The Gries Path contemplative retreat is given to serve our communion with Christ. This communion is more than spiritual, more than religious, and those of us who followed the 10 days silent path in July in St Hilda’s, Whitby, realized the profound wisdom of our Christian mystical life.
It is founded on the ancient, Biblical call to “Love God with your whole heart, whole soul, whole mind and whole strength” The wholeperson is drawn and lovingly united to Christ, more and more, step by step; though we know not all of us is yet completely united, we know all of our parts are drawn into the path, and all aspects of day to day life are involved and important.
Such is the cleverness of the Gries Path, steeped in the Ignatian charism of God present in all things. We were guided to use our awareness as prayer at all times, beginning in the open air, appreciating nature, the first language of our loving God. The `strength´ mentioned above (Dtn 6:5) also refers to bodily life so that is where we began: meditation on nature and, when sitting in silence whether together or alone, on our body, in particular on our breathing, and our hands. As we were led into deeper silence, we became aware how our “souls” were engaged: our personal make-up, psychological and spiritual history, conscious and unconscious. This happened through the simple process of “listening”: learning to be receptive, attentive, rather than in control mode, reciting á la mantra. Merely by listening we become more open to the healing action of the Holy Spirit, purging what is obstacle, uniting what makes for communion.
The mind is obviously involved in this form of meditation, but not as the thinking mind. The awareness mode with the fruit of faith enables an attending action: presence without pushing. So, when we were then guided to focus on a word and finally the Name of Jesus personal history and faith experience could rouse up inner life on these two fronts. On reflection, it has become clear to me that the mind carries on in its own thinking while we “detach” in good Ignatian style into awareness alone which in turn leads us to a deeper silence. When this detachment fails, the loving discipline is simply to return, come back and start again on the deliberate focus.
In this way, the body, soul, and mind are schooled to serve the heart at the depth of attending. Listening to the inner whispered waves that carry the Name of Jesus in harmony with the breath, it becomes clear that there the heart is open, awaiting what Christ’s Spirit will enact from deep within the heart, where God dwells.
The evening reflections and talks by our retreat guide as well as the 1 to 1 conversations helped the progressive learning, so I could adjust mightily to “unthinking”, “unplanning” and letting go so as to “let be” the active sharing by Christ as he has promised: to become more one with us, live in us, let love surround and penetrate all, answering the prayer made at the opening of the retreat. The examples given in the reflections were refreshingly about ordinary life and family, reverent but also wonderfully worldly and “unchurchy”. The faith was presented so directly and straightforwardly when it came to the likes of having to accept suffering and to necessarily make a choice for Christ. Such content showed me that, although certainly open to anyone whatever their background, the Gries path is possibly more and particularly easily accessible to Christians with a certain level of active faith and some knowledge of the great themes of Scripture, as well as a readiness to have personal attachments challenged and to accept guidance in pursuing such ends.
God knows I had some struggles when some of my attachments were being sorted and purged (the ego does not give up lightly, even in surrendering to the union we have asked for!) But God knows also, how grateful I am for the grace from this retreat, and knowing that the Gries Path is a great gift for Catholics and other Christians wanting to enact the Vatican Council’s mission to be Church in the Modern World.
August 1st 2025 This is a slightly edited version of an article written by Fr. Tony Slingo, Norris Green, Liverpool) Sr Helen OHP
