From May 31-June 8, Dom Joseph Wittstock, abbot of Holy Cross Abbey in Berryville, Virginia, offered us conferences for our annual eight-day retreat. Using St. Gregory the Great’s teaching on the vices, Dom Joseph spoke on the spiritual and psychological roots and effects of vainglory, envy, anger, sorrow, avarice, gluttony, and lust. He emphasized that each of the vices is an expression of a compromise of human freedom. The best way to overcome the vices and to move towards greater freedom being aware of the “sprinkling” vices that most effects a person and seeking to understand where they get their strength from. With that awareness, appropriate ascetic or spiritual disciplines can be applied.
Some might ask why nuns need “retreat” time? Don’t they have plenty of time to pray already? The annual retreat, which is required by the Constitutions of our Order, offers us a welcome break from our usual daily work as well as time to refocus and renew our commitment to our contemplative call in the Church. Although our commitment to the Liturgy of the Hours stays the same, we pray parts of the Divine Office privately and are able to spend longer periods of time in prayer, reading, or just walking in the woods. It is always a restful and joyful time for the community and particularly so when we are able to welcome and learn from the wisdom of one of the brothers of our Order.