1. religion and spirituality

Mariandale
&
Retreat
Conference
CENTER
WINTER/SPRING 2015
Our Vision
As a prophetic community,
Mariandale is, first and foremost,
Contemplative (grounded in God)
and, as such, is dedicated to:
Consciousness
(awareness and mindfulness)
Seeking and Speaking the Truth
Developing Informed Consciences
Promoting Peace and Justice
Modeling Psychological
and Spiritual Health
and Helping to Create and Sustain
Inclusive, Collaborative, and
Organic Systems
(respectful of all persons, creatures,
and aspects of creation)
MARIANDALE IS A SPONSORED MINISTRY OF THE DOMINICAN SISTERS OF HOPE.
Mariandale
&
Retreat
Conference
CENTER
WINTER/SPRING 2015 PROGRAMS
In this issue…
1 HANDS FOR HOPE PROGRAMS:
Create-Away by the River
Nurturing the Creative Spirit
Patchwork & Prayers Ministry
1 DECEMBER 2014
Advent Taize Prayer
Advent Day of Reflection: Discerning the
Difference between the Inner Child and the
Divine Child
1 JANUARY 2015
Yoga for Relaxation, Rejuvenation and Balance
2JANUARY
Burrowing Deep: A Winter’s Silent Retreat
Group Counseling Sessions: Loss
A Hands for Hope Program: Creating
a Prayer Board
Winter Crafters’ and Quilters’
Retreat Weekend: Tropical Paradise
2FEBRUARY
Book Discussion Group:
Cosmology and Spirituality
3FEBRUARY
What Does God Expect of Us?
Seeing Lenten Sunday Readings with
New Eyes
Gentle Chair Yoga
I Am Always with You: Lunchtime Lenten
Series
The Enneagram: Getting to Know You
4MARCH
Moving Prayer: Discovering the
Contemplative Dimension in Daily Life
A Lenten Retreat: Writing Your Spiritual
Memoir: Review, Reflect, Relive
Painful Fate, Divine Destiny:
Living with Chronic Pain or Illness – Part 1
Creation Care Starts at Home
Ongoing Contemplative Formation Program:
The Mystic Heart of God
5MARCH
Pre-Triduum Quiet Days
5APRIL
Triduum Retreat
Gospel Inclusivity: A Challenge for the Church
Sacred Icons: Windows into Stillness
Painful Fate, Divine Destiny: Living with
Chronic Pain or Illness – Part 2
A Formative Day for Directors of the Spiritual
Directors’ Training Program
5MAY
Broken, Beautiful, and Beloved
6MAY
Labyrinth Walk:
Honoring Mothers, Mary and Earth
Praying the Ordinary
“As always, I come to Mariandale for renewal. I arrive rather confused, tired,
and overwhelmed. I leave feeling God’s care and am recharged, peace-filled and
centered. I also find inner freedom. It is my spiritual home.” – a retreatant
What’s New?
How Blessed Was I!
For the past eleven and a half years I have been ministering at Mariandale first
as the Administrator of the Center, then as the Director. But my association
with the Dominican Sisters of Hope began many years before at Mt. St. Mary
College. So, it has been a long and fruitful relationship of collaboration for
over 42 years. With the sisters I have found a home for not only my skills and
gifts but my spiritual heart as well. My place within the Church has always
been with religious communities, having been educated from grammar
school through graduate school by various orders of sisters, brothers, and
priests. No wonder that three of my four closest friends belong to religious
congregations! As I “retire” at the end of February, I hope to “re-engage” in
new ways at Mariandale - doing programs, retreats, and spiritual direction.
If I have learned anything from the vowed religious, it’s that there is no such
thing as being without a ministry! I not only feel blessed to have worked
with such a wonderful staff and joyous to have extended this ministry to
so many incredible presenters, directors, and guests but, most of all, I have
gratefully lived out a part of my destiny in this sacred place, companioned by
a community of sister sojourners. Thank you for that incredible privilege, my true
Sisters of Hope!
Spiritual Director’s Training Program to be Offered Again
In conjunction with Linwood Spiritual Center, Mariandale will once again
offer a training program for all those discerning the call to the ministry of
companioning others on their spiritual journeys. The program is deeply rooted
in the historical and theological traditions of Christian spirituality, and includes
skill training, an ongoing practicum in directing, mentoring and supervision.
The program will take place alternately at Mariandale and Linwood in
Rhinebeck, NY from September 2015 through May 2016. Application deadline:
May 31, 2015. Call Kathy Donnelly, SU at Linwood (845) 876-4178 x305 for the
application and further information. Limited scholarships are available.
