Events & Retreats 7.17.2024

Weber Retreat Center Upcoming Retreats and Programs

Julian of Norwich: Mystic Theologian
Sun, Jul 28, 7:00 pm through Wed, Jul 31, 11:00 am
Julian of Norwich is an example of what Bernard McGinn has called a “vernacular theologian.”  After briefly placing her in her historical context, I will describe the experience which precipitated her writings.  I will analyze what is mystical about that experience and evaluate the importance of the theology which grew from it,  What is stunning about Julian’s writings is how well it was able to serve as an antidote to the severe fear and despair caused by the Black Death in fourteenth-century England, along with the ability of its author to describe it so eloquently.

Day off Mindfulness – Welcoming Uncertainty
Sat, Aug 3 10:00 am – 2:30 pm
Instead of wanting to secure ourselves on the path, instead of hoping we can transcend the struggles of life, we move toward them.  As we sit we can discover the warmth and tenderness of our aching heart and that of the world.

To register and view a full listing of programs, retreats and events at the Weber Retreat Center click HERE

Dominican Center Marywood Upcoming Retreats and Programs

Tending Our Hearts to Tend the Earth (In-Person)
Friday, Aug 9 • 10:00 am – 2:00 pm
The effects of climate change are all around us. We feel it in little ways as we pull on summer clothes and harvest gardens a little earlier each year. And in big ways as we watch fires blaze through entire towns and our streets fill with rain. Climate anxiety touches nearly everything we do, and especially how we interact with and support the next generations. What do we do with the fear, grief, and anger we feel? Join us for a retreat to place our bodies on this sacred land allowing the stones and the wind to carry our grief. There will be time for story sharing, wandering the woods, practicing rituals around our grief and anger, settling in silence and rest, and summoning that wild possibility of hope. This retreat is open to all wanting to tend their hearts around climate anxiety, especially those involved with children: parents, teachers, grandparents, neighbors, etc. Each of us belong to this sweet earth, all part of this earth family that shares responsibility, emotions, and hope.

Zentangle Patterns of Pause ~ A Visual Prayer Practice to Cultivate Peace (In-Person)
Saturday, Sept 7 • 10:00 am – 12:30 pm
In the fullness of everyday life, there is refreshment in pausing and noticing what scripture and creation can reveal to us. Both are filled with wonderful patterns that can spark delight. When we slow down and notice, we make space to invite peace and calm, encounter the presence of God, and be rejuvenated. In this class, we’ll enjoy combining the Zentangle Method, watercolor, and pen to create a visual prayer inspired by a portion of Psalm 19. We’ll also explore how this visual prayer practice encourages us to cultivate gratitude, awareness, delight, peace, and faith. Other visual prayers are sure to be inspired! Previous art or Zentangle experience is not required, only a willingness to create, one stroke at a time! All supplies will be provided.

Foundations in Spirituality (In-Person)
Saturdays: Sep 21, Oct 19, Nov 16, Dec 21, 2024; Jan 18, Feb 22, Mar 22, Apr 26, May 17, 2025 • 10:00 am – 3:00 pm
Foundations in Spirituality is a serious reflective study that opens our minds and hearts to the teachings and life examples of the great Christian spiritual teachers that continue to deepen our present spiritual journey. It’s the beginning, the first step of the formation offerings at Dominican Center Marywood at Aquinas College. Explore the rich preaching of St. Dominic; the unbreakable faith of St. Teresa of Avila; the deep spirituality of St. John of the Cross; the life-giving wisdom of the Beguines; the daily prayerful life of St. Ignatius; and the lives of many more who continue to enrich our own faith and spirituality. The course introduces the practice of contemplative prayer as grounding practice for living a richer spiritual life. Immerse yourself in Foundations in Spirituality and begin deepening your relationship with God through study, prayer, and community.

Foundations II: Wisdom from the Margin (Online)
Mondays: Sep 23, Oct 28, Nov 25, 2024; Jan 6, Jan 27, Feb 24, Mar 24, Apr 28, 2025 • 6:30 – 8:30 pm
Foundations II: Wisdom from the Margins is a course and community that reflectively studies the life stories and teachings of great spiritual leaders who have impacted the world from the margins. The hope is to open our minds and hearts to those who have been “othered,” and let their inspirational wisdom challenge, nurture and deepen our spiritual life. Explore the activism born of a deep spirituality in Sojourner Truth and the Grimke sisters; the transformative power of service and reflection in Henri Nouwen and Mother Theresa; the joy of reconciliation in Desmond Tutu; and the inspiring humility of Oscar Romero. Foundations II can be taken after Foundations I (Foundations in Spirituality) or it can also be taken as a stand-alone course. We do not require that Foundations I be taken first, nor that Foundations II be taken in order to enter our Spiritual Director Practicums.

To register and view a the full listing of programs, retreats and events at Marywood click HERE

Siena Retreat Center Upcoming Retreats and Programs

Thursday Morning Centering Prayer via Zoom
Siena Retreat Center offers Centering Prayer via Zoom on Thursday mornings at 7:00am Central, 8:00am Eastern. The time together includes facilitated reflections on a selected reading as well as silent Centering Prayer.

The Great Re-imagining: Spirituality in an Age of Apocalypse
We have reached a transformative and revelatory moment in human history. Author and philosopher Theodore Richards will lead an in-person weekend retreat at Siena Retreat Center on September 20-21, 2024. The retreat material will include writings from the world’s wisdom traditions and contemporary science, as well as a process of shared inquiry into the contemporary political and cultural landscape.  Cost of $225 includes overnight accommodations and meals.

SoulCollage® Weekend Retreat
“Forgiveness” is the theme for this SoulCollage® retreat at Siena Retreat Center on September 28-29, 2024.  SoulCollage® is an experience of self-reflection using images that speak to you.  The retreat will be facilitated by Missy Isely-Poltrock and Vicky Curtiss.  Cost of $225 includes overnight accommodations, meals, and materials.

To register and view a the full listing of programs, retreats and events at Siena Retreat Center HERE