual growth. We can all become midwives to the soul. Session 1: Don’t be afraid of your pain Two techniques midwives use to alleviate fear at birth are to create a familiar, safe environment and then be fully present to women in labor. As we apply this wisdom to our own fears about risk-taking and change, Emily Jarrett Hughes will lead us in movement explorations that teach flexibility, resilience, and groundedness. We’ll watch a short documentary to help us explore how, in the right context and with help, we needn’t be afraid of birth pain.
Session 3: Surrender to your life-giving power What does it mean to surrender to the source of life? How do we both push and let go? We’ll apply labor’s rhythm to these spiritual paradoxes. We’ll also explore the political ramifications of birth by invoking the Hebrew midwives’ rebellion in the book of Genesis and by making and wearing crowns—a symbol of being born into a new role in the world. Writing instructor and spiritual director Elizabeth Jarrett Andrew is author of Writing the Sacred Journey: The Art and Practice of Spiritual Memoir, the novel Hannah, Delivered, the spiritual memoir Swinging on the Garden Gate, and the essay collection On the Threshold: Home, Hardwood, and Holiness. Learn more about how her work explores intersections between spiritual growth and the creative process at www.spiritualmemoir.com and www.elizabethjarrettandrew.com Emily Jarrett Hughes has been joyfully bringing people together through dance for over 10 years. She draws upon social dances, community dances, ritual dance and modern dance to spark the creativity, wellness, and resilience of each person. She performs with Ethnic Dance Theatre and is the Artistic Director of Living Wisdom, a community dance practice. WHEN: Tuesdays, October 14, 21, 28, 6:30 COST: $75.00 series, $30.00 per session
to 8:30 pm
Session 2: Push through your pain. Your baby’s on the other side of that pain. Midwives know that new life often happens through rather than in spite of hardship. We’ll explore spiritual struggles as ordinary labor pain, using breathing meditation and journaling exercises to create maps for our present-day emergence.
www.wisdomwayscenter.org
651-696-2788
info@wisdomwayscenter.org
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Explore EXPLORE
Conversations about Sacred Wisdom, Divine Mysteries and Human Questions
SACRED ART OF LIVING AND DYING TRAINING PROGRAM Ancient wisdom tells us that the quality of life is enhanced when we do not live in fear or denial of suffering and mortality. The four-unit Sacred Art of Living and Dying program is taught in two-day, retreat-like workshops that blend presentations, reflection, and sacred ritual. Unit 3: Healing Spiritual Pain Participants experience and are mentored in a wide range of creative and effective psychospiritual tools for end-of-life care. The spectrum of practices includes art and music therapies, guided imagery, coma work and prescriptive ritual tailored to the spiritual belief of each patient. Holistic therapies are drawn from the world’s great spiritual traditions and applied with contemporary scientific skills. What you can expect from this unit: • Experience with three different styles of guided imagery which have a proven clinical track record for alleviating spiritual pain. 6
• Practice with the principles of Coma Therapy for use with patients in states of altered consciousness. • Study of the acclaimed science-based research of Drs. Larry Dossey and Joan Borysenko on the effectiveness of ‘non-local’ prayer on healing. • Development of a practical ritual to be used in end-of-life care based on traditional and contemporary models and use of the labyrinth. Presenters: Course Instructors are medically trained faculty and spiritual care providers with Sacred Art of Living Center in Bend, Oregon. Richard Groves, co-founder and executive director, has degrees in theology, world religions, bio ethics, and law. He is co-author of The American Book of Living and Dying. For more information see www.sacredartofliving.org Friday, October 10, 9:00 am to 6:00 pm and Saturday, October 11, 9:00 am to 6:00 pm COST: $350.00, includes meals and resources WHEN:
CEUS are available. Call Wisdom Ways at 651-696-2788.
All programs are held at Carondelet Center, 1890 Randolph Ave., St. Paul, unless otherwise noted.
EXPLORE
SEPTEMBER-DECEMBER 2014
“What you seek is seeking you.” David Whetstone, sitarist-disciple of the renowned Ustad Vilayat Khan, has collaborated and toured for over 20 years with Robert Bly and Coleman Barks. Cofounder and former Artistic Director of Minneapolis’ Ragamala Music and Dance Theater, he also teaches raga and sitar at Carleton and Macalester Colleges.
* RUMI
SOUL FURY: AN EVENING WITH COLEMAN BARKS
Marcus Wise is a top-tier tabla player, poetic and genre-bending. An ambassador of Eastern classical music, he makes Indian sounds accessible to American music fans, collaborating with folk, jazz, gospel and pop artists. From his home in Minneapolis, he continues to perform, record and teach tablas privately.
Co-sponsored by St. Catherine University Theology Department Experience the ecstatic poetry of Rumi in a stirring reading by Coleman Barks, his celebrated translator, accompanied by two talented Twin Cities musicians: sitarist David Whetstone and tabla player Michael Wise. “What I had thought of before as God, I met today in a human being,” declared 13th century Persian poet Jalal al-Din Rumi upon meeting Shams Tabriz. Rumi’s soulful love for his friend and teacher was so all-consuming that he composed more than 45,000 verses, whose lines continue to nourish our divine yearnings today.
Saturday, December 6, 7:00 to 9:00 pm, book signing to follow event. WHERE: Jeanne D’Arc Auditorium, St. Catherine University COST: $50.00. Free with SCU student ID. WHEN:
Barks’ recent work explores the friendship of these two very different men: Rumi, the Sufi “ecstatic who felt a connection with all beings,” and his spiritual teacher Shams, “a fierce truth-teller who looked for hypocrisy everywhere.” Barks will read poems by both, poems rich in beauty and spiritual insight that capture the delight and the impermanence of bonds that pierce deep into the human mind, heart, and soul. Besides illuminating the mindful, meaningful practice of soul friendship, Barks will also reflect on learnings in his own life. Come revel in the words inspired by this great friendship, and savor this multidimensional feast of music, poetry and story that explores the nature of love, friendship and deep matters of the soul. A book signing will follow for Barks’ new work, Soul Fury: Rumi and Shams Tabriz on Friendship. Presenters: Renowned poet and bestselling author Coleman Barks last visited Wisdom Ways in 2005. The author of numerous Rumi translations and a student of Sufism since 1977, he taught English and poetry at the University of Georgia for thirty years, and now focuses on writing, readings, and performances.
www.wisdomwayscenter.org
651-696-2788
info@wisdomwayscenter.org
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Re-imagine RE-IMAGINE
New and Emerging Ideas and Understandings
HEDGEROW INITIATIVE
The Hedgerow Initiative offers sustained, systematic programming in feminist theological education, spiritual integration, and leadership for a just and holy world. In a particular way, the Initiative highlights the scholarship of women who since the 1950s have worked to reclaim women’s presence and significance in scripture, church, history, theology and culture. The Initiative takes its name from the hedge schools in Ireland that kept alive the language, faith, culture and community of the people during the time of the British penal codes. A hedgerow is a biosphere and a haven.
