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The following Shalom Place reflections, programs and retreats have been offered IN THE PAST.

Be sure to check our website and FaceBook page regularly for future offerings!

Bridges to Contemplative Living

with Thomas Merton


Becoming Who You Already Are


For more information about this program, please click here


Dates:  Eight sessions beginning Thursday, February 9, 2023 

Times:  7:00 - 9:00 PM

Facilitator:  Burnie Thorp

Location: Shalom Place (in the Mount St. Joseph Education Centre)

Register by phone: 705-254-4690, email: [email protected] or by completing the contact form by January 30


Suggested Offering: Your gift allows the ministry of Shalom Place to continue. 

Thank you for your generosity!


E-transfer: [email protected]

Cheques: Shalom Place,

c/o 59 Glen Ave.

Sault Ste. Marie, ON P6A 5V1


In person

program!


Come to Me

Our lives move far too quickly. If we don’t take stock of the gifts each day brings..and..yes, the challenges, we could lose sight of how God is walking with us.


Come and share your “Little Pieces of Light” and yes - your darker moments, with other Seekers in a celebration of each day we are given.


With music, prayer, scripture, meditations, journalling and sharing, we will take stock of how God is saying: “Come to Me”.


Five sessions on alternate Tuesdays:    Jan 31/23, Feb 14/23, Feb 28/23, Mar 14/23, Mar 28/23


Time:  4:00 p.m to 6:00 p.m.


Place:  Shalom Place in the Mount St. Joseph Education Centre (90 Ontario Avenue, SSM)


Facilitator:  Susan Febbraro


Suggested Offering:  Your gift allows the ministry of Shalom Place to continue. Thank you for your generosity.


Register: by email at [email protected], using our contact form found here, or by phone at 705-254-4690

Registration closes January 27

O Antiphons

The O Antiphons refer to the seven antiphons that are recited (or chanted) preceding the Magnificat during Vespers of the Liturgy of the Hours during the Octave before Christmas, December 17-23.


The exact origin of the O Antiphons is not known though there is reference to them as far back as the sixth century. By the eighth century, they are in use in the liturgical celebrations in Rome. The usage of the O Antiphons was so prevalent in monasteries that the phrases, ‘Keep your O’ and ‘The Great O Antiphons’ were common parlance. The O Antiphons have been part of our liturgical tradition since the very early Church.


Each of the of O Antiphons highlights a title for the Messiah referred to in the prophecy of Isaiah:

               O Sapientia (O Wisdom) – December 17

               O Adonai (O Lord) – December 18

               O Radix Jesse (O Root of Jesse) – December 19

               O Clavis David (O Key of David) – December 20

               O Oriens (O Rising Sun) – December 21

               O Rex Gentium (O King of the Nations) – December 22

               O Emmanuel – December 23


According to Professor Robert Greenberg of the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, the Benedictine monks arranged these antiphons with a definite purpose. If one starts with the last title and takes the first letter of each one- Emmanuel, Rex, Oriens, Clavis, Radix, Adonai, Sapientia - the Latin words ‘ero cras’ are formed, meaning, ‘Tomorrow, I will come.’ Therefore, the Lord Jesus, whose coming we have prepared for in Advent and whom we have addressed in these seven Messianic titles, now speaks to us, ‘Tomorrow, I will come.’ So the O Antiphons not

only bring intensity to our Advent preparation, but bring it to a joyful conclusion.

(This background was taken from an article by Fr. William Saunders. See https://www.catholiceducation.org/en/culture/catholic-contributions/what-are-the.html 


For our exploration and celebration of the O Antiphons, the format will be as follows:

      Each day a presentation will be posted to the Shalom Place website - www.shalomplace.ca. Click on the link and the presentation will begin.

      The first thing you will see will be a slide which will display the words of the day’s O Antiphon.

      This will then lead to a video of a setting of the Magnificat by Bernadette Farrell.

      After the Magnificat, the Scriptures on which the O Antiphon for the day are based will appear for you to read. Also appearing on the page will be the words of the O Antiphon. If at any time in the presentation you find it is going too quickly, simply hit “Pause” button so that you can absorb what is on the screen.

      Following the Scripture will be a short audio reflection by David Thorp.

      Concluding the reflection will be a verse from the Advent carol, “O Come, O Come Emmanuel” which is based on the O Antiphon.

The total presentation should take about 10-12 minutes.


Some Acknowledgements and Thanks

     The first person I want to acknowledge and thank is my late brother, David Thorp, for introducing me to the O Antiphons. I also want to thank his wife, Barbara Thorp, for sending me the recording of the talk that David gave at the Thursday Morning Men’s Breakfast in Boston on

December 8, 2005. Barbara also provided the photo of David which is displayed during the excerpt of the talk presented each day. I also want to thank Thomas Lester, Director - Archives and Library, Archdiocese of Boston, where David’s papers are archived, for sending me copies of

resources that David had accumulated.


     I really, really want to thank my brother, Mark Thorp, for doing all the technical work to produce the presentation. I gathered the materials, then he added to the graphics but it was his professional expertise (he has worked in the television and film industry for about forty years)

that edited that material into the presentation you will view.

  

     The banner at the top of this introduction and the Advent candles at the bottom are from Loyola Press’s article “What are the O Antiphons?”  https://www.loyolapress.com/catholic-resources/liturgical-year/advent/about-advent/advent-links-to-explore-and-share/what-are-the-o-antiphons/


     On the opening and closing slide of each presentation there are a couple images. The ones on the left were designed by the Benedictine Sisters of Turvey Abbey, Northamptonshire, England and are available as full length banners and smaller posters from McCrimmon Publishing

Company Ltd – www.mccrimmons.com/O-Antiphons. See also – https://youtu.be/L-lNcdImng8. The ones in the centre are from St Anne’s Episcopal Church, Trexlertown, PA. See - http://stannesepiscopal.net/o-antiphons/ The video of the Magnificat can be found at - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=15AccZAcdpk O Come, O come Emmanuel is from two You Tube videos: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7xtpJ4Q_Q-4 and  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mxPynSu2LGE


     As Assistant Director of Shalom Place, I would be remiss if I didn’t at least mention that, although our programs at Shalom Place are free to all who wish to access them, we greatly appreciate any free-will offering you might want to make. This Home page has a link below to our contact page, if you wish to support our ministry.


Wishing blessings on your Advent as you make room in your hearts for Emmanuel, God-with-us.

Burnie Thorp

December 23: O Emmanuel

December 22: O King of Nations

December 21: O Rising Sun

December 20: O Key of David

December 19: O Root of Jesse

December 18: O Lord

December 17: O Wisdom

Advent Retreat:

"Less Hectic; More Holy"


Date:  Saturday, December 10, 2022

Time: 9:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Location: St. Jerome Parish Hall

Facilitator: Sr. Pat Carter, CSJ


Register by phone: 705-254-4690, email: [email protected] or by completing the contact form by December 7th.

 

COVID precautions will be in place.


Suggested Offering:  $40 (includes lunch, coffee breaks) or whatever you are able to pay. 


E-transfer: [email protected]

Cheques in person that day or mail to: 

Shalom Place,

c/o 59 Glen Ave.

Sault Ste. Marie, ON P6A 5V1


Your offering allows the ministry of Shalom Place to continue. 

Thank you for your generosity!


Shalom Place presents an on-line mini-retreat!

"The Story of the Rock: Turning the Pages"


Join us for a Zoom retreat day!


The rock provides a visual image for a journey with God into change. Suitable for all ages who are on different pages of their Spiritual Journey.


Date & Time:  October 22, 2022

                           9:00 AM - 2:00 PM


Facilitator: Karen Sherry


Location: From the comfort of your own home - via zoom!


Register by phone: 705-254-4690, email: [email protected] or by completing the contact form by October 12th.


Suggested Offering: Your gift allows the ministry of Shalom Place to continue. 

Thank you for your generosity!


E-transfer: [email protected]

Cheques: Shalom Place,

c/o 59 Glen Ave.

