This coming weekend I am going on a Centering Prayer retreat at the Sisters of Charity Spirituality Center in Cinti. It's been many years since I have been on ANY kind of retreat.

Please remember me in your prayers..

Katy

That sounds great, Katy. Be sure to let us know how it goes.

Hi Katy,

Yes, you are in my prayers, indeed. I pray that our Father in Heaven grant you great peace and healing during your retreat. I know that you have suffered much in mind and body, but hold fast to Christ's promises!

with love, Shasha

Wishing you well for your retreat, Katy.

Thank you! I will let you know how it goes.

Katy

Well, the Centering Prayer retreat was pretty nice.. I didn't really learn anything new however, as I have read Keating's and others' books on C.P. I did like the experience of centering though with other people which I have never done before.

One interesting thing was that they had a communion service. Now I may be behind the times, but I have never heard of this.. that is, no priest consecrating the bread and "wine" (actually grape juice). One of the leaders of the group (of nine participants) broke up a small loaf of bread and passed it around, then the grape juice. Also one of the leaders, and they were all catholic, said that we are the ones who consecrate the elements. They "acted" as if this really was a Eucharistic celebration. So I am wondering if this was the "real" thing or what. ????

Phil, I also saw a couple of your books in the nuns library. :-)

I also walked the labyrinth , something I had never done before.

Thi sisters were extremely kind and hospitable. It was a good weekend, but nothing extraordinary.

Katy

LOL! When I looked at this thread title today, I saw it as "Going on a PC retreat." Don't know if I'd enjoy that kind.

Glad to hear it went well, Katy. I've been on a few CP retreats and have found the group silence to be the best part of them. It seemed that I was somehow blessed by the prayer and silence of others.

From a Catholic perspective, that communion service wouldn't be considered Sacramental. Was this a Catholic facility? Were the leaders Catholics? If so, they should know better. That doesn't meant that one can't have such a service and find some enrichment from it, of course.

No, not a P.C. retreat. lol needed to get away from the P.C. actually. :-)

Yes, the retreat was at the Sisters of Charity Motherhouse, mind you. And yes the leaders were all Catholic. They didn't really SAY the communion was sacramental, but the way they went about it, and that comment about us consecrating the bread sure made it seem so.

Katy

It's interesting that exactly the same way it goes in the services that are celebrated during sesshins of the Sanbo-Kyodan Zen school, when Catholic priests-Zen masters do it. Willigis Jaeger, after he was forbidden to celebrate sacraments by the Congregation, started to do those "agapas", and I participated in them many times. Protestants usually liked them very much, as well as rebellious Catholics, but I didn't like it that much. I participated also in similar eucharists by another priest/Zen master and they were similar to what you describe, Katy. I think it's meant for the people who have hard time accepting traditional Catholic ritual, but it should be clarified, whether it's sacramental or not (the latter is of course nothing bad, perhaps a very good thing, when there are different denominations).
I wonder if there's any influence on Contempl.Outreach by Sanbo-Kyodan or the other way round.

quote:

Originally posted by Katy:

Yes, the retreat was at the Sisters of Charity Motherhouse, mind you. And yes the leaders were all Catholic. They didn't really SAY the communion was sacramental, but the way they went about it, and that comment about us consecrating the bread sure made it seem so.

Katy

If that's what they think and teach, they are in error. This is an issue about which Protestant traditions are careful, making distinctions between symbolic memorial services and eucharistic celebrations, where some kind of valid orders are required.

It would be interesting to hear more of the theological justifications for the practice of the CP people, Jaeger, etc. (some might well still be ordained). My guess is that it's pretty wimpy.

I'm from a Protestant background. We will often give and receive communion in this way. We believe that every believer is a Priest and can perform the duties of a Priest.

That said, as Phil points out, Protestants usually believe communion to be nothing more than symbolic remembrance.

I however have been influenced by the teaching that Christ is present in the bread and wine. While I may not have a personal theological dogma regarding how this happens, I can testify to the fact that when I receive the bread and wine during a communion celebration (whether in church or not) I receive the body and blood of Christ into my being and enjoy a spiritual connection with Jesus through the act.

Much Love in the Lord Jesus

Jacques

Jacques, It seems that whatever your belief is makes it so..

Regarding the CP Communion service, they didn't really say anything either way. I think the leader should have explained. But then, like I said, one of the leaders did say we are the one's who do our own "consecrating". I'm almost certain he and all the others were Catholic.

Actually they called it a "Prayer Service" First we did Lectio Divina. Then the communion.

Mt, If I go to their CP Support group, I will see what else I can find out... to see if they were influenced by Sanbo-Kyodan.

Thanks for your comments

Katy