Diffusions :: Inside the School of Charity: Lessons from the Monastery

“The lessons to be learned inside the school of charity all have to do with the heart – that interior place where we move deep within ourselves to discover the truth of who we are and to discover what we can of God. I went to Our Lady of the Mississippi Abbey to learn how to live more intentionally and I found out that it’s all a matter of being educated in the ways of the heart in order to recognize, protect, and nurture what is sacred about life.”

– from the Introduction of Inside the School of Charity: Lessons from the Monastery by Trisha Day

In 2003, Trisha Day had the opportunity to enter the enclosure of Our Lady of the Mississippi Abbey and live the Benedictine life practiced by the Cistercian sisters of the monastery. This book discussion will explore Trisha’s experiences, reflections, and takeaways from her three-month stay as recorded in Inside the School of Charity: Lessons from the Monastery.

In this 17-week journey, our group will meet via 1 1/2 hour Zoom sessions, Thursdays, 6-7:30 pm (Pacific) 9-10:30 pm (Eastern), to share thoughts and impressions of each section. One or two schedule conflicts are understandable over such a long timeframe. Please resolve to make participation a priority and do not let a couple of conflicts deter you from joining the program.

Discussion prompts will be provided on Wednesdays for the next day’s discussion. Each meeting will involve a brief prayer/reflection, a review of ground rules, opportunities to share thoughts from the previous week, 30 minutes of small group breakout discussion, and large group sharing.

Commitment to the weekly reading is essential as is a commitment to attending and sharing in the weekly Zoom sessions. This program is a discussion rather than a lecture. The quality comes from your willingness to participate in the conversation

Note: Please obtain a copy of Inside the School of Charity: Lessons from the Monastery by Trisha Day, prior to the January 18th session. Among other options, the book may be purchased through Liturgical Press at the following link: https://litpress.org/Products/MW020P/Inside-the-School-of-Charity

Diffusions offers online programs to further opportunities for prayer, learning, community, and spiritual growth from a Benedictine perspective. We look forward to bringing Wisdom from the Center to you, wherever you are.