EVOLUTION AND THE CHRISTIAN CREED IN DIALOGUE: ELIZABETH JOHNSON’S ASK THE BEASTS: DARWIN AND THE GOD OF LOVE Evolution is the unfolding story in which we humans live, move, and have our being. We open our hearts and minds to the mystery of G*d, seeking existential footing and purpose in a cosmos infinitely small, infinitely large, and infinitely diverse. Some folks put feet and the name Darwin on the ichthus or fish emblems that display the acronym for Jesus Christ, Son of God, and Savior for Christians. Ichthus is the Greek word for fish. Some suppose irreconcilable conflict between theology and science, but not theologian and former science teacher Elizabeth Johnson CSJ, PhD, and not the observant biologist with the loving eye who sailed the world exploring how birds and beasts originate and diversify—Charles Darwin. “But now ask the beasts to teach you,” reads Job 12. Johnson’s book Ask the Beasts imagines a dialogue between Darwin’s On the Origin of Species and the Christian story of 8
the ineffable God of mercy and love in the Nicene Creed. For Johnson, science and religion are in communion, not conflict. The fall Hedgerow seminar will join in the dialogue, and explore ways in which a deeper love of the natural world is intrinsic to faith in God and ecological care is a moral imperative. Course highlights include : easts and Entangled Bank: B A Dialogue For the Sake of the Intelligibility of Belief and the Basis for Right Moral Action The Beholder and the Book: Voyage of the Beagle and On the Origin of Species volution of the Theory: A Tree of E Life and Kinship, an Inextricable Web of Affinities Cosmic Lens, an Ecological Lens, A a Theological Lens The Dwelling Place of God: Vivifying Spirit in the Natural World Bearer of Great Promise: the Cruciform World Lives the Promise of Resurrection The Communion of Creation: A Vision Of a Flourishing Humanity on a Thriving Planet Rich in Species in an Evolving Cosmos Filled with the Glory of God
All programs are held at Carondelet Center, 1890 Randolph Ave., St. Paul, unless otherwise noted.
RE-IMAGINE
SEPTEMBER-DECEMBER 2014
Instructors: Susan Hames, CSJ, ABD; Rev. Barbara Lund; Jill Welter, Ph.D.; Katherine McLaughlin, CSJ, Ph.D.; Mary Kaye Medinger, Consociate, MA; Joan Mitchell, CSJ, Ph.D.; Catherine Steffens, CSJ, MA; Joan Pauly Schneider, Consociate, M.Div.
LITERARY MIDWIVES: ASSISTING IN THE DELIVERY OF WORDS AND STORIES
Required Text: Weekly topics follow the chapter headings of Ask the Beasts, available from www.goodgroundpress.com (800-232-5533) or Wisdom Ways.
Someone who helps another find words or stories, whether for the unspeakable, the challenging or the sublime, could be called a midwife. Drawing on the Wisdom Ways theme, facilitator Ted Bowman and guest poets will serve as literary midwives who help participants in finding words for three significant human experiences: living with medical conditions; living with contradictions and conundrums; and the birthing or acknowledgement of beginnings.
About the author: Before she began probing evolution, Elizabeth Johnson reimagined God from the perspective of women’s experience in She Who Is and challenged theological frontiers in Quest for the Living God. The distinguished Professor of Theology at Fordham University has received numerous awards and is a member of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Brentwood. WHEN: Mondays, September 22 to December 8, 6:30 to 8:30 pm COST: $240.00 for all 12 sessions. $25.00 per session
Full syllabus at www.wisdomwayscenter.org
CREATIVITY AS MIDWIFE: THE DANCE OF CREATION: LABYRINTHS OF HEALING PRAYER AND ART Though what we have within often arrives in pieces, gathering some of those pieces together can be used to enlighten, to enjoy, to play. Join artist/author Mayr Boros for a studio experience of creative midwifery, as she shares how making art has helped her fully express her life’s emotions and adventures, which include living with pancreatic and breast cancer. Accompany her through the story of the creation of her book, The Dance of Creation, and then immerse yourself in the spiritual practice of creating paper mosaics and writing short prayers to bring forth what is within the particulars of your own life’s journey.
Session 1: Medical Midwives: Words and Stories for Living with Medical Conditions Words such as cancer, depression or tumor change a person when the word becomes personal. Because of the power of words, how we describe some medical and mental health conditions can influence the responses to those conditions. The old adage – if something is unmentionable, it can also be unmanageable – suggests the foundation for this session. Participants will be aided in finding words for the arc of the medical conditions, no matter the outcome. Guest poet Patricia Kirkpatrick received the Lindquist & Vennum Poetry Prize for Odessa, and was awarded a 2013 Minnesota Book Award. An editor and writer who has taught writing in many colleges, universities, and community settings, she underwent surgery to remove a nonmalignant brain tumor in 2007.
Presenter: As a child, artist/author Mayr Boros couldn’t understand Latin chants in church, so she gazed at the murals and stained glass windows instead. After falling in love with the light and color surrounding her, she sought to portray the mystery of God’s Grace in her work. WHEN: Saturday, October 4, 9:00 am to 12:30 pm COST: $40.00, includes art supplies. Additional
book fee: $21.43 cash or check payable to Mayr Boros. Artist will have cards and other art available for sale. www.wisdomwayscenter.org
651-696-2788
info@wisdomwayscenter.org
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Re-imagine RE-IMAGINE
“ Aboriginal people are right; we are the Earth, created like everything else from the four sacred elements of water, air, fire, and earth. This statement isn’t meant in a metaphoric or poetic way but as scientifically demonstrable reality. When we think of the ‘environmental crisis’ this way, our response has to be completely different” DAVID SUZUKI AND AMANDA MCCONNELL
New and Emerging Ideas and Understandings
Session 2: Living with Contradictions and Conundrums If ever a literary midwife would be helpful, it is when faced with contradictions. Can one be thankful, for example, in the midst of grief and grieving? Not thankful for the loss, but thankful in spite of the tragedy or loss. When living with a medical or mental health condition is represented as an enriching, ennobling experience many patients push back. Finding words that honor contradictions and challenge platitudes and conundrums can promote healing and well-being. Guest poet Jim Moore’s Underground: New and Selected Poems made its debut in September 2014. A recent recipient of a Guggenheim Fellowship who teaches in the MFA program at Hamline University, he lives in Minneapolis with his wife the photographer JoAnn Verburg. Session 3: Assisting in the Birth of Beginnings: Advent, Solstice and a New Year Approaching this season, words for what has been, what is and what might be, abound. Regret, resolution, rebound, and renew can dominate vocabularies in ways that are helpful or off-putting. Join with others in exploring words for the birth of beginnings. Guest poet, essayist and lyricist Michael Dennis Browne is Professor Emeritus in English at the University of Minnesota. Facilitator: Poet, editor and grief educator Ted Bowman is a community instructor in Family Education at the University of Minnesota and an adjunct professor in Social Work at the University of St. Thomas. He is co-editor of The Wind Blows, The Ice Breaks, a volume of poems by Minnesota poets addressing themes of loss and renewal, and author of two booklets addressing shattered dreams, Loss of Dreams: A Special Kind of Grief and Finding Hope When Dreams Have Shattered.
