A Day Of Contemplative Prayer at Bon Secours Spiritual Center

By Phil Stone
FindtheDivine

A group of twenty gathered in late August at Bon Secours Spiritual Center in Maryland for a day of peace and prayer to come closer to God. The group was made up of both religious and lay individuals from different denominations: Catholic, Episcopal, Methodist, Presbyterian and Quaker. Martha Campbell and Mary Ann Mulzet, SSJ facilitated the Day of Prayer and introduced the basics of Lectio Divina and Centering Prayer.

Bon Secours is located on 313 acres adjacent to the serene beauty of Patapsco State Park in central Maryland. The center has 84 air-conditioned rooms, an outdoor pool, a fitness center, numerous conference rooms, an outdoor labyrinth, a bookstore and a cafeteria. Services include: spiritual direction, private retreats, directed retreats, conferences and a full calendar of programs for spiritual and personal development.

This August day was special. God was present at Bon Secours. He was present in the people, in the place and in the program about contemplative prayer. His presence was validated by nature singing His praises. The day was cloudy and cool, the cicadas were singing, butterflies darting from bloom to bloom and a waterfall provided a rhythmic reminder that we were in a holy place.

The group shared why we had come from our busy lives to be on a quiet retreat this special day. Most were looking for a respite from their hectic lives to rediscover God and re-energize themselves as summer comes to an end. Some wished to know more about contemplative prayer as a way to get closer to the God that dwells within all of us. Martha Thomas, from Northern Virginia, was looking for a day of Centering Prayer to regroup after a summer of loss and grief. Although our prayers were in silence, we all agreed that there was an added benefit of being in a group that was seeking the peace and love of God.

This day of prayer consisted of silence, contemplative prayer, exercise, lunch and reassurance that God dwells in the quiet. As the Bon Secours brochure states, “ No previous knowledge or experience is necessary. Come with a willingness to open your heart to God.”

For more information, email Bon Secours at bssc@BSHSI.com