Sault Ste. Marie, ON P6A 5V1


Creator God, thank you that there is nowhere I can go that is beyond your presence. In your presence, I am blessed beyond measure. You have said that you will never leave me or forsake me, you are always with me. May I live a life of thanksgiving in your presence. Hear my prayer and fill my heart and my mouth with praise to you for your good gifts. May your love be the passion in my heart. May your joy be my strength when times are hard. May your presence be my peace that overflows.  Amen.

Bridges to Contemplative Living

with Thomas Merton


Entering the School

of 

Your Experience


Eight sessions beginning Thursday, October 20, 2022 

For a preview and sampler, go to:

www.avemariapress.com/products/entering-the-school-of-your-experience


Dates & Times:  Thursdays beginning October 20, 2022

                               7:00 - 9:00 PM

Facilitator:  Burnie Thorp

Location: Shalom Place (in the Mount St. Joseph Education Centre)

Register by phone: 705-254-4690, email: [email protected] or by completing the contact form by October 6th


Suggested Offering: Your gift allows the ministry of Shalom Place to continue. 

Thank you for your generosity!


E-transfer: [email protected]

Cheques: Shalom Place,

c/o 59 Glen Ave.

Sault Ste. Marie, ON P6A 5V1


In person

program!


Journey



Many of us occupy lives of continuous struggle. These situations/relationships/struggles can leave you tired, lonely, fearful, angry, hopeless and shamed. 

WHERE TO TURN?

For people of faith, there is a path to peace, healing and rest.


With stories, Scripture, prayer, music, sharing and journaling we will experience anew our total BELOVEDNESS, 

for it is there that we will find rest for our souls and 

the courage and strength to sustain us. 


Dates & Times: Oct. 18, Nov. 1, 15, 29, Dec. 13 2022

                               4:00 - 6:00 PM


Facilitator:  Susan Febbraro, retired family doctor


Location: Shalom Place (in the Mount St. Joseph Education Centre)


Register by phone: 705-254-4690, email: [email protected] or by completing the contact form by October 12th

Note: Space will be limited!


Suggested Offering: Your gift allows the ministry of Shalom Place to continue. 

Thank you for your generosity!


E-transfer: [email protected]

Cheques: Shalom Place,

c/o 59 Glen Ave.

Sault Ste. Marie, ON P6A 5V1


In person

program!


Unfortunately, the "Celebrating the Saints" program 

(listed below)

has been cancelled at this time!


Shalom Place presents (once more...!!!)

"CELEBRATING THE SAINTS"

The four-week series is back - and "IN PERSON!"


Join us to experience that joy that is part of the COMMUNION OF SAINTS, that "great cloud of witnesses" who can help to inspire us and help us to live with new eyes and a renewed heart! 


These sessions will be an interactive exchange of ideas, talent and joy!!

  • no materials are necessary
  • no contribution is too small
  • no prior knowledge of the Lives of the Saints is required


Dates & Times:  October 14, 21, 28 & November 4

                               4:30 - 6:30 PM


Facilitator: Sr. Mary Jo Radey, CSJ


Location: Shalom Place (in the Mount St. Joseph Education Centre)


Register by phone: 705-254-4690, email: [email protected] or by completing the contact form by October 12th.


Suggested Offering: Your gift allows the ministry of Shalom Place to continue. 

Thank you for your generosity!


E-transfer: [email protected]

Cheques: Shalom Place,

c/o 59 Glen Ave.

Sault Ste. Marie, ON P6A 5V1


Want to know more about the Saints?

If so, check out this ad from Franciscan Media

(Note: This is not a Shalom Place offering.)


The saints are an important part of our faith. Now you can learn more about them and their stories with this free resource.


Sometimes when we think of saints, we view them as distant or unrelatable. The truth is, though, they can be more relatable than we think. Each has a unique story with which we can probably connect on some level. For instance, the recently beatified 15-year-old Carlo Acutis enjoyed films, comics, soccer, and playing popular video games. And St. Elizabeth Ann Seton was faced with raising her five children alone after her husband died.


To help you learn these stories, Franciscan Media offers Saint of the Day, which features a new saint every day of the year. This free resource can help you learn more about the Church’s holiest—yet still relatable—members.


Sign up today to receive a daily email that will help you get to

know the saints and their stories.  


Click below for more information and to sign up:

https://www.franciscanmedia.org/newsletter-sign-up?hsCtaTracking=5eeb9940-172d-4142-a39b-fd515ddbf436%7Cad307e45-7645-4bc9-8d9d-ae152c1b1d29&utm_campaign=Paid%20Ad%20Campaigns%202022-23&utm_source=email&utm_term=Sponsored%209_6_22&utm_content=NCR


September is often a time for new beginning, even for those who do not follow a school year calendar. You might wish to pray the following prayer to mark the start of the new year, new month, or even to mark the beginning of each new day:



Dear God,

Give me the courage to begin again — to overlook the difficulties, to overcome the obstacles and to stay open to the moment as best I can. Help me be patient enough to know it takes time to start over, and wise enough to ask for help from friends and family when I need it. As I look to the future, may I reflect on the past and remember the lessons it’s taught me. And God, may I always look to you for strength and guidance.

By Abbey Caskets (source Google)

"Retreat in Everyday Life"


NOTE: This will be offered by zoom! 

This “Retreat in Everyday Life” (aka, the 19th Annotation - don’t worry if you don’t know what that means! ☺) offers the complete experience of the Spiritual Exercises over a nine-month period. St. Ignatius recognized that most people – even back in the 1500s – needed a way to deepen their prayer amid the busyness of their lives! Using contemporary resources, the wisdom Ignatius received from God is still pertinent today.

Who might benefit:

  •  Those who desire to grow in their relationship with God
  •  Those who desire to live life more fully
  •  Those who seek to understand more clearly God’s presence in their lives
  •  Those who want to discern the next step in their lives, or who are already in transition
  •  Those open to meeting regularly with a Spiritual Director who will guide them through the retreat.

Directors: Patricia Frederick and Stephanie Romiti


Free Opening Session: Wednesday, September 21, 2022, 7:00 – 8:30 p.m. (ET) All subsequent appointments are scheduled

individually.


Click here for more information. 


PRAYER FOR SUMMERTIME


Loving God, Creator of all times and places, we thank you for the gift of summertime, the days of light, warmth and leisure.


Thank you for the beauty that surrounds us everywhere we look: the multi-colored flowers, the deep blue of the sky, the tranquil surface of lakes, the laughter of children at play, people strolling in parks, families gathered around picnic tables and the more time to spend with family and friends.


As we open our eyes and ears to the landscape of nature and people, open our hearts to receive all as gift. Give us that insight to see you as the Divine Artist. Help us to realize and appreciate that you are laboring to keep all in existence. Warm our souls with the awareness of your presence.


Let all the gifts we enjoy this summer deepen our awareness of your love so that we may share this with others and enjoy a summertime of re-creation.


AMEN

Source: Marquette University website

We here at Shalom Place hope that all of you are safe and well. In-person retreats through Shalom Place are on hold for the time being. We continue to monitor all the COVID-19 situation and are adhering to guidance from health professionals. We are now offering several online opportunities - check out the Spiritual Direction and Small Group Program pages for more information! In the meantime, please enjoy the reflections posted on our home page as well as some of the additional resources made available there. Until we can gather again in person, please wear a mask, honour distancing recommendations, get vaccinated and stay home whenever necessary.

Blessings,

The Shalom Place Team

In the meantime, check out the Archives page for a sampling of the types of retreats we've offered in the past!

A Hollowed Space to Be Filled



A cup must be empty before it can be filled.

If it is already full, it can't be filled again except by emptying it out.

In order to fill anything, there must be a hollowed out space.

Otherwise it can't receive.


This is especially true of God's word.

In order to receive it, we must be hollowed out. 

We must be capable of receiving it,

emptied of the false self and its endless demands.


When Christ came, there was no room in the inn.

It was full. The inn is a symbol of the heart.

