Thomas Merton and Our Journey into an Awakened Heart

We will be exploring the life and spirituality of Thomas Merton, one of the great spiritual teachers of our time. The first part of the day will include a performance of the play “Thomas Merton: Pilgrim and Prophet of Peace”, and, by “eaves dropping” on Merton’s spiritual journey, we will discover ways of looking more deeply at our own lives and our own journeys of awakening and growth in God. We will look at the themes of life and death, conversion, prayer, mystical experience, peace and non-violence, and “the Cosmic Dance”. Using Merton as our guide and various reflective exercises, we will seek to discover:

• how he wanted to help each of us to discover a deep inner center from which we might live lives of love, compassion, and prophetic peacemaking in this wonderful yet wounded world we love so much.

• he will ask us paradoxical questions like “What if the door to Paradise is wide open and we walk right past it?”

• and most importantly, he will lead us toward discovering our “true self” by exploring when we are most real and most alive---and how we might release God’s Love and Peace into our world by awakening to the “hidden ground of Love” which underlies all of life’s perplexities and contradictions.

Sunday, February 1, 2015 St. Joseph Retreat Center

9945 Pino Drive, Lakeside, 92040

12:00 pm to 6:00 pm

Pre-Registration Fee $30.00 (until 1/ 26/15) (includes meal and materials)

Registration Form

Advanced paid registration on or before Jan. 26 ~ $30.00 ~ $35.00 at the door Make checks payable to: Sisters of St. Francis, 4130 Donna Ave., San Diego 92115 - ATTN: LaVern

Name: _______________________________________ Phone#: ____________________

Email: _____________________________________

For more information call LaVern Olberding at 619-890-9846

About our guests: Sharon and David Hoover have recently moved from Orange County, CA to Albuquerque, N.M. David holds a Masters of Theology from the Franciscan School of Theology and Sharon holds a Masters of Counseling Psychology and a Certificate in Expressive Arts Therapy from the California School of Integral Counseling in San Francisco. Both are Spiritual Directors and until recently served as the regional coordinators for Pax Christi Southern California and Southern California Promoters for Campaign Nonviolence. We are very excited and proud to bring them back for the second session in our

Campaign Nonviolence Retreat Series. Their website: www.inscapeministries.com

The Franciscan Peace ConnectionThe Franciscan Peace Connection

PresentsPresents...... Thomas Merton DayThomas Merton Day