Begin the new year by focusing on your path ahead and tuning into God’s voice.
On an individually directed retreat, the retreatant meets with their spiritual director once a day. The rest of the time is spent relaxing, reading, thinking, and praying. Each retreat focuses on the way God is active in the individual’s life, and each retreat follows a uniquely personal path. The retreat director is prepared with a wealth of suggestions from Scripture, poetry, music and other spiritual resources.
Retreats and spiritual direction have the transformative power to reshape lives and provide the freedom to respond to God’s invitation to come closer. You will have this week of quiet and peace for personal reflection at our Center and around our beautiful grounds. Mass will also be offered each day throughout your stay.
This is a silent retreat. Check-in begins at 4pm and an orientation session will be held at 5pm. The retreat will begin after dinner. Guided by Joy Aker, Sr. Ann Belmonte & Fr. Michael Schleupner. If you have a preference of director for your retreat, please indicate their name within the ‘special needs’ section of the registration form.
Joy Aker, MA is a spiritual director, labyrinth facilitator, as well as a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist. She has a Master’s degree in Spirituality from St. Mary’s Seminary and University in Baltimore. She was also trained in Ignatian spirituality and the Ignatian Exercises at Ignatius Jesuit Center in Guelph, Ontario. Her focus is on helping others to develop a holistic spirituality, which looks to wholeness in body, mind and spirit. Joy also has a great interest in assisting others as they deepen their relationship with God through individual spiritual direction and group retreats.
Sr. Ann Belmonte is a Dominican Sister of Hope and former elementary school teacher who has ministered for the past 33 years as a Pastoral Associate in West Virginia and Virginia. She now uses her gifts as a spiritual director and a leader of Days of Reflection and study. She has a bachelor’s degree in Elementary and Special Education from Mount St. Mary’s College, a master’s degree in Elementary and Early Childhood Education from Hunter College and also a master’s degree in Pastoral Studies from Loyola University. Her ongoing formation includes workshops in spirituality, sacred scripture, hospice care, caregiving and issues of justice and peace.
Father Michael Schleupner was ordained in 1972 and has been a priest of the Archdiocese of Baltimore from then until the present. He has ministered in a number of parishes and Archdiocesan positions. Most recently, he served as the pastor of Saint Margaret Parish in Bel Air, Maryland for 10 years. Father retired from that pastorate in 2016. Since then, he is ministering in various ways, including: assisting at Our Lady of Grace Parish in Parkton, Maryland; offering spiritual direction/mentoring in a parish setting and especially at the Caritas Counseling Center in Towson; providing spiritual integration at the Saint Luke Institute in Silver Spring; leading retreats; and composing a weekly electronic spiritual message called Inbox Inspirations (fathermikeinbox@gmail.com). Father Schleupner’s Sunday homilies are also available (www.fathermikeschleupner.blogspot.com). His weekend Mass schedule is on Facebook (www.facebook.com/FatherMikeSchleupner). In recent years, Father has done studies in spirituality, spiritual direction, and secularism.