A Place to Bring Your Meeting
Are you looking for a place to hold some planning days? Does your extended
family want a summer picnic next year? Does your book club need a place to
meet? Is your support group seeking a safe “home”? These are just a few of
the many reasons you might think about coming to Mariandale. We rent to
non-profit organizations and informal groups of all kinds - large and small,
religious or secular, on a one-time or a recurring basis. Our meeting rooms
vary in size from cozy parlors to audience-style seating
for 175 people. We also have 44 single bedrooms.
Our magnificent location, overlooking the
Hudson, is easily accessible to New
York City and very affordable. Call Sr.
Lois or Deann at (914) 941-4455 x103 to
arrange a tour.
Winter/Spring 2015 Programs
PLEASE NOTE: failure to have your registration in 10
days prior to the program, may result in the program
being cancelled. Register early!
Hands for Hope Programs:
Create-Away by the River
Find the creative time and space you seek to pursue your
art or craft in a well-lit, spacious environment tailored to
your needs and nourishing to your creative spirit. This is
a great opportunity for quilters to get help with layering
large quilts and time to work on them, and for other
artists and crafters to find inspiration and relaxation in
beautiful, quiet surroundings. Bring your own equipment
and supplies and structure your own time. We provide
tables, chairs, and access to resources for exploration
and inspiration. Accommodations can be made for both
individuals and small groups. Come for half or full day.
Bring your lunch or purchase it separately.
Hostess: Donna Brunell, OP (914) 941-4455 x216
Call for available space and dates.
Fee: overnight guests (includes 3 meals): $75/ night;
commuters: $30 for full day (includes lunch); $15 for half day;
may purchase lunch separately.
Nurturing the Creative Spirit
Come with a group of your friends to experience a new
craft or practice an old one in a reflective and stress-free
atmosphere. We have teachers who can offer quilting,
knitting, crocheting, card crafting, paper making and
more. Learn ways your project can be used to bring
happiness to others. Minimum of three participants
required. Private lessons/consultation also available upon
request.
Coordinator: Donna Brunell, OP (914) 941-4455 x216
Call to arrange dates/times.
Fee: To be determined at time of registration
Patchwork & Prayers Ministry
Join local quilters eager to quilt for a cause! Stitched
with prayer as well as thread, this act of kindness and
compassion will be given to an individual or cause
decided upon by the group. This is a good way for
beginners to learn basic skills. Participants are invited to
join in the contemplative prayer at 11:30 am to pray for
those who will receive the work of their hands and for all
who need the warmth of God’s love.
Coordinator: Donna Brunell, OP (914) 941-4455 x216
Meets the 3rd Thursday September – May
9:30 am – 3:00 pm
No fee: lunch may be purchased
DECEMBER 2014
Advent Taize Prayer
Come join us in an ecumenical evening prayer service
modeled upon those designed by the Interdenominational
Christian community of Taize, France. These sacred
candlelight services include beautiful seasonal chants,
sacred readings, generous time of silence for personal
reflection, and prayer of intercession.
Presiders: Nancy Erts, OP and Linda Rivers, OP
Wednesday, December 3, 10, 17, 7:00 – 8:00 pm
Free-will offering
Advent Day of Reflection:
Discerning the Difference between the
Inner Child and the Divine Child
The birth of the Divine Child within us, as described by
the mystics, is radically different than the echoes of the
wounded and unconscious Inner Child. This full reflection
day/workshop will be an attempt to allow the grace of
Christ’s birth, rather than our shadow and immature side,
to dominate our consciousness.
Presenter: Brother Don Bisson, FMS
Saturday, December 6, 10:00 am – 3:30 pm
Fee: $75 - $95 (as you are able)
JANUARY 2015
Yoga for Relaxation, Rejuvenation
and Balance
Rejuvenate your body, mind and spirit through yoga and
alignment. Included:
• postures to tone, stretch and strengthen the body
and relieve tension
• safe alignment techniques to ease and optimize the
effects of the poses
• meditation and breathing exercises for calming,
soothing, and reducing stress
Wear comfortable clothing. Bring a blanket or two, a towel
and mat. Eat lightly, no less than an hour before class.
Restore the Soul
Mariandale Retreat & Conference Center
•
Winter/Spring 2015 Programs
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Instructor: Chris Glover
Six week series:
Series C: January 8 – February 12
Series D: February 19 – March 26
Series E: April 9 – May 14
Series F: May 21 – June 25
Series G: July 2 – August 6
Thursdays: 6:45 – 8:00 pm
Fee: $25 – $30 per individual session (as you are able); $100 - $120 for any 6-week series (as you are able)
Our finished pieces may surprise, inspire, energize, or
calm us, depending on what we need. All materials
are provided, but feel free to bring other materials you
may want to incorporate: images or words, pictures
from magazines, books, mementos, art, etc. No artistic
experience is necessary!
