***This is a series of posts based on writing I did on personal retreat in October 2009. Read earlier posts in the series here: Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 |Part 5|Part 6|Part 7***
Wednesday, October 28th, 2009
Medaille Retreat House, London Ontario
First impressions:
The retreat house is just off Fanshawe Park Rd, which is a busy road in London. I wasn’t expecting that. I was expecting off in the woods, away from the noise, although from my room at the back of the house, overlooking a woods and a labyrinth, you’d never guess you were in a busy part of the city.
Carol the secretary showed Anne Marie, Olivia, Sophia, and me around the house when we got here. Although this is a retreat house run by The Sisters of St. Joseph, it is not overtly Catholic; other than the crucifixes it is not an explicitly “religious” place.
Breakfast is make-your-own at whatever time you like; lunch is 12pm sharp; supper is left in the fridge. Because there is no one else booked for these two days I will have the entire house to myself after 4pm. Sweet – I will do some songwriting then.
There is a TV here – an odd appliance to have at a “silence and solitude” retreat centre. I may just make a vow now not to turn it on.
There is also wireless internet, but it’s password protected. I’m sure the password is given freely but I’ve decided not to ask for it. My email accounts have the vacation responders turned on and I have turned off the email on my phone. I am almost completely disconnected.
Related posts:
- Spiritual Disciplines (The Medaille House Journals – 3) ***This is a series of posts based on writing I did on personal retreat in October 2009. Read earlier posts in the series here: Part...
- Prayer (The Medialle House Journals – 11) This is part of a series of posts based on writing I did on personal retreat in October 2009. Read earlier posts in the series...
- Discipline – (The Medialle House Journals – 6) ***This is a series of posts based on writing I did on personal retreat in October 2009. Read earlier posts in the series here: Part...
- The Sense of Presence – (The Medialle House Journals – 10) This is part of a series of posts based on writing I did on personal retreat in October 2009. Read earlier posts in the series...
- Contradictions (The Medialle House Journals – 12) This is part of a series of posts based on writing I did on personal retreat in October 2009. Read earlier posts in the series...
