We were graced to share in days of retreat and extended silence at the Mount Saint Marcrina House of Prayer in Uniontown, PA. The spacious and scenic grounds of this monastery offered the perfect setting for our meditation and solitude. Our retreat was directed by Sister Barbara Jean Mihalchick, OSBM, a member of the Sisters of St. Basil. Currently, she serves as vocation directress and the program director of the House of Prayer. The Divine Liturgy was offered each day by Abouna Nadim Helou, newly assigned pastor of St. George Maronite parish in Uniontown.
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| The Maronite Servants with Sr. Barbara Jean in the Shrine to Our Lady of Perpetual Help. |
Our theme was "Seek My Face", in which Jesus calls us to a life of deeper prayer, especially through Sacred Scripture.
Tresa Van Heusen: "On our first day of retreat we were asked to meditate on Isaiah 6. I was struck by..."here I am, send me!" I found myself saying to him, "here I am, send me!" With all the love and forgiveness I have received from Our Lord, my desire is to serve his will, to go where he wants me to go, and do what he wants me to do."
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| The House of Prayer Chapel (Byzantine Catholic Church). |
Therese Touma: "As a postulant, I found this retreat encouraging as it gave me the opportunity to get to know myself more in the light of the Holy Spirit, and to grow in my desire to see, know and love the Lord more deeply, as an intimate friend. I learned that if I want to grow in my friendship with Christ, then I need to give him more of a chance to speak to me, share himself and transform me into his image."