Programs & Retreats

7:00 pm Sunday, September 14 to
10:00 am Sunday, September 21, 2025

Silent Weeklong Individually Directed Retreat

The tranquil environment of the Villa Maria grounds offers the perfect background for this retreat. Prayerful reflection, often with Sacred Scripture, in an atmosphere of complete silence is the usual setting for this process.

Each retreatant will meet daily with a director who will help them:

• Notice the reality of God’s presence and activity.
• Come to trust what has been noticed.
• Respond to this presence and activity.

Participants may attend the retreat in its entirety or may choose to schedule a shortened retreat.

Directors for this retreat:
Ardath Blake, HM has received training and supervision in spiritual direction through the St. Bueno Spiritual Exercise Centre, Asaph, Wales, United Kingdom, the Center for Spirituality and Lay Ministry of Sacred Heart University in Fairfield, Connecticut and at Loyola House in Guelph, Ontario. Ardath also has a MA in Theology and MS in Education and experience in parish pastoral ministry.

Donna Clark received a certificate in Spiritual Direction in 2016 from the Ignatian Spirituality Institute at John Carroll University, Cleveland. Since then, she has worked with local people seeking direction, participated in several silent directed retreats with a team of directors, and given one-day retreats and talks on spirituality and healing our image of God. The certificate was a culmination of her work in a range of ministries where her natural gift of listening assisted many seekers on their spiritual journey. Donna arrived in Erie in 1998 with her husband Matthew as they each responded to the call of ministry. She worked at Mercy Center for Women and Erie Dawn before coming to Our Lady of Mercy parish, Harborcreek, PA as a pastoral minister in 2003.  She served that community through a broad range of ministries, including outreach ministries, stewardship and pastoral council, finance and administrative support and music ministry.  Donna, herself, has been a life–long seeker on a spiritual path, working in ministry positions for at least 40 years. It was her early ministry experiences that led her to pursue formal study and complete a Master of Divinity degree from St. John’s University in Collegeville, MN in 1998.

Carol Creek has a Masters in Christian Spirituality and a Graduate Certificate in Spiritual Direction and Directed Retreats from Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska. Carol brings a rich life experience to this ministry.  She believes spiritual direction is the process of awakening to the presence of God within oneself and in everyday life.  She is a companion to her directees as they journey to discover the deepest longing of their hearts. She has directed retreats at Rivers Edge in Cleveland for the last 15 years. She is married and has four adult children and ten grandchildren.

Fr. Mark Nowak is a priest of the Erie diocese who received his training in directing retreats at the Jesuit Center for Spiritual Growth in Wernersville, PA.  Father has served as pastor of a parish and is now transitioning into retirement and focusing on the ministry of spiritual direction.

Rosemary O'Brien, SSJ celebrates life and mission as a Sister of St. Joseph of NWPA. She has a background in education, pastoral ministry, formation ministry, leadership and interfaith and intercultural experiences. Her present ministry includes ongoing formation, spiritual direction and retreats, interfaith dialog, advocacy and outreach to refugees as well as involvement with her Congregation’s Justice and Peace efforts. Education includes M.A. in Sacred Science, St. Bonaventure U.; 4-year certification program in Spiritual Direction through VMESC; Pastoral Counselling certification, and ongoing program of personal and professional development.

Rosanne Oberleitner, CSJ a Sister of St. Joseph, presently serves as a Spiritual Director at Villa Maria where she also received her Spiritual Direction certificate. From 2003-2013, she served on the Leadership Team of her Congregation in Baden, Pennsylvania. Sister Roseanne has ministered as Program Director for Girls Hope, a residential program for at-risk girls who show academic promise. A former educator, she continues to serve on the board of Girls Hope. Her educational background includes degrees in education with minors in psychology and guidance. She also earned a master’s degree in social work from the University of Pittsburgh. With an outgoing and welcoming disposition, Sister Roseanne, a guitarist and singer, enjoys celebrating family birthdays, holidays and cooking dinner for friends. In nature, she finds a peaceful backdrop for prayer, rising early on the weekends to catch the morning’s beauty.

Registration due by: August 29, 2025