Bridges to Contemplative Living Retreats: intimate, guided retreat experiences that include no more than twelve participants who share lunches and dinners in common. Retreatants are invited to participate in the prayers of the monks at the Abbey of Gethsemani located only one mile from Bethany Spring. No prior knowledge of Merton or the Bridges series is required for participation.

Silent Guided Retreats: participants enjoy silence and personal prayer during these non-directed retreats. Jonathan Montaldo offers one morning conference on Merton and Silence and a group "check-in" in the evenings. Retreatants may attend the formal prayer hours at the Abbey of Gethsemani.

The Beauty of A Faith: Based on a decade long study of theological aesthetics and her thesis, "The Beauty of a Faith", explores with retreatants what "beauty'"means in the context of our daily lives and a faith. Interwoven throughout the retreat is a personal story of conversion through discovering God's beauty; in relationships, nature, even within suffering. St. Augustine wrote of his yearning for God's beauty, "Late have I loved you beauty so ancient and new." We will explore this essential longing of the human spirit and look at what the mystics and saints (both ancient and modern day) had to say about contemplative prayer as a revelation of God's beauty. Come and discover hope and healing in your life through God's beauty. Retreat is directed by Debra Claussen.

Creativity, Contemplation and Intuition: Re-discover and deepen your relationship with yourself, your creative spirit, and God. Using collage techniques, participants will explore ways in which they can connect with their intuition and creative spirit by creating their own "prayer box". There can be great joy, insight and freedom making art. The retreat will include quiet/private time, journaling, sharing, reflection and play time...let the Spirit "move" you. No artistic experience necessary....just bring an open mind and willing heart. Retreat is directed by Janet Zack.

Contemplative Lectio Divina: Reading Your Life Story as a Holy Text: The retreat explores the practice of Lectio Divina ("divine reading") as it was used by monks in Medieval times, and how to adapt the practice for reading the Bible and other sacred texts. In addition, the retreat will explore Lectio as a method to explore the spiritual implications of the most significant events in our personal lives. The retreat is directed by Terry Taylor and based on his new book, A Spirituality for Brokenness, published in April of 2009 by SkyLight Paths Publishing.

The Contemplative Caregiver: Participants will explore contemplative living (living in relationship with self, God, others, and nature) as they reflect on the writings of Thomas Merton. This spiritual renewal retreat is designed for hospice staff and others providing end of life care. Individual spiritual direction and time for walks in the monastery woods and prayer services at the Abbey of Gethsemani are optional opportunities. No previous awareness of Merton or contemplative prayer is required. This retreat is limited to seven persons. Retreat is directed by David Hilton.

Contemplative Living and Non Violence: Jesus, Gandhi & Merton: Jesus challenged oppression of his fellow Jews, whether from the Roman occupiers or from the priestly leaders. He confronted injustice while teaching that nonviolence is the way to a resurrected life. Gandhi, through writing and by example, taught that satyagraha [nonviolent resistance] brought positive changes to real-world personal and political relationships. Thomas Merton was a powerful witness for peace and justice during the turbulent 1960s. This retreat will focus on contemplative dialogue based on the Scriptures and selected writings of Gandhi and Merton. Retreat is directed by Pat Mahon.

Dreams, Dreamwork, and Contemplative Living: Dreams come from a source other than one's own ego and are guides that strengthen us on our contemplative path. During this retreat, we will apply the wisdom of modern psychology to the Judeo-Christian dreamwork tradition, learn tools and techniques that will enable us to work directly with the spiritual energy and symbols of our dreams and be a part of the reverential revival of using dreams to connect us with God, ourselves, and our communities. Retreat is directed by Rusty Moe.

Holy Week at Bethany Spring: Rest in an atmosphere of silence from Wednesday night until Lunch on Easter Sunday. Conferences based on "Bridges to Contemplative Living with Thomas Merton" are held throughout the retreat. Attend prayer services at the Abbey of Gethsemani.

