Mass
MASS - Fr. Tim Boyle
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Join us for Mass the 2nd and 4th Thursday of each month at 4:00 pm
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​September 12, 26; October 3, 24; November 14, 28;
December 12, 2024
January 9, 23; February 13, 27; March 13, 27;
April 10, 24; May 8, 22; June 12, 26, 2025
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Come join in prayer, hear the Word of God and celebrate the Eucharist.
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Donations are gratefully accepted. Official Income Tax Receipts are available for donations received.
Action for Happiness
Diana and Irena joined the Action for Happiness movement as volunteers and will be supporting Lethbridge monthly group.
Action for Happiness is a movement of people taking action to create a happier and kinder world, together.
The mission of Action for Happiness is to help people create a happier world, with a culture that prioritizes happiness and kindness.
Action for Happiness movement do this by helping people get together regularly (face-to-face where possible) to learn evidence-based skills for happier living, feel a sense of belonging and commit to personal action to create more happiness, both for themselves and others.
We have no religious, political or commercial affiliations and welcome people of all faiths (or none) and all parts of society. Members of the movement make a simple pledge: to try to create more happiness in the world.
Join us for the upcoming meetings:
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DO GOOD DECEMBER, 11 December - 6:30 - 8:00 pm
HAPPY JANUARY, 15 January - 6:30 - 8:00 pm
FRIENDLY FEBRUARY, 12 February - 6:30 - 8:00 pm
Groups are a great way to meet like-minded people locally, learn more about how to live a happy and meaningful life and find actions you can take to support yourself and others. Each session follows the same format, which has been designed to be inspiring and interactive.
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Mindfulness meditation
Saturdays, 9:00 to 10:00 a.m.
Sept 14, 28; Oct 12, 26; Nov 9, 23; Dec 14
Jan 11, 25; Feb 8, 22; Mar 8, 22; Apr 12, 26;
May 10, 17
Enrich your meditation skills and experience emotional and physical benefits.
Mindfulness meditation is the practice of being focused on the present moment. One sits quietly and observes what's happening in the mind in a nonjudgmental way. It means being present to whatever arises with no reaction, no judgement, just a simple observation. We all tend to let our minds wander. Mindfulness practice is simply to bring the focus back to the present moment. Negative thoughts, positive thoughts, pleasant feelings all arise in our mind. Our job is to observe and let go. As we continue the practice of mindfulness, we gradually become aware of who we really are below the ego created image we have created for ourselves. We begin to see things as they truly are. We begin to gain insight into the nature of reality.
As our practice deepens, we come to observe our thoughts and behaviors objectively. This, in turn, leads to living our lives in richer and more meaningful ways.
The sessions are open to all levels of meditators. Beginners are welcome.
Donations are gratefully accepted. Official Income Tax Receipts are available for donations received.
Facilitator: Bob Campbell
Every Tuesday, 1:30 - 2:40 pm,
September 10 – December 10, 2024
January 7 – June 17, 2025
Communication with God in the peaceful surroundings of Martha Retreat Centre. Centering Prayer is a method of silent prayer that prepares us to receive the gift of contemplative prayer, prayer in which we experience God’s presence within us, closer than breathing, closer than thinking, closer than consciousness itself. This method of prayer is both a relationship with God and a discipline to foster that relationship.
Donations are gratefully accepted.
Official Income Tax Receipts are available for donations received.
Facilitator: Pat Boehm
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Every Thursday, 7:00 - 9:00 pm
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Many men are quietly struggling with stress, anxiety, sadness, addictions, and other day-to-day challenges of being a man in today’s world. Many are searching for a missing peace in their lives, a clear sense of purpose, and a sense of meaningful connection with other men. Loneliness is rampant among men, and many do not have a place where they can remove their mask of “tough” masculinity and have honest, heartfelt conversations with other men who are also on the path of personal growth as men, fathers, brothers, and human beings.
Metta Men's Circles support men on their path of personal and spiritual growth, by creating a safe container comprised of men who are committed to showing up with presence, integrity, honesty, accountability, and vulnerability for themselves and for their brothers in the group. Men's circles facilitate connection, shared mentorship, honest and compassionate feedback to support mutual growth, and genuine brotherhood and friendship on the path to being the best men we can be for ourselves, our families, and for society.
* Metta is a pali word meaning benevolence, loving-kindness, friendliness, good will, and an active interest in others.
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Facilitator: Peter Kellett
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3rd Thursday of each month at 4:00 pm
Sept 19; Oct 17; Nov 21
Taize humbly introduces a very inclusive Christian worship in order to pray with all denominations. In a multiethnic world, Taize prayer becomes a spiritual force to bind people together for peace. Taize prays for reconciliation between religious denominations, peoples, and nations. Taize liturgy is developed only for prayer. How can we pray together? Struggling to answer this question, Taize's liturgy can help us to pray together. Singing is one of the most essential elements of Taize prayer. The songs, using just a few words, express the basic reality of faith. Since each song is simple, it enables us to continue praying and focusing on Jesus, even after we leave the worship space and resume our daily lives. We emphasize, all are welcome! Come and join us to pray for each other and our world!
