An Extraordinary Giveaway, but There’s a Catch

by | Jun 7, 2014 | Giveaway | 56 comments

I cannot tell you how pleased I am to be able to offer this really unique and beautiful giveaway.
A very dear friend of mine has a special love for the Trappist Monks of Our Lady of the Holy Cross Abbey in Berryville, VA. She also has a very special prayer intention that is especially close to my heart. She’d like to share the spirituality of the monks with someone you love. And I’d like you to share your prayers with her.

This is a VERY specific giveaway. The retreat is FOR MEN ONLY. The winner will live like a Trappist monk for a weekend. That means up at 3 am etc, etc. (But he does NOT have to be a candidate for monastic life to attend the retreat.) The retreat is offered just once this year, September 11-14, 2014. It’s in Berryville, VA, and the winner is responsible for his own transportation.

But for the right person, this is a very special opportunity!

Anyone can enter, but you’ll have to have a man in mind to send on the retreat.

Here it is in her own words:

Send someone you love on a spiritual retreat with the Trappist monks of Our Lady of the Holy Cross Abbey. Twice a year the monks welcome a small group of retreatants into their community to eat, sleep, and pray like a monk! Holy Cross is located in Berryville, VA–less than an hour’s drive from the Dulles Airport–and situated by the Shenandoah River and Blue Ridge Mountains. One winner will get to spend a three day weekend (September 11-14, 2014) on the men’s retreat immersed in the life at Holy Cross Abbey. The retreat includes the cost of lodging and meals.

For a full schedule for the weekend (which participants are expected to fully participate in), see the Holy Cross Abbey website. And if you’re interested in attending the men’s and women’s monastic immersion weekend, the monks offer it in March of each year.

All you have to do to enter is to leave a comment, saying you wish to enter. If you win, you can give the prize to the man of your choosing, provided he can get himself to the right place at the right time. The winner will be announced at 10pm Pacific next Saturday, June 14, 2014.
Here’s the catch:
Someone is going to get an amazing weekend. And all we’re asking is your prayers. Will you please pray that my friend and her husband will be blessed with a baby, in whatever way God sees fit? Will you offer a Mass, or a rosary, or a novena, or a Hail Mary for this intention? Will you leave a comment, so we’ll know you’re praying with us? Whether or not you’re able to enter the giveaway?
And will you please share this post with anyone you think might be interested in the monastic life, or in praying for my friend’s intention?
Thank you and good luck!

56 Comments

  1. Anonymous

    Not eligible for the drawing since I'm female, but I did pray!

  2. Monica McConkey

    Not eligible for the giveaway….( but SUCH a cool giveaway, Kendra!)…and praying for your friend and her husband.

  3. anne

    My husband would love this. Entering for him!

  4. Mandi

    Kendra, my husband would love to go! Please count this as an entry. Also, we have many rosaries ahead of us on our road trip so we will be sure to offer several for your friend.

    • Erica Saint

      And I meant to add that I know a few men that would love to go to the retreat. Please consider this my entry. 🙂

    • Nanacamille

      Pray for them everyday but grandad says no thanks to the weekend. Sounds interesting.

  5. Kim

    Prayers for your friend. Entering my husband 🙂

  6. Jenny

    My husband would think he was in heaven, truly. Entering for him 🙂

  7. Rosemary

    I will pray for your friend, and please enter me for my husband!

  8. Micaela Darr

    Praying for your friend. What an awesome giveaway. I don't think hubby would be able to take advantage, but rest assured that I will offer up lots of prayers anyway.

  9. Celia

    Not entering the giveaway, since my husband wouldn't be able to go then. But I will absolutely be praying for your friend.

  10. Margaret

    My husband would love to go, so please enter me, and we will certainly pray!

  11. Amy

    Praying for your friends and her family. Also having a mass said for them.

  12. Anonymous

    I don't have anyone in mind for the retreat, but I just wanted to say that I'm praying for your friend's intention.

  13. Megmckham

    I will be praying for your friend and her husband and including her in my prayer intentions during my upcoming labor. My husband would love the opportunity is selected.

  14. Manda

    I have a friend who might be interested. I would like to enter for him. Thank you!

