“God is greatly honored by
the time taken in considering
all these matters that concern
His service.”

Spirituality Center Retreats and Programs

Praying with Clay

Experience the healing power of clay therapy while exploring your relationship with God through the powerful image of the Potter. During our four sessions, you will create a vessel of clay while learning about how God interacts with us molding, fashioning, and creating. Old clothing suggested aprons optional. A project sheet of ideas will follow registration. MAXIMUM # OF PARTICIPANTS: 10

Leader: S. Jackie Kowalski
Dates: Wednesdays, Sept. 4, 11, 18, 25
Time: 6-9 p.m.
Location: Emmaus Room, SC Motherhouse
Fee: $60; $25 for Sisters of Charity. Registration is due by Aug. 22.

REGISTER HERE

Pathways to Prayer

As we move along our journey of life, along our “pathways,” we discover different ways in which we meet God. We invite you to come explore and pray as we connect with God in a variety of ways.

Zentangle 
Caroljean Willie, SC − Sept. 7 (Registration by Aug. 28)
Zentangle is a fun, contemplative, relaxing art form that employs structured and coordinated patterns as a means of creating beautiful and interesting pieces of art. As a pathway to prayer it helps you to focus, expand your imagination, trust your creativity and increase your awareness of what is happening within you and outside of you. It is for everyone; no artistic talent necessary.

Caroljean Willie, SC has extensive experience working cross-culturally as a teacher, principal, teacher-trainer, and cultural diversity consultant and retreat director. She continues to work with microfinancing projects in Africa. Cj currently serves as the Program Director for EarthConnection, an environmental center in Cincinnati and serves on the board of Ohio Interfaith Power and Light.

Praying with Paint
Bill Owen −  Oct. 5 (Registration by Sept.25)
Praying with Paint is an opportunity to reflect, pray and use our creative energy to share ideas through color on a canvas. Expression and images help make our creative juices come alive and connect us to the source of all energy−God.

Bill studied art all through high school and attended the Art Advertising Academy. He has been involved in art projects while traveling in Hong Kong and China. Bill currently works as Activities Coordinator at Mother Margaret Hall.

God’s Gentle Fingerprints
Mary Ann Humbert, SC − Nov. 2 (Registration by Oct. 23)
It’s All Soul’s Day -a day to treasure the variety of ways God has been/and is in the business of loving soul-shaping. Our fingerprint hunt involves searching through some playful art, soul-full music and storytelling. Come and join the hunt!

S. Mary Ann completed an internship in Retreat and Spiritual Direction at Milford Spiritual Center where she subsequently worked as part of the internship training team. She has conducted prayer classes, retreat opportunities and adult education sessions for men and women from diverse religious traditions.

Through the Eyes of A Child
Marty Dermody, SC − Dec. 7 (Registration by Nov. 20)
There are many children’s stories that teach us and encourage us with a variety of lessons. During our Congregational Retreat a few years ago, S. Janet Mock, CSJ shared one of her favorites, “The Empty Pot” by Demi. The theme of the story encourages us and teaches us a lesson on the worth of individual strength and honesty.

Do you have a favorite children’s book that you like to share with others? We invite you to bring your favorite story and share with others the lessons of the story. This is a different type of book sharing and one that we hope will be enriching for all of us. Come and share your favorite story!

Dates: Saturdays, Sept. 7, Oct. 5, Nov. 2, Dec. 7
Time: 10 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Location: Emmaus Room, SC Motherhouse
Fee: $15; $10 for Sisters of Charity. Fee due at time of registration.

REGISTER HERE

Wrestling with God: Finding Hope and Meaning in Our Daily Struggles

“This book was written with three audiences in mind: those who are unsure of what they believe in but are searching for meaning, steadiness, and some kind of faith to live by; religious persons who are wrestling with the answers that their churches once gave them, are finding them lacking, but still want those same answers to meet the challenges of their present lives; and those who want to deepen their faith and enter more deliberately and intentionally into the more adult challenges into which authentic faith invites us.”~Quote taken from Wrestling with God: Finding Hope in our Daily Struggles. This program will take place in three sessions. Choose either to attend afternoons from 1-2:30 or evenings from 6:30-8.