Donations are gratefully accepted.
Official Income Tax Receipts are available for donations received.
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Facilitators: Deacon Bob and Joan Williston
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Thursdays,
September 5, 2024: Unity
October 10, 2024: Harmony Across Cultures
November 7, 2024: Compassion for Humanity
​December 5, 2024: Love beyond boundaries
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February 6, 2025: Justice for all
March 6, 2025: Stations of the Cross
April 3, 2025: Stations of the Cross
May 1, 2025: Embrace Shared Values
June 5, 2025: Gratitude
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Please join us the first Thursday of every month for one hour of personal prayer in the chapel from 4:00-5:00 pm. You will have time to reflect on a short scripture passage, time to pray for specific prayer requests as well as time for personal prayer. Looking forward to spending a prayerful hour with you to get your month started in joyful thanks!
Facilitated by Lise Schmidt.
​Sundays, 6:00 - 7:00 pm, Oct 27, Nov 17, 2024; Jan 19, Feb 16, Mar 16, Apr 20, May 18, Jun 15
Martha Centre Prayer Team – Praying Together in the Perennial Tradition
How do you pray? What can we learn from each other when we not only ask this question but also join in the universal practice of seeking the divine presence?
The hope of The Martha Centre Prayer Team is to meet in prayer for the sake of the Martha Centre community, our wider society, and indeed the whole world. Join us in learning from one another through the practice of prayer and discover the sacred threads that connect various traditions to the immanent and transcendent Ground of all being.
Facilitated by Benjamin Maine
Monday - Friday 9:00 am to 1:00 pm
Call 403-328-3422 to schedule a time (dependent upon availability)
Quiet personal prayer and meditation provides time to reflect and listen in communion with God.
Donations are gratefully accepted.
Official Income Tax Receipts are available for donations received.
Personal Retreat Days
Stillness is a gift that keeps on giving. As you take time to step away from busyness you nurture your spirit as you explore the value of silence. At Martha Retreat Centre the environment creates opportunity to discover your internal wisdom. The beauty of the outdoors, a meditative journey through the Labyrinth, prayer time in the chapel, rest in the accommodations cultivates time for you and your spiritual growth. Create your own personal retreat day or request some guidance. Choose to rest and reflect to renew your spirit. You are provided a private room and you have access to the Library, the Chapel, the Labyrinth and the beautiful grounds, the dining hall, the Gathering Room (as availability permits). “Where the spirit of the Lord is, there IS peace.”
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$72.00 (one day retreat includes lunch)
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Registration forms are to be completed for personal retreats. Please download a registration form and send it to admin@martharetreatcentre.ca.
Availability and pricing is determined upon receiving the registration form.
The Centre is available for private group bookings.
Download the registration form, fill up and send it back to us to admin@martharetreatcentre.ca.
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Rooms, meals and accommodations are included with private retreats. Availability and pricing is calculated upon receiving the group registration form.
Practiced in many different spiritual traditions, spiritual direction is a way of listening to the movement of God or Spirit in our daily lives. A spiritual companion is someone who creates a safe and compassionate listening space, and who is trained to listen without judgment, often intuiting the right questions to go deeper into the meaning of one's life in the context of Spirit, or a presence greater than ourselves. A number of trained spiritual directors are affiliated with the Centre. Spiritual direction is purposely affordable. For more information email director@martharetreatcentre.ca.
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Please schedule initial meeting on following days:
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1st Tuesday of the month - Pam Ukrainetz, beginning Jan 7, 7:00-8:00 pm
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2nd Wednesday of the month - Mark Nixon, beginning Jan 8, 6:30-7:30 pm
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3rd Tuesday of the month - Ellen Wagner, beginning Jan 21, 4:30 - 5:30 pm
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4th Monday of the month - Kathy Dangerfield, beginning Jan 27, 4:30 - 6:30 pm
Our journey each day is full of opportunity, possibility and challenge. A meditative walk through the Labyrinth is metaphorically connected to our everyday life. There are twists and turns, yet only one winding path to and from the center. There are no dead ends or wrong turns. The path is a two-way street. Take time to listen and hear from the messages that arise as you are in touch with nature during a mindful journey. Breathe, center yourself and quiet your mind.
There are 3 stages to the walk:
• Releasing on the way in, “letting go” of what is weighing on you today
• Receiving in the center, “pausing to reflect”, what is here for me to receive
• Returning when you follow the path out, “pondering and integrating your experience” to your everyday life.
Call 403-328-3422 to check on availability.
Team Building sessions and Group Bookings are available upon request.
Donations are gratefully accepted. Official Income Tax Receipts are available for donations received.