In the Dark Before Dawn: Thomas Merton’s Poetry and Prayer: Echoing his love of the predawn hours after the Night Vigils monastic office, Thomas Merton's prayerful and poetic voices continually portray both our human existence and the darkness of our warring world. In these early morning silences, Merton seeks to enter the mystical spaces of an often unrequited desire for communication with God and to capture the hopes of interior and exterior peace. This retreat will explore the poetry and prayer that flowered "in the dark before dawn", offering us the opportunity to enter those deep places of the heart with Thomas Merton as we seek to renew our own relationships with solitude, silence and authenticity. Retreat is directed by Lynn Szabo.

The Intimate Merton: Based upon the anthology, The Intimate Merton, this retreat will offer an opportunity to discuss key issues in Merton’s journals: his vocation as a monk and writer, his search for the feminine face of God reflected in his own inner experience, and his teachings on contemplative living. This best-selling presentation of the essence of Merton’s journals has been published in ten languages. Participants will be asked to have read The Intimate Merton prior to the retreat. No prior experience of Merton’s work is required. Jonathan Montaldo, Bethany Spring’s resident director and co-editor of The Intimate Merton will present this retreat based on the anthology from the seven volumes of Thomas Merton’s personal journals. Retreat is directed by Jonathan Montaldo.

The Language the Earth Speaks: A Contemplative and Creative Retreat for Artists and Writers: Thomas Merton was at home in nature. His love of the land and his natural harmony with the tempo of the seasons was important for his life of prayer. During this retreat, nurture your connection with the earth, be refreshed by awe and delight. This contemplative retreat invites you to explore your own connection with the earth as fertile soil for your creative expression, whatever your medium may be. Come and find renewal and connection, and breathe new life, awareness, and intention into your creative efforts.

Lenten Silent Guided Retreats: participants enjoy silence and personal prayer during these non-directed retreats. Jonathan Montaldo offers one morning conference on Merton and Easter and leads group dialogue in the evenings. Retreatants may attend the formal prayer hours at the Abbey of Gethsemani.

Love and Contemplative Living: This contemplative dialogue retreat will focus on themes from Merton’s book Love and Living (each participant will receive a copy). In addition to reflecting upon insights from Merton’s essays entitled “Love and Solitude” and “Love and Need: Is Love a Package or A Message?”, participants will review Merton’s A Mid-summer Diary for M, a “book” he wrote in June 1966 in which he summed up the life-transforming challenges of his desire to be a hermit while loving a young woman, “M”. Please be advised that this retreat will not be a “warm-and-fuzzy-I-love-my-Valentine” experience as loving others shatters our delusions and offers opportunities, at its most graced heights, for creative, generative and compassionate suffering for and with our life’s beloveds. Jonathan Montaldo, Bethany Spring’s resident director, hosts and facilitates the retreat.

Praying with the Body at the Turning of the Year: Explore the body in the life of prayer during All Hallow's Eve, All Saints and Samhain, Celtic New Year, a "thin time" when the material and spiritual are permeable. Begin by taking your spiritual temperature. Do some "head work" on Christian anthropology, then bring the mind back to the body with "experiments" (all gentle!) with body prayer. Teaching and conversation alternate with quiet reflection. Simple prayer incorporates the liturgical season, and silence is kept from night prayer until after breakfast. Be prepared to move and be moved in sacred time and space. Retreat is directed by Bonnie Thurston.

Special Thanksgiving Retreat with Jonathan Montaldo: Join Bethany Spring’s Director and editor of “Bridges to Contemplative Living with Thomas Merton” for a special retreat using Volume 5 in the “Bridges” series “Traveling Your Own Road to Joy”. The retreat will include a home-cooked Thanksgiving festival dinner and participants will be able to enjoy the liturgies at the Abbey of Gethsemani. A limited retreat for eight persons.

A Special Christmas Retreat with Jonathan Montaldo: This special Christmas Retreat will feature contemplative dialogue sessions that reflect on Thomas Merton’s writing for Christmas, especially from his personal journals. Participants will enjoy the Christmas Eve and Christmas liturgies at the Abbey of Gethsemani and will decorate Bethany Spring’s Christmas tree with handmade ornaments passed down through the thirty years of Bethany Spring’s existence as a retreat center. Jonathan Montaldo, Bethany Spring’s director, will facilitate the retreat.

