
Barbara O’Neill, IHM
Besieged by Grace
The Transformative Power of Symbol and Ritual
As a young child, I remember walking home from school one afternoon and being captivated by the clouds in the sky. I was fascinated watching the sunbeams and felt as though I was invited into their mystical and magical dance. I recall thinking of these rays of dust-filled light as grace. Perhaps Sister had taught us about grace that day, and in my six-year-old mind, I imagined this is what grace looked like.
When was the last time you were enchanted by a moment of beauty, goodness, or grace?
It has been said that the longest journey in the world is from the head to the heart.
Besieged by Grace is a creative process honoring every person’s personal experience and sacred story. The centerpiece of Besieged by Grace is the dramatic use of symbol and ritual brought to life through art, music, movement and silence. It is a gentle shift from belief in or about God to an intimate, inner experience of God. While it might feel safer to stay in our head space where all is rational and well ordered, Besieged by Grace lures us to a deeper awareness of the sacred infused into everyday life.

Barbara O’Neill, IHM
Besieged by Grace
The Transformative Power of Symbol and Ritual
As a young child, I remember walking home from school one afternoon and being captivated by the clouds in the sky. I was fascinated watching the sunbeams and felt as though I was invited into their mystical and magical dance. I recall thinking of these rays of dust-filled light as grace. Perhaps Sister had taught us about grace that day, and in my six-year-old mind, I imagined this is what grace looked like.
When was the last time you were enchanted by a moment of beauty, goodness, or grace?
It has been said that the longest journey in the world is from the head to the heart.
Besieged by Grace is a creative process honoring every person’s personal experience and sacred story. The centerpiece of Besieged by Grace is the dramatic use of symbol and ritual brought to life through art, music, movement and silence. It is a gentle shift from belief in or about God to an intimate, inner experience of God. While it might feel safer to stay in our head space where all is rational and well ordered, Besieged by Grace lures us to a deeper awareness of the sacred infused into everyday life.
Stewarding the Mystery through Symbol and Ritual
Stewarding the Mystery through Symbol and Ritual
“Hosting the transcendent, the mystical and the mundane”
– Dr. Barbara Holmes
“Hosting the transcendent, the mystical and the mundane”
– Dr. Barbara Holmes