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X-WR-CALNAME:Bon Secours Retreat & Conference Center
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X-WR-CALDESC:Events for Bon Secours Retreat & Conference Center
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261208T130000
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DTSTAMP:20260423T104339
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UID:12094-1796734800-1796738400@bonsecoursrcc.org
SUMMARY:In-Person 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 in advance\, due by the Monday before each in-person session.  \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-centering-prayer-session-33/
LOCATION:Bon Secours Retreat & Conference Center\, 1525 Marriottsville Road\, Marriottsville\, MD\, 21104\, United States
CATEGORIES:Daytime,Just Added
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://bonsecoursrcc.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2021/04/hands-1926414_640-e1657224031120.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261211T093000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261211T160000
DTSTAMP:20260423T104339
CREATED:20260316T134141Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260316T134141Z
UID:12454-1796981400-1797004800@bonsecoursrcc.org
SUMMARY:Grief Retreat: Living the Holidays with Peace
DESCRIPTION:The holidays can be especially challenging for people who are grieving. Whether your loss came through death or something else like a divorce\, other relationship\, job\, career\, or home\, the grief that accompanies such losses can feel especially devastating during the winter holidays. As the year winds down and the (supposed and expected) holiday thrill winds up\, we become acutely aware of what we have to be thankful for and what causes us sorrow. \nAt this retreat\, we will talk about grief and its most common expressions at this time of the year\, using two exercises with stones. In addition\, we will construct a self-agreement and a holiday calendar that uniquely works for how we feel about the holiday season at this point in December. We will also practice an acupressure exercise to promote self-calming. Participants will have time to talk in small groups during and outside of lunch and to wander about the grounds in contemplation of what might bring them peace for this season. Granting ourselves peace means having self-awareness to avoid holiday havoc and to spread peace to people who are meaningful in our lives. A final exercise will be to decorate a candle in honor of our deceased loved ones or the things we have lost that cause the most sorrow. Given the opportunity\, we will light these candles one by one in the retreat center Chapel as part of a group memorial ceremony. Lunch is included. Guided by Beth Hewett. \nBeth Hewett\, PhD\, CT\, GC-C\, CCISM\, CEOLS is an expert in grief\, trauma\, and communication\, bringing a compassionate and insightful approach to these sensitive areas. With a PhD in Rhetoric and Writing Studies and specialized training in traumatic bereavement\, Dr. Hewett focuses on how language and thoughtful communication can support individuals coping with loss and traumatic experiences. She is an ICISF Faculty member and the developer and instructor of the one-day course “Foundations of Grief for First Responders” and the two-day course “Advanced Practices for Healing First Responder Grief.” An accomplished author\, speaker\, and adult educator whose work explores the profound intersections of grief\, trauma\, and expressive writing\, Dr. Hewett is also a grief coach\, spiritual companion\, grief support group facilitator\, and facilitator trainer. Her contributions have empowered professionals and individuals alike\, equipping them with tools for healing and resilience through thoughtful grief-focused communication practices. Her work is widely valued for its depth of empathy and for offering practical\, transformative strategies for those navigating challenging times. Her credentials include being a Certified Thanatologist (CT) with the Association for Death Education and Counseling (ADEC)\, a Certified Grief Counselor with the American Academy of Grief Counseling (AAGC)\, and a Certified Compassionate Bereavement Care™ Provider with the MISS Foundation. Dr. Hewett is a trained Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) provider with the International Critical Incident Stress Foundation (ICISF). She also has earned a certificate in Death and Grief Studies from the Center for Loss and Life Transition. She is the author of Duty\, Honor\, Hope: Strategies for Understanding and Unpacking First Responder Grief (which is currently available but also revised for March 2026)\, and her upcoming book is Being Human\, Being Strong: Foundations of Grief for First Responders (also available in March 2026). Dr. Hewett’s other grief-focused books include Grief on the Road to Emmaus: A Monastic Approach to Journeying with the Bereaved (ICISF Press\, 2023)\, Good Words: Memorializing through a Eulogy\, More Good Words: Practical Activities for Mourning\, and Supporting a Grieving Workforce with Dr. Richard Ottenstein (ICISF Press\, 2021). Some of her other publications can be found on her website GoodWordsForGrieving.com.