A Special New Year’s Retreat with Jonathan Montaldo: This retreat ushers in the New Year and celebrates with gratitude the passing of the Old with private prayer and liturgies for the turning of the year at the Abbey of Gethsemani. Bethany Spring’s director and the editor of the series “Bridges to Contemplative Living with Thomas Merton” will facilitate a special retreat that reflects on themes from Volume 7 in the “Bridge’s” series entitled “Adjusting Your Life’s Vision”.

A Spiritual Direction Retreat: This silent retreat includes daily forty-five minute, private meetings with a spiritual director while enjoying access to the prayer services at the Abbey of Gethsemani and to Bethany Spring's library for spiritual reading. Reverend David Hilton will serve as the retreat's director. He is a United Methodist minister of wide experience, including missionary service, for over forty years. He most recently ministers as a spiritual director to those suffering grave and terminal illness. He is a husband and father. The retreat is limited to only five participants.

There Are No Strangers: Contemplative Living and Solidarity with the World’s Poor: Thomas Merton’s identification with the world’s “strangers”, especially the poor and those without status everywhere, tested the depths of his contemplative prayer and his monastic vocation. Our own lives and prayers among, with and for the poor test the authenticity of our commitments to live contemplatively. This retreat will accent volume seven of Bridges to Contemplative Living with Thomas Merton entitled “Adjusting Your Life’s Vision”. Participants will read and discuss Benedict XVI's encyclical "On Hope." Jonathan Montaldo leads this retreat.

Thomas Merton & Mary Oliver: Poets of the Sacred: Thomas Merton and Mary Oliver are unique writers who resonate when they converge on aligning their lives with Wisdom in their poetry's approach to nature and the feminine. In addition to praying with the monks of Gethsemani, this retreat will celebrate with reflections on Hagia Sophia [Holy Wisdom] as the feminine energies of God (Merton) and Wisdom as living a life of praise within Nature's embrace (Oliver). Participants will discern their need to recover the "unheard feminine voice" within themselves, whether they be man or woman (Karl Stern's The Flight from Woman). Living in consonance with Wisdom's ways is foundational to experiencing the depths of our core relationships with ourselves, our neighbors, nature and the Source of all relationships, God. Each participant will receive Mary Oliver's latest volume of poetry Thirst. Jonathan Montaldo, Bethany Spring's director, guides the retreat.

Way-Marks: Writing and Contemplative Living: Participants will reflect on ways in which they can creatively communicate their inner experiences to others as a means of continuing their personal search for truth and beauty. Story-telling, ritual and quiet are among the elements of this retreat presented by poet and psychotherapist, Rusty C. Moe. Participants will receive advance information by email from Rusty to help them prepare for this retreat. Rusty Moe guides this retreat.

Bridges to Contemplative Living Retreat Facilitators

Dr. Sharon Grant earned an STM in Sacred Theology and a Doctorate in Ministry from Regis College in Toronto. She has most recently served as a hospital chaplain at a teaching hospital with a focus on ministry to cancer patients and as a coordinator of Spiritual Care at a community hospital with an emphasis on multi-faith spiritual care support.

Jonathan Montaldo is Associate Director of the Merton Insitute for Contemplative Living and Director of Bethany Spring. He is the co-editor of Bridges to Contemplative Living with Thomas Merton." Jonathan is an internationally known retreat director and Merton scholar.

Katherine Murray has a master’s degree in pastoral care and counseling from Earlham School of Religion and has served as a chaplain. Today she incorporates pastoral care with contemplative writing and has most recently completed Gentle Conversations: Nurturing the Art of Deep Connection. Katherine publishes a blog called Practical Faith and serves as the managing editor for The Educational Forum, a scholarly research journal in education.

David Reeves has lived and worked at Furnace Mountain Zendo, Osage Forest of Peace, and Southern Dharma Retreat Center. A former college communications teacher, director, and actor, he works at the Abbey of Gethsemani and lives on the shore of Bethany Spring pond.

