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King’s House at Shrine of Our Lady of the Snows: Preached Weekend with Gary Behrman

King's House at the Shrine

Originally Published on kingshouse@snows.org

Preached Weekend with Gary Behrman
 May 3, 2024 – May 5, 2024
 4:00 pm – 1:00 pm 

Our Shared Journey of Loss and Grieving:

How Does Our Faith Inform, Influence, and Inspire Us?

2024 Spring Preached Weekend Retreat with Gary Behrman

May 3 – 5, 2024

Friday Check in 4:00 pm at Shrine Guesthouse

Friday dinner at 6:00 pm through Sunday lunch at noon

Late Arrivals (6:00 pm or later) will need to check in at the Visitor’s Center

During this three-day retreat we will identify our many losses as we age and how we grieve these losses in healthy and unhealthy ways. Whether the loss of a job, family member, or our health, our faith can be strengthened, our hope inspired, and love achieved. We will share how we transform our wounds into wisdom by understanding, acceptance, and forgiveness.

We will also discuss what we are called to let go of to grieve in lifegiving ways. Sometimes our grief is not recognized or honored by others. Anger and bitterness can engulf us when we and/or others do not acknowledge our loss or dismiss our grief as petty whining. Disenfranchised grief is when we lose something or someone in our life that is important to us, but our loss is not valued or recognized by others, or the way we’re grieving is considered petty. Subsequently, the way we grieve is judged negatively by others. How do we honor our grief and give ourselves the time and space to grieve from a faith perspective inspired by the Gospel?

Our sessions will be inspired by the psalms on how to grieve in healthy ways that inform, influence, and inspire our lives. Discussions will be broken down into the following topics:

1. Accepting the way things are rather than what we believe they should be. (Psalm 4)

2. Believing that the way things used to be is always better. (Psalm 9)

3. Burning desire to control the uncontrollable. (Psalm 139)

4. Hanging on to past losses that are disrupting our life. (Psalm 16)

5. When our loss is traumatic. (Psalm 18))

6. Transforming our trauma into a grace-filled life. (Psalm 27)

I do not believe that sheer suffering teaches. If suffering alone taught, all the world would be wise, since everyone suffers. To suffering must be added mourning, understanding, patience, love, openness, and the willingness to remain vulnerable.

~ Anne Morrow Lindbergh

According to Judith Viorst, how we grieve determines the quality of our lives.

I encourage participants to read Judith Viorst’s Necessary Losses.

To reserve, please contact Gina Richards:

618-397-0584 or kingshouse@snows.org

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