God's word, Christ, can take root only in a hollow. 


- William Breault, SJ



A Summer Blessing


May you walk with God

This summer

In whatever you do

Wherever you go

Walking with God means...

Walking with honesty

And with courage,

Walking with love

And respect

And concern for the feelings of others

May you talk to God

This summer

And every day and

In every situation

Talking with God means...

Praying words of praise

For the beauty of creation

Saying prayers of thanks

For friends and good times,

Asking God's help

In all your decisions

Expressing sorrow

When you have failed

May you talk with God

Every day. Amen.


- Author unknown


https://www.xavier.edu/jesuitresource/


Spring Prayer Journey 2022


Are you ... Wondering what personal prayer is all about?

                        Looking to deepen the prayer life you already have?

                               Curious about Spiritual Direction?


Consider joining Patricia Frederick and Stephanie Romiti on an online prayer journey! Participants will be encouraged to spend time in daily prayer, using a resource from well-known author Joyce Rupp. Each participant will meet individually with one of the directors on a weekly basis. Whether you are new to the spiritual life or a seasoned pray-er, you are welcome to join us on this journey of faith. Participants will be asked to obtain a copy of the book Open the Door by Joyce Rupp (cover image may vary).


Dates:  Opening session together on Thursday, May 12, 2022

                      10:30 a.m. - Noon (ET) via zoom

              Closing session together on Thursday, June 23, 2022

                      10:30 a.m. - Noon (ET) via zoom

              Weekly appointments will be determined individually.


Directors: Patricia Frederick and Stephanie Romiti

Location: From the comfort of your home on zoom!

Register by phone: 705-254-4690, email: [email protected] or by completing the contact form by May 10th


Space is limited so register early!


Cost: Your free-will offering supports the ministry of Shalom Place. Thank you for your generosity!

E-transfer: [email protected]

Cheques: Shalom Place,

c/o 59 Glen Ave.

Sault Ste. Marie, ON P6A 5V1




Summer Retreat Opportunity

(online or in person)

While Shalom Place will not be offering a retreat this summer, we wish to pass on information about a summer retreat featuring Fr Ron Rolheiser facilitated by Queen's House in Saskatoon. Travelling to do this retreat in person may not be an option but they are also offering it via Zoom. Check out the link below:

https://www.queenshouse.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Rolheiser-Retreat-July-2022-brochure.pdf


"Come to the Living Water"


A Quiet Reflective Prayer Time in Nature

IN PERSON!!  OUTDOORS!!

8 week prayerful meditation series

From "Walking the Sacred Path"


Dates:  Wednesdays: April 13th to June 1st, 2022

Time:  4:00 - 6:00 p.m.

Location: Outdoors in Sault Ste. Marie - specifics will be given

Facilitator: Patty Boucher

Register by email [email protected] or by completing the contact form by April 8thLimited to 6 people!


Cost: Your free-will offering supports the ministry of Shalom Place. Thank you for your generosity!

E-transfer: [email protected]

Cheques: Shalom Place,

c/o 59 Glen Ave.

Sault Ste. Marie, ON P6A 5V1


Easter Retreat


Shalom Place invites you to a Post Easter half-day celebration retreat. We will pause and reflect on the beautiful post resurrection stories and grow into a deeper awareness of God's loving presence and action in our lives. 

Bring your bible, journal, 

open heart and mind, 

your hunger and your need, 

your gratitude and concerns, 

and explore what the Good News of resurrection means for you this year.



Facilitator: Janet Norman

Dates:  Saturday, April 23, 2022

Time: 9:30 a.m. - Noon

Location: From the comfort of your home on zoom!

Register by email [email protected] or by completing the contact form


Cost: Your free-will offering supports the ministry of Shalom Place. Thank you for your generosity!

E-transfer: [email protected]

Cheques: Shalom Place, 

c/o 59 Glen Ave.

Sault Ste. Marie, ON P6A 5V1


Why Does Jesus Ask Peter Three Times, "Do you love Me?"


This is a common question on this Third Sunday of Easter when we hear the Gospel story of Jesus' "breakfast on the beach" with his disciples. There are countless theories and articles about why Jesus asks Peter this question three times. Check out this short reflection from "Busted Halo" with a reflection and some questions for our own consideration:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vKkGTuflEZI


Easter Retreat


Shalom Place invites you to a Post Easter half-day celebration retreat. We will pause and reflect on the beautiful post resurrection stories and grow into a deeper awareness of God's loving presence and action in our lives. 

Bring your bible, journal, 

open heart and mind, 

your hunger and your need, 

your gratitude and concerns, 

and explore what the Good News of resurrection means for you this year.



Facilitator: Janet Norman

Dates:  Saturday, April 23, 2022

Time: 9:30 a.m. - Noon

Location: From the comfort of your home on zoom!

Register by email [email protected] or by completing the contact form


Cost: Your free-will offering supports the ministry of Shalom Place. Thank you for your generosity!

E-transfer: [email protected]

Cheques: Shalom Place, 

c/o 59 Glen Ave.

Sault Ste. Marie, ON P6A 5V1


Newness


 The joy of Easter wells up inside of us

ready to erupt into a world in need of new life.

God of life,

the signs of Easter are real:

water flowing freely,

fire burning brightly,

water, light, and life.

May we dance and sing for you,

rising out of the rubble

of all that keeps us in darkness.

Transform us, O God of mercy!

Pierce the darkness of our souls with your light.

Turn our sorrow into joy

and our grief into dancing.

Clean up all the messes of our lives.

God of all that is new,

form and reform our lives this Easter.

Open our hearts to all that is new,

so that we can experience fully your power to renew our lives.

Pour your Easter energy into us.

Energize us with your light and free us with your love.

O God of eternal life,

move in us and well up inside of us,

course through us, breathing joy into our souls.

Let your Easter joy surround us, enfold us and make us new.

Amen.

 

Carmen L. Caltagirone 

Ponderings on Peter’s Denial of Jesus


“[Peter] said to him, “Lord, I am prepared to go to prison and to die with you.” But he replied, “I tell you, Peter, before the cock crows this day, you will deny three times that you know me.” (Lk 22:33-34)


As a part of my prayer during these holy days, I decided to watch the movie, “Son of God.” Watching this familiar portrayal of Jesus’ life, and particularly his suffering and death, I was drawn to reflect on Peter’s denial of Jesus. I have, admittedly, been judgmental of how arrogant Peter is to boldly profess that he will die with Jesus only to deny him, not once but three times in the hours that follow. However, in my reflection today, I found myself feeling greater compassion for Peter. I believe he was totally sincere in his promise to be faithful to Jesus. After all, he was a strong man and well prepared to defend his friend whom he loves. This is evident in the garden during Jesus’ arrest. Peter steps forward, draws his sword and cuts off the ear of the high priest’s servant to show that he is not afraid to fight. However, Jesus puts an immediate stop to this violence, saying, “Put your sword back in its sheath, for all who take the sword will perish by the sword.” It’s as if Peter has suddenly been stripped of his defenses. He is left vulnerable and overtaken by fear. He withdraws, not knowing how else to respond. Stripped of the weapons his strength was depending on, he feels weak and helpless to act. It’s no wonder he falls back and becomes verbally defensive when anyone tries to identify him with Jesus.


I can’t help but wonder, what are the “weapons” I depend upon to cover my weakness and vulnerability? Pride? Intellect? Talent? Prestige? Fear? One thing I know, having had this insight into Peter’s words and actions, I pray I will be less judgmental and more compassionate toward him – and others – in the future. 

Stephanie Romiti

"Come to the Living Water"


A Quiet Reflective Prayer Time in Nature

IN PERSON!!  OUTDOORS!!

8 week prayerful meditation series

From "Walking the Sacred Path"


Dates:  Wednesdays: April 13th to June 1st, 2022

Time:  4:00 - 6:00 p.m.

Location: Outdoors in Sault Ste. Marie - specifics will be given

Facilitator: Patty Boucher

Register by email [email protected] or by completing the contact form by April 8thLimited to 6 people!


