Celebrating 32 Years of Ministry in the LGBT Catholic Community!
©2009 New Ways Ministry
4012 29th Street - Mount Rainier, MD 20712
Tel. 301-277-5674
info(at)newwaysministry(dot)org
Word - Flesh - Spirit
A retreat for priests and men religious
An Exploration of Sexuality, Intimacy, and Celibacy
The general purpose of this retreat is to help religious men and priests move toward sexual integration within the lifestyle of celibacy.
Through presentations, individual reflection, journal writing, discussion, and prayer, the participants will consider how their sexuality affects the way they understand their vocation, their ministry, their relationships with others, and their relationship with God.
The program is designed to provide a safe space for participants to look honestly and intimately at their lives and to help each individual take a healthy and holy look at their past, present, and future.
Each participant, whether heterosexual, bisexual, gay, or questioning, will examine the particular details of his own sexuality. Through greater self-understanding, participants will be enabled to discern a path for a more authentic, integrated, and satifying life.
Participants will be encouraged to examine their lives with candor and respect. The decision to share the fruits of these reflections with others on the retreat will depend on each person's discretion. All discussions will be honored with confidentiality.
The weekend is open to members of men's religious communities, seminarians, and diocesan priests. Community leaders and vocation/formation personnel are invited to participate as a way for better self-understanding, and also as a way to better inform their leadership and discernment ministries.
Retreat Presenters
New Windsor Conference Center
500 Main Street
New Windsor, Maryland 21776
John E. Perito, MD,
is a board certified psychiatrist and psychoanalyst. He has practiced for many years in the Washington, DC, area and has had a special interest in the treatment of priests and religious. He has consulted on sexuality issues with religious personnel from all over the world through the Christian Institute for the Study of Human Sexuality. His publications include Contemporary Catholic Sexuality: What is Taught and What is Practiced and Adolescent Sexuality: Spiritual and Sexual Guidance for Parents.
served as a high school teacher, principal, Provincial and Vicar General of the Xaverian Brothers. He chaired several boards of the Xaverian Brothers Sponsored Schools and was the Director of Formation for the schools. He was an Assistant Professor and co-director of the Institute for Spirituality and Worship at the Jesuit School of Theology at Berkeley and served on teh staff at the Southdown Institute in Canada. Cornie is currently on the Leadership Team of his province.