Facilitator: Maureen Heverin, SC
Dates: Tuesdays, Sept. 17, Oct. 15 & Nov. 19
Time: 1-2:30 p.m. or 6:30-8 p.m.
Location: Emmaus Room, SC Motherhouse
Fee: Free will offering.

If you would like us to purchase the book for you, please let us know by September 1. The cost of the book is $16.

REGISTER HERE

Praying with Nature

Nature is one of the most fulfilling gifts we have in our lives. Praying and sharing nature experiences with others is so gratifying. We will be celebrating the turning of the seasons with the gifts of nature that Marty has captured with her camera. We are graced by the creatures of our planet, our brothers and sisters, as we enjoy our world, day by day.

Leader: S. Marty Dermody, SC
Dates: Wednesdays, Oct. 9 & Dec. 11
Time: 9:30-11 a.m.
Location: Rose Room, SC Motherhouse
Fee: No fee; registration requested.

Marty Dermody, SC is the Director of the Spirituality Center and loves sharing her photography in her prayer.

REGISTER HERE

The Beatitudes Revisited

Jesus gave us guidelines for living out our lives. We call them the Beatitudes. Matt 1:3-12. Pope Francis has updated the Beatitudes, not to change them but to make them easier to relate to with our current world and language.How do these guidelines effect our relationship with our God, our neighbors and ourselves? Come to any or all these sessions and explore these guidelines.

Leader: S. Betty Finn, SC
Dates: Thursdays, Oct. 10, 17 & 24
Time: 1:30-3 p.m.
Location: Emmaus Room; SC Motherhouse
Fee: $10 each / $25 All three sessions; $5 each / $15 all sessions for Sisters of Charity paid in full at time of registration. 
REGISTRATION DUE BY OCTOBER 2.

REGISTER HERE

Sundays of Reflection

This year our Sunday’s of Reflection will focus on how we live out our Charism statement:
“True to the spirit of Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton, Margaret Cecilia George, and all who share our heritage, we Sisters of Charity are called to be faith filled women of the Church. Like Elizabeth, we are called to be vitalized by Scripture and Eucharist; with her, we are called to fidelity to the Church, to reliance on the Spirit, and to life through love and friendship. We vow our lives to our God with whom we walk in humility, simplicity, and charity. As pilgrims we pray for the wisdom to know the needs of our sisters and brothers and we dare to risk a caring response.”

Dates: Nov. 3, Spirituality of Charity for Contemporary Pilgrims − Nancy Bramlage, SC
            Dec. 8, Life through Love and Friendship − Sue Miele, SC Associate
Time: 9:30 a.m. − Mass in Chapel
          10:45 a.m. − Presentation
          11:30 a.m. − Large group questions/comments
Fee: Free will donations

REGISTER HERE

Movies at the Motherhouse

Movies at the Motherhouse will begin again in October. We will provide these evenings of relaxation and fun with some of the popular movies of our time.  All movie nights are free of charge. Refreshments are served.  MARK YOUR CALENDARS!

Queen of Katwe, October 11
A Ugandan girl sees her world rapidly change after being introduced to the game of chess. Rated PG             

Coco, November 8
Aspiring musician Miguel, confronted with his family’s ancestral ban on music, enters the Land of the Dead to find his great-great-grandfather, a legendary singer. Rated PG

Dates: Fridays, Oct. 11 & Nov. 8
Time: 7 p.m.
Location: Oct., Emmaus Room; Nov., Rose Room
Fee: Free will offering.  Registration requested.

REGISTER HERE

Earth, Water, Air and Fire: “SoulCollage^® Workshop

How necessary it is for monks to work in the fields, 
in the sun, in the mud, in the clay, in the wind: 
these are our spiritual directors and our novice-masters.
– Thomas Merton

We know from quantum physics that everything is connected. Physicists have taught that we and everything on earth come from stardust.  Thus, we all carry within us the elements of the world around us. 

Ancient peoples, in their own way, have always known about our inter-connectedness. From ancient times the root of human spirituality has been grounded in four shared elements–Earth, Water, Air and Fire. These elements offer us wisdom and guidance. They are common to all people and almost every spiritual path. They are also key to our understanding of Spirit.

