Leading a Quiet Day or Retreat – a Personal View
I GAVE this title a subtitle - A Personal View - because I have considerable diffidence about prescribing anything for anyone, knowing that my own way of doing things is error-prone and quirky. So what follows is a mostly practical account: what has so far worked for me; a confession more than a prescription.
Over the last twenty years I have been asked to give devotional addresses at quite a number of Quiet Days, Retreats and Conferences, most in Ireland but some outside. Frequently I have been asked to design and lead the whole thing. The duration of these events has ranged from the inside of one day, to two- or three-day retreats. My preference is for the longer ones as will be seen. In all cases, we have all travelled to the place of gathering, time is set aside for the talks, silence, worship, meals and, frequently sleep and rest if it is residential. And of course, socialising, which really does need allocated time because we are not very good at silence, either alone or collectively.
The composition of the groups has varied a lot, too. Several have been Clergy Conferences and pre-Ordination Retreats, some have been speci cally for ecumenical gatherings in Retreat Houses, some for another denomination or group, clerical or lay or both, several for Anglican groups - Mothers’ Union, Youth Groups, Clergy Spouses. There have also been many Parish or Diocesan gatherings often around special occasions, or seasons such as Lent, Holy Week, Advent and Pentecost.
* Full article available in printed copies.
Richard Henderson
was formerly Bishop of Tuam, Killala and Achonry, and is now living in West Cork.