“Dear brothers and sisters, our Christian communities must become genuine 'schools' of prayer, where the meeting with Christ is expressed not just in imploring help but also in thanksgiving, praise, adoration, contemplation, listening and ardent devotion, until the heart truly 'falls in love.' Intense prayer, yes, but it does not distract us from our commitment to history: by opening our heart to the love of God it also opens it to the love of our brothers and sisters, and makes us capable of shaping history according to God’s plan.”

—Pope St. John Paul II, "Novo Millennio Ineunte," 33

This course is an introduction to the “school of prayer.” After a consideration of prayer of the Son of God, we will explore the different dimensions of the encounter with God in prayer through the lives and writings of the saints. Three online classes will serve as preparation for the five-day retreat at the Abbey of the Genesee in Piffard, New York. During the retreat, students will be invited to the experience of prayer within a monastic environment that fosters silence, presence, stillness, and spaciousness.

Each weekday at the Abbey will feature two morning conferences by Professor Lickona. Afternoons will include time for integration of the readings through shared conversation. All retreatants will be able to attend daily Mass and the hours of monastic prayer. Participants will stay in a shared retreat house on the Abbey grounds, and dinners will be prepared by retreat participants and taken in common.

Students will receive a syllabus with a list of assigned texts in early June and will be expected to read in advance of the course meetings. The course requirements will also include pre-retreat online discussions, a retreat journal, and a final paper. Preference will be given in registration to students who are taking the course for credit. Interested students are encouraged to contact Professor Lickona at [email protected] for further details.

When: July 22nd - July 26th, 2024

Where: Abbey of the Genesee

Registration Deadline: June 14th, 2024

Pre-Retreat Classes Schedule, July 8th - July 15th

6:00 - 9:00pmWeek of July 1st (exact day TBD)

Held virtually on Zoom

6:00 - 9:00pmWeek of July 8th (exact day TBD)

Held virtually on Zoom

6:00 - 9:00pmWeek of July 15th (exact day TBD)

Held virtually on Zoom

Retreat Course Daily Schedule, July 22nd - July 26th

8:15 - 9:30am ESTClass

9:30 - 10:30am ESTBreak

10:30 - 11:45amClass

4:00 - 5:15pm ESTSeminar

6:30pm ESTDinner

Location Information

Location Name
Abbey of the Genesee
Address
3258 River Road, Piffard, NY, 14533 US
Directions
Google, Bing, MapQuest

Speaker

Lisa Lickona, S.T.L. Assistant Professor of Systematic Theology

Lisa Lickona comes to St. Bernard’s after serving for eight years as Editor for Saints at "Magnificat," where she researched and wrote daily on the lives of the saints. She has written and spoken widely on issues in theological anthropology and culture from the perspective afforded by Pope John Paul II’s theology of the body and his “new feminism.” Her most recent work includes co-editing "The Relevance of the Stars: Christ, Culture, Destiny" by Lorenzo Albacete and a chapter for :Clerical Sexual Misconduct II: A Foundational Conversation." She has published essays in "Humanum," "Catholic Social Science Review," and "Ave Maria Law Review." Lisa earned her B.A. at the University of Notre Dame and holds the Masters in Theological Studies and Licentiate in Sacred Theology from the Pontifical John Paul II Institute for Studies on Marriage and Family. She has lived with her family in upstate New York for fifteen years, where for several years she operated a micro-organic farm and organized a local farmers’ market.

Register

There is a 15-person cap for this Retreat Course. Preference will be given in registration to students who are taking the course for credit (registration, as well as the standard tuition and fees billing/payment process, will be managed via Populi).

The Retreat Course book list will be provided to you in your registration confirmation email, available immediately upon registering. A syllabus will be emailed to you in early May.

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Registration Options

For credit (registration, as well as the standard tuition and fees billing/payment process, will be managed via Populi) ($340.00)
$340 covers accommodations and meals
For audit ($340.00)
Your name will be placed on waiting list, and Professor Lickona will reach out to you in May. Once accepted, auditors will be charged the usual auditing fee ($375) via Populi, as well as the $340 for accommodations and meals.

If you have any dietary restrictions, please list them here:

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