7:00 pm Sunday, June 16 to
10:00 am Sunday, June 23, 2024
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.
Sharon Cahill, HM has a Bachelor of Science in Education and
holds a Master of Arts Degree in Pastoral Studies. She has over twenty years of
teaching experience and transferred these educational skills to her role as
liturgical minister. She has 15 years of experience in this field, serving in
parishes and at the Sisters of the Humility of Mary Motherhouse, Villa Maria.
She has also shared in a spiritual direction formation program. She has worked
with young children, teens and adults in these ministries.
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.
Jean Marie Holup, SS.C.M., a Sister of Sts. Cyril and Methodius, has previously ministered as the Director of St. Cyril Spiritual Center in Danville, PA, for the past 20 years. Before that time Jean was on staff at Bon Secours Spiritual Center in Marriottsville, MD. She received an M.A. in Christian Spirituality in 1995 from Creighton University, Omaha, NE, and did her practicum at the Jesuit Center for Spiritual Growth in Wernersville, PA. It has been her privilege to be involved in retreat work on the East Coast, at St. Raphaela Center, Mercy Center in CT, Loyola in Faulkner, MD, Bon Secours in MD, and Gonzaga Eastern Point Jesuit retreat house in Gloucester, MA, in several Mid-Western States, and in Nova Scotia, Canada. An experienced spiritual director, she has witnessed the profound insights discovered through the working of the Holy Spirit during each person’s spiritual journey. She is currently the Director of Formation for her Congregation. Jean enjoys singing, dream work, creating sacred life patterns with collage, and taking walks in nature.
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.
David Roncolato is the director of Civic Engagement and
professor of Community & Justice Studies at Allegheny College. Previously
he served in full-time ministry including eight years as the Catholic youth
minister at St. Brigid Church in Meadville, Pennsylvania and 12 years as the
Catholic Campus Minister at Allegheny College. Dave completed a master’s degree
in Christian Spirituality from Creighton University and a Ph.D. in Catholic
Social Ethics, from Duquesne University.
He continues to offer ongoing spiritual direction for adults and to
co-lead an annual week-long mission trip to Appalachia Kentucky. Dave is married to Reverend Sarah Roncolato,
an ordained United Methodist minister who serves as the pastor of Stone United
Methodist Church in Meadville. They are
blessed with two daughters, two sons and an ever-expanding family.
Registration due by: June 2, 2024
Registration:
If you would like to register for this or any of our programs, there are several easy ways to do so.
You may:
• click the "Register" link located at the bottom of this page
• call 724-964-8886 to speak with a member of our friendly staff
• complete and mail a printable registration form along with your payment to:
Villa Maria Education and Spirituality Center
2067 Evergreen Road
P.O. Box 424
Villa Maria, PA 16155
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