  15. Ashley P. Salvo

    My husband would love this as well-he was considering the priesthood before we met and I know this weekend would be a wonderful experience for him. Praying for your friend and her husband.

  16. jeannemp

    Praying for your friend's special intention, may God bless her with motherhood, however He sees fit. Offering a difficult pregnancy for her as well. Please enter my husband, thank you!

  17. Anonymous

    My husband and I will be praying for this couple and would like to put in an entry for my husband to go on the retreat. Thanks!

  18. Mimi P

    My husband would really be blessed by a retreat like this. I will pray at the La Leche Shrine this coming weekend for her intentions for a baby. Bless you

  19. Jill VT

    I am still praying my husband converts to Catholicism, so I'm not going to enter him for the retreat – that's a bit too "varsity!" But I will say some fervent prayers that your dear friend is blessed with a baby very soon.

  20. Peter Atkinson

    I would definitely like to attend such a Monastic retreat – it sounds beautiful.

    You also have a rosary for your intention – regardless of this contest or not. I pray that the couple is blessed with a child soon!

  21. Sarah Doll

    Please enter my dad into the drawing, he lives so close and he would love it! I will say some prayers for your friend…

  22. marina

    I will definitely offer up your friend's intentions at Mass today.

  23. Melissa Hunter-Kilmer

    Praying for your friend and her husband; thank you for telling us about them. Not entering the giveaway—yet, anyway. 🙂 Just want to note that I've been to Mass at the monastery, and it was absolutely wonderful. Your giveaway is a terrific opportunity!

  24. Being Refined

    I am entering my husband. He would like the retreat.

    I'm also praying for your friend. I know her pain.

  25. Clare

    Entering my dad for the giveaway 🙂 I will say my rosary today for you friend.

  26. S. Kate

    Entering my husband…he would love this and we have been keeping our eyes out for a retreat for him! Thank you for this opportunity!

  27. Melissa

    I would like to enter my husband, and I will offer up a Mass and a Divine Mercy Chaplet for your friend.

  28. Caitlin Bootsma

    I'm praying for your friend. We have friends for whom we pray daily for this intention.

    Also, we're in Virginia and I would love (and so would they) to send my Dad or husband.

  29. Tamara

    Thanks for this giveaway. I definitely know a man who'd be interested.

  30. Kelly M.

    I'm officially entering, as my husband would love this opportunity and we're close enough to drive down. We will also offer our family prayers for her intentions.

  31. Kate

    I will say a Rosary for your friend and her husband. Please consider this an entry also…I have a man in mind.

  32. M.E.

    Would love to offer special intentions for your dear friend – will keep her in my heart & can't wait to find out who wins the giveaway (not entering, tho) & to hear about the winner's retreat experience.

  33. Laurie Couture

    Praying! Will offer up the many joys (and trials) of nighttime feeds tonight for the intentions of your friend. Please enter my husband in the draw.

  34. jessica shea

    I know someone who is moving to Virginia in August (!), and think it would be so neat if he could start off his new life there with such a lovely retreat! I will be praying for your friend's intention. Thank you for sharing!

  35. Theresa

    Praying for your friend and her husband. Entering for my husband.

  36. Kari

    Would love to enter my brother, and your friend's intentions are in my prayers. What a generous opportunity!

  37. Jill L

    I would like to enter my husband into this. What a wonderful experience. I will go pray a decade of the Rosary right now for your friend.

  38. Amanda

    My husband could really benefit from this kind of retreat with everything we have going on this year personally. Entering for my husband

    And I'll absolutely be putting your friends' intentions in my prayers.

  39. Betsy

    This would be such an awesome father's day gift! I'm entering for my dad. Thanks!

  40. Daniel Hinckley

    I would like to enter the giveaway. I seriously considered entering the Trappists once, long ago, and visited but just one overnight.
    I will certainly also pray for your friends and offer some of our struggles with small children for them.

  41. Alana Barranco

    I have lots of good candidates. No matter what the outcome, I will pray for your friend.

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Hi! I’m Kendra.

For twenty years now, I’ve been using food, prayer, and conversation based around the liturgical calendar to share the lives of the saints and the beautiful truths and traditions of our Catholic faith. My own ten children, our friends and neighbors, and people just like you have been on this journey with me.

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