Burrowing Deep: A Winter’s Silent Retreat
Winter Crafters’ and Quilters’ Retreat
Weekend: Tropical Paradise
In the midst of winter, when much of creation burrows
deeply to rest and gain strength for the next season
of life, accept the invitation to “burrow deep”… in the
heart of God. Gentle quiet will frame these days and will
include time for prayer, rest and refreshment of your
spirit, as well as individual meetings with a spiritual
director.
Directors: Gaynell Cronin, Nancy Erts, OP, and
Judy Schiavo
Thursday, January 8, 6:00 pm to Sunday, January 11,
11:00 am
Fee: $325 - $350 (as you are able)
Group Counseling Sessions: Loss
Although loss is universal, it is also uniquely personal.
Loss is never meant to break us or wound us so deeply
that we remain devastated. If you feel that any loss you
have experienced has left you feeling shattered and
your life shredded, you are invited to join these group
counseling sessions with a qualified counselor, to listen
and share and see how loss can have an honored place
while your healing from brokenness takes place.
Facilitator: Kathleen M. Aucoin, SC
6 Mondays: January 12, 19, 26, February 2, 9, 16
(January 23 snow date)
2:30 – 4:00 pm
Fee: $140 - $150 for 6 group sessions (as you are able)
A Hands for Hope Program:
Creating a Prayer Board
Prayer Boards, also known as collages, vision maps,
and dream boards are often used as part of our healing
journeys. Typically using found images, words, and
objects, they are meant to expand communication
between our souls and our conscious minds. By opening
to Spirit and enjoying the process, we will trust that
we will be attracted to certain images and words that
will provide to us just what we need to heal and grow.
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Mariandale Retreat & Conference Center
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Presenter: Jill M. Sitkin, LMSW
Saturday, January 17, 10:00 am – 4:00 pm
Fee: $40 - $50 (as you are able), includes lunch
and all materials
Strip off the heavy winter wear and come to an imaginary
tropical paradise where your creativity can blossom.
Quilters are invited to design a simple strip pieced and
sunny appliqued quilt to warm the winter chills. Artists
and crafters can use their medium to convey a tropical
scene. Each day we will engage in a relaxing meditation
mode of prayer. Please bring the materials you need
for your project. Patterns for the quilt will be sent upon
registration. Beginners welcome!
Prayer Facilitator: Nancy Erts, OP
Quilting and Craft Instructor: Patricia Werner
Friday, January 23, 6:00 pm to Sunday, January 25,
1:00 pm
Fee: $275 - $300 (as you are able)
Add Thursday, January 22 (arrival from 3:00pm onward), $65
Commuter: $200 - 225 (as you are able); add Thursday, $30
FEBRUARY
Book Discussion Group: Cosmology
and Spirituality
Join other mature readers in discussing the book, Field
of Compassion: How the New Cosmology is Transforming
Spiritual Life by Judy Cannato. Each session will include
prayer and sharing about how each brief chapter’s
content resonates with, enlightens and or challenges
our contemporary life experience. Participants may
realize themselves as essential components of one Earth
community, a field of compassion that embraces all. Books
may be purchased upon registration.
Facilitator: Nancy Erts, OP
Four Tuesdays: February 3 (Intro. + Ch. 1 – 3);
March 3 (Ch. 4 – 6); April 7
(Ch. 7 - 9); May 5 (Ch. 10 – 12)
1:00 – 3:00 pm
Fee: $15 each discussion or for series $50 - $60
(as you are able)
Winter/Spring 2015 Programs
What Does God Expect of Us?
What God expects does not always match what we want.
This day of reflection will offer us time to pause and
consider what God wants us to hear. Perhaps we might
prepare for the day by asking ourselves, what does it
mean to belong to God? The day will offer us some time to
be silent, time to listen to God, and time to listen to our
lives.
Presenter: Ann Willits, OP
Saturday, February 14, 10:00 am – 3:30 pm
Fee: $50 - $60 (as you are able) includes lunch
I Am Always with You: Lunchtime
Lenten Series
This Lent come to our popular series and be nourished
each week body and soul: first with prayer, then a simple
lunch of soup, bread, dessert and beverage and then a
nourishing presentation. Feed yourself well!
The schedule for each Wednesday will be:
11:30 am, check in
11:45 am, midday prayer in the chapel
12:00 pm, lunch in the River Room
12:45 – 1:30 pm, presentation
Come for one or all five Wednesdays:
Seeing Lenten Sunday Readings with
New Eyes
You are guaranteed an hour well spent with others
prayerfully pondering and processing the Sunday Lenten
Reflections from the booklet Creation Covenant produced
by Terri MacKenzie, SHCJ. Participants will gain insight
on how what’s happening to ecosystems and their
species connects with Jesus’ story during Lent. Music,
short DVDs and commitment to action will enhance our
faith sharing each week. Booklets will be given out at the
first session.
