DAILY RETREAT STRUCTURE

Retreat Structure 

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Daily Offerings

Morning Devotion w/Fr. Christian Raab

Scripture Reflections from Young Adults

Lunchtime Homily w/Fr. Eddie Dwyer

Vespers w/monks

Lectio Divina w/Br. Simon

Works of Mercy w/Sarah Seski

Horarium

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This is a virtual retreat and you can engage the daily offerings at your leisure. Still it is nice to have a plan.

So here are some general tips for how to structure your day:

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+ Use this time to sleep more and rest but do it at a set time. Don’t stay up forever playing video games or watching YouTube. Set a bedtime and wakeup time even if its longer.

+ Meals during the quarantine will be taken at home. Set that time. If you are with others, take turns in preparing meals.

+ Once you have sleep and meals set, now you have blocks of time in between. Divide these up with work, play, and prayer. I suggest attaching prayer to meals as these will be a constant. For example, set a prayer time right before breakfast or right after supper.

+ St. Benedict saw physical labor as a very important piece to our life. So, while you may be busy with school work or may be with kids who are doing schoolwork, don’t be afraid to do other physical projects. Whether it’s gardening outside, picking up sticks, or walking or playing with the dog, do something that is physical. This could also include times for walking, playing catch, and other exercise. Work can also include art. Playing an instrument, painting, coloring, building with Legos are all good forms of work as well.

+ Then fill in other times with leisure. Watching a movie, playing board games with one another, or reading a favorite book are good forms of leisure and it is important to do something that is enjoyable, even during a retreat.

+ In the late evening, and during the times of prayer, encourage silence. We fill our life with noise. This often helps us avoid the tougher thoughts that we don’t want to think about. Prayer, and silence in prayer, is a good time bring these hard things before the Lord.

Often times when we go on break, we throw schedules out the door, but we all know this break is different from anything we have ever experienced. So, use that as an excuse to make this time different. If we structure our life in a healthy and spiritual way during this quarantine, we may discover a whole new way of living!

With those general guidelines in mind, here is an example of how one might structure their day during the “Make Your Quarantine Your Cloister” Retreat.

· 7:30 AM - Breakfast

· 8 AM – Prayer time: Read the young adult spiritual reflections, and the works of mercy challenges to inspire your day. Wrap up your prayer hour by watching the Morning Devotion w/Fr. Christian Video and pray along!

· 9 AM – work

· 12 PM – Lunch

· 1 PM – watch Fr. Eddie’s lunch time homily (time subject to change).

· 4 PM – get outside if you have not done so already!

· 5 PM (Central)/6PM Eastern – pray vespers with the monks of Saint Meinrad Archabbey

· After vespers, prepare and enjoy a leisurely dinner.

· 7:30 PMC/8:30E – Pray lectio Divina with Br. Simon Herrmann (time subject to change)

· 8PM – spend quality leisure time with others or enjoy your solitude.

· 10PM – make the house silent.

Thanks to Fr.Aaron Jenkins for his contribution to our schedule.