Desert Experience

[:o)Katherine:o)]

Has anyone gone on the desert experience with the Visitation Sisters in Mobile, Alabama?

I have considered going on retreat with them in the past and will finally have time to go this Summer. I plan to write to them next week.

If you have been before, any suggestions or tips? They say you can go for two days to eight days. How long did you stay and what do you recommend? 

 

Thanks in advance! 

 

 

[John Ley-Harris]

I've done many desert retreats. First leave your watch at home guide your time naturally.

Sunrise, Noontime, Sunset.    Keep a Diary.  Take a walk once a day.  The greates value is

Silence it will teach you much.   I'll keep you in my prayers.

[:o)Katherine:o)]

Update:

 

This past weekend I spent Thursday-Sunday at the Visitation Monastery in Mobile, Al for a desert experience retreat. It was a beautiful and fruitfull weekend! It is for adult women and can last anywhere between 2-8 days. 

You stay upstairs inside the enclosure in a hallway separate from where the sisters live. You have access to the Choir  (chapel) and are free to join them for Mass, office and personal prayer. All meals are eaten with the sisters. You also have permission to roam the outside grounds of the enclosure. You remain silent the entire retreat with the option to speak to the sister in charge of those on retreat. She is available to speak on spiritual matters. They do have a couple of bookshelves of books that you can borrow while there. 

 

The cost is a donation within your means whatever you decide. Keep in mind that you are staying with cloistered nuns inside and enclosure so it is a very silent environment. 

 

If anyone is interested check out their website: http://visitationmonasterymobile.org/HTMLcode/Desert.htm