Wednesday, February 25, Nancy Erts, OP
God’s Presence in Absence, Darkness and Emptiness
Facilitator: Nancy Erts, OP
Five Thursdays: February 19, 26, March 5, 12 and 19
1:00 - 2:00 pm or 7:00 - 8:00 pm
Fee: $15 each session or for series $65 - $75 (as you are able)
Wednesday, March 18, Gaynell Cronin
Great God, Where Are You?
Gentle Chair Yoga
Yoga has been shown to be beneficial in so many ways
including lubricating joints, helping to create balance,
allowing the muscles to move freely, as well as facilitating
the flow of blood. This gentle chair yoga is designed for
seniors or anyone who, for whatever reason, cannot
negotiate floor positions but still wishes all the benefit of
a yoga practice. The time will Include meditation at the
end to integrate the work that’s been done. It is never too
late to begin!
Dress in comfortable clothes and wear socks.
Instructor: Oudi Arroni
Six Week Series
Wednesdays: February 25, March 4, 11, 18, 25, April 1
10:45 – 12:00 noon
Fee: $25 – $30 per individual session (as you are able); $100 - $120 for any 6-week series (as you are able)
Wednesday, March 4, Judy Schiavo
Fasting as Celebration
Wednesday, March 11, Martha LaVallee
Is That You, God? Listening for God’s Voice
Wednesday, March 25, Janet Corso
Lent and Our Spiritual Maturity
11:45 am -1:30 pm
Fee: $20 per session (includes lunch)
or $70 for the series of five
The Enneagram: Getting to Know You
Treat yourself - become acquainted with the Enneagram,
an ancient system of categorizing nine different types of
ego. Learn how to liberate awareness of your true self.
The nine kinds of ego will be described and participants
will learn how to let go of ego inspired patterns of
behavior. You will experience prayer practices that help
transform limitations into strengths, vices into virtues and
will move you toward greater freedom, well-being and
happiness.
Presenter: Nancy Erts, OP
Saturday, February 28, 10:00 am – 3:30 pm
Fee: $50 - $60 (as you are able) includes lunch
Lift the Spirit
Mariandale Retreat & Conference Center
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Winter/Spring 2015 Programs
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MARCH
Moving Prayer: Discovering the
Contemplative Dimension in Daily Life
Moving prayer sensitizes us to moving through our
day in ways that harmonize with our natural design
and develop our active cooperation with Creation.
It thus complements the stillness and movements of
our hearts nurtured in verbal and silent prayer. Come
to this gentle workshop that will develop familiarity
with natural and easeful movements drawn from both
tai chi/Taoist and Christian heritages. Cultivating
flow, balance, rootedness and natural rhythms, these
movements can be readily assimilated into daily life
extending our full body-mind-heart Presence. We
will make explicit connections between foundational
Christian incarnational perspectives and Taoist practical
applications. No tai chi experience required. Dress in
comfortable clothes and wear socks. Enrollment is limited.
Instructor: Allen Bourque
Saturday, March 7, 10:00 am – 3:30 pm
Fee: $50 - $70 (as you are able) includes lunch
A Lenten Retreat:
Writing Your Spiritual Memoir:
Review, Reflect, Relive
Come immerse yourself in this semi-silent retreat
weekend where you will write your own journey of
faith as part of your prayer experience. Pen your
spiritual story for your children and grandchildren;
begin a voyage of discovery into your own inner
journey. Retreatants will savor parts of the Confessions
of Augustine, The Long Loneliness by Dorothy Day, The
Seven Story Mountain by Thomas Merton and Sue Monk
Kid’s autobiographical, Dance of the Dissident Daughter,
as an entrée into their own spiritual pilgrimage. Copies
of these selections will be provided before the retreat.
No previous writing experience is necessary. Materials
needed for the weekend: loose leaf paper, pen/pencil or
lap top.
Presenter: Judy Schiavo
Friday, March 13, 6:00 pm – Sunday, March 15,
1:00 pm
Special Price: $200 - $220 (as you are able)
Painful Fate, Divine Destiny: Living with
Chronic Pain or Illness – Part 1
Living with chronic illness and/or pain brings us into a
spiritual wasteland where new ways of being (physically,
psychologically and spiritually) must be negotiated. Led by
a team who have taken their own journeys into this place
of seeming desolation, this two-part program (see April
18 for second part), will explore the commonality and
uniqueness of our experiences, our creature-liness, God
in our suffering, and the need for a deepening spiritual
maturity. There will be input, as well as quiet time for
reflection and opportunities to share our stories. For those
who are currently experiencing chronic pain or illness.
