Discernment Retreat Week Ten
ENDING
You have now come to the end of your Discernment Retreat. We have covered a good deal of ground. Take some time to review how you have experienced this time of reflection.
Light a candle and open your prayer journal.
Spend 5 mins in silent prayer thanking God for moments of insight and experiences of peace.
Now turn to any page and read it through slowly.
How has God spoken to you?
What do you feel the next step might be for you?
Do you feel drawn to the Benedictine Way of Life? Are you free to make this choice: i.e. are you a single, practising Catholic, free from debt or dependents and from any serious health problems?
If your general feeling is that you would like to pursue the Benedictine path, then it’s time to get in contact with some Benedictine monasteries. Find their websites and write or email.
Share your experience of your retreat with someone. If you don’t already have a Spiritual Director, then begin to make some enquiries and see if you can find one.
The Retreat Association can help with finding a spiritual director:
www.retreats.org.uk/spiritualdirection.php
If you live in the London area The London Centre for Spiritual Direction may help you:
www.lcsd.org.uk/spiritual-direction/
It’s very normal to feel unsure and nervous about taking the next step. Trust in God.
You may find it helpful to keep to the prayer pattern that you established during your retreat.
Further Reading
There are numerous books on Benedictine Spirituality available. You might find the following helpful at the Beginning of your journey:A Touch of God: Eight Monastic Journeys New edition by Maria Boulding (ISBN: 9780281043569)
Touched by God: Ten Monastic Journeys by Laurentia Johns (ISBN: 9780860124511)