Advisory Council
Pattie McGurk, Chair
Sr. Jane Belanger, Vice-chair
Dixie Heinrich, Secretary
Rev. Keith Funk
Rev.Danny Ginn
Rev. Kenneth Holderread
Cathy Stang
Carrie Buhler
Sclie Murray
Ken Moeder
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Individual Retreats, Private and Directed
Individual retreats are entirely tailored to the personal needs of the retreatant. Time spent in quiet reflection facilitates your spiritual journey. Access to video and book library is available.
A private retreat offers space, access to facilities and scheduling around Community liturgies and meals, however the retreatant does not need to fit into any prearranged plan. The fee is $46 per day, which includes room and three meals.
- note: we now offer a "Body and Soul" private retreat package that includes room, board, reflection resources, access to a local health club, and additional options for massage and spiritual direction. Click here for more information.
A directed retreat offers the same as above plus an opportunity to meet with a Spiritual Director. The fee is $45 per session.
Spiritual Directors: (contact info below).
Jolene Geier OP: invites you to root your spiritual journey in the broader world view where issues of peace and justice affect your soul choices.
Philip St. Romain D. Min.: as a Catholic layman, husband, father and author, invites you to see the possibilities for a contemplative life in the midst of busy-ness.
Renee Dreiling OP: invites you to discover the surprises that God splashes in and among the pleasures and pains of life.
Ann Axman invites you to explore the daily moments as sacred and gifts from God.
Marcia Berchek offers a time to be fully present to God in the midst of ordinary concerns.
Esther Fiegel OP encourages you to tune into the graced "God-calling" moments of daily living. |
Massage Therapy
A massage at Heartland Center for Spirituality comes from a place of love and respect. Massage is not only a practice for health and well-being, but a spiritual practice as well. Book a massage today to refresh your body and soul.
Call Ann at 620-792-1232 ext. 116
1 hour, $50.00
30 min., $25.00
15 min., $15.00
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Interactive Retreats and Workshops (uses email and discussion forum)
http://www.shalomplace.org/
Current offerings include the following:
1. Psychological Types and Spirituality
2. Freedom from Codependency
3. The Way of Christian Spirituality
4. Wonderfully Made (Christian metaphysics)
5. Growing in Christ
6. Communities in Transition (Spiral Dynamics)
7. Discerning God's Will
8. The Five Consents
9. At-home Retreat Resources10. God and I: study series.
Daily Spiritual Seed
Free email newsletter on Christian spirituality featuring a quote by a mystic, meditations on the lectionary readings, and lessons in spiritual living.
Workshops and Retreats Online
You can listen to the conferences online and reflect on the handout resources. The following are currently available.
1. Christian Mysteries
2. Catholic Responses to Fundamentalism
3. Freedom from Codependency
4. Basics of Spirituality
5. A Debate on the Topic of Abortion
6. Pathways to Serenity
7. Lessons in Loving
8. A Christian Understanding of the Chakra System
Shalom Place Christian Spirituality Resources
Includes the resources listed above plus a great deal more, including a discussion forum, bookstore, and a wide variety of spiritual exercises.
Youtube Channels
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Contact Information
3600 Broadway
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by Marcia Berchek and Sr. Renee Dreiling
This is our last year of SpiritLife, a spiritual formation program with a special added segment to train spiritual directors. Our last six spiritual directors are in their practicum this year and will graduate next spring! What a wonderful ten year run it has been for our staff!! We have journeyed with an amazing array of wonderful people, eager to grow in their spiritual lives. Approximately one third of them have felt called to engage in the spiritual direction training so as to be able to journey with other people who want to grow closer to God. All of us on the staff agree it has been a most rewarding experience!!
But as with all things, time moves on, and new things happen. Though we are still in our last year of SpiritLife, we are beginning our next program—Seasonal Retreats. We will begin with an Advent Retreat, and then go on to Lent, summer and fall.
