"Contemplative prayer is, in a way, simply the preference for the desert, for emptiness, for poverty... The contemplative is one who would rather not know than know... Only when we are able to 'let go' of everything within us, all desire to see, to know, to taste, and to experience the presence of God, do we truly become able to experience that presence with the overwhelming conviction and reality that revolutionize our entire inner life."
—Thomas Merton, "Contemplative Prayer"
This course will introduce students to the world of contemplative prayer within the context of Catholic theology and lived experience. Three online classes focusing on the experiences of prayer in the lives of the saints will serve as preparation for the five-day retreat at the Abbey of the Genesee. During the retreat, students will be invited to the experience of contemplation within a monastic environment that fosters silence, presence, stillness and spaciousness.
Each weekday at the Abbey will feature morning conferences by Fr. Slater on texts from the monastic tradition. Afternoon seminars with Professor Lickona will offer the opportunity for students to discuss the readings in the context of their own experience. All participants will stay in a shared retreat house at the Abbey, and meals 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 and participate in shared Zoom conversations for the three weeks that precede the retreat. A final, short online class will be held after the Abbey Retreat Course to facilitate the integration of the experience. The course requirements will also include pre-retreat online discussions, a retreat journal, and a final reflection paper. Preference will be given in registration to students who are taking the course for credit.
When: July 28th - August 1st, 2025
Where: Abbey of the Genesee
For Credit Registration Deadline: June 16th, 2025
