Upcoming Father/Son Vocation Retreat at St. Benedict Abbey



Still River, Massachusetts

 If our children are going to hear God's true calling for them, they must be exposed to different vocations in the Catholic Church, including the religious life. Here is a rare opportunity for you to give your 14- to 17-year-old son exposure to just that.

The following is from a flyer published by St. Benedict Abbey.

Father and Son Vocation Retreat Weekend

August 12-14, 2011

...hosted by St. Benedict Abbey in Still River, MA for 14 to 17-year-olds and their Dads

For the second summer in a row, we're inviting young men and their fathers for a weekend here at Saint Benedict Abbey, a weekend to join the monks in their life of prayer, work and study, an opportunity to consider whether our life my be the life for you.

We mean that for you young men, of course -- your fathers are just coming along for the ride... It is to you... that we ask the question:

ARE YOU BEING CALLED?

And it is to you that we answer:

Of course you are!

The next question is: to what? To... married life? To...religious life? Have you yet given either of these life choices any serious thought?

Maybe not. Yet whether you have thought about them or not, you are being called. By whom? By God. To what? Not just to marriage or religious life, somewhere in your distant future. You are being called today, being called to a life with Jesus Christ; ultimately you are being called ot live with Him forever in heaven. Yes, you are being called to salvation. And how you spend your life on earth, how you live now and for the rest of your life, will determine whether you get there.

Why not then, at least begin to look into a vocation with us at Saint Benedict Abbey, a community of monks whose gift to the Church is our crusade to save souls -- your soul, our souls, the souls of everyone we meet, the souls of everyone in the world.

Our way of saving souls is the way of St. Benedict, whose monks spread the Faith by living in monasteries spread throughout Europe. Our way of saving souls is the way of St. Therese, who spread the Faith by praying theprayer of the Church for all in need of God's mercy. Their way of saving souls is our way of saving souls -- and it can be yours, too.

Last summer's weekend...went beyond everyone's expectations. The young men who came not only learned more about their Faith, not only gained a new appreciation for the monasti life, but had a great time. Fathers and sons did some healthy, faith-filled bonding. And speaking for us monks, opening our way of life to them brougth us back to the fervor of our own first calling.

Of course, we're not asking you to join us right away -- just to check us out. This summer we are giving you two weekends to choose from, July 8-10 and/or August 12-14. Your weekend here will begin with Vespers at 6:00 p.m. on Friday, and end after 11:00 a.m. Mass on Sunday. So whether you're coming for the first time or coming back again, if you are a yound man between the ages of 14 and 17, and want to do something a little different, a little daring, this summer, please email us at: abbeyvocation@aol.com

Then join us for a weekend of prayer, work, study -- and more than a little fun.

And bring your fathers with you.


Yours in Christ,

Fr. Anthony Kloss
Cell: 978-877-3694
Email: abbeyvocation@aol.com
Director of Vocations


P.S. Even if you can't come, we'd love to hear from you. So please email us either way.

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Saint Benedict Abbey - P.O. Box 67 - 252 Still River Road - Still River, MA - 01467



To see what else is happening around the Abbey, click here


images - http://abbey.org/
* This is a reprint of my July 6, 2011 entry.