Guided Retreats at the Franciscan Spirituality Center 2012

Guided Retreats

The guided retreat is a small group retreat which consists of daily presentations, quiet reflection time, prayer and ritual, optional spiritual guidance, group process and the opportunity for Eucharistic liturgy. All these retreats are held at the Franciscan Spirituality Center, La Crosse, WI.

Walking on the Path with the Mystics
Sunday, July 8 (7:00 PM) to Friday, July 13 (noon)
Investment: $375 includes retreat, meals and housing
Commuters: $215 includes retreat and meals
In every generation, the faithful have acknowledged men and women who have been considered mystics. They journey toward God in faith. Our retreat will study some of their writings so the “words of old” might enrich our journey into God. During our time together, you will be invited to journal so that your “written word” will intensify your journey into God, as it did for the saints of long ago. Please join me on this retreat as we share the power of the written word, both in tradition and in Scripture.
Retreat Director: Fr. Charlie Smiech, OFM

Fr. Charlie is a Franciscan Friar of St. John the Baptist Province, an international retreat director and spiritual advisor. He serves religious communities, priests, deacons and the people of God. Preaching the love of God, exploring the Sacred Scripture and being nourished by the sacraments, brings him great joy. He received his masters of divinity from Christ the King Seminary in East Aurora, NY, and continued his studies in spirituality and preaching at St. Michael’s College, Toronto, Ontario and Catholic Theological Union in Chicago, IL. He studied at the Oblate School of Theology in San Antonio, TX, and St. Bonaventure University, NY. As a Franciscan Friar, he has preached and taught religious congregations, parish missions, retreatants and inter-faith conferences in Canada, Germany, India, Italy, Jamaica, Mexico, Pakistan and throughout the United States.

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Casting the Net of Our Senses: A Writing Retreat
Dates: Thursday, July 19 (7:00 PM) to Sunday, July 22 (Noon)

Directors: Marci Madary and Theresa Washburn
Investment: $250 includes retreat, meals and housing
Commuters: $155 includes retreat and meals
A great writer is conscious of all of the senses. This awareness contributes to a rich and engaging story. In this retreat we will dive into each of our five senses and ask the questions: What are we tasting in our lives? What fragrance opens our hearts? When does a melody turn emotions? When we know this, we can also touch our readers. Join us for three days of poetry, prose and getting in touch with the richness of our present moment. Included in the retreat is a hike in the woods for those who are able.
Presenters: Marci Madary and Theresa Washburn

Marci Madary fell in love with poetry when she was a child and began writing poems during her teenage years. Marci currently works in the field of spirituality, but continues reading and writing poetry, expressing who she is as a widow, mother of two, and child of God.

Theresa Washburn writes for dozens of publications, leads two writing groups and developed the conference, Awakening the Soul of the Writer. She is dedicated to combining the art of writing with the human journey towards the divine.

Sacred Windows to the Divine: Icon Writing Retreat/Workshop
Sunday, July 22 (7:00 PM) to Saturday, July 28 (mid-morning)
Investment: $625 includes retreat/workshop, bedroom and meals
Commuter: $505 includes retreat/workshop and meals
$150 non–refundable registration fee to reserve a place
Register early. Limited to 20 participants for each workshop.
One icon of your choice can be written at the April/May icon workshop. Choose either St. Clare of Assisi or St. Herman of Alaska. The image of St. Clare of Assisi is written in honor of the 800th anniversary of the dedication of her life to following the way of St. Francis of Assisi. St. Herman of Alaska was one of the first Eastern Orthodox missionaries to the new world and is considered by Orthodox Christians to be the patron saint of the Americas.
The image of St. Luke the iconographer will be written at the July icon session. This retreat is for advanced students only. Anyone coming to this workshop must have previously written three or more icons.
Each icon will be written from start to finish, guided in a step-by-step gradual process by Phil Zimmerman, ending with a completed icon, varnished and ready to display. All materials and supplies are included. Anyone can enter into this process, expressing through the icon the mystery of the image portrayed. We begin each day by meditating and praying with icons. Phil supplements these sessions with information about the history of Byzantine and Russian iconography. Visit www.philzicons@gmail.com for information or his rendition of the icons to be painted.
Directed by Master Iconographer Philip Zimmerman
Phil Zimmerman, a noted iconographer, has been coming to he Franciscan Spirituality Center since 2002. Teaching has taken him to many areas throughout the US and Canada as the popularity of icon painting continues to grow and captivate a significant following of artists from all religious and cultural backgrounds who find it to be spiritually meaningful. Since opening his first studio, Phil has taught over 1500 students. Icons produced in Phil’s studio are painted according to ancient guidelines and techniques, incorporating modern artists' materials. Selected subjects are chosen by careful study of time-honored prototypes. The excitement of iconography is that it combines artistic skill and creativity with spiritual motivation and discipline and religious devotion.
Prayer and Meditation Leader:
Joan Weisenbeck, FSPA, has been on staff at the Franciscan Spirituality Center since January of 2001. Besides being the hostess for the retreat, she creates and leads the meditations and prayers with icons each morning during the workshop. She has hosted workshops with Phil since 1998 and has written many icons.