Retreats
“In Silence with Hildegard of Bingen and Hadewijch of Brabant” - A Day of Silence in Advent
Saturday, December 6, 2025, from 8:30 to 3:00, in-person only in Middlebury, led by Brother Ephrem Arcement, OHC
Br. Ephrem Arcement, OHC, entered the monastic life in 2010. He is Guestmaster and a spiritual director at Holy Cross Monastery in West Park, NY. He seeks to make the vitality of the Christian spiritual tradition accessible to all who are interested in deepening their spiritual lives. He is an author and holds a PhD in Spirituality from The Catholic University of America.
St Stephen’s meditation group invites you to join us for a respite from the noise and glitter of the season for a time of quiet reflection, prayer and meditation.
Br Ephrem will lead us in “In Silence with Hildegard of Bingen and Hadewijch of Brabant” These two towering mystics of the twelfth and thirteenth centuries each, in her own way, epitomizes the flowering of female mysticism that flourished in the High Middle Ages: In Hildegard, the God-saturated prophet, visionary, and reformer; and in Hadewijch, the God-saturated bride of Christ and lover of God. Their writings, resounding through the centuries, are still relevant today. Our goal is to rekindle the passionate fire of God’s l love in us.
All are welcome. No meditation experience is necessary. Registration is by sign up in the church or by email to stsmeditation@gmail.com. The suggested donation is $50 which will be collected at the time of the retreat. All are welcome regardless of ability to pay.
Rock Point Parish Weekend
In previous years parishioners of all ages enjoyed spending time together as a church family in the Rock Point Center and the 100 acres of this diocesan property on Lake Champlain in Burlington. It was a time that balanced the quiet of a retreat with the fun and activity of a camp experience. Through the weekend a closeness developes along with a sense of responsibility for each other - especially for the kids, who quickly take to Rock Point as their own.
A sample of activities includes: taking walks, Bible study, Daily Office, puzzles and games, delicious food, crafts, variety show, secret angels, naps. Each day is framed in prayer - grace at meals, Morning Prayer, Compline, and on Sunday, the Eucharist.
