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We’re enjoying an unusual pattern of mid-summer thunderstorms at the Lodge. One evening last week, after dashing out of the rain into the Dining Room, a group of guests filled a table and struck up a conversation on petrichor—the smell of rain on dry ground. It was a moment of joy: eight guests huddled around a table, laughing; petrichor and kitchen aromas in the air. A cardinal, perched on the deck railing outside, stared inside.
We’ve been opening each retreat with this quote from Thomas Merton. The Lodge may not be a dark church, but we hope and pray that it remains this sort of place of refuge:

“Let there always be quiet, dark churches in which men can take refuge. Places where they can kneel in silence. Houses of God, filled with His silent presence. There, even when they do not know how to pray, at least they can be still and breathe easily. Let there be a place somewhere in which you can breathe naturally, quietly, and not have to take your breath in continuous short gasps. A place where your mind can be idle, and forget its concerns, descend into silence, and worship the Father in secret.”

— Thomas Merton, New Seeds of Contemplation

Laity Lodge at 60 | 1961–2021

The Lodge turned 60 in June, and we’re celebrating throughout the summer. (Really, just having retreats—seeing the likes of you arrive week after week—is celebration enough.) You can read more about the history of the Lodge and where we think we’re headed in this new Echoes feature: Read More >

New in the Cody Center: Bruce Herman | Glory in Ruins

Herman: “This small group of paintings is part of a larger series of works created after my house and studio fire in the late 1990s. I made these paintings, attempting to get at the reality that our lives are fragile and yet shot through with the possibility of redemption and healing and release—we are ‘redeemed from fire by fire’ as the poet said.” Cody Center >

Fall Retreats

New retreats are in the works (including a monthly Friday–Sunday Quiet Retreat resuming in September.). Be on the lookout for a retreat announcement email in the weeks ahead.
Copyright © 2021 H. E. Butt Foundation, All rights reserved.
H. E. Butt Foundation · 719 Earl Garrett · Kerrville, TX 78028 · USA

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