The Desert Mothers and Fathers of the 4th and 5th centuries have stories that continue to speak to us about solitude and silence, death, grace, and true freedom. Their sayings create an environment that invites our spirit to grow into God’s deepest desires for us.

Over a 3 part series happening August 11 – 13, the Rev. Brad Karelius will be introducing a workshop to desert spirituality through the lives and teachings of The Desert Mothers and Fathers. Rev. Brad has been an Episcopal priest in the Diocese of Los Angeles for 50 years and is author of The Spirit in the Desert (2009), Encounters with the World’s Religions (2015), and Desert Spirit Places: The Sacred Southwest (2019).

There is no fee to attend the series and you are invited to register for one, or all three, opportunities.

Beginning Friday evening, August 11, Part 1: The Desert Mothers explores two pioneers of the contemplative tradition: Mary of Egypt and Amma Syncletica. Their experiences living in the stark desert wilderness fostered stories and sayings that can help our spirit grow into God’s deepest desires for us. Register for Part 1.

Saturday morning, August 12, Part 2: The Desert Fathers explores two other pioneers of the contemplative tradition: Moses the Black and Anthony the Great. The stories of these two very different men who came to monastic life show us the power of the desert and the desert community to transform lives. Register for Part 2.

And on Sunday, Part 3 is designed to help those who are interested in experiencing their own desert journey, which can also happen in the plains of Kansas and Missouri. Father Brad will present his own experiences of encountering the silence of the desert in the Owens Valley in California. Afterward, Steve Bruce and Rev. Brad will have a dialog about desert spirit places in Joshua Tree National Park, Monument Valley, and Navajoland. Register for Part 3.