of environmental degradation? Ultimately, we all must encounter and explore our value of life— what are we willing to do in order to preserve our breath, our soul energy, the ground we walk on, and the water that comprises our being? These questions will be explored throughout Fall Soul as we examine the devastation and consequences of frac sand mining in communities in Minnesota and Wisconsin. Collective discussion and reflection will be deepened through interaction with distinguished local musicians, artists, and environmental experts. On a pilgrimage to a local river, we will celebrate an earth-honoring ritual that reveals the beauty that resides within the devastation around us. Come delve deeply into our responsibility in reclaiming the sacred elements that encompass our community and our being, and probe our role in midwifing the earth through her labor pains. Be called to challenge one another to an active ethic of life that is informed by faith and that invigorates sustainable change within our local spheres of influence. Video: By telling the complex story of this mining boom through interviews and news stories, The Price of Sand seeks to understand what frac sand really costs—in dollars, friendships, communities and the future of our region.
THE PRICE OF SAND — THE VALUE OF LIFE
Presenters: Many voices will weave the texture of the weekend’s inquiry: local musicians, artists, environmental experts, as well as local photographer, cinematographer and filmmaker Jim Tittle, who filmed the video The Price of Sand after an oil company bought a tract of land near his mother’s house in rural Goodhue County, Minnesota, and Peter L. Johnson, artist-in-residence at Katherine’s Garden in St. Paul, whose placed-based art seeks to express the devastating truth and intrinsic beauty of our relationship with our ecosystems.
21ST ANNUAL FALL SOUL CONFERENCE
WHEN:
WHEN: Tuesdays, November 11, 18, and 25, 6:30 to 8:30 pm COST: $75.00 for series, $30.00 per session
Water. Air. Fire. Earth. Each of us is comprised of these sacred elements, but what happens when our species begins to value person-made expansion and economy at the expense 10
Friday evening, November 14, 7:00 to 9:00pm and Saturday, November 15, 9:00am to 3:00pm. COST: $45.00, includes lunch; Friday only, $20.00; Saturday only, $35.00
All programs are held at Carondelet Center, 1890 Randolph Ave., St. Paul, unless otherwise noted.
RE-IMAGINE
SEPTEMBER-DECEMBER 2014
MEN’S SPIRITUALITY Exploring Men’s Personal Journeys of Spiritual Growth To preserve a sacred space for men to explore their spirituality together, we ask that only men register for the sessions. Coordinator: Terry Shaughnessy is a longtime spiritual director trained in Ignatian Spirituality through the Masters in Christian Spirituality Program at Creighton University. For Contemplative Outreach of Colorado and other venues, he conducts retreats and workshops and teaches Centering Prayer. His primary passion is offering spiritual direction, “the ministry of compassionate presence” and supporting many men from a variety of backgrounds in their inner lives. To learn more about spiritual direction, contact Terry at 651-328-7675.
BRIDGES TO CONTEMPLATIVE LIVING Are you longing for a stronger connection to life’s quieter, contemplative dimensions? Seeking practical ways to integrate harmony and wholeness into your days? Searching for support in moving from your head into a heart space, through silence and contemplation? Wisdom Ways Men’s Spirituality Group has been exploring the reflective dimension of spirituality for nearly twenty years. This fall’s gatherings are dedicated to contemplative experience. You are invited to attend a series of gatherings for men focused on contemplative living. Not an outcome-oriented process, this is a journey towards a more contemplative, compassionate and integrated life. Reflective spiritual reading, periods of silence and prayer, and contemplative dialogue will help you slow down and pay attention to the inner rhythm of your soul’s life. Spiritual silence will be our teacher, writings from spiritual teachers such as Thomas Merton, Eckhart Tolle, Pema Chödrön, Rainier Maria Rilke, Thomas Keating, and Richard Rohr will mentor us, and shared reflection along with intentional listening will support us and guide us inward. Encouragement for this process comes from Psalm 42:7: “One Deep Calls to Another.” Join us on September 17 for an introduction to this simple yet potentially transformative experience for men. Dr. Ed Sellner will join us for this session; Terry Shaughnessy will facilitate the ongoing sessions. Presenters: Ed Sellner, Ph.D., is a professor of theology and spirituality at Saint Catherine University. His most recent
books are Finding the Monk Within and The Double: Male Eros, Friendships and Mentoring–from Gilgamesh to Jack Kerouac and he is at work on a book on Buddhism in the lives and writings of Thomas Merton and Jack Kerouac. See Terry Shaughnessy at the beginning of this section. Introduction, Wednesday, September 17, 7:00 to 8:30 pm Sessions: Wednesdays, September 24, October 8 and 22, November 12 and 19, December 17 from 4:00 to 6:30 pm COST: Introduction no charge; six sessions $90.00 WHEN:
CENTERING PRAYER CIRCLE To foster community among participants, the Wisdom Ways Men’s Spirituality Series holds a monthly contemplative prayer circle. Each meeting begins with 20 minutes of contemplative prayer practice using the method of Centering Prayer. Opportunity for group sharing around this prayer is included, as well as occasional video teachings by Centering Prayer teacher and Trappist monk Thomas Keating. This ancient practice of Christian meditation is related to the classic tradition of contemplation and is easily accessible. Facilitators: Louie Doering, a retired bank executive and group leader for Centering Prayer groups at St. Stanislaus Parish in St. Paul, and Terry Shaughnessy, Men’s Spirituality Coordinator. Wednesdays, September 10, October 8, November 12, and December 17, 7:00 to 8:30 pm COST: Donation. RSVP to 651-696-2788 or info@wisdomwayscenter.org WHEN:
www.wisdomwayscenter.org
651-696-2788
info@wisdomwayscenter.org
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REFLECTION
Midwife of the Soul * JOYCE RUPP©
“Call the Midwife” has become one of the most popular shows on Public Television. What is it about this midwifery series based on the memoirs of Jennifer Worth that holds such great attraction? Could it be that those who view the show are unconsciously drawn because of the mystery and power of birth itself? Could it also be that every one of us carries something that waits to be born? Might it be that these viewers sense within themselves, whether man or woman, something gestating within their very own being that carries a similar mystery and desire to be birthed — a yearning for something yet unlived stirring and tumbling at the core of who they are — perhaps a nested creativity or a growing desire for justice, maybe a completely different way to pray or a healing that has cried out for years to be tended. It may be a dream not acknowledged for fear of its fragility, a hope for our burdened planet, or something within that is yet unable to be verbalized but whose quiet development they sense intuitively. And could it be that each viewer drawn to the work of the midwives unconsciously yearns for a someone to midwife the fetus of possibility within them, longs for a companion of the soul to journey with them as keenly as the remarkable British midwives on London’s East End companion the pregnant women entrusted to their care? I like to think this is so.
