The ‘PRAYING WITH ART’ weekend, hosted at St. Mary’s Handsworth, was a new departure for the Team. The weekend was led by Sister Anne Reddington rsm, and proved to be very enjoyable and fruitful for those who took part.
Anne brought an abundance of resources – wools and threads for weaving, colouring pens and pencils, greenery and flowers for the ‘mindful flower arranging’ session, and a computer full of images to stimulate the imagination. She created an atmosphere of relaxed activity and a sanctuary of peace by her presence, and especially by the respect with which she treated every effort and every question.
The workshop comprised four separate sessions, beginning on Friday evening, and continuing with two sessions on Saturday and a final session on Sunday morning.
The Friday evening meeting was a ‘Meditative Doodling’ session. Anne used some Lectio Divina, and distributed a leaflet with ideas to get the group started. The gentle music in the background created a quiet, contemplative atmosphere, and it was clear that everyone was absorbed in the exercise. The blend of activity, and quiet contemplation set created a ‘right’ approach with which to launch the retreat.