Announcing: Advent Retreat 2016
Marcia and Sister Renee will offer the Advent Retreat, The Hope and Joy of Advent, beginning on Friday December 2nd at 7:00 pm and closing with the 10:30 Mass on Sunday morning December 4th. Even though Advent begins the Sunday following Thanksgiving, we didn’t think that weekend would be a good time for retreat! So if you would like to have a little lead time into leaning into the silence and hope and joy of Advent and then delve into the season in earnest a few days after, we invite you to join us as we reflect on some of Caryll Houselander’s wonderful words of wisdom from Sr. Renee’s favorite Advent reflection book, and some inspiring reflections from one of Marcia’s favorite authors, Paula D’Arcy. We will share quiet times and prayer times and talking together times. All of our activities will be optional so as to give participants freedom to do whatever they most need. Massages, and short individual times with one of us or our spiritual directors on staff will be offered, and hopefully the weather will allow some outdoor time. Sunday morning offers sung morning prayer with the Sisters and/or Mass for those who desire to join the Sisters in their Sunday services.
Using some of Caryll Houselander’s own words, “our effort will consist in sifting and sorting out everything that is not essential and that fills up space and silence in us and in discovering what sort of shape this emptiness in us is. From this we shall learn what sort of purpose God has for us. In what way are we to fulfil the work of giving Christ life in us.” (The Reed of God, pp 2-3)
After and in the silence we will also look for what brings joy and hope to us! We hope you will join us!!
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Please Support Our Ministry |
Thanks to all who donated during our recent "Heroes for Heartland" fundraising efforts. We could not make ends meet without your financial support.
The link below can be used to make a tax-deductible offering for the support of this ministry.
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Webinars
Two webinars have been presented since our Spring eNewsletter was published:
- Christianity and Reincarnation
- Discerning God's Will
The recordings of each can be found in our webinar archives.
Archives of past webinars include presentations by Carla Mae Streeter OP, Renee Dreiling OP, Philip St. Romain, D. Min., and Jerry Truex, Ph.D. See link below.
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SpiritLife News
Our final SpiritLife group has begun its 3rd year practicum process.
Archives of past SpiritLife presentations are available online. Note that you can sign up for individual courses or for the entire program, six courses.
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Movies With A Message
Movie begins at 6:15 p.m.; Great Bend Dominicans Motherhouse Auditorium.
Refreshments, Discussion Time
Free-will donation
Join us for an evening to watch and reflect upon a movie that conveys a meaningful spiritual or ethical theme. After the movie (for those who wish to stay) we will spend a few minutes reflecting together on meanings and implications. There is no registration fee, but we welcome your donation to help offset our expenses.
Summer - Fall 2016 movies:
- October 25 (Tuesday), 2016: Good Night and Good Luck. 2006. 93 min.
- November 29 (Tuesday), 2016: God's Not Dead. 2014. 115 min.
- December 20 (Tuesday), 2016: The Young Messiah. 2016. 111 min.
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Peer Supervision for Spiritual Directors
Friday 7:30 p.m. - Saturday 3:30 p.m.
October 21-22, 2016
April 28-29, 2017
Fees per gathering (includes Saturday breakfast and lunch):
Commuters - $35.00
Staying overnight - $65.00
In order to provide for the continuing growth and formation of spiritual directors trained in our SpiritLife program, we will provide several get-togethers at Heartland Center for Spirituality during the coming months.
We are opening this opportunity for anyone who has completed a spiritual director formation program and is currently seeing directees.
During this time, we will provide opportunities for fellowship, support, sharing resources, and peer supervision (contemplative observer approach taught by Jane Vennard). The team at Heartland Center will provide hospitality and direction for this process.
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Engaged Encounters
Heartland Center for Spirituality is pleased to host Engaged Encounter Weekends for the Diocese of Dodge City.
2016
November 4-6
2017
January 6-8
February 24-26
May 5-7
June 23-25
September 22-24
For information contact Ronn and Annie Roehm at 620-728-0855.
For reservations contact Mike and Lindsey Mazouch at 620-792-6290
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Summer Retreat 2017
Summer 2017 retreat will be led by Fr. Ed Ruane, OP and Sr. Carla Mae Streeter, OP.
- June 11 (6:30 p.m.) to 16th (noon).
Mark your calendar. Mor information in future eNewsletter.
