Be Still Before the Lord: A silent, directed retreat

Why a silent, directed retreat?

Sept. 16-18, 2022
9 a.m. Friday to Sunday 4 p.m.
In-person and Zoom options available.

For God alone, my soul waits in silence. — Psalm 67:1

Medical research has found that people who practice silence, even for as little as two minutes, lower their blood pressure, slow their heart rate, reduce muscle tension and increase focus and cognition.

We know intuitively that we feel better when we take a break from the hurly-burly, screen-focused noisy lives we live.

Scripture, science and experience tell us that we all should cultivate silence in our lives. If we know this, why do we resist it? Why is it so hard to find quiet?

Be still before the LORD; wait for him. — Psalm 37:7

If you want “to learn to better wait in silence,” a silent, directed retreat with Precious Blood Renewal Center might be what you’re looking for. A silent, directed retreat is a personally guided prayer experience over three days. Each retreatant meets with a spiritual director daily for reflection and spiritual discernment.

All people making the retreat begin with a communal prayer experience and then individuals meet one-on-one with our trained, experienced retreat directors. The group meetings and prayers are a hybrid experience, with some retreatants in person and others joining by Zoom. The individual meetings too can be conducted in person or via Zoom.

Sr. Linda Zahner (see bio below) is a trained massage therapist and will be offering 15-minute chair massage sessions during the retreat. You must reserve a session and pay $15 for it at registration time.

As part of our COVID protocols, we encourage participants to get vaccinated and boosted. We practice social distancing and may require masks indoors, according to CDC Community Level guidelines.

What’s the Cost?

Our suggested donation for the three-day directed retreat is $90. We ask for additional offerings for those needing food and lodging, but no one will be turned away. Please support us with what you can afford.

Not Sure This Is for You?

Learn more about directed retreats here. Or contact the Renewal Center (by email info@pbrenewalcenter.org or calling 816-415-3745) and one of our directors will reach out to you with more information.

Our Spiritual Directors

Sr. Linda Zahner was inspired by the Benedictine Sisters who taught her in grade and high school. She entered the Benedictine Community of Mount St. Scholastica shortly after graduation. She has worked in education as a teacher, administrator, and executive officer for a consolidated Catholic school system in Iowa. In her next career, she completed certification as a spiritual director and retreat director from the Creighton Spirituality Program. In addition, she completed massage therapy training at the Universal College of Healing Arts in Omaha, Nebraska and remains Nationally Certified. She is also a certified Eden Energy Medicine clinical practitioner. Within the monastic community and at Sophia Spirituality Center she guides retreats and offers therapeutic massages, contemplative healing touch, promoting a holistic approach to health and wellbeing of body, mind, and spirit.

Fr. Ron Will, a Precious Blood priest, is a graduate of Catholic Theological Union and Creighton University’s School of Christian Spirituality. Fr. Ron has a special interest in helping form intentional disciples of Jesus, encouraging others to go spiritually deep-sea diving to explore a deeper relationship with God, and walking with people as they dive into the ocean of God’s mystery actually experiencing God rather than simply dipping one’s toe into the water.