EH writes: “Can you please tell me anything about Ruah? There is a Catholic named institution here in Houston, that is called the Ruah Center and offers retreats according to this method?  I just am not sure I understand enough to know if it is truly Catholic. We are looking for a retreat center and made an inquiry.  We were told that we do not fit their method of retreats. Can you help me understand Ruah?”

Ruah is a Hebrew word that means “life” and “breath”, both symbols of the Holy Spirit. The word is not always used to describe the Third Person of the Blessed Trinity, however, and it pops up in a variety of New Age places, such as Ruah Yoga. But it doesn’t appear to be the name of any particular practice, either New Age or Christian.

The Ruah Spirituality Center you reference is a retreat house that offers a variety of programs including Taize and Centering Prayer. While Taize is fine, Centering Prayer is not. You can read more about it on this blog.

I definitely share your pain in finding faithful Catholic retreat centers in our communities. The whole retreat industry appears to be overrun by New Age and Eastern spirituality, with only a few rare jewels still teaching the full brilliance of the Catholic faith and heritage.