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Theology Institute 2017
Integral Ecology, by Linda Gibler OP
July 21-25. $295
Pope Francis’ encyclical, Laudato Si’ calls for a renewed exploration of what it means to be human in relationship to a suffering planet. In this Theological Institute, we will explore what the Earth, Laudato Si’, and our Dominican tradition might be asking of us. In our days together, we will take an ecological look at key passages in the Bible, explore cosmocentric perspectives on Sacraments, Prayer, and Preaching, and ask ourselves how our Dominican charisms (personal and communal) call us to respond to an “Integral Ecology.”
Mark your calendar. More information in future eNewsletter and on our web site.
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by Sr. Jolene Geier OP
“Movies with a Message” is one of the regular events we have here at HCS.. The latest movie was “The Miracle of Fr. Emil J. Kapaun”. It was a documentary of his life giving testimonies from friends, military personnel, church officials, and others who knew him. The staff were pleasantly surprised that almost 50 people came that Tuesday evening, August 23rd. Phil St. Romain, who hosts the movies, began the evening with an explanation of the Roman Catholic Church’s process of declaring a person like Fr. Kapaun a saint which includes recognized miracles through the person’s prayerful intercession.
Father Emil J. Kapaun was born and raised in Pilsen, KS became a priest and served as a military chaplain in Korea, was captured and died in a POW camp after years of tireless service to his fellow soldiers.
I would like to share some of his reflections he wrote to friends before he was ordained a priest. “Maybe you do not realize fully what it means to be a priest, but I tell you after I have studied all these years I am more convinced that a man must be a living saint in order to dare to take that step. And that is where my worries come in. Gee Whiz, I have a feeling that I am far, far from being a saint worthy to receive the priesthood. Think what it means!! To offer up the Living Body and Blood of Our Savior every day in Holy Mass—to absolve souls from sin in Holy Confession and snatch them from the gates of hell, in which they would suffer for all eternity. These and a hundred or more duties and responsibilities make a person realize that the vocation to the priesthood is so sublime that the angels in heaven were not given a vocation to the Priesthood, no not even the Blessed Mother who was never stained with sin—even she was not called to be a priest of God—and here I am called!!”
Father Kapaun commented how so many of the young soldiers did not come from very good homes. It gave him an opportunity to minister healing to them even on the battlefield. He died a very heroic death in the North Korean prisoner of war camp on May 6, 1951 and was buried in an unmarked grave.
We have the copies of the book, The Saint Among Us: Remembering Father Emil Kapaun, that can be checked out in our library.
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by Sr. Esther Fiegel OP
Children often amaze me. They sometimes help me to relax, to enjoy the moment, or to pause a bit from taking life too seriously. Two such moments were recently related to me by my nieces. Enjoy these stories as much as I did.
Four-year old Samuel was nearing the time for his first day in pre-school. To help him get into the school routine his mom suggested he get up when his two older brothers did, get dressed and eat breakfast so as to be ready for the bus. The two older boys started on Monday and he on Thursday. All went well including Thursday, his first day. After breakfast he put on his back pack, kissed and hugged his mom, headed down the driveway, turned to wave good-bye and then exclaimed, "Mom, this is fun and terrifying! Do you think you can come to school today?" His mom reminded him that only students rode the bus. "I know," Samuel said, "but you have a car and you can drive." With that said, he boarded the bus, took a window seat, waved and threw her a kiss.
Concerned that Samuel not arrive in tears, she drove to school. only to see the bus already pulling away after unloading the students. She hurried to the open door of his classroom and saw Samuel sitting in his desk and talking to his teacher. She caught his eye, waved and wished him a good day. He smiled, waved and said, "Hi, Mom," and continued to chat with his teacher.
Six-year old Lila always writes a letter and draws a picture for the tooth fairy when she loses another tooth. Her latest letter was quite a bit longer because she shared how she wasn't feeling well, was resting on the couch, and working her tongue to loosen the tooth. It popped out and landed on the carpet. Feeling sleepy she took a mid-morning nap, and feeling better, began searching for her lost tooth. "Finally, I found it at 11:47 a.m. So here it is," she wrote. It was in a little pill box, tied with a pink ribbon. A picture of her open mouth, showing upper and lower teeth, numbered holes indicating missing teeth and a red circle around the #5 hole provided the tooth fairy with pertinent information.
