May 2006

New Beginnings House of Prayer

The Monastic Touch Newsletter

P.O. Box 854 / 1806 11th Street/ Galena Park, Texas / 77061
Phone: 713.927.7534 Fax: 713.451.2228
E-mail: Newbeginningsprayer@juno.com
website: newbeginningsprayer.org

Bi-lingual Spiritual
Directors, Clergy
and Retreats are
available upon
request.

Location: New Beginnings House of Prayer

January 5-7, 2007 (Retreat) - Thursday March 22, 2007 Mission
(Classes will be held on Thursdays) Statement
Suggested Donation for the Class: 150.00 (not including retreat weekend)
Prior to the 2007 course you will be given a book list to choose a minimum of four We are an
books to read. (which you will be asked to purchase on your own). At that point you ecumenical,
will be given a Spiritual Director to meet with and share your book summaries with. If contemplative
you desire to go into the direction of healing in your readings, you will be given Spiri- house of prayer
tual Directors that are trained in the healing prayer ministry. You may begin your read-
that offers
ings as soon as you register for the class.
opportunity
for prayer,
This year as you begin journeying more inward you will find yourself growing outward
spiritual growth
and noticing life becoming more whole and complete. Let’s journey together in this spiri-
and formation in
tual and mystical parts of our life as we learn from those teachers who have some, gone
sacred spaces.
before us, and others, who still are here present bringing to life within us, those parts of
We believe in
us that sometimes stay dormant for a lifetime.
Becoming Fire In A Spiritual & Mystical World will begin on January 5-7, 2007 with a
community and
retreat at Holy Family Retreat Center / Holy Cross Monastery in Beaumont Texas.
pledge to reflect
Fr. Peter Funk, Br. Michael Gallagher and the New Beginnings Staff will lead us in this
God’s glory
weekend retreat. in all the world;
This retreat begins a 12 week course at New Beginnings. The classes will begin on being His hands,
Thursday mornings from 10:00 a.m. –1:00 p.m. The leadership of the course will include His feet,
Priests, Pastors, Oblates, Laity and those who are called to this lifestyle. His eyes and His
The classes will cover The Contemplative Life, Prayer , which includes, The Divine Of- unfailing love.
fice, Lectio Divina, Centering Prayer and Meditation, Praying the Psalms, Healing and
other forms of prayer, Benedictine Spirituality, The Church, Studying Scripture, Healing Life’s
Hurts, Art and Journaling, Apostolic Life and Social Justice, Retreat Ministry and Forming Your
Own Retreat.
To register please mail in your payment in full or for further information, contact
Marie Noack at New Beginnings House of Prayer.
 HAVE YOUR NEXT RETREAT AT NEW BEGINNINGS!
We can facilitate your retreat if you are in need of a retreat leader or just be that
place for you to come away and rest awhile.
If you are a Catholic organization, we are also equipped to do Catholic retreats includ-
ing RCIA and confirmation retreats for Youth and Adults.

“I am now going to allure her; I will lead her into the desert and speak tenderly to her.” “ To catch t he rea der's at ten tio n, p lace a n in terestin g sente nce or q uote from the s tory here.”

Hosea 2:14

PRAYER, HEALING AND INTERCESSION

Let the prayer ministers and spiritual directors of New Beginnings pray for your needs.
Spiritual healing, physical healing, inner healing and prayers of intercession are all
ways we can experience that total love of God in our lives. Many times without healing in
our lives we are blocked from the ability to receive and give out God’s total love.
Sometimes our struggles begin to worsen as we continue to put behind us the very thing
God wants to heal. When we fail to look at those things that are uncomfortable to us, we
miss out on the freedom that healing brings to our lives. Jesus came to heal us and make us
whole. Sometimes all we need is the faith of a mustard seed to say to that mountain, “be
thou removed!” Is it time for you to begin removing the mountain(s) that are in your
way? Maybe it is time to step out, take our hand, allow us to walk with you, being the
hands, feet and heart of Christ. We have trained and experienced ministers. “I have
come to set the captives free.” Isaiah 61:1
For further information, contact New Beginnings.

Spiritual Directing or Mentoring...Walking Along Side of...