Presenters: Don Bisson, FMS, and Janet Corso
Part 1: Friday, March 13, 6:00 pm – Sunday, March 15,
1:00 pm
Part 2: Saturday, April 18, 10:00 am – 3:30 pm
Fee: $250 - $270 (as you are able) for March weekend only;
$335 for both Part 1weekend and Part 2 Saturday, April 18
Creation Care Starts at Home
“The family needs a home, a fit environment in which to develop
its proper relationships. For the human family this home is
Earth - the environment that God the Creator has given us to
inhabit with creativity and responsibility.”
- Pope Benedict XVI
As we move into Spring cleaning time, come explore the
creative contents of Earth Our Home, a booklet written by
Catholic sisters for a Healthy Earth. Participants will reflect
on, discuss and imagine placing each room in their house
and its activities into the broader context of our Earth –
home. Simple actions will be suggested about how to live
more sustainably and walk more gently on this earth. We
will pray in accord with the theme at the beginning and
conclusion of our time together.
Presenter: Nancy Erts, OP
Saturday, March 21, 10:00 am – 3:30 pm
Fee: $40 – 50 (as you are able) includes lunch
Ongoing Contemplative Formation
Program: The Mystic Heart of God
Contemplation allows us into the inner sanctuary of the
“heart” to encounter the Mystery. Through the vision of
Teilhard de Chardin and archetypal images of the heart, we
will be invited to experience God in new depths. The day
will be integrated with quiet, prayer, reflection and sharing.
For members of Group 1 and 2 of the Contemplative Formation
Program only.
Presenters: Don Bisson, FMS, and Renate Craine-Sutterlin
Saturday, March 28, 10:00 – 3:30 pm
Fee: $75 – $95 (as you are able)
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Mariandale Retreat & Conference Center
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Winter/Spring 2015 Programs
Pre-Triduum Quiet Days
Come away for a day or two to slow down and prepare
to celebrate the holiest days of the Christian liturgical
calendar. Arrive any time after lunch on Tuesday and
experience your own special days of quiet.
Tuesday, March 31; Wednesday, April 1
Tuesday and/or Wednesday
Fee: $75 - $95 per day (as you are able)
APRIL
Triduum Retreat
Immerse yourself in the true meaning of Easter by
experiencing the fullness of Holy Thursday, Good Friday
and the Vigil - all as one rich and meaningful movement
of transformation – from death through resurrection.
The first gathering will be at 5:00 on Holy Thursday. The
Triduum will conclude with breakfast on Easter Sunday.
Celebrant: Francis Gargani, CSsR, with guest homilists,
dancers and the Mariandale Staff
Thursday, April 2, 3:00 arrival – Sunday, April 5,
departure after breakfast
Fee: $275 - $300 (as you are able)
Commuter $185 - $205 (as you are able)
Gospel Inclusivity: A Challenge for
the Church
The Gospel knows no outsiders - everyone is welcomed
in, yet none of the Christian churches fully embrace or
endorse this ideal. So, the challenge continues to engage
us all as we seek to build a more inclusive Church for the
21st century. Come, explore with evolutionary and cutting
edge thinker, Diarmuid O’Murchu, as he challenges us to
grasp the fullness of the Gospel message.
Presenter: Diarmuid O’Murchu, MSC
Tuesday, April 7, 12:00 noon, lunch – Thursday,
April 9, 1:00 pm
Fee: $250 - $275 (as you are able); Commuter: $150 - $175
(as you are able)
Sacred Icons: Windows into Stillness
The icon is an organic and dynamic piece of creation
that moves through time to speak to us. Over the past
few years, thousands of people from a wide variety of
spiritual traditions have found themselves drawn to
these mysterious and prayerful images that appeared in
Eastern Christianity as early as the 4th century. Begun
as a spiritual practice, creating them is an extraordinary
way to pray, calling their creators to be still and rest in a
place of thankfulness with God. Taught as a meditation in
a prayerful atmosphere, this retreat/workshop will lead
participants to enter the world of painting an icon, while
observing the mind as a window to the Divine.
This retreat is for all skill levels, absolutely no experience
necessary.
Instructor: Mary Jane Miller
Sunday, April 12, 6:00 pm — Friday, April 17, 3:00 pm
Fee: $450 - $475 (as you are able) includes all materials
Painful Fate, Divine Destiny: Living with
Chronic Pain or Illness – Part 2
Living with chronic illness and/or pain brings us into a
spiritual wasteland where new ways of being (physically,
psychologically and spiritually) must be negotiated.
Led by a team who have taken their own journeys into
this place of seeming desolation, this two-part program
(see March 13 – 15 for first part), will explore the
commonality and uniqueness of our experiences, our
creature-liness, God in our suffering, and the need for a
deepening spiritual maturity. There will be input, as well
as quiet time for reflection and opportunities to share our
stories. For those who are currently experiencing chronic pain
or illness.