INDEX AND REGISTRATION REFLECTION
Midwife of the SoulŠ Oh, how I long for a midwife of the soul to tend the hiddenness within my being, to accompany and believe in the mystery that moves inside of me, to help feed its life from the nourishment of daily prayer and the experiences I often forget or ignore. A companion whose belief in my dreams keeps them alive when they are exiled within the thousand bricks of busyness, who reminds me to care for these dreams so they expand and remain healthy. A midwife whose heart is large enough to embrace the hollow spots in mine, places yet to be filled with the kind of love that only grows big enough when my ego has grown small enough. Oh, for a midwife of the soul, one who does not mind the howl of contractions or the screaming protest of fear as the fetus of my spiritual growth breeches and refuses to turn around. A midwife who recognizes the ripe time to nudge my latent, yearning possibilities toward a more life-giving direction. Give me a skilled midwife of the soul who knows how and when to urge the pushing, and when to encourage pausing to catch my birthing breath, who feels with me the rhythm of my ever-growing, maturing self and does not interfere with this.
Lead a wise midwife to my side, one who sees what I cannot see but will not hurry me or become impatient when the new beginning takes longer than anticipated. Send me the generous listener who trusts the secret life in my depths, who hears the heartbeat of its growth and assures me all will be well when I anxiously question that reality. Bring me a sturdy midwife who does not turn away from the messiness and pain of birth, a midwife who can bear to hear my cries, who gently wipes my tears and allows ample time for my letting go. Allow me to have a midwife with a grand sense of humor, who knows when a hearty laugh can serve to quell the noisy chambers of my futile attempts at control. May the one who midwifes my soul continually be aware of the impulse to try to do my birthing for me, to step aside from anything that might invade or impede my growth. Most of all, may the midwife of the soul nurture compassion for my limitations, those unwieldy parts of my personality that place restrictions on gestation and block the way for fresh life to emerge. May this compassionate companion guide my way in times of need and cheer me on in those moments when the mystery long hidden from view leaps into life from within my soul, when it fills the welcoming air with a cry of utter surprise.
Embody EMBODY
Spiritual Practices for Everyday Living
MEDITATION
MEDITATION: A WAY OF CONTEMPLATIVE PRAYER
DAY OF CONTEMPLATIVE PRAYER
“ We are already – at every moment of our existence – in the experience of unconditional, unsurpassable love. That is the essence of our being. To not forget that we are held in love, that we are in the most intimate of relationships in and with Divine Love is the reason for being faithful to our meditation practice.”
During Advent, a time of waiting and preparation for the celebration of the Christmas mysteries, this day of contemplative prayer provides a more extended and focused time to deepen our existing practice of meditation. A pattern of sitting and walking meditations, a teaching, some mindful movements, and chanting offer an experience of prayer and silence. Please plan to attend the entire day. Limited to 25 participants.
* EILEEN O’HEA, CSJ
Meditation is a form of contemplative prayer in which we move beyond words, thoughts, and images. We open ourselves to God’s mysterious and silent presence within us and to a change of consciousness. This contemplative consciousness enables us to find God present in all things and compels us beyond our place of prayer to compassionate action in the world. This fall, Wisdom Ways offers weekly times of meditating with others, a full day of prayer during Advent, and teaching sessions. We invite you to experience this way of Christian contemplative prayer.
Christian Meditation – Times of Prayer During these times of prayer, we will sit in silent meditation with others. Meditating together is a way of deepening and supporting our personal practice. Come as often as you are able. The weekly sessions include a short reading and one 25-minute meditation. Following meditation, there will be an optional short introduction to Christian Meditation for those new to this form of prayer. Tuesdays, September 2 to December 23, 7:00 to 7:40 pm COST: R egistration is not required and sessions are free. WHEN:
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WHEN: Saturday, December 13, COST: $40.00, includes lunch
8:30 am to 3:15 pm
CHRISTIAN MEDITATION TEACHING SESSIONS Becoming One with the One: An Introduction to Christian Meditation Benedictine Monk John Main reintroduced 20th century spiritual seekers to the rich Christian tradition of meditation. Come explore Main’s teachings on meditation as a way of contemplative prayer, its roots in the Christian tradition, the practice of meditation, and its power to compel us beyond our place of prayer to compassionate action in the world. Each session will include presentations, discussion, and times of meditation together. Wednesday, October 15, 22, and 29, 7:00 to 9:00 pm. Please plan to attend all three sessions. COST: $40.00 WHEN:
Facilitators: Susan Oeffling, CSJ, Spiritual director and group facilitator, has masters’ degrees in theology and counseling and spiritual direction training from the Center for Spiritual Guidance. CSJ Consociate Deborah Chernick studies the history of Christian contemplative prayer and serves on the board of the Trust for the Meditation Process. Both facilitators have practiced meditation for many years.
All programs are held at Carondelet Center, 1890 Randolph Ave., St. Paul, unless otherwise noted.
EMBODY
SEPTEMBER-DECEMBER 2014
RITUALS AND CELEBRATIONS CROSSING BORDERS: A PRAYER SERVICE Wherever we live, life is always pushing us across borders and into new territories. Gather in prayer for healing and justice for all peoples uprooted, crossing borders, or walled in, and for all who are scattered and dispersed in the world. In song, scripture and stories from many communities, an evening of quiet listening to God’s call for weaving compassion and action wherever barriers keep us apart. Musicians: Tom Witt, Music Coordinator at United Theological Seminary, and Mary Preus, Worship Consultant at Luther Seminary will lead the gathering in song and prayer. WHEN: Thursday, September COST: Free. RSVP
25, 7:00 to 8:00 pm
WISDOM SPREADS HER TABLE: A FEAST CELEBRATING WISDOM WAYS October 31 marks the 20th anniversary of Wisdom Ways. The trinity of All Hallows’ Eve, Feast of All Saints, and Feast of All Souls, bears sacred meaning in cultures across the world. To ancient Celts, this time of year marked the change of seasons and the moment when the veil between this world and the next was very thin.
