Ladies and gentlemen of Courage,

Our Southeastern regional retreat will be held at Casa Maria in Irondale Alabama the weekend of April 8-10, 2011. If you have never been to Casa Maria it is a very nice retreat center where you can get away from the city life. It is home to the Sister Servants of the Eternal Word. The suggested cost of the retreat is $160.00. You may contact Sister Clare Marie sistercmarie@earthlink.net  or go to the website to register for the retreat if you have not already done so. This retreat is only for members of Courage. At a future date we will plan a retreat for Encourage and Courage members.

Mark and I look forward to seeing everyone at the retreat.
http://www.sisterservants.org/index.php

Casa Maria
3721 Belmont Road
Irondale, AL 35210-3434
(205) 956-6760

Here is the latest information I have from Fr. Fischer concerning the itinerary of the retreat.

RETREAT SCHEDULE

 Friday   PM

6:30 Registration

7:00 Mass with Homily topic - living contradiction to the world

7:50 Conference 1 topic - temptations 8:50 Benediction of the Most Blessed Sacrament (can be some silent prayer if desired) Possible courage meeting following.

 Saturday 

6:00   am Office of Readings and Morning Prayer (optional)

7:00 Mass with Homily topic - Being led

8:00 Breakfast

9:00 Conference 2 topic - Fourth and fifth step workshop

10:00 11:00 Daytime Prayer and Rosary (optional)

12:00  pm 1:00 Lunch

1:45

3:00 Divine Mercy Chaplet and Conference 3 topic - Forgiveness and guilt

4:30 Vespers and Rosary (optional)

6:00 Dinner

6:45

7:30 Exposition,

Compline (Night Prayers)

Procession,

Short talk if desired or silent prayer

Benediction and reposition

Courage meeting following exposition

 Sunday 

7:00   am Office of Readings and Morning Prayer (optional)

8:00 Breakfast

9:00  Conference 4 topic Celibacy as a vocation 11:00 Mass with Homily topic - Rising from the dead 12:00 Lunch / Departure

Rather than having a set time for confessions, I would like to be available throughout, and also get folks through their fifth step.  This is often one of the greatest hurdles in the step work.  I would like all to do this step as part of the retreat, even if it’s not perfect.

I would propose that part of the retreat be silent, as it is important for an encounter with God, which is the primary reason for the retreat.  There would be table readings at lunch and dinner, breakfast being silent.  In the evening could be a meeting or sharing of stories.