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by Ann Axman
People who say they are so ready for Fall surround me. I feel like I am in the minority as I look forward to Spring and Summer much more than Fall and Winter. I tease that I grieve the end of summer each year, and in reality, it is more than just teasing. I recently read an article by Denise Pyles on the season of Autumn, which actually has me looking forward a little bit to the change of the seasons. I hope that as we transition that the words of her reflection will help you tend to your soul.
“Autumn is a season of transition – change is in the air. Autumn is a season of harvest – there is a bounty of color and beauty. Autumn is a season of trust – trust in the essential core of goodness in the branches underneath. Ultimately, Autumn is a season of letting go and of being open in order to receive new life once again.”
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by Brenda Black
This fall is my mother’s birthday and also the anniversary of her death and I have been thinking of her a lot. She died of a brain aneurysm at the age of 59 and I realize now how very young she was. She was a city girl – the youngest of a large family. She fell in love with a handsome farmer and moved into an old farmhouse with no running water.
I know that the early years were very difficult. Dad was man of very few words, money was tight and 7 children came in 9 years (a baby brother came along when the last of those 7 started school). There were periods of time she only left the farm to go to church. Thru it all her deep faith in God and devotion to family sustained her, precious gifts that she left to her children.
Our life was centered in the kitchen – meals, homework, games. Mom became a wonderful cook and always sought out new recipes. We each have memories of favorite dishes and this is a favorite of all of us. It usually appears at every family gathering.
CHOCOLATE SHEET CAKE
1/2 c. margarine (1 stick)
1/2 c. butter (1 stick)
1 c water
1/2 c. cocoa powder
Mix in sauce pan. Heat to boiling.
2.c flour
2 c sugar
Mix together. Pour cocoa mixture over flour/sugar. Beat until smooth.
Mix in:
1/2 c buttermilk (or 1/2 c milk plus 2 t. lemon juice or vinegar)
Then add and mix in:
2 beaten eggs
1t. baking soda
1t. vanilla
Pour into greased sheet cake pan (17 1/2 by 11). Bake at 400° for 20-25 minutes – until cake springs back when touched. Frost immediately.
FROSTING
1/2 c. butter (1 stick)
2 T cocoa powder
1/4 c milk
Mix in sauce pan. Heat to boiling.
Pour over
3 1/2 c powdered sugar and 1 t vanilla
Beat together until smooth, adding a little water if needed to thin. Spread over warm cake. Add chopped nuts if desired and let cool.
PRAYER: Nurturing God, bless all mothers with patience, courage and wisdom. Help them to model and to teach the values shown to us by Jesus’ mother and send their children into the world filled with confidence and compassion. Bless all, both male and female, who have “mothered” us, nourishing our bodies, our minds or our spirits. Teach us to reach out to those who are hurting, offering encouragement and kindness. Bless the children of the world who do not know the gentle, loving touch of their mothers and wrap them in your perfect love.
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by Philip St. Romain
I’m sure you’ve had the experience of a song spontaneously popping up in your mind. Sometimes it’s from a piece you’ve recently heard on the radio, or maybe even a hymn from a recent church service. Often, it’s good to pay attention to the words, and to note the effect of the music. Perhaps there’s some kind of message there. If so, where does it come from? God? The unconscious? Both?
The other night I was awakened with a need to turn over to a more comfortable position, and noticed a song in my mind. It was an oldie-goldie from a record my parents used to play when I was a child: “I Can’t Give You Anything But Love,” by Billie Holiday. Maybe you know it? Here are the lyrics:
I can't give you anything but love, baby
That's the only thing I've plenty of, baby
Scheme a while dream a while
We're sure to find
Happiness and I guess
All those things you've always pined for
Gee, I'd like to see you looking swell, baby
Diamond bracelets woolworth doesn't sell, baby
Till that lucky day
You know darned well, baby
I can't give you anything but love.
You don’t have to be a Jungian analyst to interpret that one!
I lay there, listening to the words, feeling the music, and eventually went back to sleep. The song was still going on when I woke up several hours later. It was a good reminder of who God is and what God is really about; also, a good example of how God can speak to us in a dream through music.
Now, if you want to hear what it sounds like, click the link below and listen to Doris Day sing it the way I heard it as a kid.
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