THE SOUL LANDSCAPE OF THE LONG NIGHT: A WINTER SOLSTICE GATHERING “The sky within me is as wide as the one stretching over my head,” wrote Etty Hillesum in her 1941 diary, observing how the outer world often mirrors the soul’s inner terrain. As the 2014 centennial of Hillesum’s birth comes to an end, we will listen to her illuminating words of love and life in a contemplative solstice gathering and a celebration of the way hope shines through like stars in the longest of nights. Etty Hillesum faithfully recorded her soul’s longings and a description of her life and times as she witnessed the Nazi occupation of Amsterdam and her own internment at the Westerbork Transit Camp. Murdered at Auschwitz/Birkenau in 1943, she left behind a legacy of hope and love in her diaries and letters. Join us for an evening with guest musicians and poetic testimony to the resilience of hope in hard times, culled from Hillesum’s writings. Literary minister, Karen Hering, author of Writing to Wake the Soul: Opening the Sacred Conversation Within is liturgy creator for this solstice service. Visit www.karenhering.com WHEN: Thursday, COST: $20.00
December 18, 7:00 to 8:30 pm
Through worship, a beautiful dinner, table conversations, and celebration, we will remember, honor, and anticipate the ways Holy Wisdom spreads Her table for us and all the world. Come to the feast! Singer, songwriter and friend of Wisdom Ways, Sara Thomsen’s rich voice and songs will carry us inward to the particulars of our own lives, and outward into our shared humanity. WHEN: October COST: $30.00
31, 6:30 to 8:30 pm
www.wisdomwayscenter.org
651-696-2788
info@wisdomwayscenter.org
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Embody EMBODY
Spiritual Practices for Everyday Living
SPIRITUAL PRACTICES
WALKING IN HARMONY: A LABYRINTH JOURNEY Second Fridays, September - December In the midst of daily challenges and conflicts within our greater communities, cultivating a spirit of harmony and peace is a gift for yourself and the world. You are invited to walk the labyrinth indoors at Carondelet Center, whether this is your first walk or you are developing a spiritual practice. After a brief reflection, you are welcome to walk as often as you wish. There will be space for writing and artist play as well as time for quiet prayer and meditation.
Facilitators: Marilyn Larsen has been making labyrinths since 1996. She creates labyrinths for personal and public spaces in a variety of media, most recently the labyrinth for the Spiritual Center at Hennepin County Medical Center. MJ McGregor, PhD, Advanced Veriditas Certified Facilitator, introduces and facilitates labyrinth walks nationally and in Chartres Cathedral, France. MJ leads pilgrimages in Chartres, where she is a seasonal resident, and most recently co-guided a walking pilgrimage from Paris to Chartres Cathedral. Fridays, September 12, October 10, November 14, December 12, 9:30 to 11:30 am COST: Free. RSVP to 651-696-2788 or info@wisdomwayscenter.org WHEN:
In 1997, Wisdom Ways Center for Spirituality mowed an outdoor labyrinth in the lawn of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet, the first in the Twin Cities community. Wisdom Ways has introduced the labyrinth to thousands through the many labyrinth conferences, programs and events we have sponsored since then. A new permanent labyrinth will be designed and created on the grounds of the Sisters of St. Joseph in 2014-15. Until the new labyrinth is installed, come and walk a mowed labyrinth on the south side of Carondelet Center.
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All programs are held at Carondelet Center, 1890 Randolph Ave., St. Paul, unless otherwise noted.
EMBODY
EMBODY
SEPTEMBER-DECEMBER 2014
BREATHING: LISTENING AND DISCOVERY Breath is a basic tool to develop awareness of the interconnectedness of the inner and outer landscape, and to weave them into a more cohesive whole, bringing about, over time, real change in health, well-being, and relationships within and without. Come learn to pay attention to the simple profound spirit: the breath that is moving into every cell within and around you, and to breathe consciously. Paying attention in this way invites transformation and letting go. We will gently explore the science of breath and how we can impact all aspects of our inner and outer self through choosing to pay attention to this force that enlivens us. Our time together will conclude with an invitational ritual of intent. In shifting how you pay attention to the breath, you are invited to become a midwife to yourself and to the transformation of the world. As you continue this practice, both you and your body will gently soften and slow down. Discover how all aspects of you and your interactions in and with the world around you begin to change. Come as you are able. Facilitator: Margaret McRaith, MA, PT, has studied the science of the body (outer landscape) for over 40 years in her physical therapy practice, and the science of the soul or spirit (inner landscape) through transpersonal psychology (psychosynthesis) and energy medicine (esoteric healing) based ancient wisdom teachings. She weaves these seemingly separate paradigms together in her practice and programs.
LECTIO DIVINA: MORNINGS OF REFLECTION DURING ADVENT Lectio Divina or Sacred Reading is the slow, repetitive reading of a sacred text that leads one to the ultimate step of resting in God. It is not Scripture study, nor is it spiritual reading. It is an invitation to take a “long, loving look at Scripture” as spiritual director Teresa Blythe states. “It is a time for falling in love with the Word and experiencing the goodness of God.” This four-step process for being with Scripture in a prayerful manner includes: Reading (Lectio); Meditating (Meditatio); Praying (Oratio); and Contemplating (Contemplatio). Using texts for Advent, you will experience this ancient prayer form in a group setting, though it is easily adapted to individual practice and can be incorporated into your prayer life. Facilitator: Pat Jones is a Spiritual Director, Psychologist Emeritus, and former Benedictine. Introduction to Lectio Divina experience: Monday, November 24, 10:00 to 11:30 am Four practice sessions: Mondays, December 1, 8, 15, 22, 10:00 to 10:45 am COST: Free. RSVP to 651-696-2788 or info@wisdomwayscenter.org WHEN:
Fridays, September 19, October 17, November 21, December 19, 9:00 to 10:15 am COST: Free. RSVP to 651-696-2788 or info@wisdomwayscenter.org WHEN:
www.wisdomwayscenter.org
651-696-2788
info@wisdomwayscenter.org
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Art Exhibit ART EXHIBITS
TRACKS IN THE SNOW: THE MINNESOTA MUSLIM EXPERIENCE SINCE 1880 Come savor a very special opportunity to get to know our neighbors – the little-known yet rapidly growing Muslim community in Minnesota. Tracks in the Snow offers an insightful glimpse into the lives and rich contributions of this community. Portraits and stories of 25 individuals, told in their own words, invite you to learn more about the Muslims who have made Minnesota their home for more than a century.
