Archabbot Lambert/SPAN> Reilly, OSB, Retreat Master @ Terra Sancta Retreat Center, Rapid City, South Dakota
Another retreat is now history. I’m told it goes in the books as being one of the best attended, and from many of the priests, one of the best overall.
Archabbot Lambert Reilly, OSB is an internationally renowned retreat master, and our priests were well served by his depth of spirituality, experience, wisdom, hard-hitting style and message, and many humorous anecdotes!
It is good for all of us to be reminded on a regular basis that our lives are to be centered on Christ. Our thinking and our mind is to be the mind of Christ. It is when we begin canonizing our own opinions and views of the world, the Church and others that we begin to get ourselves into trouble. In short, we are called to be saints, and yet, the only passage to our sanctity is through the messiness of our sinfulness. Thus, our need, only and always, for Christ.
Our group of priests were only the third or fourth group to make a retreat in the newly dedicated Terra Sancta Retreat Center, now owned and operated by the Diocese of Rapid City. The location and buildings were the previous site for a Benedictine community of women religious, known as St. Martin’s Benedictine Monastery.
An interesting note of connection is that these sisters were founded years ago in Sturgis, SD by a Benedictine Bishop, who had ties to St. Meinrad, Bishop Martin Marty, OSB. I’m a little fuzzy on his history, but I intend to do some research.
I would like to take this time to encourage this readership to give some time to your own spiritual life. We all could use a bit more quiet, and a slower pace. If it has been a while since you made a retreat, perhaps this summer would be a good time to slow down and spend some quality time with Jesus. If getting away for a week or a few days is not possible, then perhaps we could all simply recommit to some quiet time each day, to sit with the LORD, either before the Blessed Sacrament or in our ‘prayer chair’ with the Scriptures. Either way, we can always benefit by renewing our walk with Christ, and strengthening our own habits of prayer.
Wishing all a blessed summer,
+PDE
Priests of the Diocese of Cheyenne with Retreat Master, Archabbot Lambert Reilly, OSB, Terra Sancta Retreat Center, Rapid City, South Dakota; Photo courtesy of Fr. Ron Stolcis
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