When you become a member of Monasteries of the Heart you receive free weekly practices that can help you develop a monastic spirituality—prayer, lectio (reflective reading), good works, study and community. You also receive free inspirational words each week from three monastic blogs, including one by Sister Joan Chittister. And you join a worldwide community whose members discuss meaningful issues and are intent on impacting the times.
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In addition to new weekly content, Monasteries of the Heart offers regular online courses, retreats and book discussions. While some of this curriculum content is free, many of the courses and retreats have a small fee. Courses and retreats usually include several emails a week, exclusive video or audio content and a facilitated discussion. Click here to see all available offerings. You must have a free membership and be logged in to register for and access courses and retreats.
Course or Retreat in session now
Instruction on monastic spirituality and way of life is essential if members of Monasteries of the Heart are to carry forward and keep alive the ancient Benedictine tradition.
Initial Monastic Formation for New Members
Study based on the book
The Monastery of the Heart by Joan Chittister
A Gentle Invitation
In her book, Insights for the Ages, Sister Joan explains that the Rule of Benedict "is not concerned with a single time and place, a single set of devotions, or a single ministry...
Next Course or Retreat to be offered
Four to six courses and retreats are offered each year at Monasteries of the Heart. This is our next online offering.
What do you say, let’s take a chance and write from our hearts. Let’s do it using the ancient Benedictine practice of Lectio Divina. Let’s read a poem together, reflect on it, respond to it in writing, carry it in our hearts, and give it flesh in our daily lives. Let’s do it for three weeks and see what happens.
Mary Lou Kownacki, coordinator of Monasteries of the Heart, will facilitate the process. Along with some published works, she has a certificate in group spiritual direction from Shalem Institute for Spiritual Formation. >>>FULL DESCRIPTION
This is a three-week eCourse that runs May 13-31. You will have access to this eCourse for six months after the course concludes.