Had a great time up the mountain. For those of you who live in
Melbourne and have never spent time at Pallotti College in Millgrove in
the Warburton Valley I thoroughly recommend it as a great place for
silence and refreshment. It is run by a Catholic order called the
Pallentine Order (named after their founder, Italian, Vincent Pallotti).
It is just a beautiful, peaceful place with sweeping views over the
valley. Why do the Catholic's always choose the high ground with the
best views?
I didn't know the others on this retreat but we soon
became collegues and friends. Geoff Pound the principal at Whitley
College led us through some reflective questions and exercises about our
previous theological training, mentors, formation, hopes, dreams and
relationships. There was good opportunity for sharing and personal
reflection. A great time and one I appreciated greatly...
Which
brings me to a question that I have been comtemplating for quite a
while. How can this be created for people who live busy lives in the
city and can't necessarily take 24 hours out of their schedule like I
did? Mum's, dads, students, workers, housebound, citybound?
Here are some ideas I have that we can all do...
1. Take the lunch break to sit in a park and pray, journal or meditate on similar themes.
2. Get a few friends together for a night of reflection and sharing on similar themes.
3. Practice praying through a daily office like David Adam's Celtic Daily Prayer.
4. Walk early in the morning (get a dog if necessary!).
5. Use meditative CD's.
6 Journal.
7. Go to an old church that is open through the day for private contemplation.
8.
Purposely sit in a busy shopping mall and read the Bible. Feel the
juxtaposition between the modern, consumer forces upon you and the
ancient truth of God's Word.
Any others out there?
Andrew
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