In the United States, our favorite hobby is gardening, followed closely by studying our genealogy (according to ABC News and Reference.com). We swab our cheek, mail it to an ancestry company and wait weeks for information on the generations that came before us. We find solace in knowing where we come from; it tells us something about where we are going and why.
How often do we stop and think about our spiritual genealogy? Who are the holy people—both genetic and chosen—who came before us and helped determine our faith journey? This weekend, take your genealogy study a step further when you look at your spiritual genealogy in a 24-hour retreat with Miriam Brown, OP. Come be invigorated and inspired by those who came before you!
Spiritual Genealogy Retreat at Prairiewoods
Friday, Aug. 9, 6:30 p.m.–Saturday, Aug. 10, 6:30 p.m.
Sometimes we ponder the Gospel genealogies of Mary and Joseph. These were carefully composed to give a sense of—in today’s idiom—“where Jesus was coming from.” His family tree gives clues to his personality-bent and gifts, his faith groundings and values, some ancestral wrong-headedness to set right, visions to tweak and carry forward, hopes to be fulfilled. Exploring where we come from helps us recognize and appreciate who we are: the cosmic and human-family stories of our beginnings; our enveloping yet evolving faith, social culture, worldviews and values; some humor, foibles, passions, sorrows, unfinished business from prior generations; and our own spirituality and desires that run deep. We will come to Prairiewoods (120 East Boyson Road in Hiawatha) for a 24-hour retreat to explore the holy people we come from—both situational and chosen. This is how the Mystery of Life and Love works in our lives and pours forth into the future! As we put our genealogies together, it will be an invigorating and holy celebration. Facilitator Miriam Brown, OP, a Sinsinawa Dominican, is a member of the program staff of the Siena Retreat Center in Racine, Wisconsin. She is a spiritual guide, retreat facilitator, and presenter on spiritual and societal themes. She is at home in the area, growing up near Dubuque and directing the tristate ecumenical organization Churches’ Center for Land and People during all of the 1990s and well into the 2000s. She knows our roots are strong. Come learn about them! The cost is $180 and includes sessions, Friday lodging and all Saturday meals. The commuter fee is $150 and includes Saturday lunch and dinner. Saturday night lodging with breakfast may be added for $55. For more information or to register, contact Prairiewoods at www.Prairiewoods.org or 319-395-6700.
—Andi Lewis, Prairiewoods marketing coordinator