Cost: Your free-will offering supports the ministry of Shalom Place. Thank you for your generosity!

E-transfer: [email protected]

Cheques: Shalom Place,

c/o 59 Glen Ave.

Sault Ste. Marie, ON P6A 5V1


Annunciation

We know the scene: the room, variously furnished,

almost always a lectern, a book; always the tall lily.

Arrived on solemn grandeur of great wings,

the angelic ambassador, standing or hovering, whom she acknowledges, a guest.

But we are told of meek obedience. No one mentions courage.

The engendering Spirit did not enter her without consent.

God waited.

She was free to accept or to refuse, choice integral to humanness.

____________________________

Aren’t there annunciations of one sort or another in most lives?

Some unwillingly undertake great destinies, enact them in sullen pride, uncomprehending.

More often those moments when roads of light and storm

open from darkness in a man or woman, are turned away from

in dread, in a wave of weakness, in despair and with relief.

Ordinary lives continue. God does not smite them.

But the gates close, the pathway vanishes.

______________________________

She had been a child who played, ate, slept like any other child 

– but unlike others, wept only for pity, laughed in joy not triumph.

Compassion and intelligence fused in her, indivisible.

Called to a destiny more momentous than any in all of Time,

she did not quail, only asked a simple, ‘How can this be?’

and gravely, courteously, took to heart the angel’s reply,

perceiving instantly the astounding ministry she was offered:

to bear in her womb infinite weight and lightness; to carry

in hidden, finite inwardness, nine months of Eternity; 

to contain in slender vase of being, the sum of power – in narrow flesh, the sum of light.

Then bring to birth, push out into air, a Man-child

needing, like any other, milk and love – but who was God.

This was the moment no one speaks of,

when she could still refuse.

A breath unbreathed,

Spirit, suspended, waiting.

______________________________

She did not cry, ‘I cannot. I am not worthy,’

Nor, ‘I have not the strength.’

She did not submit with gritted teeth, raging, coerced.

Bravest of all humans, consent illumined her.

The room filled with its light, the lily glowed in it,

and the iridescent wings.

Consent, courage unparalleled, opened her utterly.

by Denise Levertov

(edited for formatting purposes)

Lenten Reflection


"Help Me Listen"


(From Guerrillas of Grace by Ted Loder)

O Holy One,

I hear and say so many words,

yet yours is the word I need.

Speak now,

and help me listen;

and, if what I hear is silence,

   let it quiet me,

      let it disturb me,

         let it touch my need,

            let it break my pride,

               let it shrink my certainties,

                  let it enlarge my wonder.

3-part Online Lenten Retreat


"Be patient toward all that is unsolved in your heart and try to love the questions themselves..." 

Rainer Maria Rilke


The Season of Lent is a time of withdrawal and of preparation. We withdraw from ordinary life to pause and reflect on the last days and death of Jesus and we prepare our hearts to joyfully greet the Risen Christ on Easter morning.


During this virtual silent retreat via Zoom, scripture, journalling, silence and prayer will guide us into a deeper meaning of Lent and Easter. 



Dates:  Friday, March 4 - 5, 2022

Times:  Friday, March 4 @ 7:00-7:45 p.m. , Saturday, March 5 @ 9:15 - 10:00 a.m., and 1:15 - 2:00 p.m.

    

Facilitator: Janet Norman

Location: From the comfort of your home on zoom

Cost:  Your free will offering helps support our ministry!


Register by email [email protected] or by completing the contact form  before March 2, 2022




"Celebrating the Saints"


Small Group program offered on zoom!

Join us to experience that joy that is part of the COMMUNION OF SAINTS, that "great cloud of witnesses" who can help to inspire us and help us to live with new eyes and a renewed heart!

These sessions will be an interactive exchange of 

ideas, talent and joy!!

No materials necessary to join!

No contribution is too small!

No prior knowledge of the Lives of the Saints is required!



Dates:  January 17, 31, February 14, 21, 2022

Time:  6:30 - 8:30 p.m.

Location: From the comfort of your home on zoom

Cost:  Free will offering

Facilitator: Sr. Mary Jo Radey, CSJ

Register by email [email protected] or by completing the contact form  before Jan. 14, 2022


God of many happy returns, thank you for finding a home among us, for drawing us all to the side of your manger where we share your arrival with smelly creatures and simple shepherds. Christmas is a buy time, often burdened with wild expectations. There is no such things as a perfect family. Emotions can be raw. Give us a few moments today to light a candle for you and place in on that modest cake we have made with our lives, where you bring light. [Upon] we that live in a land of deep shadow a light has shone.

Amen.

From: Doorways into Hope and Joy at Advent & Christmas

by Michael McGirr


"Celebrating the Saints"


Small Group program offered on zoom!

Join us to experience that joy that is part of the COMMUNION OF SAINTS, that "great cloud of witnesses" who can help to inspire us and help us to live with new eyes and a renewed heart!

These sessions will be an interactive exchange of 

ideas, talent and joy!!

No materials necessary to join!

No contribution is too small!

No prior knowledge of the Lives of the Saints is required!



Dates:  January 17, 31, February 14, 21, 2022

Time:  6:30 - 8:30 p.m.

Location: From the comfort of your home on zoom

Cost:  Free will offering

Facilitator: Sr. Mary Jo Radey, CSJ

Register by email [email protected] or by completing the contact form  before Jan. 14, 2022


I came across this image on Facebook and couldn't help but think how 

we might really be invited to celebrate Christmas simply this year,

especially with the current COVID situation. 

So our prayer for you this Christmas is that you will be "simply" blessed!

Source unknown but I think the image says Jennifer Wagner. Hoping to offer credit where credit is due!

O Antiphons

The O Antiphons refer to the seven antiphons that are recited (or chanted) preceding the Magnificat during Vespers of the Liturgy of the Hours during the Octave before Christmas, December 17-23.


The exact origin of the O Antiphons is not known though there is reference to them as far back as the sixth century. By the eighth century, they are in use in the liturgical celebrations in Rome. The usage of the O Antiphons was so prevalent in monasteries that the phrases, ‘Keep your O’ and ‘The Great O Antiphons’ were common parlance. The O Antiphons have been part of our liturgical tradition since the very early Church.


Each of the of O Antiphons highlights a title for the Messiah referred to in the prophecy of Isaiah:

               O Sapientia (O Wisdom) – December 17

               O Adonai (O Lord) – December 18

               O Radix Jesse (O Root of Jesse) – December 19

               O Clavis David (O Key of David) – December 20

               O Oriens (O Rising Sun) – December 21

               O Rex Gentium (O King of the Nations) – December 22

               O Emmanuel – December 23


According to Professor Robert Greenberg of the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, the Benedictine monks arranged these antiphons with a definite purpose. If one starts with the last title and takes the first letter of each one- Emmanuel, Rex, Oriens, Clavis, Radix, Adonai, Sapientia - the Latin words ‘ero cras’ are formed, meaning, ‘Tomorrow, I will come.’ Therefore, the Lord Jesus, whose coming we have prepared for in Advent and whom we have addressed in these seven Messianic titles, now speaks to us, ‘Tomorrow, I will come.’ So the O Antiphons not

only bring intensity to our Advent preparation, but bring it to a joyful conclusion.

(This background was taken from an article by Fr. William Saunders. See https://www.catholiceducation.org/en/culture/catholic-contributions/what-are-the.html 


For our exploration and celebration of the O Antiphons, the format will be as follows:

      Each day a presentation will be posted to the Shalom Place website - www.shalomplace.ca. Click on the link and the presentation will begin.

      The first thing you will see will be a slide which will display the words of the day’s O Antiphon.

      This will then lead to a video of a setting of the Magnificat by Bernadette Farrell.

      After the Magnificat, the Scriptures on which the O Antiphon for the day are based will appear for you to read. Also appearing on the page will be the words of the O Antiphon. If at any time in the presentation you find it is going too quickly, simply hit “Pause” button so that you can absorb what is on the screen.