Tracks in the Snow has appeared at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts, the State Capitol, and the Walker Arts Center. Wisdom Ways is proud to welcome this fourth phase of the Minnesota Muslim Experience project, produced by the Islamic Research Group through generous support from the Minnesota Historical Society Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund. www.irgmn.org/muslimexperience/exhibit/ WHEN:
August 25 to September 22
Community Reception on Thursday, September 18, 7:00 to 8:00 pm
Tracks in the Snow 18
All programs are held at Carondelet Center, 1890 Randolph Ave., St. Paul, unless otherwise noted.
ts
INTO THE DEPTHS: POSTURES OF GRIEF
DEEP WATERS Water prints by Peter L. Johnson
Woodcut Prints by Baya Clare, CSJ In coming to peace with some of the losses in my life, I have found it helpful to give grief some images of its own. I made this series of woodcuts about 15 years ago in the context of an independent study course in printmaking that I took at St. Kate’s while working on a master’s degree in theology. They were gouged raw from pinewood blocks, which was a difficult, but also satisfying and healing process in the way that major griefs can be. www.bayadraws.com WHEN:
ART EXHIBITS
SEPTEMBER-DECEMBER 2014
September 23 to October 20
Peter L. Johnson makes art with water in, on, and alongside the Mississippi and Minnesota Rivers. Johnson brings his photographs with their embedded river stories to open-air studios, where the water and nature’s tools on hand mark, draw on, stain, paint, and infuse the prints. These art-making places are at the two rivers’ confluence, a farm culvert stream choked with run-off commodity farm sediment, the headwaters, a basically pristine trout stream, and a spot where a haz-mat suit was required to work in the Mississippi River. www.peterljohnson.com WHEN:
Community Reception on Tuesday, October 7, 7:00 to 8:00 pm
November 12 to December 12 (Featured artist and presenter for Fall Soul Conference on November 14-15)
O ANTIPHONS: ADÉ BETHUNE: THE POWER OF ONE PERSON THE ADVENT NAMES OF GOD Drawing from items in St. Catherine University’s Adé Bethune Collection, this exhibition commemorates the centennial of the artist, writer, and activist. From her early association with the Catholic Worker, Bethune went on to become a pioneering liturgical artist as well as a driving force for social justice and community change. The exhibition will highlight her contributions to art, especially liturgical art, and social action initiatives. This exhibit is from a larger exhibition and lecture series at St. Catherine University Catherine G. Murphy Gallery from September 8 to December 19, co-sponsored by the Myser Initiative on Catholic Identity; Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet, St. Paul Province; Alumnae Council Lifelong Learning Committee; and Friends of the Catherine G. Murphy Gallery. WHEN:
October 21 to November 10
Paintings by Ansgar Holmberg, CSJ There are seven short verses sung before the Magnificat during the Evening Prayer of the Church on the seven days before the vigil of Christmas. They each begin with the exclamation “O” and end with a plea for the Messiah to come. These “O Antiphons”, as they are known, were composed in the seventh or eighth century when monks put together texts from the Old Testament, which looked forward to the coming of our salvation. They form a rich mosaic of scriptural images, and became very popular in the Middle Ages. WHEN:
December 12 to December 25
Art exhibits can be viewed on the ground level of Carondelet Center during regular business hours, Monday-Friday and weekends.
www.wisdomwayscenter.org
651-696-2788
info@wisdomwayscenter.org
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LOOKING AHEAD
Save these dates in 2015
Christian Wiman May 15-16, 2015
Elizabeth Johnson, CSJ September 25, 2015
Poet, translator, editor, and essayist Christian Wiman often explores themes of spiritual faith and doubt in his spare, precise poems.
Elizabeth Johnson, Professor of Theology at Fordham University, reimagined God from the perspective of women’s experience in She Who Is and sees science and religion in communion, not conflict, in Ask the Beasts: Darwin and the God of Love.
Retreat with Barbara Brown Taylor and John Philip Newell August 2-5, 2015 Episcopal priest Barbara Brown Taylor is author of 13 books, including the New York Times bestsellers Learning to Walk in the Dark and An Altar in the World. John Philip Newell is a poet, peacemaker, scholar of Celtic spirituality, and minister of the Church of Scotland with a fresh vision for harmony between the great spiritual traditions of humanity.
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All programs are held at Carondelet Center, 1890 Randolph Ave., St. Paul, unless otherwise noted.
SEPTEMBER-DECEMBER 2014
CELESTE’S DREAM YOUNG ADULT SPIRITUALITY
ADDITIONAL OPPORTUNITIES
JUSTICE COMMISSION
Inspire Social Action * Experience Community How do we connect spirit, work and learning in community? Rooted in the Catholic, Christian faith, we welcome young adults (20-35 years old) from all spiritual traditions into opportunities to integrate their education, values, spirituality, and work in the context of community. We offer active and contemplative space, programs and opportunities to intersect with local and international spirituality and justice work of the Sisters of St. Joseph and Consociates community. Community Garden 2014 Weekly gardening Tuesdays 6:00 to 8:00 pm through October • Learn organic growing methods and enjoy healthy heirloom produce • Participate in a local food system and build community with Earth Join us for harvest, cultivation, food processing and potluck gatherings.
The Justice Commission of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet and Consociates, St. Paul Province, acts for justice and equality for all by always moving toward profound love of God and neighbor without distinction. We join with other groups in addressing issues influencing human dignity and Earth. 11th Day Prayer for Peace Created in 2001 and offered on the 11th of each month, 11th Day Prayer for Peace provides the opportunity for those gathered to pray for peace in situations throughout the world where it is needed. Themes include a variety of issues such as anti-human trafficking, dismantling racism, eco-justice, immigration reform, life from womb to tomb and more. WHEN: 11th day of each month, 6:30 to 7:15 pm WHERE: The Chapel of the Presentation of Our Lady
(CSJ Chapel), 1890 Randolph Ave., St. Paul
Save the date: February 17, 2015, 7:00 to 9:00 pm Breaking the Impasse VI with Sister Simone Campbell, Executive Director, NETWORK: A National Catholic Social Justice Lobby.