Presenters: Don Bisson, FMS, and Janet Corso
Saturday, April 18, 10:00 am – 3:30 pm
Fee: $250 - $270 (as you are able) for March weekend only;
$335 for both Part 1 weekend and Part 2 Saturday,
April 18
A Formative Day for Directors of the
Spiritual Directors’ Training Program
For graduates of the Linwood-Mariandale Spritiual
Directors’ Training program only.
Presenters: Don Bisson, FMS, Janet Corso, and
Kathy Donnelly, SU
Saturday, April 25, 9:30 am – 3:30 pm
Fee: $75 - $95 (as you are able)
MAY
Broken, Beautiful, and Beloved
So often we imagine that in order to be loved we must
become better, different, perfect. But what if the things
we think need to be “fixed” in order to make us more
lovable – flaws and weaknesses, mistakes and sins – are
the very things that make us beautiful in our own way?
Can we learn to see our brokenness as a beauty mark
instead of a scar? During this retreat day, we’ll try to
remove the filters that color our vision and see ourselves
as God does - wonderfully made, imperfections and all.
After a morning talk and lunch, we’ll take some quiet
time for reflection, followed by a journaling exercise and
a group discussion to explore the ways we can begin to
see our brokenness, not as a problem to be solved, but as
a truth to be honored. We are all broken, beautiful, and
Mariandale Retreat & Conference Center
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Winter/Spring 2015 Programs
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Our Presenters
Oudi Arroni
Allen Bourque
Janet E. Corso
Oudi has practiced yoga
over 25 years in the
U.S. and abroad. He is a
registered teacher with
Alliance Yoga and has
studied ISHTA yoga with
a number of teachers (a
type of heart-centered
yoga that blends the ancient and
contemporary techniques and practices).
An Israeli-Italian artist and photographer
from New York City, he now lives in
Ossining and teaches yoga locally. Visit
him at www.oudiyoga.wordpress.com
Allen Bourque is a Christian
contemplative whose
primary practice is
Centering Prayer. He has
studied tai chi for over
20 years. He approaches
tai chi as an embodiment
of Taoist principles and
experiences it as deeply
complementary to Centering Prayer.
Janet is the Director of
Mariandale. A teacher
of philosophy for
many years, she is a
spiritual director and an
experienced workshop
presenter. She is an
Associate of the Dominican Sisters of
Hope.
Don Bisson, FMS, D.Min.
A Marist Brother, Don is
known both nationally
and internationally for
his work as a retreat
director and presenter in
the area of spirituality
and Jungean psychology.
He has a Doctor of
Ministry Degree from the Pacific School
of Religion, Berkeley, California.
Gaynell Cronin
Donna Brunell, OP
A Dominican Sister
of Hope, Donna is an
experienced teacher,
communicator, and
lifelong crafter. Through
her ministry, Hands for
Hope, she offers a variety
of artistic ways to engage
in crafting activities that bring healing
and hope as well as inspiration and a
deep sense of satisfaction.
Gaynell is a spiritual
director, facilitator
of group spiritual
direction, and leader of
contemplative prayer,
retreats and parish
missions. Doorways
to Holiness, with co-author Jack
Rathschmidt, OFM Cap., Ph.D., is her
most recent book.
Mary DeTurris Poust
Mary is a writer, retreat
leader, and author
of six books on the
Catholic faith. She writes
regularly about family,
faith, and the spiritual
Continued from page 5.
beloved. Please bring a journal and a writing instrument
for afternoon exercises.
Presenter: Mary DeTurris Poust
Saturday, May 9, 10:00 am – 3:30 pm
Fee: $75 – $95 (as you are able) includes lunch
Labyrinth Walk: Honoring Mothers,
Mary and Earth
Come celebrate the vigil of Mother’s Day by learning
about the Labyrinth and practicing this ancient walking
meditation. Taking this intentional walk can awaken,
reconcile, integrate and balance the feminine energies
with the prevailing masculine energies residing in the
universe. We will pray and converse about Mary and
Earth as mother, as well as our mothers, Godmothers,
and our own mothering experiences. We will participate
in a group Labyrinth walk before we bid farewell.
Presenter: Nancy Erts, OP
Saturday, May 9, 10:00 am – 3:30 pm
Fee: $40 - $50 (as you are able) includes lunch
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Mariandale Retreat & Conference Center
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Praying the Ordinary
Though God might be found in the fanfare of the
extraordinary days of our lives, God may also be found
nestled in the plain, the simple, and the mundane or
homely activities of our everyday existence. Seeing our
repetitious and common tasks, and the whole of our
ordinary lives, as spiritual practices, can help to ground
us in an understanding of how the sacred consistently
touches us and is embedded in our day-to-day existence.
