I am grateful for the experience of community that I am witnessing and feeling in Benedictine CARE. For the first time since I began working in healthcare, I am feeling a health education initiative become a living community. No longer are there simply participants and a teacher coming together to learn about nutrition. Rather, the presence of the participants themselves, bonded with the shared intention to allow God and the Holy Spirit to lead, created a body that the spirit has breathed life into. A healing, nurturing, grace-filled breath. The true source of health.

Benedictine CARE is still young, yet already it is an experience that is being shaped by each member. CARE is a space that is responding to the voices within the community. In each meeting, we take multiple pauses to turn towards the divine and shift our attention to bringing our innate wisdom forward. We don't try to "figure things out" or "solve problems". We listen. Members are being given the opportunity to not just establish trust with each other, but most importantly, with themselves. Part of this bringing forward has been a member-driven initiative to form a peer group for increased accountability and support. It is a rich experience.

In Benedictine CARE we are exploring how to apply our Benedictine values of Stability, Stewardship, and Community in the ordinariness of daily lifestyle choices. We don't just study our 1500-year-old tradition, we are bringing it with us in our kitchens and grocery stores, when we travel, and when we are ordering at restaurants.

We would love to have you join us in our newest Benedictine Center offering.