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The Transformative Power of Story
Our modern culture places a high value on non-fiction, deeming it the “reality” while largely minimizing or dismissing the rich source of meaning found in fiction, myth, and parables. Through a psycho-spiritual lens, we will explore how the human psyche can experience significant growth through deep interaction with certain forms of fiction that reflect symbolic and archetypal realities; through a literary lens, we will explore the many activities that fall under the one term “reading” and their effects on the mind and spirit, emphasizing, in particular, the role of the fiction novel on individuals and culture. Can a return to the primacy of fiction and its revelation of the transcendent return the culture to wholeness?
Presenters:
Mary Kauffman is an oblate of Valyermo. She has an MA in English and has taught ESL, various levels of English and writing, and literature courses at several colleges in the Los Angeles and Orange County areas. Now retired, she enjoys sharing her love of reading and writing through participation in different reading and literary groups, particularly those that emphasize discovering the transcendent and increasing our Christian awareness through exploration of the written word.
Michael J. Mullard, Obl. O.S.B Cam, Ph.D.
Dr. Mike Mullard has been an oblate of New Camaldoli Hermitage since 2004 and a longtime friend of St. Andrews Abbey. He is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist with a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology and has been a certified spiritual director since 2014. His main interests are the intersection of spirituality and psychology, contemplative prayer, and comparative religions. He is a member of the Ecumenical Commission of the Diocese of Orange.
St. Andrew's Abbey Retreat Office
Phone: (661) 944-2178
Email: retreats@valyermo.com
Office hours: 8:30am-5:00pm
(Closed for Mass and lunch 11:45am-1:30pm)
