Conversation and Conversion by the Well

About the Book

At times people wonder what it would like to meet Jesus. In 1990 Almita Bey-Carriòn entered into a mystical encounter with Jesus while she was meditating on the story of the Samaritan woman at the well. Over time she realized how profound this encounter was and for the benefit of others sought to reproduce her experience in the Nine Meditations. They have been especially effective for those in mid-life, vocation discernment, adult baptismal preparation, recovery from addiction or serious illness, or stuck in their spiritual life. To ground her retreat in contemporary biblical, theological and psychological perspectives, in 1992 she published this retreat and her research for the completion of her M.A. degree at the University of Santa Clara, Santa Clara, California.

Out of curiosity Sr. Judy Rinek, S.N.J.M. asked Almita to guide her through her journal retreat. It was such a powerful experience, Sr. Judy sought ways to make this more available to others. After she began to facilitate this journal retreat for others, she discovered additional spiritual directors who also felt drawn to utilize it. Thus, a need for a handbook arose.

Collaborating with Almita, Sr. Judy updated her original research in the background sections and incorporated the practical "tips" that spiritual directors had discovered over the past ten years of working with those making this unique individualized retreat. Some of the practical concerns are in the format of questions and answers. The annotated bibliography is very useful for in-depth study and further resources. In addition, those seeking a model for praying in depth a story in Scripture will find this handbook invaluable.

About the Author

For over forty years, Judith A. Rinek, S.N.J.M., has been a Sister of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary. During that span of time she has served as teacher, college chaplain, workshop leader, preacher and spiritual director. Her background in a family of religious diversity and her work on college campuses prepared her well for noticing the different ways persons come into relationship with the Divine. For over ten years she has guided both men and women through the Samaritan Woman Retreat. Sr. Judy's own mid-life transition and her recent dealing with cancer have given her much experience with the dynamics of radical conversion that is at the basis of this retreat. Presently, she is ministering as preacher and spiritual director at Mater Dolorosa Passionist Retreat Center in Sierra Madre, California.