Men's Outdoor Retreat: Beyond These Four Walls-Experiencing God in the Books of Scripture and Nature

Great

The retreat was excellent. Father Nathaneal is very experienced and very knowledgeable about this prayer practice. I came away with a lot to think about in regard to my own prayer life and spiritual reading.

One suggestion is that I feel that the time spent in group lectio could have been longer (maybe 20 minutes instead of 15). The time went so fast in those rooms, and some extra time would have been appreciated.

I want to say that I enjoyed the camaraderie between the retreat master and the retreat organizer, Father Shawn Matthew. You could feel the good relationship between these two monks, and the jokes helped to lighten things up.

I have a few comments: When I became an oblate and started practicing lectio, I felt overwhelmed in that there is so much in Scripture. Father Acklin told me that the goal isn't get through the Bible and not be discouraged.

Another comment: in one of our oblate meetings, the monk who presented a talk on lectio described it has "the glue that holds everything together." I'd like to hear what other monks think about that statement!

All in all, it was a great retreat, and I would recommend it to anyone who wants to improve their prayer life and understanding of Scripture.

I learned alot as Fr Nathaniel presented high education on the scriptures and how to absorb them interiorly with lectio divina. I enjoyed the breakout sessions. Fr Shawn was also extraordinary in facilitating the needs of our group. Classic Benedict hospitality!

“In these times of complexity and unrest, what does it mean to pursue and embody God’s Completeness-Shalom”. Fr. Patrick Cronauer.
As a Benedictine Oblate affiliated with the monks of St. Vincent, I was privileged to attend the retreat “Shalom: A Biblical and Existential Challenge” June 27, 2026 at the St. Vincent Archabbey. The retreat master, Fr. Patrick Cronauer challenged us to articulate the meaning of Shalom for us personally. By means of a detailed discussion of both Old and New Testament scriptures, he provided us with tools for understanding the meaning of Shalom in the Bible and in our lives. We were encouraged on numerous occasions, to break up into groups and “brainstorm” about the scriptures and their application to practicing “Shalom”. Fr. Cronauer is very knowledgeable on the topic; his presentation reflected years of insightful research and practical application.
In his discussion of the deeper meaning of Shalom, he explained the intention of God for wholeness and peace in our relationships with each other and in creation. Forgiveness, love and healing are central tenets to the Covenantal relationship “Shalom”, requiring respect for the relationship between God and “man” as prescribed in the Adamic Covenant. We discussed Chaos as the opposite of Shalom, rejection of the covenant resulting from our sins.
He closed the retreat with more table discussion on how to nurture “Shalom” in our everyday relationships with our neighbors. Excellent retreat. Thank you Fr. Cronauer.

I felt very blessed to have attended this retreat. I’m grateful to have learned a lot about the concept of Shalom - I never realized there was so much there. I hope to attend more retreats at Saint Vincent in the future.