“Our vocation is to listen to God as prayer. Prayer is breathing the presence of God. Prayer is not the moral past but a new way of living the new life.”
—Henri Nouwen at Laity Lodge
Retreat Audio
from the original 1980 retreat description in Newsbriefs
FR. NOUWEN DIRECTS ECUMENICAL RETREAT
One of the most diverse ecumenical groups of Christian leaders ever gathered at Laity Lodge attended an end-of-summer Fr. Henri Nouwen retreat.
Attending the retreat on compassion and prayer were nine Episcopal priests, six Catholic priests and seven sisters, five Baptist, four Methodist and four Presbyterian pastors, three lawyers, an architect, a medical doctor, and several psychologists and counselors.
Speaking on prayer, Fr. Nouwen said, “Our vocation is to listen to God as prayer. Prayer is breathing the presence of God. Prayer is not the moral past but a new way of living the new life. We are an ongoing Christ event. Christ is crucified in us, suffering in us, and His joy is in us. Christ is being born in us. He is healing within us, and the truth of Christ is happening to us.”
The priest, who is a professor at Yale Divinity School, is one of the nation’s authorities on spiritual formation, prayer, and contemplative Christianity.
