Priests’ Retreat at the Mount Oct. 11-14, 2016

Priests of the Diocese of Owensboro and the Diocese of Evansville, Ind., gathered at the Mount Saint Joseph Conference and Retreat Center from Oct. 11-14, 2016, for a retreat led by an expert on Thomas Merton.

“We Are Already One in Christ; Thomas Merton’s Message of Hope for His Brother Priests” was the theme for the retreat, led by Jonathan Montaldo. He is an internationally recognized writer, editor, retreat and conference presenter whose work promotes the legacy of Thomas Merton and his teaching on the monastic contemplative tradition.

Montaldo’s roles have included associate director of the Merton Institute for Contemplative Living, director of Bethany Spring, a small retreat center located one mile from the Abbey of Gethsemani, Merton’s home for 27 years, and director of the Thomas Merton Center at Bellarmine University in Louisville.

The priests met in Conference Room A of the Retreat Center in the morning and again at 3:15 p.m. each day, then shared Mass together at 4 p.m. Here are some pictures from the afternoon of Oct. 11.

Jonathan Montaldo prepares some materials for the afternoon session of his first day of retreat. Montaldo was also scheduled to speak at Brescia University and to the Ursuline Sisters while he was in town.
Father Richard Powers, left, a retired priest of the Diocese of Owensboro, laughs at a comment made by Father Larry McBride, right, pastor of Holy Name Parish in Henderson, Ky.
Jonathan Montaldo hands out some literature to Father Brian Roby, parish administrator of St. Mary of the Woods, Whitesville, Ky., and St. John the Baptist, Fordsville, Ky.
Father Maury Riney looks over his notes prior to the afternoon session. He is parochial vicar at Holy Name Parish in Henderson.
“Dialogues with Silence” was the Merton book Montaldo focused on during the afternoon session.