Day 4, Afternoon Session

Title: “Reawakening the Spirit: A Guide to Liturgical Renewal and Contemplative Practice”

This title encapsulates the essence of gathering thespians and participants for a relaxed yet spiritually enriching session focused on liturgical art and contemplative practices. It emphasizes the renewal of spirit and tradition through creative and reflective activities.

Key topics and themes included in this session:

• Afternoon session aimed at reuniting thespians post-performance.
• Game plan: relaxed and practical focus.
• Mornings: spiritual reflections on Benedictine tradition.
• Afternoons: practical, hands-on sessions.
• Tomorrow afternoon: “work in progress” or “show and tell” with a focus on creating liturgical art.
• Emphasis on performance and musical arts, extending to other branches.
• Susan to lead with wisdom chants for the concluding Eucharist on Sunday.
• Open invitation for participants to share their projects.
• Maria to share chants from Thésée, Fentorn, and Iona.
• Afternoon session to blend into evening with concluding conversations and reflections.
• Final evening to include chants, silence, and a final vessel or compliment gathering.
• Sunday morning: final benediction with Bernstein’s piece.
• Choir rehearsal on Sunday morning at 10 AM, ending by 11 AM.
• Emphasis on maintaining a quiet, urgent intimacy in musical performances.
• Discussion on the importance of focusing on the tone and maintaining a full voice even when singing softly.
• Encouragement to experiment with voice and breath control.
• Explanation of musical intervals and the importance of preparing for high notes.
• Emphasis on listening to each other in group singing to maintain harmony.
• Introduction of the Mass of the World by Teilhard de Chardin.
• Explanation of Teilhard’s vision of a convergent humanity and the unity of all with matter.
• Teilhard’s Mass of the World: a non-mass offering using human labor and suffering as elements.
• Encouragement to use the Mass of the World in various settings.
• Introduction of the Interment Liturgy inspired by a service at Veselay.
• Explanation of the vigil held by Mary Magdalene and the other Marys.
• Discussion on the theological shift from atonement to substituted love.
• Encouragement to enact liturgies that convey new theological understandings through action.
• Distribution of the Interment Liturgy for use in personal or community settings.
• Evening session: participants encouraged to reflect and maintain silence.