In Laudato Si, Pope Francis says, “The entire material universe speaks of God’s love, God’s boundless affection for us. Soil, water, mountains: everything is….a caress of God.” Poets put into words particular human experiences of awe, wonder, love, relationship and the Spirit revealing the sacred through our quite ordinary, as well as numinous or even terrifying experiences. During this program we will explore our personal experiences of the Sacred and sense of belonging, through our varied happenings in nature. Reading poetry and praying together will enable us to recognize the Spirit working within us leading us to a new relationship with the Sacred.

Resource Person: Janet K. Ruffing, RSM, PhD, is a Professor in the Practice of Spirituality and Ministerial Leadership at Yale Divinity School since 2010. She is the author of more than 100 articles and six books on Spiritual Direction, Mysticism and the writings of Elisabeth Leseur. She is also Professor Emerita at Fordham University and gives workshops and lectures internationally.