Drinking From the Fount of Wisdom

This hybrid retreat (in-person and online via Zoom) exclusively for oblates is designed to carry us deeper into our Camaldolese and Benedictine charism by examining the Three-Fold Good, the Brief Rule of St. Romuald, and the Benedictine vows interpreted for oblates. The retreat will include time for silent prayer, reflection questions with writing exercises, group discussion, meditation, shared prayer with the monks, and joint fellowship. Future retreats will include more profound readings into themes found in the Rule of St. Benedict that will help us develop into people of prayer, outreach, and love.

Come and share with other oblates your own experiences of living the oblate life while considering the wisdom from our founding documents lived out in non-monastic settings.

Retreat Schedule

Friday evening: 6:15 pm, session 1

Saturday morning: 9:00 am, session 2

Saturday afternoon: 2:30 pm, session 3

Saturday evening: 6:15 pm, session 4

Sunday Morning: 9:00 am, final session

Please note that in-person registration is ONLY for the retreat and does not include room reservations, which must be made separately after registering. Upon receiving your email confirmation for retreat registration, please get in touch with our Hospitality Team (reservations@contemplation.com or (831) 667-2456 ext. 143) to reserve your room at the Hermitage.

If you have questions about the retreat, contact programs@contemplation.com

Presenters

Lisa Benner, Oblate OSB Cam., LCSW, CSD

Lisa is an oblate of New Camaldoli Hermitage. She has spent the last 26 years working as a social worker and therapist in the field of mental health and addiction. She is a spiritual director as well.
Her spiritual journey has been incredibly influenced by the writings and teachings of Fr. Bede Griffiths, Fr. Richard Rohr, Sr. Joan Chittister, as well as Fr. Cyprian Consiglio. She is more and more interested in holistic spirituality with a deep focus on the body, mind, and spirit connection. Much like in her work in the field of mental health, the delicate balance of the holistic or integral focus has very much informed her path to the Divine.
In her free time, she enjoys traveling, listening to music, meditation, and spending time with family and friends.

Michael J. Mullard, Obl. O.S.B. Cam., Ph.D., LMFT

Dr. Mike Mullard has been living out Benedictine spirituality since the 1980s, associated with several Benedictine monasteries in Southern California. He visited New Camaldoli Hermitage for the first time in 1999 and was received as an oblate of New Camaldoli in 2004. He is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist with a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology with an emphasis on Depth Psychology.

Mike is also an active spiritual director, having received certification from Loyola Marymount University in 2014. He supervises spiritual directors in training and co-facilitates a peer supervision group of other spiritual directors. His main interests are the intersection of spirituality and psychology, contemplative prayer, and comparative spiritualities. Mike is a founding member of the Oblate Formation Team, mentoring novices and facilitating retreats in California and Ireland. He is also a member of the Ecumenical Commission of the Diocese of Orange, California. He lives in Orange County, California.