URL:https://bonsecoursrcc.org/event/grief-retreat-living-the-holidays-with-peace/
LOCATION:Bon Secours Retreat & Conference Center\, 1525 Marriottsville Road\, Marriottsville\, MD\, 21104\, United States
CATEGORIES:Daytime,Just Added
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://bonsecoursrcc.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2015/03/hands-with-candle.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261212T093000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261212T160000
DTSTAMP:20260423T104339
CREATED:20260316T135129Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260316T135129Z
UID:12461-1797067800-1797091200@bonsecoursrcc.org
SUMMARY:Journeying to the Heart of the Nativity with a Celtic Spirit
DESCRIPTION:As you set your intentions this Advent to honor the Incarnation of God’s Love and celebrate the holiday season\, what would it be like to do so with a Celtic spirit? What graces and gifts could be waiting for you at the heart of the Nativity by incorporating some of the rituals\, music\, and perspectives of the ancient Celtic way into your annual traditions? \nJoin us for a day-long retreat that invites you to explore Celtic spirituality with its intimate connection to the heartbeat of God and Mother Earth and its reverencing of the returning light at the Winter Solstice. Throughout the program\, participants will be engaged in cherished Celtic legends about the birth of Christ and their intersection with various Christian saints from this tradition. Additionally\, time will be spent participating in practices from Celtic spirituality that touch both the senses and the soul while offering moments for creating personal meaning. \nDuring each of these activities and exercises\, participants will have opportunities for contemplation and prayer\, group dialogue\, and mirthful expression related to all that is explored personally and within community. While this retreat is similar in theme to last year’s Celtic Advent retreat\, the content offered will be different. Participants from the 2025 retreat are encouraged to register if interested. Lunch is included. Guided by Gordon Creamer. \nIn the Celtic spirit of blessing others: \nThe Light of the Christmas Star to you\, the warmth of home and hearth to you\, the hope of a childlike heart to you\, and the joy of a thousand angels to you… \n\nGordon Creamer\, MA\, creator of the Mission Bridge\, currently serves as Program Director at Well for the Journey\, a spiritual wellness center in Lutherville\, MD. As a contemplative theologian and creative builder\, he has held leadership roles in healthcare programming and operations since 2001 at various assisted living\, skilled nursing\, and hospice communities. He earned a Master of Arts in Spiritual & Pastoral Care from Loyola University and a Master of Arts in Theology from the Ecumenical Institute of St. Mary’s Seminary & University. Currently\, he is a candidate for the Doctor of Ministry Program at the Ecumenical Institute. Gordon has facilitated numerous retreats and workshops that focus on creating opportunities for participants to explore and enhance their spirituality and well-being through various media and formats. He also participates as a peer group leader in the Shalem Institute for Spiritual Formation’s Transforming Community Program. His passions include uplifting the journey of adults\, individuals with memory impairment\, and members of the LGBTQ+ community\, as well as fostering support groups and programs for caregivers and those who are grieving losses. Trained as a spiritual director/companion\, end-of-life doula\, and Reiki practitioner\, Gordon welcomes all in discovering the spiritual life as a means of healing\, expanding\, and flourishing. For more information\, visit TheMissionBridge.com.
URL:https://bonsecoursrcc.org/event/journeying-to-the-heart-of-the-nativity-with-a-celtic-spirit/
LOCATION:Bon Secours Retreat & Conference Center\, 1525 Marriottsville Road\, Marriottsville\, MD\, 21104\, United States
CATEGORIES:Daytime,Just Added
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://bonsecoursrcc.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2026/03/001-Most-Important-Words.jpg
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261222T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261222T200000
DTSTAMP:20260423T104339
CREATED:20251205T192057Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251205T192057Z
UID:12123-1797966000-1797969600@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-35/
CATEGORIES:Just Added,Silent
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://bonsecoursrcc.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2021/04/hands-1926414_640-e1657224031120.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261231T093000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261231T160000
DTSTAMP:20260423T104339
CREATED:20260316T140017Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260316T140017Z
UID:12464-1798709400-1798732800@bonsecoursrcc.org
SUMMARY:New Year’s Eve Retreat
DESCRIPTION:Humor and Laughter: Divine Gifts \nFinding humor in both the joyful experiences and challenging situations in life — and embracing the freedom to laugh — are important elements of a healthy and balanced spirituality. The closing of one year and the opening of a new is a wonderful opportunity to explore our spiritual life through these elements. On this threshold of “what has been and what will be\,” we will explore how the joyful sound of laughter calls us to action. We will discuss where humor can be a powerful testimony. We will answer together what it means to be a collective chorus and how we can make laughter an intentional practice. Bring the joys and sorrows of the year as we join with friends\, old and new\, to reflect\, heal\, look forward\, and yes\, have more than a few laughs! Lunch is included. \nAndrea Springer\, MA has spent many years in executive administration and formation. She is a graduate of the College of Notre Dame of Maryland\, now Notre Dame of Maryland University\, with both Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts degrees in Liberal Arts and Religious Studies. In addition to being a graduate of the University\, she is an adjunct faculty member. Andrea designs and facilitates workshops and retreats for a variety of organizations and has been a popular presenter for Women’s Wellness and other Bon Secours retreats.
URL:https://bonsecoursrcc.org/event/new-years-eve-retreat-4/
LOCATION:Bon Secours Retreat & Conference Center\, 1525 Marriottsville Road\, Marriottsville\, MD\, 21104\, United States
CATEGORIES:Daytime,Just Added
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://bonsecoursrcc.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2026/03/Substack-Images.jpg
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