This week, from January 24 through January 26, some fifteen Sisters—many from the infirmary, but also some living in the main monastery--attended as Sisters Patricia Coughlin and Mary Melady led a community retreat:  “Peace, by Piece by Piece.”  The retreat focused on making peace within oneself by an examination of the different parts of one’s own life.  To this end, the Sisters who attended listened to presentations, but also shared the stories of their lives with one another, and did some directed writing. 

The retreatants met in St. Joseph Chapel for six sessions, each with a presentation and discussion component. The first session focused on "Our Sacred Stories" and examined the foundational principles of spiritual autobiography. Session two recalled childhood memories of home and images of God. In the third session, the group reflected on their life's transitions. The penultimate session focused on "Leaving a Legacy", and the final session "Putting the Piece Together, Seeing the Pattern" wove the retreat together. The quilts, afghans, and appliqued pilow displayed in the center of the chapel (pictured above) symbolized the
beauty of what once seemed disparate pieces.