Retreats
Why I Offer These Retreats
For over forty-five years I’ve belonged to an 800–year–old, semi–contemplative religious order, the Dominican Order of Preachers. One of our mottoes is “contemplate and give to others the fruit of your contemplation. ”Contemplating involves slowing down and breathing deeply. It means listening to the Spirit. That process can yield insightful lessons and new questions.
I love “The Wizard of Oz” so much that I wrote a book about it. I believe it has many spiritual lessons for all walks of life. These courses do have a lot of talk in it you might think of as religious. I’ve tried to offer what I think is beneficial and universal in this tradition. It’s what I have to give. I offer it to you humbly, from the heart.
I believe we are eternal and we survive our deaths. For the past 27 years, my unique ministry rooted in the Catholic Church’s mystical tradition has helped more than 700 souls move from one transitional afterlife plane to the next, more joyful one. In my latest book, “Afterlife, Interrupted Book Three: Please Let Me Explain,” I explore interrupted death experiences and their impacts on our lives. The book emphasizes the power of these life-altering examples to make us more compassionate and loving. I clarify misconceptions about deceased loved ones being stuck and offer support for those navigating grief, emphasizing the possibility of moving forward in peace.
Forget the Red Shoes: Getting Grounded in the Gifts of the Holy Spirit
Dorothy never asked for those ruby slippers to begin with. All she really wanted was the chance to go home. What do you want? And what does the Spirit of the Risen Christ want to give you? Just as Lent leads us to Easter, Easter leads us to Pentecost. God’s doing something new in our day. You won’t need fancy shoes for the journey, but you will need courage, wisdom, and profound love. We’ll ask the Holy Spirit to outfit us with exactly what we need to live lives full of service, joy, and passion. This retreat has been used successfully for Catholic Confirmation groups.
The Wizard of Oz as a Healing Journey
Have you ever asked yourself, “How did I ever get here?” Life can be such a wild ride, with so many unexpected twists and turns. You could be an orphan being raised by an aunt and uncle. Or a dog under a death sentence, a brainless guy with big dreams, a man of tin with nothing inside, or a leader afraid of his shadow. On this journey, everyone belongs. We will take a brief tour of the classic Oz story as a means of reexamining our own stories and helping each other find our way all the way home.
12 Steps Down the Yellow Brick Road
Courage, Acknowledged Powerlessness, Resolve, Flawed-but-Loving Companions, and the Help of a HigherPower… all of these mark the journey of Alcoholics Anonymous and the other healing processes that have sprung from it. All are essential ingredients of the story of Dorothy, Toto, and their companions in Oz. This retreat is for those on the path of recovery, for those who love them, or for those unfamiliar but attracted to the track record of the 12 Steps. It will include an examination of how one conceives of one’s higher power. Is that power more like Toto or the not-so-wonderful Wizard of Oz?
Changed, Not Ended: Continuing to Love Those Who Have Died
This retreat offers a practical and experiential exploration of death and the afterlife as understood by St. Paul. He writes that at death, life is changed, not ended. Death is merely a transition and not a conclusion. Father Nathan’s Afterlife, Interrupted books offer both comfort and insight. He shares poignant stories of souls who have transitioned, helping participants visualize that their loved ones are not truly gone but transformed into eternity.
Advent
The Advent season holds significant importance as it provides an opportunity for us to prepare our hearts and contemplate the gift of Jesus Christ. It is a time when people can easily get distracted by consumerism and holiday burnout, but I encourage you to go on a journey through Advent to gain a deeper understanding and a closer connection to Christ. During this beautiful time of anticipation, experience divine joy and look forward to what is to come with a sense of adventure.
Lent/Easter
The Catholic Church asserts many things to be true about the afterlife. It does so with conviction and humility. We know some things to be true, but infinity includes much for us to learn. I believe the Holy Spirit has called me to share these Afterlife, Interrupted stories in support of what the Church calls the Easter Proclamation: “Jesus is risen from the dead!” He is not the One and Only to survive death. He is showing us what we all are: eternal persons who can always say, “The best is yet to come.” I believe in this mystery, and we will explore it together.
What do you want for Pentecost?
Hasn’t someone who loves you asked, “What do you want for…Christmas, or your birthday?” Can you hear the One who loved you into being asking, “What can I give you?” This Pentecost retreat will direct you down the path of your own life’s story with all its joys and sorrows. Where does this Pentecost find you? Where do you need an increase in the gifts of the Spirit to live a fully enthusiastic life of service?
Priest, Prophet and King
Christian baptism confers the status of Priest, Prophet, and King. In this retreat, we explore the ancient understandings of these roles. Then we explore what these roles might call us to in our own lives.
Living in joyful hope
Living in joyful hope means living life with gratitude, presence, and peace, and maintaining a positive attitude, knowing that everything is working for our good. We will explore how to cultivate gratitude by appreciating the small moments in our lives. How to quell anxiety so we may live in the present and create a meditative practice to bring us more peace.
Good Goats: Healing Our Image of God
This retreat is inspired by this small and powerful book Written by Dennis Linn, Sheila Fabricant-Linn, and Matthew Linn. This retreat is helpful for those who received early religious instruction about God being angry and punitive. It’s designed for anyone seeking spiritual growth and a deeper connection with their faith.
E Pluribus Unum
“E Pluribus Unum” is Latin for “Out of many, one” and is a traditional motto of the United States. This retreat relies heavily on one of Father Nathan’s favorite interests: the etymology of words. We will explore the original meanings of words used in our national conversation. This special retreat is aimed at cultivating unity and kindness amidst differing political viewpoints.