Integrated into the daily routine of the monks, in the rhythm of prayer, silence and community life, the focus was not on discussions or specialist lectures, but on existential questions: about one's own life, about God and about the world. Every year, the KAAD Spiritual Days invite participants to engage in this special kind of reflection. They offer space for retreat and confrontation with vulnerability, uncertainty and the limits of what can be planned – as well as for the search for orientation, inner stability and spiritual depth.
Meditation exercises, Bible discussions, joint church services, walks along the Danube or creative forms of expression opened up a variety of approaches. Personal discussions in small groups or in pairs offered further opportunities for exchange. The days were led by our two spiritual guides, P. Prof. Dr. Ulrich Engel OP and P. Prof. Dr. Thomas Eggensperger OP, who accompanied the participants with impulses and theological orientation.
In order to make the personal dimension of these days visible, we are publishing two testimonials from participants. They give an insight into what the days in Beuron were all about – a time of silence, renewal and community.
Experience report by Haykush (Haykuhi) Sahakyan from Armenia
From 24 to 28 July 2025, the Spiritual Days organized by KAAD took place at the Benedictine monastery in Beuron. These days offered participants from different countries a unique opportunity to pause, reflect on their lives and the world, and deal with profound personal and spiritual issues.
The seminar program was varied and carefully thought out. Each day began and ended with the prayers of the Benedictine monks, which enabled the participants to immerse themselves in the rhythm of monastic life – an alternation of prayer, silence and communal presence. The lecture by P. Dr. Albert Schmidt OSB was particularly impressive. He recounted the history of the Benedictine order and deepened the participants' understanding of the traditions and spiritual mission of the monastery. His personal testimony was also inspiring - a life story full of service to God, people and the pursuit of the sublime. He also led the participants into the monastery library, a true treasure of spiritual and intellectual tradition.
The focus of the seminar was on the inner search: understanding oneself, one's own faith, hope and spiritual orientation - these topics gain in importance against the backdrop of an unstable world characterized by wars, worries and growing insecurity. Under such conditions, inner silence, reflection and communication were not only part of the program, but a real support for all those seeking inner balance.
The organization of the seminar was at a high level: every detail - from the program structure to the atmosphere of support and comfort – contributed to a deep immersion in the process. The scholars were offered spiritual exercises, meditations, self-reflection tasks, a movie ("The Room Next Door", Pedro Almodóvar, 2024) followed by a discussion, creative exercises and walks along the Danube. These moments helped participants to better understand their own vulnerability, learn to trust in uncertain situations and seek inner support.
A special part of the program was an excursion to the hermitage of St. Maurus – despite the pouring rain. The seminar was led by the spiritual advisors of the KAAD, P. Prof. Dr. Ulrich Engel OP and P. Prof. Dr. Thomas Eggensperger OP. For many participants, the Spiritual Days in Beuron were not just a seminar, but a meaningful experience of personal growth and spiritual renewal. It was an opportunity to pause, ask important questions and listen to the silence - the silence in which real answers are born.
Experience report by Lloyd Kwambana from Zimbabwe
Often, a retreat is a chance to be away from routine and hear stimulating or inspirational speakers, get better acquainted with others in a relaxed environment, and participate in spiritual indulgence and other forms of recreation. KAAD Scholars experienced a silent retreat for which the stated purpose was to meet God in the silence, and in that 4-day spiritual retreat found a resource and a practice for which they have been searching.
The shared community on spiritual nourishment provided the opportunity to meet God in each other, to see each other with increased understanding and, hopefully, compassion. Drawing near to God together happens when we are rafting down the river, sharing meals together, and watching the stars light up the sky, watching a movie and exchanging stories and laughter. In a myriad of ways we lend not only our minds out to each other, but our hearts and our hands, our shared quests for God, and the moments when God met us with his love, grace and mercy with the support from our dedicated Dominican Priests; P. Prof. Dr. Thomas Eggensperger OP and P. Prof. Dr. Ulrich Engel OP.
The spiritual retreat at Beuron Monastery underscored its emphasis on the nurturing of the inward journey convinced all KAAD Scholars of the value and necessity of such retreats and equipped for the demands and challenges of the outward journey. One KAAD Scholars shared, “My religious heritage over-emphasized being busy for God and doing, and either neglected or minimized the practices of nourishing the kingdom within. The spiritual retreat at Beuron Monastery introduced me to the contemplative life mostly due to my participation in the meditation sessions and it set me on a path that has been vital to my spiritual life and, in fact, to my general well-being”.
Meeting God in spiritual retreat with the focused intention and stated purpose of nurturing the daily practice of the presence of God has a way of preparing our minds and hearts to be open to experiencing God in the ordinary, the mundane, and even the difficult and tragic. The Beuron Spiritual retreat enhanced a deeply focused experience that equipped KAAD Scholars the serious seeker of God to find God in daily life. The silent retreat introduced them to practices that would make it more likely to be averse of God’s presence. The orientation of the retreat reflected that a person could grow into expecting that meeting God in the everyday ordinary could become a natural part of one’s everyday life. If you sit: sit. If you run: run. If you go: go. If you pray: pray.
The spiritual program provided the opportunity to draw apart, unplug, disconnect, and pause in order to advance in the personal quest to meet God and deepen the relationship with this Mystery. Taking the time to disengage from routine and participate in retreat provided inner resources that re- prioritize the multiple quests of daily life. This was realized through activities that included Holy Mass attendance, meditation sessions, spiritual discussions, bible sharing and letter to myself.
Scholars’ Remarks
- When I leave the spiritual retreat, I took with me some homework assignments. My time away from daily life and studies had given me new perspective and clarity of vision.
- I will take more quiet time to savor the Word and listen to God. Conduct daily meditation sessions integrated in prayer and Scripture into the daily fabric of my work, study, and rest.
- I will focus on integrating late evening television, phone conversations, and e-mail with an intentional time of contemplative prayer, soft music, and Scripture.
- In the silence and solitude of a silent retreat, the psych that meets in our heads can be calmed down, allowing the possibility of hearing the whispers of God’s grace. It is possible to get a new perspective on old problems and to see with clearer eyes.
- On that first silent spiritual retreat at Beuron Monastery, we were given introduction to the Monastery and prayer life that took with us into the silence. From that first introductory session of silence until today, this prayer has been part of my daily practice. I have surrendered many things into the hands and heart of God, including my complicated problems and hard decisions, relationships and writing projects, my deepest fears and the coming hours of a day. This is the prayer that affirms my intention to be present to God with an open mind and an open heart.
- Spiritual Retreats that offer opportunities for drawing apart together and with the stated intention of spiritual growth build a sense of what it means to work together and support each other in the challenges of understanding and living the Christian life.
Conclusion
Spiritual retreat equips the serious seeker of God to find God in daily life. We experience retreat in many ways. We give up grading how it went by our standards of evaluation and trust that our efforts will produce the fruit we need, perhaps not from our perspective, but from God’s. Scripture underscores the need for times of solitude. God give us an instruction to seek his Word and remain steadfast in his teachings for we cannot serve two masters at the same time (Matthew 6: 19-34). And, Matthew’s Gospel records that “But seek first the kingdom [of God] and his righteousness, and all these things will be given you besides”.
We prepare for spiritual retreat by simply opening our minds and hearts to the desire to meet God. We experience the Beuron retreat program in as many ways as a family, and we trust that our efforts will produce the fruit that we need, perhaps not from our perspective, but from God’s.
