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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260725T160000
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UID:11546-1784995200-1785589200@bonsecoursrcc.org
SUMMARY:8-Day Ignatian Silent Directed Retreat
DESCRIPTION:New in 2026: The 8-Day Ignatian Silent Directed Retreat will be the only group in-house at the Retreat Center during these dates! \nThe Ignatian Directed Retreat will be privileged time for you to deepen your relationship with God. You will be assigned a trained spiritual director with whom you will meet briefly each day to discern the movements of God in your life as revealed through your prayer. \nThe “direction” of directed retreats is that of discovering and exploring your own journey in faith and life and what path better helps you go in the direction you seek and Jesus invites. Embedded in the tradition of the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola\, your retreat is made with a retreat director who supports\, listens\, and has made the journey before. For those who are able\, daily walks with Ignatian teachings will also be available. Aside from these daily conversations and the time you set aside for your own personal prayer\, your retreat time is unstructured. Mass will be available throughout the week. \nThis is a silent retreat. Check-in begins at 4pm\, and the retreat will begin with an orientation session at 5pm. The retreat will end after lunch on Saturday. \nPlease indicate your preference for a spiritual director in the “Special Needs” part of the online registration form. \nJoy Aker\, MA is a spiritual director\, labyrinth facilitator\, and a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist. She has a master’s degree in Spirituality from St. Mary’s Seminary & 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.   \nNancy Bickel has served as a hospice nurse and as a nurse in psychiatry. She has a master’s in Pastoral Care and Spirituality\, has studied Ignatian Spirituality\, and is a certified spiritual director. She has been serving as a spiritual director since 2004. Nancy is a member of the Secular Carmelite Order and is a wife\, mother to three daughters\, and grandmother to three teenagers. She enjoys living on a small farm in Maryland. \nFr. Patrick Bergquist\, M.Div. spent nearly 20 years as a missionary along the Yukon River in Northern Alaska\, but now explores a wilderness far less chartered — that of the human spirit and soul. A diocesan priest of Fairbanks\, he holds a Master of Divinity degree from St. Mary’s Seminary & University in Baltimore and Certificates in Spiritual Direction from the Heychia School in Tucson\, Arizona and the Institute of Pastoral Studies at Loyola University in Chicago\, where he specialized in the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius. Additionally\, he earned a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing and Literary Arts from the University of Alaska Anchorage. He’s a poet\, a spiritual memoirist\, and the author of The Long Dark Winter’s Night: Reflections of a Priest in a Time of Pain and Privilege\, as well as various articles in publications such as Spiritual Life and American Magazine. \nPaul Gallagher\, D.Min. is a longtime faith formation leader in the Archdiocese of Baltimore and is currently the Director of Faith Formation at Sacred Heart Parish in Glyndon. He received his doctorate at Catholic University of America\, focusing on the positive effects Ignatian Spirituality can have on a person’s health and well-being. His blog\, makingallthingsnew.com\, has been viewed by thousands of people all over the world. Through his retreats\, blog posts\, and spiritual direction\, he looks to help people transform their lives by integrating Ignatian practices into their daily routines. Paul used the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius to get his own health back on track and looks forward to helping you with your transformation. \nElaine Ireland\, MA is a spiritual director\, retreat leader\, and writer with over 20 years in Christian ministry. She has a Master of Arts in Spiritual and Pastoral Care from Loyola University and has led numerous people through the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius in Everyday Life\, as well as companioning others on their spiritual journeys. She writes weekly scripture reflections; for the past 17 years\, she has written Come and See in ordinary time and Provisions for the Journey during Advent and Lent\, both of which can be found on a Dominican website called Preacher (PreacherExchange.com/comeandsee.htm). She is passionate about world and indigenous faith practices\, inspirational poetry and music\, and how we are to live Christ’s calling in the 21st century. \nDee Papania\, D.Min. began her career in professional ministry over 23 years ago and continues to serve at St. Alphonsus Rodriguez Church in Woodstock\, Maryland. Previously filling roles as Pastoral Associate\, Director of Faith Formation\, Director of the Center for Ignatian Spirituality\, and coordinator for the parish’s Retreat Directors Team\, in September 2018 she was appointed Parish Life Director by Archbishop Lori. Her academic accomplishments include a bachelor’s degree in Religious Studies\, master’s degrees in Theology and Church Management\, and a Doctor of Ministry degree. She is a trained Spiritual Director in the tradition of the Spiritual Exercises of Ignatius of Loyola. She has completed formation through the Jesuit/Lay Collaborative (now called the Office of Ignatian Spirituality) and has taught in the Archdiocesan Equip for Ministry Program.  \nThe Reverend Stephen Wade is a friend of Bon Secours of nearly twenty-five years\, as well a retired parish priest in the Episcopal Diocese of Virginia. During Steve’s tenure as Rector of Immanuel Church-on-the-Hill in Alexandria (1995 to 2006)\, a special interest in Ignatian spirituality arose out of the daily responsibilities of parish ministry. One outcome from that early Ignatian interest was to join Martha Campbell at Bon Secours to form a retreat team focused entirely on Ignatian prayer. Connections from that team led Steve to engage with staff at Shalem Institute for Spiritual Formation (Bethesda\, MD)\, the Loyola House/Ignatian Jesuit Center (Guelph\, Ontario)\, and Loyola Retreat House (Faulkner\, MD). From that first Bon Secours team\, Marilyn Merikangus introduced Steve to the Ignatian Retreat Team at Holy Trinity Church in Georgetown\, where he continues to serve. On retiring from parish ministry in 2006\, Steve accepted an invitation from Bishop Peter Lee of the Episcopal Diocese of Virginia to help form\, and then to lead\, a program on “Discernment for Leadership — Lay and Ordained” in the Episcopal Diocese. A native of St. Louis\, Steve has served parishes in the Dioceses of New York\, Connecticut\, Massachusetts\, Chicago\, and Virginia. He trained in the work of spiritual direction and retreat leadership at the Weston School of Theology (Cambridge\, MA) and Loyola House/Ignatian Jesuit Center (Guelph\, Ontario). Steve completed a 30-day retreat with Ignatius’ Spiritual Exercises at the Eastern Point Retreat House (Gloucester\, MA) in 1999. He looks forward to returning to Bon Secours for the Ignatian Directed Retreat in July 2026. \nCathy Whitaker\, MS\, MSN\, RN\, is a student of Ignatian Spirituality and a trained Spiritual Director with strong listening and collaboration skills\, relevant experience\, and a deep sense of compassion. She is committed to accompanying individuals as they develop and deepen their relationship with the Lord. Cathy earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Gwynedd Mercy University and her Master of Science in Nursing from Villanova University\, in addition to a Masters of Applied Behavioral Science from Johns Hopkins University. Her interests include traveling\, gardening\, cooking\, and spending time with her children and grandchildren.
URL:https://bonsecoursrcc.org/event/8-day-ignatian-directed-retreat-2026/
LOCATION:MD
CATEGORIES:Just Added,Overnight,Silent
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260809T160000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260815T113000
DTSTAMP:20260422T102520
CREATED:20250811T134547Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260323T142149Z
UID:11571-1786291200-1786793400@bonsecoursrcc.org
SUMMARY:Silent Directed Retreat - August 2026
DESCRIPTION:An individually directed retreat focuses on the way God is active in the individual’s life\, and each retreat follows a uniquely personal path. Retreatants meet with a spiritual director once a day to reflect on God’s presence and movement in their life as revealed in prayer\, the events and relationships in their life\, and the response to God that is being made. The spiritual director may make suggestions (prayer forms\, Scripture\, reading materials\, etc.) to support and deepen the retreatant’s awareness of and response to God. Aside from the introductory session and daily spiritual direction meetings\, retreatants are on their own to experience a week of quiet\, peace\, and personal reflection in the Retreat Center and around our beautiful grounds. Mass will be available throughout the week. \nThis is a silent retreat. Check-in begins at 4pm\, and the retreat will begin with an orientation session at 5pm. Silence will begin after dinner. The retreat ends before lunch on Saturday. \nPlease indicate your preference for a spiritual director in the “Special Needs” part of the online registration form. \nSr. 