Presenter: Janet E. Corso
Saturday, May 30, 10:00 am – 3:30 pm
Fee: $60 - $70 (as you are able); includes lunch
Touch the Heart
Winter/Spring 2015 Programs
journey in her blog, Not Strictly Spiritual,
(www.notstrictlyspiritual.com) and in her
monthly column Life Lines, which runs in
Catholic New York. She is also a regular
contributor to the Morning Air Show on
Relevant Radio and her essays appear in
Give Us This Day, the monthly book of
daily liturgical readings.
Nancy Erts, OP
Nancy, a Dominican
Sister of Hope and
Program Specialist
at Mariandale, holds
degrees in Education
and Theology and has
completed additional
work in Psychology, Holistic and EcoSpirituality. She has been involved in the
ministry of adult spiritual development for
over 35 years.
Chris Glover
Chris has been a certified
Ashtanga, Iyengar and
Kripalu yoga Instructor
for twenty years. A
former student at the
Alvin Ailey American
Dance Center, gymnast, and professional
circus performer, Chris also runs the
annual Circus Arts Camp in Westchester
County.
Martha LaVallee
Martha has been
attentive to women’s
stories in wisdom
circles and workshops
for twenty years. She
is an Associate of the
Dominican Sisters of
Hope. Martha has a bachelor’s degree in
Sociology from Middlebury College and a
Masters in Education from Mount Saint
Mary College in Newburgh.
Mary Jane Miller
Mary Jane is an experienced
iconographer, a master of both
contemporary and traditional work. Her
technique uses traditional egg tempera
with gold leaf rather than acrylic paints.
She offers icon workshops, emphasizing
prayer and contemplation, in her private
studio and at the Monastery of the
Soledad; both are in Mexico. Her work may
be seen at www.sacrediconretreat.com
Diarmuid O’Murchu
Diarmuid is a member of the Sacred
Heart Missionary Order, and a graduate
of Trinity College, Dublin Ireland, is a
social psychologist. Most of his working
life has been in social ministry in London,
UK. In that capacity he has worked as
a couple’s counselor, in bereavement
work, AIDS-HIV counselling, and with
homeless people and refugees. As a
workshop leader and group facilitator he
has facilitated programs on Adult Faith
Development around the world. He is an
author of many books. His most recent is
On Being a Postcolonial Christian (2014). He
lives in Dublin, Ireland.
Judy Schiavo
Judy holds an MA in
Secondary Education/
Spanish from Seton
Hall University and
an MS in Spirituality/
Spiritual Direction from
Fordham University. After
retiring from 43 years of
teaching, Judy is now a full-time spiritual
director and retreat director.
Jill M. Sitkin, LMSW
Jill is a spiritual social worker dedicated
to empowering people to help themselves
on a daily basis as well as in times of
crisis. She helps people make changes by
connecting their inner and outer sources
of wisdom, guidance, love, and healing.
Patricia Werner
Patricia learned to sew in
1965 at St. Joseph’s
Mission in Texas where she
also taught migrant
Mexican women how to
turn simple scraps of fabric
into beautiful garments for
children. Patricia began quilting in 1998.
Jack Rathschmidt, OFM Cap.
Ann Willets
Rev. Jack Rathschmidt,
Ph.D., a Capuchin
Franciscan Friar,
is Director of Post
Novitiate Formation for
the Capuchin Franciscan
Friars of New York/
New England. Writer,
teacher, and spiritual director, he is
vitally interested in empowering lay
people in the church.
Ann is a Dominican Sister
of Sinsinawa, Wisconsin,
Sr. Ann, is a preacher,
poet, writer and lecturer.
She has offered parish
missions, retreats, lectures
and conferences for many
years around the world.
She has recorded conference retreats for
Now You Know Media; Writing Home,
Dominican Spirituality, and Ordinary
Mysteries. A past educator, administrator,
and member of her order’s general council,
she was also the director of PARABLE, a
national Conference for Dominican Life
and Mission. She is presently an itinerant,
mendicant Dominican, preaching and
teaching and continuously rejoicing in the
people she meets.
Linda Rivers, OP
Linda is a Dominican
Sister of Hope. She is
active in Music Ministry, is
a spiritual director and is
currently the Registrar at
Mariandale.
Mariandale Retreat & Conference Center
•
Winter/Spring 2015 Programs
7
PREVIEW:
SUMMER RETREATS
SAVE THE DATES!
