A Safe and Sober New Years

I give myself the green light to move forward, and to joyously embrace the new.

Louise Hay

In our time together, we will blend moments of group reflection, personal meditation time, meals in common, and 12 Step meetings, all optional. The winter climate can help us stay calm and serene. The presenters will offer short reflections with plenty of time for you to process. We will look at the ups and downs of 2025 and talk about some “tools” to assist our joyously embracing the new.

There will be no official midnight celebration. No resolutions demanded.  This is a time of reality check and making gentle decisions about 2026. We will be in a safe and sober environment.

In our sessions together we will have the opportunity to:

• Review the past year and embrace the newness of 2026
• Check in with the God of our own understanding
• Fine tune the power of prayer and meditation in our daily lives
• Find the new invitations that God might be sending our way this year
• Freshen our understanding of 12 Step spirituality
• Consider signing up for a brief one-to-one spiritual direction session which will be offered on the 31st.

San Damiano Retreat is a Franciscan retreat center. We will include moments highlighting Franciscan spirituality, as St. Francis displayed deep compassion and acceptance. Certainly, this is important as we take a look at being gentle with others as we are gentle with ourselves.

The retreat will include with Mass at 9:00 am (for those who wish), and a festive lunch at 12:00 pm and departure after lunch at least by 1:00 pm the latest.

Please consider this unique and holy way to celebrate New Year’s. If you have any questions about the retreat content, please contact Bro. Mark at (619) 962-0919.

Tuesday December 30

4PM         Opening Gathering and Introductions

6PM         Dinner

7PM         Session Two: Review the Past Year and Embrace the Newness of 2026

8:00PM     Prayer (Chapel)

Wednesday December 31

8AM            Breakfast

9:15AM       Prayer (outdoors, or in the Chapel)

10AM          Session Three:    Check In with the God of Our Own Understanding

11AM          Session 4: Fine Tune the Power of Prayer and Meditation in our Daily Lives

Noon            lunch                {art materials set up for the afternoon}

***Individual Spiritual Direction available in the early afternoon***

3PM          Session Five:  Find the New Invitations that God Might Be Sending this Year

4:30PM—5:45PM       12 Step Meeting (Open to Everybody) What is Your Understanding of 12 Step Spirituality?

6PM              dinner

7PM              Session Six     Freshen Our Understand of 12 Step Spirituality

8:00PM         Prayer   (in the Chapel)

8:30PM         Dessert Social

ThursdayJanuary 1, 2025

8AM              Breakfast

9AM              Mass  {Open to Everybody}  Chapel)

10:30AM       Session Seven Tying It All Together

11:30AM       Closing Prayer “Epiphany”

Noon              lunch and departure

Come join us for a New Year’s holiday free of alcohol, noise, and that pesky New Year’s Eve ball drop from Times Square! We will celebrate the blessings in our lives and discover the challenges we expect in 2026. Check-in on Tuesday, December 30 is from 2:00 PM – 3:30 PM. The program will start at 4:00 pm in your meeting room. Dinner is served at 6:00 PM. The retreat will including Mass at 9:00 am and a festive lunch at noon on Thursday, January 1, 2026 and departure after lunch at least by 1:00 pm the latest.