Visiting Women’s Religious Communities - Saturday, October 11 Visit four different religious communities to meet, learn, share meals, and pray with Catholic Sisters. We visit local communities of Benedictines, Franciscan Poor Clares, School Sisters of Notre Dame, and Sisters of St. Joseph. For more information or to register, go to www.csjstpaul.org/celeste or contact 651-696-2873 or celeste@csjstpaul.org
www.wisdomwayscenter.org
651-696-2788
info@wisdomwayscenter.org
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ADDITIONAL OPPORTUNITIES
SISTERS OF ST. JOSEPH SPIRITUALITY MINISTRIES
SECOND SUNDAY CSJ MEMBERSHIP AND ASSOCIATION The CSJ Way: Community, Spirituality, and Justice – a half-day retreat! Spend a Saturday morning with the Sisters of St. Joseph and Consociates learning about the many ways to become involved with this energetic, contemporary community of spirituality and justice. The morning will include prayer and stories focusing on this community’s mission and spirituality. Learn about how you can engage as program participant, volunteer, friend, Consociate, Sister and/or other ways of associating. Healthy, nourishing snacks will be provided. Join this movement! WHEN: WHERE:
Saturday, September 27, 9:00 am to 12:30 pm CSJ Administration Center, 1884 Randolph Ave. St. Paul, MN CONTACT: Joan Pauly Schneider at 651-690-7063, jpaulyschneider@csjstpaul.org, or Mary Kaye Medinger at 651-690-7082, mkmedinger@csjstpaul.org. Rituals to Mark the Seasons – Experience the Mystery of the Seasons A time to gather in prayer, ritual, silence and song to mark the sacred cycles of the Universe in which we live. (Begun by Sister Rosann Giguerre and Joyce Eckes.) September 17 Autumn Equinox: Balancing the mystery of light and dark October 29 Samhain: The thinning of the veil between the worlds December 17 Winter Solstice: Mystery of the longest night
Second Sunday is a community circle in which women and men and families gather to reflect together on the Sunday scriptures. Second Sunday began among the Sisters of St. Joseph in three community houses. We reflect on the Sunday gospel and nourish one another’s lives with this sharing. We share bread and wine and lift up the prayers of all gathered and concerns for the world. Following, we drink coffee and enjoy treats. All are welcome and invited to come when you can. The group is a new blessing each month. WHEN: Second Sunday of each month, 10:00 am WHERE: Carondelet Center, 1890 Randolph Ave., St. CONTACT: Therese Sherlock, CSJ, 651-690-7011
SPIRITUAL DIRECTION
Spiritual Direction is the practice of being with people as they attempt to deepen their relationship with the divine. In spiritual direction, space is created for one to learn and grow in their spirituality. The person seeking direction shares stories of his or her encounters of the divine, or how he or she is experiencing spiritual issues. Spiritual direction nurtures a deeper relationship with the spiritual aspect of being human. It is not counseling, psychotherapy or financial planning. If you seek spiritual direction, the following CSJ Spiritual Directors are available to support you on your journey. Elizabeth Kerwin, CSJ 651-641-0008 Margaret L. Kvasnicka, CSJ 651-696-2805 (women only) Mary Lamski, CSJ 651-695-5387 Susan Oeffling, CSJ 651-696-2757 Cathy Steffens, CSJ 651-696-2760 Jill Underdahl, CSJ 651-696-2873 Gina Webb, CSJ 651-696-2757
ather at 5:30 pm; ritual from 6:00 to 7:00 pm. G Events are free. WHERE: Carondelet Center CONTACT: Mary Lou Flandrick at 612-724-6008 WHEN:
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Paul
All programs are held at Carondelet Center, 1890 Randolph Ave., St. Paul, unless otherwise noted.
SEPTEMBER-DECEMBER 2014
EVENTS IN THE WIDER COMMUNITY
EVENTS IN THE WIDER COMMUNITY JOAN CHITTISTER GIVES THE 8TH ANNUAL MYSER LECTURE ON CATHOLIC IDENTITY
October 30, 7:00 to 9:00pm at The O’Shaughnessy, St. Catherine University. Joan Chittister is one of the most articulate social analysts and influential religious leaders of our times. For 40 years she has put her energy into advocating for the critical questions impacting the global community. Courageous, passionate and charged with energy, she is a much sought-after speaker, counselor and clear voice across all religions. A best-selling author of more than 50 books, columnist and noted international lecturer, she has received numerous honors for her work on behalf of peace, human rights, women’s issues and church renewal. She is a member of the Benedictine Sisters of Erie, PA.
SAINT CLAIR SUNDAY EVENINGS AT PILGRIM LUTHERAN CHURCH
“A Clear Pure Note in the Silence” CELTIC CONTEMPLATIVE COMMUNION:
NORDIC CONTEMPLATIVE EVENING PRAYER:
* a Celtic Journey into the Mysteries
* the rich and haunting music of the Scandinavian peoples
September 14
The Silence We Have Never Heard
October 12
The Dead Enter and Pass Among Us
November 9
This Quotidian Wilderness
September 28 Hjemlengsel: Longing for Home 10th Anniversary of Nordic Evening Prayer Post-Worship Celebration of Nordic Food, Music and Dance
December 14
The Newborn Cosmos
December 24
Celtic Christmas Eve
October 26
So Many Heavy Coats of Time
November 23
Expeditions to the Borders of Mystery
January 25
The Brilliant Shadow of God
All evening services are at 6:51 pm at Pilgrim Lutheran Church, 1935 St. Clair Ave., Saint Paul. For more information, go to www.pilgrimstpaul.org, or call 651-699-6886
www.wisdomwayscenter.org
651-696-2788
info@wisdomwayscenter.org
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WISDOM WAYS RESOURCES
LIBRARY Wisdom Ways’ collection of more than 3000 books, audio, videotapes and CD/DVDs on spirituality-related themes is located in the west parlor of Carondelet Center. Browse our labyrinth section of inspiring images and background on the labyrinth, grief and loss, spirituality and more.
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Randolph Ave.
All programs are held at Carondelet Center, 1890 Randolph Ave., St. Paul, unless otherwise noted.
Admin Center
Carondelet Center
Fairview
Our labyrinth facilitators are available to bring presentations and portable labyrinths to your site or to guide you in the use of your own labyrinth. Contact us at 651-696-2788 to make arrangements or visit www.wisdomwayscenter.org
DIRECTIONS TO CARONDELET CENTER Carondelet Center is located at 1890 Randolph Avenue, St. Paul, between Cleveland and Fairview Avenues. From I-94, take the Snelling or Cretin/Vandalia exit south to Randolph Avenue. Travel west from Snelling or east from Cretin. From I-35E, take the Randolph exit west past Fairview to 1890 Randolph. Turn in at either of the two driveways marked by the brown and teal signs marked CSJ, Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet. Free parking is available.
Cleveland
LABYRINTH RESOURCES TO RENT One mission of Wisdom Ways is to share resources in ever-expanding circles. Wisdom Ways has over 70 multiplesized labyrinths and ritual items for rent. Canvas labyrinths are available to rent for church or community events, retreat days, civic gatherings, weddings, celebrations and personal use. Additional ritual and creative resources are also available. To see selection, visit www.wisdomwayscenter.org or call 651-696-2788 to make arrangements.
