Happy Praying

Thoughts and reflections of Marco Svodoba of Holy Trinity Monastery, the spiritual base of Hand of Help.

August 25, 2009

Hello Hand of Help readers - Marco here again.

As fall approaches and many of the schools and universities prepare to receive their students, I too return to the learning environment at Georgetown University. My role here will be much the same as it was last year when I interacted with the students as I facilitated The John Main Center for Meditation and Inter-Religious Dialogue.

The John Main Center for Meditation and Inter-Religious Dialogue

After completing the 2008 fall semester I returned to Holy Trinity Monastery but with an invitation to come back to Georgetown if I was interested. Since I was indeed interested I went back to the monastery and after discussing with several of my trusted community members and gaining a sense that this was the right direction to take, I accepted the offer.

While walking on campus shortly after returning, I noticed myself getting excited and appreciating the university environment and academia. I have often felt drawn to universities and there seems to be a level of intellectual focus that resonates deeply with me. The students with their great desire to learn inspire me to also keep learning and contribute much to my growth. No doubt this year will also have its challenges but I feel more prepared for them than last year, presumably because of the friends and connections I have made.

Similar to last year we are planning several events through the meditation center to attract students to come and learn about contemplative prayer. My favorite of these events is again going to be the opportunity of mixing prayer with outdoor activities such as kayaking.

Students praying

Because life as a student is quite busy we hope that by encouraging students to meditate that they will find it as a time to set down their concerns for a brief period, gain a greater sense of calmness within, and hopefully as a result leave reenergized and better able to complete the task at hand.

So as we prepare for this upcoming semester I pray that each of us, especially myself, will be open to the growth God has planned and that each of us may learn from our neighbor what it is we are meant to learn. God Bless to all of you as you seek to follow His path and serve one another.

Peace & Happy Prayers to All,

Marco Svoboda

October 8, 2008

Hello Hand of Help Website Visitors,

My name is Marco Svoboda and I write this blog to introduce myself to you and to share my involvement with Hand of Help (HoH). I first heard of HoH as a result of my living at Holy Trinity Monastery (HTM). Currently I live as a resident oblate (lay person) in community and have been there for about four years. The monastery, which is a Benedictine community, is the spiritual base of Hand of Help and where I first got involved.

I first came to the monastery at the invitation of Father Laurence Freeman who is the Spiritual Director of the World Community for Christian Meditation (WCCM) and Father Henri Capdeville, O.S.B., the Superior of Holy Trinity Monastery, to help facilitate a meditation center. Meditation has been an important part of my prayer life for many years and sharing it with others has been a large part of my ministry. Not long after arriving at the monastery I was invited to give an introduction to Christian Meditation to a group of visiting students connected with Hand of Help.

Although I had worked a little with HoH and had met a few students it was not until just over a year ago that I became more involved with HoH when Brother Fred Buerman, ob. OSB asked if I would be willing to do Mission Co-op Appeals in order to support the mission of HoH. This was exciting to me because I got to do something that I had not done before and in order to do it I was going to be able to travel to some places that I had not been to before (traveling is one of the things I love to do). I have continued to be involved with Mission Co-op Appeals and other programs that HoH supports.

Since Hand of Help has a focus on young adults the program really appeals to me because it is the age group I feel drawn to interacting with. Today I find myself at Georgetown University facilitating The John Main Center for Meditation and Inter-Religious Dialogue. The Center is a partnership between WCCM and Georgetown University that offers twice daily meditation sessions and provides a sacred space for students to come and meditate together. Although the Center teaches meditation in the Christian tradition it recognizes the universality of meditation and is hence open to all who want to share in the silent period together.

I will be here at the university for the fall semester and then will return to the monastery in St. David, Arizona. If you happen to be in the area please stop by and say hello.

God Bless and Happy Praying!

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