      Following the Scripture will be a short audio reflection by David Thorp.

      Concluding the reflection will be a verse from the Advent carol, “O Come, O Come Emmanuel” which is based on the O Antiphon.

The total presentation should take about 10-12 minutes.


Some Acknowledgements and Thanks

     The first person I want to acknowledge and thank is my late brother, David Thorp, for introducing me to the O Antiphons. I also want to thank his wife, Barbara Thorp, for sending me the recording of the talk that David gave at the Thursday Morning Men’s Breakfast in Boston on

December 8, 2005. Barbara also provided the photo of David which is displayed during the excerpt of the talk presented each day. I also want to thank Thomas Lester, Director - Archives and Library, Archdiocese of Boston, where David’s papers are archived, for sending me copies of

resources that David had accumulated.

     I really, really want to thank my brother, Mark Thorp, for doing all the technical work to produce the presentation. I gathered the materials, then he added to the graphics but it was his professional expertise (he has worked in the television and film industry for about forty years)

that edited that material into the presentation you will view.

     And to Sr Stephanie Romiti for figuring out to get this on the website.

     The banner at the top of this introduction and the Advent candles at the bottom are from Loyola Press’s article “What are the O Antiphons?”  https://www.loyolapress.com/catholic-resources/liturgical-year/advent/about-advent/advent-links-to-explore-and-share/what-are-the-o-antiphons/

     On the opening and closing slide of each presentation there are a couple images. The ones on the left were designed by the Benedictine Sisters of Turvey Abbey, Northamptonshire, England and are available as full length banners and smaller posters from McCrimmon Publishing

Company Ltd – www.mccrimmons.com/O-Antiphons. See also – https://youtu.be/L-lNcdImng8. The ones in the centre are from St Anne’s Episcopal Church, Trexlertown, PA. See - http://stannesepiscopal.net/o-antiphons/ The video of the Magnificat can be found at - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=15AccZAcdpk O Come, O come Emmanuel is from two You Tube videos: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7xtpJ4Q_Q-4 and  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mxPynSu2LGE

     As Assistant Director of Shalom Place, I would be remiss if I didn’t at least mention that, although our programs at Shalom Place are free to all who wish to access them, we greatly appreciate any free-will offering you might want to make. This Home page has a link below to our contact page, if you wish to support our ministry.


Wishing blessings on your Advent as you make room in your hearts for Emmanuel, God-with-us.

Burnie Thorp

December 23: O Emmanuel

December 22: O King of Nations

December 21: O Rising Sun

December 20: O Key of David

December 19: O Root of Jesse

December 18: O Lord

December 17: O Wisdom

"A Time for Listening"


SHALOM PLACE is offering a Silent Autumn Retreat in the comfort of your own home! 

 

The theme of the retreat is -- "A Time for Listening" Facilitator:  Janet Norman

(Note: new facilitator!)


The retreat begins on October 22 starting at 7 pm & ends on October 23, at 7 pm. 


Four 45-min. contemplative Zoom presentations

will inspire and guide your personal reflection 

and quiet prayer times during the retreat.


Those Zoom sessions will be as follows:

Friday @ 7:00 p.m.

Saturday @ 9:15 a.m., 1:15 p.m., & 6:15 p.m.

Please note, all times are given in the 

Eastern Time zone.


Suggested Offering: $40 

(or whatever you can afford)


Please register by October 20th.

Phone: 705-254-4690

Email: [email protected]

Or use our contact form found here.

In the meantime, check out the Archives page for a sampling of the types of retreats we've offered in the past!

Walking the Sacred Path


Awakening in Christ and Prayerful Meditation

based on Scriptures

to awaken your Divine truth.


Join us for a six week program starting September 15, 2021

Wednesdays: 4 pm to 6 pm 


Meeting places are parks and outside spaces.


Weekly meditation and meeting information will be provided by facilitator.


Based on Roots and Wings by Margaret Silf


(The book is optional, and the responsibility of the participants 

to order for themselves, if they wish.)


Facilitator:  Patty Boucher


Topic areas:


 Rebirth in Christ in the Wilderness 


 Forgive self and others


 Letting go of the past and walking in the presence of Christ


 Give yourself time to be in nature away from distractions of daily life.


 Mini retreat time to rediscover your Divine purpose and faith sharing.


 Experience prayerful meditation practices that are scripture based.


 Create time for relationship with Divine presence with Yahweh, 

Jesus, Mary the mother of Jesus and the Holy Spirit.


To register:

Phone: 705-254-4690

Email: [email protected]

Or use the contact form found here.



The following is for informational purposes 

and not a program being offered through Shalom Place at this time.

I, Janet Norman, recently took a course from the Shalem Institute in Washington DC called an Introduction to Group Spiritual Direction (GSD) . I had never heard of it before.


GSD is an opportunity for 4 - 5 people to listen with compassion, reverence and openness to others as they share their lived experience of God’s presence in their life.


The process involves 

  • silent prayer for the person who will be sharing 2 minutes
  • focused active listening while the person shares 5 minutes
  • silent prayer asking God how God wants us to respond 2 minutes
  • a time of sharing observations, insights from God 10 minutes
  • silent prayer as we let go of presenter and prepare for the next 2 minutes

Thus each person is held in prayer for 20 minutes. At no time do we offer good books to read, topping a story with our own experience, criticism or strategies. At all times we operate from the belief that no one is broken or in need of fixing and deep trust that God is present, active and loving in each person’s life.


Sharing stories free of concern of being corrected, challenged, advised or fixed was liberating and we each found God speaking to our life as we listened to the other. I found the whole experience healing and humbling.


The lectures were brief, well presented and informative, sharing with a partner was gentle and affirming and the Group Spiritual Direction with a facilitator was powerful, full of the Spirit and healing.


This course is being offered again Sept 10 - 12 2021 and I highly recommend it. I found it to be a life changing experience, deepening my relationship with God, opening me to the journey of others and allowing me to witness to the loving action of God in the life of others.


Janet Norman 


https://shalem.org/programs/shortterm/group-spiritual-direction-workshop/




As we begin this summer season, we pray you will have time to slow down and reflect on God's presence and action in your life!


Trust in the Slow Work of God

By Pierre Chardin

Above all, trust in the slow work of God.

We are quite naturally impatient in everything To reach the end without delay.

We should like to skip the intermediate stages. We are impatient of being on the way

to something unknown, something new.

Yet it is the law of all progress that it is made by passing through some stages of instability and that may take a very long time.


And so I think it is with you.

Your ideas mature gradually. Let them grow. Let them shape themselves without undue haste. Do not try to force them on

as though you could be today what time

--that is to say, grace—

and circumstances

--acting on your own good will—

will make you tomorrow.

Only God could say what this new Spirit gradually forming in you will be.


Give our Lord the benefit of believing that his hand is leading you,

and accept the anxiety of feeling yourself in suspense and incomplete.

Above all, trust in the slow work of God, our loving vine-dresser. Amen.


GROWING IN WISDOM:

Seeking Deeper Generativity

In Hinduism the stages of life are described as: 

childhood; 

student; 

householder; 

forest dweller; 

sannyasin (“holy beggar”).

Another way of looking at these phases from the perspective of our spiritual journeys is:

youth – the struggle to get our lives together;

generativity – the struggle to give our lives away;

late life – the struggle to give our deaths away.


We spend most of our lives in the householder / generativity stages. As we enter our later years it is time to reflect on our lives and to impart the wisdom we have gained through experience, to become an elder, to be a forest dweller and ultimately a holy beggar (or holy old fool).


Based on these phases of our lives, Fr Ron Rolheiser and the faculty of the Oblate School of Theology in San Antonio developed a program called “Forest Dwelling: Spirituality for our Wisdom Years.”


Realizing that not every one has the time or resources to go to San Antonio, some of the Canadian “graduates” of the Forest Dwelling program through association with Queen’s House Retreat and Renewal Centre in Saskatoon and with the blessing of Fr Rolheiser have developed a program inspired by and drawing on the resources of the Forest Dwelling program that will be offered virtually (via Zoom). 