FALL/WINTER 2014 CALENDAR
SEPTEMBER-DECEMBER 2014
SEPTEMBER Date Program 9/2 Tuesday Evening Christian Meditation begins Series: Tuesdays, 9/2 to 12/23 9/10 Men’s Centering Prayer 9/12
Walking in Harmony: A Labyrinth Journey
OCTOBER continued Page
14 11 16
9/17 Men’s Spirituality: Bridges to Contemplative Living
11
9/18
Art Exhibit Reception: Tracks in the Snow
18
9/19
Breathing: Listening and Discovery
17
9/22 Hedgerow Initiative: Evolution and the Christian Creed in Dialogue
8
9/24 Men’s Spirituality: Bridges to Contemplative Living
11
9/25 Crossing Borders: A Prayer Service
15
9/29 Hedgerow Initiative: Evolution and the Christian Creed in Dialogue
8
OCTOBER Date
Program
Page
10/4
Creativity as Midwife: The Dance of Creation — Labyrinths of Healing Prayer and Art
10/6
Hedgerow Initiative: Evolution and the Christian Creed in Dialogue
8
10/7
Art Exhibit Reception: Into the Depths
18
10/8
Men’s Spirituality: Bridges to Contemplative Living
11
10/8
Men’s Centering Prayer
11
10/9
Cunning Wisdom: Hebrew Midwives and Other Examples of the Trickster Spirit in Biblical Narrative
4
9
Date
Program
Page
10/13
Hedgerow Initiative: Evolution and the Christian Creed in Dialogue
8
10/14
Midwifery: Wisdom for Spiritual Renewal 5
10/15
Becoming One with the One: An Introduction to Christian Meditation
14
10/16
Cunning Wisdom: Hebrew Midwives and Other Examples of the Trickster Spirit in Biblical Narrative
4
10/17
Breathing: Listening and Discovery
17
10/20
Hedgerow Initiative: Evolution and the Christian Creed in Dialogue
8
10/21
Midwifery: Wisdom for Spiritual Renewal 5
10/22
Becoming One with the One: An Introduction to Christian Meditation
14
10/22
Men’s Spirituality: Bridges to Contemplative Living
11
10/23
Cunning Wisdom: Hebrew Midwives and Other Examples of the Trickster Spirit in Biblical Narrative
4
10/27
Hedgerow Initiative: Evolution and the Christian Creed in Dialogue
8
10/28
Midwifery: Wisdom for Spiritual Renewal 5
10/29
Becoming One with the One: An Introduction to Christian Meditation
14
10/31
Wisdom Spreads Her Table: A Feast Celebrating Wisdom Ways
15
10/10 Walking in Harmony: A Labyrinth Journey 16 10/10 Sacred Art of Living and Dying, Unit 3 6 10/11
www.wisdomwayscenter.org
651-696-2788
info@wisdomwayscenter.org
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FALL/WINTER 2014 CALENDAR
NOVEMBER
DECEMBER
Date
Program
Page
11/3 11/10 11/11 11/12 11/12 11/14 11/14 11/15 11/17 11/18 11/19 11/21 11/24 11/24 11/25
Hedgerow Initiative: Evolution and the Christian Creed in Dialogue
8
Hedgerow Initiative: Evolution and the Christian Creed in Dialogue
8
Literary “Midwives”: Assisting in the Delivery of Words and Stories
9
Men’s Spirituality: Bridges to Contemplative Living
11
Men’s Centering Prayer
11
Walking in Harmony: A Labyrinth Journey 16 Fall Soul: The Price of Sand —The Value of Life
10
Hedgerow Initiative: Evolution and the Christian Creed in Dialogue
8
Literary “Midwives”: Assisting in the Delivery of Words and Stories
9
Men’s Spirituality: Bridges to Contemplative Living
11
Breathing: Listening and Discovery
17
Lectio Divina: Mornings of Reflection During Advent
17
Hedgerow Initiative: Evolution and the Christian Creed in Dialogue
8
Literary “Midwives”: Assisting in the Delivery of Words and Stories
9
Date
Program
Page
12/1 12/1 12/6 12/8 12/8 12/12 12/13 12/15 12/17 12/17 12/18 12/19
Lectio Divina: Mornings of Reflection During Advent
17
Hedgerow Initiative: Evolution and the Christian Creed in Dialogue
8
12/22
Soul Fury: An Evening with Coleman Barks 7 Lectio Divina: Mornings of Reflection During Advent
17
Hedgerow Initiative: Evolution and the Christian Creed in Dialogue
8
Walking in Harmony: A Labyrinth Journey 16 Advent Day of Contemplative Prayer
14
Lectio Divina: Mornings of Reflection During Advent
17
Men’s Spirituality: Bridges to Contemplative Living
11
Men’s Centering Prayer
11
The Soul Landscape of the Long Night: A Winter Solstice Service
15
Breathing: Listening and Discovery
17
Lectio Divina: Mornings of Reflection During Advent
17
ONGOING OFFERINGS Tuesday Evening Christian Meditation: Times of Prayer Tuesdays, September 2 to December 23 7:00 to 7:40 pm
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All programs are held at Carondelet Center, 1890 Randolph Ave., St. Paul, unless otherwise noted.
INDEX AND REGISTRATION
SEPTEMBER-DECEMBER 2014
PRESENTERS IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER - WINTER-SPRING 2014 Elizabeth Jarrett Andrew . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Coleman Barks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Mayr Boros. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Ted Bowman. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Michael Dennis Browne . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Deborah Chernick. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Baya Clare . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Louie Doering. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Susan Hames. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Karen Hering. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Ansgar Holmberg . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Emily Jarrett Hughes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Peter L. Johnson. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10, 19 Pat Jones. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Patricia Kirkpatrick. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Marilyn Larsen. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Alan Shavit-Lonstein. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Barbara Lund. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 John Marboe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
MJ McGregor. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Katherine McLaughlin. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Margaret McRaith . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Mary Kaye Medinger. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Joan Mitchell. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Jim Moore. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Susan Oeffling. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Mary Preus. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Joan Pauly Schneider. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Ed Sellner. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Terry Shaughnessy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Catherine Steffens. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Jim Tittle. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Sara Thomsen. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Jill Welter. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 David Whetstone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Marcus Wise. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Tom Witt. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
REGISTRATION INFORMATION Ways to register: Online registration at www.wisdomwayscenter.org • We accept American Express, Discover, MasterCard, Visa and personal checks. • Phone registration at 651-696-2788 or email at info@wisdomwayscenter.org. • Mail registration to: Wisdom Ways, 1890 Randolph Ave., St. Paul, MN 55105 • Gift certificates are available, call 651-696-2788. • Financial assistance is available. • Full refunds with a week advance notice.
Registration Form Name: ____________________________________ Address: ___________________________________ City: ____________________ State: __ Zip: ______ Phone: ____________________________________ Email: _____________________________________ Would you like to receive program updates by email? (We do not sell or share our email list.) Yes No Program Names: Dates 1. 2. 3. 4. Amount Due: ________________________
Unless otherwise noted, all events will be held at the Carondelet Center, 1890 Randolph Avenue, Saint Paul, MN Free and ample parking.
PAYMENT OPTIONS: ____ Check payable to Wisdom Ways ____ American Express ____ Discover ____ Master Card ____ Visa Card #: ________________________________/AVG Expiration Date: _____________________________ Name on card: ______________________________ DONATION OPTIONS: General Scholarship for participants: In memory/honor of:
$ ___________ $ ___________ $ ___________
Total enclosed for programs: Tax deductible donation:
$ ___________ $ ___________
GRAND TOTAL:
$ ___________
www.wisdomwayscenter.org
651-696-2788
info@wisdomwayscenter.org
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NON-PROFIT ORG US POSTAGE
PAID
TWIN CITIES, MN PERMIT NO. 1990 A Ministry of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet 1884 Randolph Avenue, St. Paul, MN 55105
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