Mennonites and Catholics in Dialogue
Spiritual Practices for Peacemaking
Nurturing Resistance & Resilience
Saint John’s Abbey, Collegeville, MN
July 25-28
****All listed times are Central Daylight****
**Sessions highlighted in Blue will be broadcast via Zoom.**
Thursday, July 25
1:00 – 5:00 p.m.
Arrival, registration and room assignments, Saint Mary Hall Basement
5:30 Picnic Dinner, Quad Picnic Area
7:00 Opening Session, Founders Room
- Welcome by Ann Marie Biermaier & Samantha Lioi, Board co-chairs, Abbot Doug Mullin, and BearPaw Shields
- Worship – Abbey Dupuy, liturgist
- Introduction of participants – in-person and remote
- Introduction to the Weekend Theme
8:30 Night Prayer (Zoom will remain open for 30 minutes, following prayer, for on-line social time)
8:45 Social, Great Hall
FRIDAY, JULY 26
7:00 Morning Prayer in Abbey Church (optional)
7:30 Breakfast, SJU Student Refectory
9:00 Gathering prayer (unmoderated livestream)
9:30 Introduction to the morning practice: Grounding ourselves in nature (unmoderated livestream). Founders Room
– Samantha Lioi & Denys Janiga, facilitators
10:15 Break
10:45 Discussion
12:00 Midday Prayer, Abbey Church (optional)
12:15 Lunch, SJU Student Refectory
1:15 Hearing the Word – Founders Room
1:30 Afternoon Session: Presentation by Sarah Augustine, Executive Director of
the Coalition to Dismantle the Doctrine of Discovery
2:30 Discussion
3:00 Break & Transition to Saint Benedict Monastery
3:30 Spiritual Practices: Labyrinth & Healing Pilgrimage Walk
– Joetta Handrich Schlabach, facilitator
5:00 Prayer, followed by picnic dinner with the Saint Benedict community and
7:00 Hymn Sing, Chapel, Saint Benedict Monastery
7:00 Online discussion with Julia Gautche, Mennonite Action, about hymn singing as witness and protest
8:00 Ice Cream Social, Gathering Place, Saint Benedict Monastery
SATURDAY, JULY 27
Sunrise Outdoor prayer led by Sarah Augustine, Baldwin Park
7:30 Breakfast, SJU Student Refectory
9:00 Opening Worship, Founders Room (unmoderated livestream)
9:30 Introduction to the morning practice: Responding through Art (unmoderated livestream)
– Michelle Sherman & John Meoska, facilitators
10:30 Break
11:00 Discussion
12:00 Lunch, SJU Student Refectory (Bridgefolk Board Meeting, )
1:30 Worship – Founders Room
2:00 Spiritual Practice: Compassionate Listening- Small group discussion of “Questions from the Hat” about Mennonite and Catholic theological traditions and practices.
– Rachel Reesor-Taylor, facilitator
3:00 Break
3:30 Celebration of John Klassen’s 20+ years as Co-chair of Bridgefolk
5:30 Foot Washing /Agape Meal, Quad 264
– Phil Waite, presider; Michelle Sherman, homilist
5:30 Zoom liturgy led by Jennifer Otto, followed by a time of reflection on the retreat, take-aways, and commitments.
SUNDAY, JULY 28
7:00 – 9:00 Check out, Mary Hall Basement
7:00 Morning Prayer in Abbey Church (optional)
7:30 Breakfast, SJU Student Refectory
8:30–10:00 Closing worship and reflection on the retreat, take-aways, and
commitments, Founders Room
– Abbey Dupuy & William Skudlarek, facilitators
10:30 Mass with the monastic community (optional: saint john’s abbey live stream)
11:00 Departure with bag lunches available
11:45 Lunch, SJU Student Refectory, for those departing in the afternoon