This is a two-year program that will feature four one week “intensive” sessions plus ongoing spiritual practice and is called “Growing in Wisdom: Seeking Deeper Generativity.” This program is intended for people who are 60 years of age and older.


Queen’s House has reached out to retreat and spirituality centres across Canada to determine interest in becoming “hubs” to facilitate the programs in various locations. Shalom Place is willing to act as a “hub” and we are reaching out to you to determine if there is enough interest to do this.


We are holding a 2-hour version of the two-day Zoom presentation given in early June by Queen’s House that will provide more information. 


DATE:  Tuesday July 6, 2021

TIME:  10:00 AM to Noon. 

PLACE: via ZOOM from the comfort of your own home

REGISTRATION:  [email protected], call us at 705-254-4690 or use the contact form here

This is a “Come and See” session. Please register by Monday July 5 so that we can get the Zoom link to you. 

"Finding Friends with Francis!!"

Join us to explore how Pope Francis' latest encyclical could change the world! This experience will be a dynamic exchange of experience and possibility...


When:      June 9, 16, 23, 30, 2021   6:30 - 8:00 p.m. (ET) via zoom

 

Facilitator:   Sr. Mary Jo Radey, CSJ    


Cost:     Your free-will offering helps support Shalom Place ministries. 


Text:   Available online at no cost.


Registration: Use the contact form on this website - click  here

                         Or email us at [email protected]

                         Or call us at 705-254-4690

                                       BEFORE JUNE 7, 2021


NOTE: Participants must be familiar with the Zoom platform!




Lay Yourself Open


When you want to lay yourself open for the divine,

like a snare that is hollowed out to its depth,

like a canopy that projects a shadow

from the divine heat and light

into your soul,

then go into your inner place physically,

or to that story or symbol that reminds you of the sacred.


Close the door of your awareness to

the public person you think yourself to be.

Pray to the parent of creation, with your inner sense,

the outer senses turned within.

Veiling yourself, the mystery may be unveiled through you.


By opening yourself to the flow of the sacred,

somewhere, resounding in some inner form,

the swell of the divine ocean can move through you.


The breathing life of all reveals itself

in the way you live your life.

~ Neil Douglas-Klotz ~

New!

Outdoor small group program! 

"Walking the Sacred Path"

This program will have you outside in our lush forested areas. It involves weekly and daily reflection and scripture readings with a meeting once a week in an outdoor setting in nature...rain or shine!!! This program runs for four weeks. 


DATE & TIME: 

          Thursdays 4:00 - 6:00 p.m.  

          Beginning April 22, 2021


FACILITATOR: Patty Boucher


LOCATION: TBD


SUGGESTED OFFERING: Free-will offering helps continue this ministry and is greatly appreciated. 


REGISTER:  [email protected] or 705-254-4690 or complete the contact form on this website 

Third Week of Easter

Humming in the Darkness

Hope means to keep living 

amid desperation 

and to keep humming in the darkness. 

Hoping is knowing that there is love, 

it is trust in tomorrow, 

it is falling asleep 

and waking again 

when the sun rises.

In the midst of a gale at sea, 

it is to discover land. 

In the eyes of another 

it is to see that you are understood...


As long as there is still hope 

there will also be prayer...


And you will be held 

in God's hands.


From With Open Hands by Henri Nouwen

Second Sunday of Easter

"The doors were closed, but Jesus came in and stood among them. 'Peace be with you,' he said. Then he spoke to Thomas, 'Put your finger here; look, here are my hands. Give me your hand; put it into my side. Doubt no longer, but believe.'" (John 20:19-20,27-28)


I remember closed doors along my own life's journey, and I remember moments when you were suddenly there, in spite of all my defences; moments when you took my hand and brought me face to face with my wounded Healer and left me no more room for doubt.

~ Margaret Silf ~

Awaken Me

Risen One, come, meet me in the garden of my life.


Lure me into elation.

Revive my silent hope. 

Coax my dormant dreams.

Raise up my neglected gratitude.

Entice my tired enthusiasm.

Give life to my faltering relationships. 

Roll back the stone of my indifference.

Unwrap the deadness in my spiritual life.

Impart heartiness in my work.


Risen One,

send me forth as a disciple of your unwavering love,

a messenger of your unlimited joy.


Resurrected One,

may I become

ever more convinced that your presence lives on, 

and on, and on, and on.


Awaken me! Awaken me!

~ Joyce Rupp ~





Check out this Holy Saturday video reflection:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tVyTaZclT64




 Lent Retreat Morning

"Accepting God's Invitation...

to journey through Lament to Hope"

Through the experience of scripture, journalling, reflection, sharing and prayer we will name and acknowledge our laments and losses and open ourselves to hearing God’s invitation to move to hope with trust and confidence. Come prepared to have time, space and quiet to journal and share in small groups as you are comfortable.  



DATE & TIME: March 17, 2021      10:00 a.m. - Noon

FACILITATOR: Janet Norman - Check out her info on our team page!

SUGGESTED OFFERING: Free will offering

LOCATION: ZOOM

(All participants must be familiar with the ZOOM platform in order to register.)

REGISTRATION by March 15: Three ways to register:

  1. Call us at 705-254-4690 
  2. Email us at:  [email protected] 
  3. Contact form found here

Lent 2021: ​What to give up, when you feel like giving up

by Sr. Colleen Gibson

On the eve of Ash Wednesday, a comic strip appeared in my inbox under the subject line “The Lent-iest Lent Ever.” In it, a man, coffee cup in hand, casually asks her, “Did you decide what you’re giving up for Lent?” With a look of mild uncertainty on her face and eyes fixed on the list unfurled before her, the woman remarks, "First I need to check the list of things I gave up for the pandemic."


The person who sent me the comic jotted one simple line below the comic: "With a year like this, what's forty more days?"

Dripping with sarcasm, that wisecrack made me smile in the face of the larger point the comic was hammering home. After the year we've had, what more could we give up?


Last year, after all, was supposed to have been the "Lent-iest" Lent ever. From the declaration of the pandemic by the World Health Organization in March, only a few weeks into the Lenten season, a new reality and understanding of the fragility of life, the loneliness of loss and isolation, the need for attentive engagement, and the call to prayer in the face of uncertainty took hold. The prayer, fasting and almsgiving of that Lenten season overflowed into the year that has been, creating a sense that Lent never fully came to a close.


And so, as I returned my focus to the comic my friend sent, I wondered, "what's the point?"


After a year of grief and loss, isolation and distance, masks and protocols, what more could these 40 days offer? What could I possibly give up or take on this Lent? If that list of sacrifices keeps getting longer, why not just give in and give up?


The temptation to give up is real.


Last Lent, as the pandemic and its accompanying realities began to gain momentum, the season of Lent took on a surreal air. The Lenten promises I had made paled in comparison to the ever-evolving reality of life in a time of pandemic. As a result, I chose to put my Lenten practice aside. At the time, I felt that by not following through for the full 40 days, I had come up short in my Lenten commitment.


Looking back on that choice now, though, I know it was the right choice for me. The consciousness of God's presence that I longed to deepen by giving something up for Lent was heightened by the discernment to once again embrace the comfort of what I was going without. My attention was needed elsewhere and my ability to be fully present to the situations at hand was enhanced by my choice to give up on what I'd given up.


That, of course, leads me to this Lent.


By the time that comic came to my inbox, I still hadn't decided the details of my Lenten practice. There were groups I could take part in, books I could read, prayers I could commit to, and small actions I could take on. All of these practices would be good options, yet with a spirit bleary-eyed from Zoom calls, world news, and other demands, I felt less zealous about making a commitment and more resigned to endure the season as best I could.


Looking at the woman in the comic, I wondered: What do you give up when the thought of doing one more thing is burdensome or the prospect of adding to the growing list of daily sacrifices is daunting? What do you give up when you feel like giving up?