Johnny Sears is an ordained Deacon at Midway Baptist Church in Midway, KY. His focus is in the areas of prayer and spiritual formation of young adults, ecumenical dialogue and institutional church renewal. Johnny is a graduate of the Academy for Spiritual Formation, married and father of two sons. Johnny is a student at the Baptist Seminary of Kentucky.

Phil Thomas lives in Louisville with his wife of 31 years, Harriet. They are members of St. Pius X Chuch in the Hikes Point neighborhood.

Bill Tonnis is a youth and music minister at Our Lady of the Visitation Church in Cincinnati. He holds a Master of Arts degree in Religious and Pastoral Studies from the College of Mount St. Joseph in Cincinnati. Iin 2007, he released a solo CD of original songs titled, Listen to Your Heart.

Retreat Directors

Debra Classen is the director of The Mute Swan Ministry, a non-profit, spiritual organization dedicated to discovering beauty in all its forms. Debra holds both an M.A in Fine Arts from John Carroll University and an M.A. in Theology from St. Mary Graduate School of Theology

J. Patrick Mahon, Ph.D. is a member of Pax Christi USA, a teacher of non-violence and experienced retreat director.

Rusty C. Moe, a graduate of United Theological Seminary, Butler University and the Gestalt Institutes of Indianapolis and Cleveland, is a psychotherapist in private practice in Indianapolis (www.rustymoe.com) and an instructor at Christian Theological Seminary and the Indianapolis Gestalt Institute. He has authored three books of poetry: Our Presence Together in Chaos, Where God Learns and his new 2007 volume, Way-Marks: New Poems.

Jonathan Montaldo is Associate Director of the Merton Insitute for Contemplative Living and Director of Bethany Spring. He is the co-editor of Bridges to Contemplative Living with Thomas Merton." Jonathan is an internationally known retreat director and Merton scholar.

Katherine Murray has a master’s degree in pastoral care and counseling from Earlham School of Religion and has served as a chaplain. Today she incorporates pastoral care with contemplative writing and has most recently completed Gentle Conversations: Nurturing the Art of Deep Connection. Katherine publishes a blog called Practical Faith and serves as the managing editor for The Educational Forum, a scholarly research journal in education.

Lynn R. Szabo is Associate Professor and Chair of the English Department at Trinity Western University in Vancouver. She is the editor of In the Dark Before Dawn: New Selected Poems of Thomas Merton (2005) and has led numerous retreats on Merton and his writings. Lynn is also a member of the Board of Directors of the International Thomas Merton Society.

Terry Taylor is the Executive Director of Interfaith Paths to Peace, the leading organization in Louisville, Kentucky to host and sponsor day-to-day inter-religious events. His organization enjoys partnerships with more than one hundred schools, businesses, churches, mosques, synagogues, and temples. He is a working artist and committed social activist with graduate degrees in Journalism and Book Arts. His book, A Spirituality of Brokenness is being published by Skylight Paths in April, 2009.

Bonnie Thurston is the former William F. Orr Professorship in New Testament at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary. She holds an M.A. and Ph.D. from the University of Virginia. Bonnie has written ten theological books and over 100 articles and taught at the university level for 28 years. An ordained minister, she is a spiritual director and retreat speaker. She is the editor of Thomas Merton and Buddhism from Fons Vitae Press and has written three books: Wait Here and Watch, Women in the New Testament, and To Everything a Season.

Janet Zack is an artist and creative director/principal of zackdesign (a branding firm) in Cincinnati. She has a BFA from the Art Academy of Cincinnati with a double major in design and painting. She creates and exhibits her own mixed media assemblages. What started as another way to engage her creative spirit has developed into a personal exploration. Assembling the written word, collage, carving, and painting, each piece becomes an outpouring of spirit, faith, joys and struggles in her life. And in showing them to others, the work sometimes inspires them to make their own discoveries.

You may register for a retreat in one of two ways.
Register online or contact Vanessa Hurst.
We look forward to having you with us!

Register online

Vanessa Hurst
502-899-1991
800-886-7275
vhurst@mertoninstitute.org