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 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. \nFr. Patrick Bergquist\, M.Div. spent nearly 20 years as a missionary along the Yukon River in Northern Alaska. Now he explores a wilderness far less chartered — that of the human spirit and soul. A diocesan priest of Fairbanks\, he holds a Master of Divinity degree from St. Mary’s Seminary & University in Baltimore and Certificates in Spiritual Direction from the Heychia School in Tucson\, Arizona and the Institute of Pastoral Studies at Loyola University in Chicago\, where he specialized in the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius. Additionally\, he earned a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing and Literary Arts from the University of Alaska Anchorage. He’s a poet\, a spiritual memoirist\, and the author of The Long Dark Winter’s Night: Reflections of a Priest in a Time of Pain and Privilege\, as well as various articles in publications such as Spiritual Life and American Magazine. \nJoanne Cahoon\, D.Min. holds a bachelor’s degree in Religious Studies\, master’s degree in Religion/Pastoral Ministry\, graduate certificates in spiritual direction and in spirituality studies\, and a Doctor of Ministry degree from the Catholic Theological Union in Chicago\, where her specialization was spirituality and practical theology. Along the way\, Joanne has taught in elementary\, secondary\, undergraduate\, and graduate school settings. She has also served as youth minister\, high school campus minister\, consultant\, writer\, national trainer\, diocesan staff member\, staff member of a graduate school\, spiritual director\, facilitator of retreats\, and professional coach. Joanne has welcomed and worked with many individuals and groups\, serving them as they listen for God’s invitations in their personal and corporate lives. She finds it a privilege to be involved in spiritual and human formation — bringing deep listening\, presence\, creativity\, and a commitment to her own ongoing formation to her work. \nAmy Sorensen Kulesa\, M.Div.\, MSW is a spiritual director\, retreat leader and certified Introspective Breathwork™ facilitator. She earned a Master of Divinity from Princeton Theological Seminary and a Master of Social Work from Rutgers University. She is a graduate of Epiphany Academy of Formative Spirituality\, Bon Secours Spiritual Direction Institute\, and One Breath Institute. Immersed in both the Bon Secours and Franciscan charisms\, Amy enjoys facilitating retreats in which participants have the opportunity to discern the narrative of their own lives within the larger story of God’s abundant healing\, grace\, and mercy. \nSr. Mary Elizabeth Looby\, GNSH began her training as a retreat and spiritual director at Bon Secours Spiritual Center in 1983. She later followed up with a master’s degree in Pastoral Care and Counseling\, with an emphasis in Spiritual Care from Neuman University in Aston\, PA. She currently lives in Philadelphia and is involved in spiritual direction and retreat ministry. She has directed retreats in Rhode Island\, Connecticut\, New Jersey\, New York\, Texas and Pennsylvania. Her background includes education\, educational administration\, and congregation work in the areas of formation ministry\, associates\, spiritual animation\, and congregational leadership. 
URL:https://bonsecoursrcc.org/event/silent-directed-retreat-august-2026/
LOCATION:MD
CATEGORIES:Just Added,Overnight,Silent
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260825T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260825T200000
DTSTAMP:20260422T102520
CREATED:20251205T191647Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251205T191647Z
UID:12115-1787684400-1787688000@bonsecoursrcc.org
SUMMARY:In-Person\, Evening Centering Prayer Session
DESCRIPTION:Held IN PERSON on the \n\n2nd and 5th Tuesdays of the month\, 1-2pm and\n4th Tuesday of the month\, 7-8pm.\n\nFor these in-person sessions\, registration is required and preferred in advance. \n(Virtual Zoom sessions will be the 1st and 3rd Tuesdays of the month from 1-2pm. Register for Virtual Sessions by emailing facilitator Amy Sorensen Kulesa at kulesa.neshama@gmail.com.) \nCentering Prayer is a form of Christian contemplative prayer\, in which one abides in the Presence of God in interior silence. Centering Prayer emphasizes the indwelling Presence of the Holy Trinity within and among us\, and our openness\, through receptive silence and restful surrender\, to God’s action and healing grace. For our one-hour sessions\, we will gather to pray together in silence\, attentive to the stillness within\, and reflect together on readings related to our prayer life. The sessions are relaxed and informal. You are invited to dress comfortably and use a meditation cushion\, if you would like. \nFacilitation for each Centering Prayer session will be led by an experienced member of the group\, both staff and from the community. We follow a consistent format from week to week\, with variability each session in the reflective reading that is shared. Coordinated by Amy Sorensen Kulesa.
URL:https://bonsecoursrcc.org/event/in-person-evening-centering-prayer-session-31/
LOCATION:MD
CATEGORIES:Just Added,Silent
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