The answers to those questions, surprisingly, emerged rather quickly.


When we feel like giving up, perhaps one of the best things we can give up is the need to control every facet of our lives. The pandemic has made strikingly clear that some things are simply out of our control. We cannot will the world to get back to normal. Uncertainty is more commonplace these days than we might be comfortable with, but what if we companion that uncertainty, rather than trying to correct it by controlling ourselves and others? Relinquishing the need to achieve or to obsess over having everything in order may in fact be the best thing we can give up. In so doing, we give God the space to be in control and free ourselves from the illusion that we are God, remembering instead that God has made us to be human.


If giving up the drive to control is the first step in a liberating Lent, giving up our penchant to negatively judge is a closely linked second. Judgment, of course, is not necessarily a bad thing; it helps us to gain perspective and assess situations. However, when we recognize that our judgments are unkind and uncharitable, undergirded by a need to control or lessen the "other," it's time to give them up. Just as with control, this "giving up" of judgments is easier said than done. Being able to relinquish our negative feelings and lay our judgments aside for the benefit of others and ourselves is a process of self-actualization, which takes both honesty and humility as we grow in self-awareness and face our imperfections. If we can give up the need to pass judgment, we can grow closer to the union to which God calls us and gain new perspective on the loving way God sees all of us, even those we can't stand.


By letting go of the temptation to control and judge in our daily lives, we will hopefully find ourselves freer to face the attachments of our egos and the drive to hold tightly to the power, glory and entitlement the world promises. Indeed, these promises are the falsehoods we confront when we embrace prayer, fasting and almsgiving in the season of Lent. In and through these practices we recognize our reliance on God, raising our consciousness and giving up what stands in the way of a deeper relationship with God.


Deepening our relationship with God, after all, is the aim of whatever we give up or choose to do this Lent. For that reason, perhaps the greatest thing we could give up this Lent is the nagging feeling that we should give up. In this year full of sacrifices, giving up would be a choice to relinquish hope and to dishonor all that we have been through. To give up on this season would be to give in to despair and, in the process, to lose sight of where this Lenten journey ultimately points us — to the hope-filled morning of Easter.


We carry a lot and, during this Lent especially, we need to be attentive to what might lighten our load. Maybe we are being called to let go of anger or hurt, judgement or control, sadness or selfishness, worry or regret, offering in their place love and compassion both for our neighbors and for ourselves.


As we press on like the Israelites wandering in the desert, we cannot lose sight of hope and of the One who walks hopefully with us through this season, and every season, of our lives. With God as our companion, we may have to give up lots of things. Some of those sacrifices will be voluntary, while others will not. Still, we journey forward together, giving all we are and all we hope to be to God and finding that no matter the season, God will never give up on us.


The following reflection recently appeared on the Global Sisters Network website and we are reposting it here with their permission. 


A Sister of St. Joseph of Philadelphia, 

Colleen Gibson currently serves as coordinator of services at the 

Sisters of St. Joseph Neighborhood Center in Camden, New Jersey.

Philip Chircop recently posted the following thoughts: 


BEST OF TIMES … WORST OF TIMES 


February 7 was the birthday of Charles Dickens (February 7, 1812 – June 9, 1870). For your reflection, here are Dickens’ profound first words, from “A Tale of Two Cities” written in March of 1859. I find them to be meaningful words especially these days as the world stands still haunted by a deadly virus. 


“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of light, it was the season of darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us …”. 


~Charles Dickens in A Tale of Two Cities

New!

On-line small group program! 

"Dear Heart Come Home"

Midlife … is a summons to grow and a challenge to change. Midlife beckons one inward. It is a move to interiority, a passage to the deeper places where we discover our authenticity, where we realize both our limitations and our grandeur. It is here that we come home to our truest Self. We take our external experiences with us to the inside and look at our life. We evaluate our goals, hopes, dreams, beliefs, behaviours, experiences – all that has marked us and contributed to the person we have become – and we ask ourselves: “Is this the person I want to be in the future?”


We will use Joyce Rupp’s book as the source of input, private journaling and group sharing during our sessions. More information will be provided at the first session. 


DATE & TIME: 

          Wednesdays 4:30 - 6:00 p.m.  (Eastern Time zone)

          Jan. 20, 27; Feb. 3, 10, 17, 24; Mar. 3, 10


FACILITATOR: Stephanie Romiti, CSJ


LOCATION: Meet from the comfort of your own home! We will use "zoom" to meet - guidance will be offered ahead of time for those needing it! 


SUGGESTED OFFERING: Free-will offering appreciated. PARTICIPANTS ARE ASKED TO OBTAIN THEIR OWN COPY OF THE BOOK,  from the vendor of their choice. (Note: amazon and chapters/indigo online have limited copies, though it is available as an e-book for Kindle. It is also available through a few U.S. vendors, such as Barnes and Noble.)


REGISTER:  [email protected] or 705-254-4690 or complete the contact form on this website 

Pope Francis has declared this year to be the Year of St. Joseph! Our current reflection is a video clip of Fr. James Martin, SJ speaking on why St. Joseph is the patron we need at this time. 

As we move into the liturgical season of Ordinary Time, let us pray in gratitude for the gift of sight!

Prayer of Gratitude for the Gift of Sight

Creator God, Holy Parent, I give you thanks for all of your so often unnoticed natural gifts.

I rejoice especially, now, in my eyes, these two tiny but marvelous gifts that add so much 

     to the fullness of my life.

The gift of sight enlarges the world of my enjoyment and magnifies my appreciation of

     nature, of great works of art, of the gifts of books and print, of those persons I love - 

     and for this I am grateful.

I thank you also for the gift of insight by which my spirit sees and understands.

For the gift of the third eye, the eye of the heart, by which I may stand-under the meaning

     of life, I am indeed grateful.

I am especially thankful for your Son, Jesus, star-born prophet, whose very coming was a

     healing light to the world, who opened the eyes of the blind and gave to a weary world 

     new sight.

Blessed be all those who have taught me to see: prophets, poets, writers, and 

     movie-makers, friends and lovers, all teachers of vision.

May my eyes bless you this day; may they be opened-prayers of gratitude, as I attempt 

     to overcome any blindness of heart and any dullness of appreciation of the wonder of 

     sight.

In the fullness of my being, I bless you, incomprehensible Lord, who foresees a heaven 

     of such splendor, that ear has not heard, nor eye seen, such beauty as you have 

     prepared.

Blessed are you, Lord my God, for the wondrous gift of sight.


~ Edward Hays ~


January 1, 2021

Befriend your 'self'.

See the beauty

     within you.

See the light

     within you.

Find the still point 

     within you.

Be in your sacred centre:

It is a place

     for conceiving

          and giving birth.

It is a place

     of gratitude,

          a place of light.


~ Mary Southard, csj ~


December 25: Merry Christmas

December 24: Betting on Bethlehem

Christmas survives because of Bethlehem. Had it occurred in Jerusalem (or had a bigger press budget) it would have long ago been forgotten. Instead, Christmas persists, an annual people's revolt showing how much the insignificant and the powerless still matter in a world where big is king. 


Christmas has an inescapable bias. Third- and fourth-world people who read the story often hear personal affirmation - it sounds like it was written just for them. First-world people who read it often hear judgment. The reason? Bethlehem, where the weak triumph over the powerful and the nobodies confound the famous, where valleys are exalted and mountains are laid low.


Those who understand Bethlehem are not one bit surprised. We expect the simple to baffle the sophisticated, the plain to triumph over the complex, the small to overturn the large. We actually believe that little countries like East Timor or Puerto Rico have as much right to independence as big countries. We've seen dictators toppled.


So Christmas is our festival, the bizarre story that puts its bets on Bethlehem. The story that lets ragged shepherds under flickering starlight get the first word of the birth of God on earth. It celebrates light overcoming darkness, the small defeating the big, the poor finally having less to fear than the rich, the simple and sincere emerging as ultimately sovereign.


Each Christmas asks us whether we will again bet on Bethlehem. Why would we choose otherwise? It is, in the end, the only story worth whatever we can wager - even our lives. 