If you are seeking spiritual community, a spiritual Spiritual community is more than a feeling of warmth and
director, friend, or one to stand along side with you comfort that comes in knowing that there are people with
on the journey, we can provide that for you. New Be- whom we can easily share the content of our lives, people
ginnings has certified spiritual directors that are on whom we can depend to meet our needs and alleviate
trained just for this purpose. our suffering.
At times the strength of spiritual community lies in
Individual Spiritual Direction is available with an the love of people who refrain from
appointment. Our directors are always happy to have "The spiritual director getting caught in the trap of trying
new lives to pray and walk with. has the responsibility to fix everything for us, who pray
of intercessory prayer, for us and allow us the pain of our
Group Spiritual Direction is also available. If you of staying in God's wilderness, our wants, so that we
are interested in being a part of group spiritual direc- presence on behalf of might become more deeply
tion, you can contact us and we can put a group to- the person in order grounded in God and begin to ex-
gether for you. that there may be di- perience maybe even for the first
vine light in his direc-
time, a true love of God.
tion."
In spiritual community, there is a bonding that goes ~ Elizabeth O.Connor Spiritual Directing is a wonderful
beyond "human expectation. It is a bonding of prayer gift given...a place that one can
and spiritual caring that is not dependent on the ex- confide in with the strictest of con-
ternals of similar personalities, tastes, or causes. fidentiality...where one can see the face of Christ in an-
other.
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 New Beginnings… Living a Contemplative Life In an Apostolic World:
Prayer — In community or alone in quiet places. Lectio Divina Agreements in the life of prayer and spirituality.
(Sacred Reading of Scripture),Centering Prayer, prayers of in- Spiritual Formation — We offer classes that can help shape you
tercession and other forms of prayer are practiced and taught as you journey with God. We offer courses which meet our need
regularly. We also offer prayers of healing to those who seek for community and growth. Some courses offerings include, Be-
wholeness of body, mind and soul. coming Fire In A Spiritual and Mystical World, “Monastic stud-
The Daily Office — Praying the psalms and liturgical prayers ies,” “St. Ignatius,” and others classes to enhance our life of the
that help us to experience Kingdom living in our own daily Spirit with God.
lives. Healing Prayer — The Lord calls us to wholeness...body, mind
Retreats — Daytime and overnight retreats are offered through and soul. Mending the past and preparing us in the present for a
New Beginnings. Our retreat directors have many years of ex- healed future. Allowing us the ability to have new beginnings in
perience in retreat ministry. Retreats include times of silence, all our circumstances.
prayer, journaling, Taize’ services, healing, art, worship, and Prayer, silence, solitude, inner healing.and physical healing by
more. We also offer various retreats to congregations and our trained ministers are available to you upon request. We will
Christian organizations. Our directors are also available to lead pray with you and walk with you through your difficult times.
retreats in other locations. Everything is always kept in confidence.
Spiritual Direction — from certified spiritual
directors. Group and individual direction are available. Our "Father, according as I am able, I keep my little rule, and my little fast, my
spiritual directors serve as mentors and friends on your spiri- daily prayers, meditation, and contemplative silence. And, according as I am
tual journey, one able I strive to cleanse my heart of evil thoughts." He ended by asking, "So
to help you be connected or reconnected to God and His crea- now what more should I do?" The elder rose up in reply and stretched out
tion. his hands to heaven. His fingers become ten flaming lamps. He then said,
A spiritual director helps us to keep from losing heart as we "Why not be totally changed into fire?" —Abbot Lot
face the awesome prospect of loving the Divine. To this end,
the spiritual director expects us to make and keep agreements.

The Monastic Corner…

The Four Things that Bring Peace by Thomas a Kempis
Christ: My son, I will now teach you the way of peace
and true freedom. The Disciple: Lord, instruct me, I pray. secret of perfection. If I could only faithfully observe them,
I am eager to learn. Christ: My son, resolve to do the will no trouble could distress me. For whenever I am anxious or
of others rather than your own. weary, I find that it is because I have strayed from your
Always choose to possess less rather than more. teaching. All things are in Your power, and You always
Always take the lowest place, and regard yourself as long to bring souls to perfection. Give me your grace ever
less than others. more richly; help me to keep your word and advance my
desire and pray always that God’s will may be perfectly salvation.
“Peace i leave with you;
fulfilled in you. My own peace I
A man who observes these rules shall come to enjoy give you. “
peace and tranquility of soul.
The Disciple: In these few words of Yours lie the whole

Union with God is the only heaven

Lonliness by Macrina Wiederkehr
there is, and it begins here on earth.
Except for my lonely moments, I think I could
Jesus said that there was a baptism he
quite easily forget that I am not a separate exis-
had to undergo, and he felt extreme
tence apart from God. My loneliness attracts me
anguish until it was accomplished. I
to the feet of Jesus. Like a magnet I am drawn
know the feeling, Jesus. I feel the an-
there, longing to be all one with God. The sepa-
guish too. There is someone I must be-
rateness I keep choosing makes me desperately
come. There is someone I must be
homesick, and so I am willing, at last, to surren-
grafted onto, and how lonely I am until
der my divided heart. I am homesick to be one
it is accomplished!
with God.

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New Beginnings Newsletter
New Beginnings House of Prayer
1806 11th Street
7155 Ashburn Galena Park, TX 77547
Houston, Texas 77061
Phone: 713.927.7534 Fax: 713.451.2228
Email: newbeginningsprayer@juno.com
Website: newbeginningsprayer.org

Marie Noack, Executive Director, Founder

Rev. Ed Wade, Spiritual Advisor
Pastor Phil Grose, Spiritual Advisor
Denice Foose, Director of Funding
Carol Antill, Director of Prayer and Intercession
Janie Huntington, Spiritual Director & Newsletter Editor
Patti Hale, Director of 12 Step Ministry
Jacque Darragh, Director of Creative Expression
Jane Sangalis, Director of Healing Prayer
Santiago and Emma Luna, Director of Spanish Ministry
Jim Young, Webmaster

No one is ever turned away at New Begin-

nings for lack of funds.
Scholarships are always welcomed.
Would you help us today?

New Beginnings House of Prayer is a non-

profit organization and has received their Our door is always open to everyone! We are grateful
for the community God forms with his
status as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization. people. We could not do any of
We are funded by your generous donations. this without your help.
God bless you for giving!