JUNE
Woman’s Retreat: Women Relating as Soul Sisters
Presenter: Nancy Erts, OP
Artists’ Contemplative Retreat
Sunday, July 12 – Saturday, July 18
Facilitator: Rose Amodeo-Petronella
Thursday, June 4 – Thursday, June 11
Be a Beholder of Grace
On Becoming Who We Are:
Embracing Our Faith as Adult Christians
Sunday, July 12– Friday, July 17
Presenter: Beverly Musgrave
Presenter: Barbara Fiand, SNDdeN
Sunday, June 7 – Friday, June 12
Dominican Guided/Preached Retreat:
In the Beginning Was the Word
The Sacred Journey: Encountering God
in the Second Half of Life
Megan McElroy, OP, Terry Rickard, OP, Cristóbal Torres Iglesias, OP
Retreat Team: Jim Barnett, OP, Rebecca Ann Gemma, OP,
Sunday, July 19 – Saturday, July 25
Presenters: Gaynell Cronin and Jack Rathschmidt, OFM, Cap.
Sunday, June 14 – Friday, June 19
Directed Retreat
Directors: Francis Gargani, CSsR and team members
Who Do You Say I Am for You and
Your World Today?
Sunday, July 26 – Sunday, August 2
Presenter: Mary Schneiders, OP
AUGUST
Sunday, June 21 - Thursday, June 25
Overcoming Our Resistance to Joy
God’s Reconciling Love:
The Bread and Wine of Life
Presenter: Don Bisson, FMS
Presenter: Michael Laratonda, FMS
Thursday, June 25 – Sunday, June 28
Sunday, August 2 - Saturday, August 8
Directed Retreat
Nurturing an Evolving Spiritual Consciousness
Directors: Aedan McKeon, OP, Nancy Erts, OP, and Judy Schiavo
Presenters: Carol DeAngelo, SC and Nancy Erts,OP
Sunday, June 28 – Saturday, July 4
Sunday, August 9 - Saturday, August 15
JULY
FOR YOUR FUTURE PLANNING
Called to Deeper Intimacy
Fall 2015 Guided Retreat:
God’s Reconciling Love:
The Bread and Wine of Life
Presenter: Janet E. Corso
Sunday, July 5 – Friday, July 10
Presenter: Michael Laratonda, FMS
Crafters’ and Quilters’ Retreat:
Silly Summer Times
Sunday, October 4 – Friday, October 9
Prayer Facilitator: Nancy Erts, OP
Fall 2015 Directed Retreat: Autumn Leaves
Craft Instructor: Patricia Werner
Directors: Gaynell Cronin, Martha LaVallee and Judy Schiavo
Wednesday, July 8 – Sunday, July 12
Thursday, October 15 – Sunday, October 18
Winter 2016 Directed Retreat: Burrowing Deep
Directors: Gaynell Cronin, Nancy Erts, OP, and Judy Schiavo
Thursday, January 7 – Sunday, January 10, 2016
8
Mariandale Retreat & Conference Center
•
Winter/Spring 2015 Programs
How to Register
Each registrant should complete a separate form; duplicate as needed for multiple programs. Register early; programs/retreats fill quickly.
Website: www.mariandale.org; phone: (914) 941-4455; fax (914) 941-8480.
In Person: R
eception Office, Monday - Friday, 8:30 am - 7:00 pm.
Mail: S end completed form with deposit to Registrar, Mariandale Center, 299 North Highland Avenue, Ossining, NY 10562-2327
Program(s)/Retreat(s):
Name of Program/Retreat:Date:Fee:
Name of Program/Retreat:Date:Fee:
Name of Program/Retreat:Date:Fee:
Deposits are required with registration and are non-refundable
and non-transferable. Make check payable to the Dominican Sisters of Hope.
Deposit Amount Enclosed:
Day/Evening Retreats: $20.00; Weekend Retreats: $40.00;
Week-long Retreats: $50.00
Manner of payment:
n Cash n Check n VISA n Mastercard n AMEX
(n Please charge entire amount to credit card.)
Card#:Exp. Date:
Name on card:Signature:
Registrant Information:
Name:
Address: StreetCityStateZip
Telephone: (day)(eve)
E-Mail Address:
Emergency Contact Person:
Telephone:
n I’m interested in a Wellness Session (additional cost). Type:
Office use only:
C#:CC#:P#:Date:
THE DOMINICAN SISTERS OF HOPE
NON-PROFIT ORG.
U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
MILFORD, CT
PERMIT NO. 80
299 North Highland Avenue
Ossining, NY 10562-2327
(914) 941-4455
www.mariandale.org
Save the Date!
Broken, Beautiful and Beloved
Mary DeTurris Poust
What if the things we think need to
be “fixed” are the very things that
make us beautiful?
Saturday, May 9, 2015
SEE PAGE 5
Printed on recycled paper. Mariandale is committed to sustainability.
Please recycle.