Prayer Without Ceasing: Contemplation in Work, Body, and Creation

Contemplative Immersion Retreat with Mark Kutolowski

‘Pray without ceasing.’ (I Thessalonians 5:17) How can we experience ceaseless prayer and conscious union of our hearts with God? This retreat will explore the integration of silent contemplation with prayerful engagement with our bodies, creative manual work, and interaction with the natural world. We’ll engage with the Benedictine vision of work as prayer and learn prayer disciplines that support intimacy with God through engagement with Creation. Participants will have the option to camp on-site, or stay in the regular Holy Family accommodations.

Mark Kutolowski is an Oblate of Saint Benedict, a contemplative retreat leader, Centering Prayer teacher, wilderness guide, and instructor in the Slavic martial art and health practice, Systema. He has spent the past 20 years exploring the integration of Christian contemplation with physical transformation and our relationship with the natural world. Mark and his wife Lisa live a lay contemplative life and offer hospitality at their homestead, Metanoia of Vermont (http://www.metanoiavt.com).