~ Donna Schaper ~

December 23: O Emmanuel

December 22: O King of Nations

December 21: O Rising Sun

December 20: O Key of David

December 19: O Root of Jesse

December 18: O Lord

December 17: O Wisdom

O Antiphons

The O Antiphons refer to the seven antiphons that are recited (or chanted) preceding the Magnificat during Vespers of the Liturgy of the Hours during the Octave before Christmas, December 17-23.


The exact origin of the O Antiphons is not known though there is reference to them as far back as the sixth century. By the eighth century, they are in use in the liturgical celebrations in Rome. The usage of the O Antiphons was so prevalent in monasteries that the phrases, ‘Keep your O’ and ‘The Great O Antiphons’ were common parlance. The O Antiphons have been part of our liturgical tradition since the very early Church.


Each of the of O Antiphons highlights a title for the Messiah referred to in the prophecy of Isaiah:

               O Sapientia (O Wisdom) – December 17

               O Adonai (O Lord) – December 18

               O Radix Jesse (O Root of Jesse) – December 19

               O Clavis David (O Key of David) – December 20

               O Oriens (O Rising Sun) – December 21

               O Rex Gentium (O King of the Nations) – December 22

               O Emmanuel – December 23


According to Professor Robert Greenberg of the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, the Benedictine monks arranged these antiphons with a definite purpose. If one starts with the last title and takes the first letter of each one- Emmanuel, Rex, Oriens, Clavis, Radix, Adonai, Sapientia - the Latin words ‘ero cras’ are formed, meaning, ‘Tomorrow, I will come.’ Therefore, the Lord Jesus, whose coming we have prepared for in Advent and whom we have addressed in these seven Messianic titles, now speaks to us, ‘Tomorrow, I will come.’ So the O Antiphons not

only bring intensity to our Advent preparation, but bring it to a joyful conclusion.

(This background was taken from an article by Fr. William Saunders. See https://www.catholiceducation.org/en/culture/catholic-contributions/what-are-the.html 


For our exploration and celebration of the O Antiphons, the format will be as follows:

      Each day a presentation will be posted to the Shalom Place website - www.shalomplace.ca. Click on the link and the presentation will begin.

      The first thing you will see will be a slide which will display the words of the day’s O Antiphon.

      This will then lead to a video of a setting of the Magnificat by Bernadette Farrell.

      After the Magnificat, the Scriptures on which the O Antiphon for the day are based will appear for you to read. Also appearing on the page will be the words of the O Antiphon. If at any time in the presentation you find it is going too quickly, simply hit “Pause” button so that you can absorb what is on the screen.

      Following the Scripture will be a short audio reflection by David Thorp.

      Concluding the reflection will be a verse from the Advent carol, “O Come, O Come Emmanuel” which is based on the O Antiphon.

The total presentation should take about 10-12 minutes.


Some Acknowledgements and Thanks

     The first person I want to acknowledge and thank is my late brother, David Thorp, for introducing me to the O Antiphons. I also want to thank his wife, Barbara Thorp, for sending me the recording of the talk that David gave at the Thursday Morning Men’s Breakfast in Boston on

December 8, 2005. Barbara also provided the photo of David which is displayed during the excerpt of the talk presented each day. I also want to thank Thomas Lester, Director - Archives and Library, Archdiocese of Boston, where David’s papers are archived, for sending me copies of

resources that David had accumulated.

     I really, really want to thank my brother, Mark Thorp, for doing all the technical work to produce the presentation. I gathered the materials, then he added to the graphics but it was his professional expertise (he has worked in the television and film industry for about forty years)

that edited that material into the presentation you will view.

     And to Sr Stephanie Romiti for figuring out to get this on the website.

     The banner at the top of this introduction and the Advent candles at the bottom are from Loyola Press’s article “What are the O Antiphons?”  https://www.loyolapress.com/catholic-resources/liturgical-year/advent/about-advent/advent-links-to-explore-and-share/what-are-the-o-antiphons/

     On the opening and closing slide of each presentation there are a couple images. The ones on the left were designed by the Benedictine Sisters of Turvey Abbey, Northamptonshire, England and are available as full length banners and smaller posters from McCrimmon Publishing

Company Ltd – www.mccrimmons.com/O-Antiphons. See also – https://youtu.be/L-lNcdImng8. The ones in the centre are from St Anne’s Episcopal Church, Trexlertown, PA. See - http://stannesepiscopal.net/o-antiphons/ The video of the Magnificat can be found at - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=15AccZAcdpk O Come, O come Emmanuel is from two You Tube videos: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7xtpJ4Q_Q-4 and  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mxPynSu2LGE

     As Assistant Director of Shalom Place, I would be remiss if I didn’t at least mention that, although our programs at Shalom Place are free to all who wish to access them, we greatly appreciate any free-will offering you might want to make. This Home page has a link below to our contact page, if you wish to support our ministry.


Wishing blessings on your Advent as you make room in your hearts for Emmanuel, God-with-us.

Burnie Thorp

December 16, 2020


To introduce our O Antiphon reflection series beginning Thursday, we offer the following introduction. 


The O Antiphons refer to the seven antiphons that are recited (or chanted) preceding the Magnificat during Vespers of the Liturgy of the Hours during the Octave before Christmas, December 17-23.


Each of the of O Antiphons highlights a title for the Messiah referred to in the prophecy of Isaiah:

O Sapientia (O Wisdom) – December 17

O Adonai (O Lord) – December 18

O Radix Jesse (O Root of Jesse) – December 19

O Clavis David (O Key of David) – December 20

O Oriens (O Rising Sun) – December 21

O Rex Gentium (O King of the Nations) – December 22

O Emmanuel – December 23


According to Professor Robert Greenberg of the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, the Benedictine monks arranged these antiphons with a definite purpose. If one starts with the last title and takes the first letter of each one- Emmanuel, Rex, Oriens, Clavis, Radix, Adonai, Sapientia - the Latin words ‘ero cras’ are formed, meaning, ‘Tomorrow, I will come.’ Therefore, the Lord Jesus, whose coming we have prepared for in Advent and whom we have addressed in these seven Messianic titles, now speaks to us, ‘Tomorrow, I will come.’ So the O Antiphons not only bring intensity to our Advent preparation, but bring it to a joyful conclusion.  

Please scroll down for more information. 

December 15, 2020

“I take delight in you, my God.

I sing a song of joy in my soul.

I proclaim the wonder of your love

through my words and actions.”

~ Joyce Rupp ~

December 14, 2020

“In the twilight of life,

God will not judge us on our earthly possessions

and human successes,

but on how well we have loved.”

~St. John of the Cross~

December 13, 2020

The third candle of Advent is JOY.

Despite her fear and apprehension,

Mary responded to God's call and was filled with joy.

Her whole being sang out:

'My soul rejoices in God, my Saviour.'

~Source unknown~

December 12, 2020

"What matters now is not that Christ was born of Mary,

but that Christ longs to be born in you - 

and is born with each compassionate deed."

~Meister Eckhart~

December 11, 2020

The Presence of God


God is with me, but more,

God is within me, giving me existence.

Let me dwell for a moment on God's life-giving presence

in my body, my mind, my heart

and in the whole of my life.


~Source unknown~

December 10, 2020

Advent Longing

In the darkness of the season, in the silence of Mary's womb,

     new life waits and grows.

     Hope is shaped in hidden places, 

     on the edges, in the depths

     far from the blinding lights and deafening sounds of consumer frenzy.


In the darkness and silence of my own life,

     I wait,

     listening for the whisper of angel wings,

     longing for a genuine experience of mystery,

     hoping for a rekindling of joy and the establishment of peace.


I lean into the darkness

     and silence.

    Expectant.


~Larry J. Peacock~

December 9, 2020


Come, O Gift of heaven's harmony

attune the ear of my heart

so that I may hear

just as Mary, faithful woman of Israel, heard. 

Show me, also your highly favoured child,