Sacred Earth Retreat – Teilhard…Thomas

To Love Our Sacred Earth Retreat

Teilhard de Chardin’s Mass on the World meets Thomas Berry’s Cosmic Liturgy and Celebration

Wednesday, Apr 10
10 AM – 12 PM (CT)
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The “Love Our Sacred Earth Retreat” series explores teachings within the writings of cultural historian and geologian Thomas Berry as they interweave with the wisdom of nature-centered mystics and of nature-inspired scientists. You may register for any or all four sessions.

Each session is two hours long and includes a contemplative break. For those who participate in-person at The Well, you are welcome to stay the rest of the afternoon to process and reflect in a retreat style fashion, for an added cost.

Teilhard de Chardin’s Mass on the World meets Thomas Berry’s Cosmic Liturgy and Celebration:

The Mass on the World is one of Teilhard de Chardin’s most mystical and poetic writings. His grand vision was the Eucharist and the Sacred Heart of Christ as the radiating center of the universe. For Teilhard, we live in the bosom of a great cosmic Eucharist.

“Since once again, Lord, I have neither bread, nor wine, nor altar, I will raise myself beyond these symbols, up to the pure majesty of the real itself; I, your priest, will make the whole earth my altar and on it will offer you all the labors and sufferings of the world.”   Teilhard de Chardin

Thomas’ vision is the entire universe as the primordial sacred community.  He observed that we’ve developed celebrations for seasonal events (e.g., solstices and harvest) and liturgies, ceremonies, and traditions marking religious stories of faith (e.g., Christmas, Ramadan, Passover, Easter).  But we’ve not yet begun to acknowledge and celebrate the moments of grace in our grand cosmic liturgy. For example, how might we celebrate the 1^st generation star whose death as a supernova gave rise to the birth of our Sun, to Earth, life, the first flowers, consciousness, and so forth?

“The universe itself is the primordial sacred community. There’s a grand liturgy that is performed by the universe, if we look on it with the eyes and the awareness of the sacred.”    Thomas Berry

Register for other sessions/ series of four

This retreat is In-Person and on Zoom. Retreat Director is on Zoom.

Zoom participants will receive Zoom sign-in information via email
upon registration + a reminder the day before the program.

For those attending the retreat in-person, you may choose to add $40 to stay after the session in retreat fashion, with lunch included and the use of a quiet space in The Well for the afternoon. 

Retreat Director: Maureen Wild, SC

Maureen Wild’s graduate studies focused on Living Cosmology and Sacred Ecology, leading her to create many educational programs and retreats. She served as Director of two spirituality-based ecological learning centers: Genesis Farm, NJ, and the Centre for Earth and Spirit, BC, which she co-founded. Maureen has helped foster the international network Sisters of Earth since 1994, and is among those featured in the book Green Sisters: A Spiritual Ecology (2007). Blessed with many great teachers, one most enduring influence was Thomas Berry, who challenged all to live a resolute life of Great Work that protects, rather than ruins, Earth.

Maureen is the 2023 recipient of The Well’s Sacred Universe Award.