The Star of the North Retreat House is set to embark on an ambitious and surprising three-year interdenominational spiritual formation program. Aurora Living: Formation through Words and Creation is aimed at deepening people’s connections to Christian treatises, Mother Earth, and other "wisdom traditions" with inclusive, Indigenous-based lessons for the express purpose of facilitating reconciliation efforts throughout the community and the country.
Program co-ordinator Mariángel Marco explained that the new signature program began as a challenge of sorts proposed by Archbishop Emeritus Sylvain Lavoie, the retreat’s chaplain and spiritual director. According to Marco, Lavoie wanted to offer programming that was a bit outside of the box.
“A lot of people don't fit in the institution … in the tradition of the celebration. So [we] proposed something for the people that is a little out of the borders, or looking for something new,” Marco began.
Inspired by Pope Francis’ encyclical called Laudato Si, Lavoie wanted to help instill in others a practice of learning, integrating, and practicing a contemplative way of living that serves the global family and cares for our common home — Earth. Lavoie himself will be the presenter.
"It's not possible to live the incarnate way of Christ through the gospel without being involved in the commitment for justice. Laudato Si … is not only environmental, it's very beautiful; I like very much that document," Marco continued. "We are going to go through a lot of social issues."
Aurora Living is meant as a deep dive into a person's inner spiritual work so their outer work flows appropriately in a "right thoughts, right words, right action" way. The lessons will find special emphasis placed on various mystics and models of faith, including Thomas Merton, Thérèse of Lisieux, Teresa of Ávila, John of the Cross, Henri Nouwen, Catherine Doherty, Thomas Keating, and Hildegard of Bingen, with illumination of important members of other traditions.
Marco highlighted how important reconciliation efforts will play in those illuminations. She pointed to the program's description about how Canada is "immersed in a process of reconciliation with the First Nations."
"We engage the Truth and Reconciliation Calls to Action, especially as these pertain to education and healing dialogue; break open parts of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, adopted in Canada now as Bill C 15; and the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girl Report, through videos, readings, and First Peoples and Métis facilitation," the guide reads.
We want to offer the most positive examples from the people that are leading the reconciliation in themselves, she said.
Aurora Living is set to begin on Oct. 1 and is open to people of all faiths. Registrations are already being accepted through Star of the North. People can visit starofthenorth.ca/aurora to learn more. Sessions will run once monthly, though the whole program is segmented into nine, three-month modules over three years. The option exists for a registrant to attend individual modules also and for learning to be taken on site or online.
To help get people in the spirit of Aurora, Star of the North has been offering monthly prayer rituals. The next program on the theme of Revelation takes place at 7 p.m. on Sept. 1 featuring live painting with artist Bev Bunker.