Our earth is longing for hope, for healing and for a sustainable future. The moral covenant of reciprocity calls us to honor our responsibility for all we have been given and all we have taken. 

Join us as we use SoulCollage® to explore our own spiritual connection to the elements.

SoulCollage^® is a gentle way of exploring one’s life journey – an intuitive process that allows discovery and acceptance of who you are.  It is a creative process and practice, with card making, soul collage principles and elements, and individual and group card readings.  No art experience needed. MAXIMUM PARTICIPANTS: 22

Presenter: Mooydeen Frees
Dates and Times: Friday, Nov. 15, 6-9 p.m. – Introduction and contemplative exercises
        Saturday, Nov. 16, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. – Studio time with in depth card readings
Location: Emmaus Room; SC Motherhouse
Fee: $105 (includes meals & overnight); $70 Commute; $60 for Sisters of Charity                         
        $25, non-refundable registration fee (applied to total fee) REGISTRATION DUE BY NOVEMBER 6

REGISTER HERE

We Wait in Joyful Hope – An Advent Retreat

This day of reflection will assist the participants in entering more deeply into the spirit and themes of the Advent season… especially waiting, joy and hope.

Leader: S. Margaret Mach, SC
Date: Saturday, Nov. 23
Time: 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m.
Location: Emmaus Room; SC Motherhouse
Fee: $40; $20 for Sisters of Charity paid in full at time of registration

REGISTRATION DUE BY NOVEMBER 13

Margaret Mach, a Sister of Charity of Cincinnati, is a spiritual director and retreat guide at River’s Edge in Cleveland, Ohio. Prior to this ministry she served 11 years as Director of the Office of Evangelization for the Diocese of Cleveland. Her previous ministries include 16 years in congregational leadership, and elementary and secondary teaching and administration. Over some 40 years, she has offered retreats, parish missions and workshops on various topics of spirituality. She spends her leisure time creating at the potter’s wheel, reading, listening to music, cooking, sewing, and enjoying nature.

REGISTER HERE

Being Still with God – Advent

The Advent season asks us to pause, be still and know that God is there for us. As we prepare for Advent we’d like to offer you the opportunity to come and “Be still” with your God; spending some time in silence around the Motherhouse. We’ll begin with a short reflection and then you will go off to find some place to quiet your mind, heart and soul… in the chapel, prayer room, labyrinth, parlor or any bench. Pause and pray in your own way. To end the evening we will come together for a closing prayer.

Please join us for this time to be still, be quiet and continue to deepen your relationship with your loving God.

Presenter: S. Marty Dermody, SC
Date: Tuesday, Dec. 3
Time: 6:30-8 p.m.
Location: Emmaus Room; SC Motherhouse
Fee: No fee; registration requested.

REGISTER HERE

Praying the “O” Antiphons

The “O” Antiphons are some of the richest treasures of the Advent season. Again this Advent we will be praying the “O” Antiphons in the Motherhouse Chapel from 4-4:30 p.m. This will be the afternoon prayer to end our days and will include a reflection on each of the antiphons. We hope you will join us as we once again prepare ourselves for the coming of Jesus.

Dates/Themes:
Tuesday, Dec. 17 – O Wisdom
Wednesday, Dec. 18 – O Adonai
Thursday, Dec. 19 – O Root of Jesse
Friday, Dec. 20 – O Key of David
Saturday, Dec. 21 – O Radiant Light
Sunday, Dec. 22 – O King
Monday, Dec. 23 – O Emmanuel
Time: 4-4:30PM
Location: Motherhouse Chapel
Fee: No fee or registration required.

Centering Prayer

If you feel called to a contemplative way of praying, and if you would like mutual, ongoing support and learning about it, a Centering Prayer group may be for you.

Mondays
Leaders: Liz Maxwell & Joyce Richter, SC
Location: Prayer Room; SC Motherhouse
Time: 10-11 a.m.
Fee: free; no registration required

Wednesdays
Leaders: Liz Maxwell & Joyce Richter, SC
Location: Prayer Room; SC Motherhouse
Time: 4-5 p.m.
Fee: free; no registration required