Mercy Center Schedule of Retreats:

2010-2011 Schedule

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►Yoga Series
Tuesday evenings, 5:30—6:30 p.m.
Fall Series (10 sessions)
September 14—November 16, 2010
Click here to register online for this series
Winter/Spring Series (10 sessions)
January 18—March 29, 2011 (omit 3/8)
Click here to register online for this series

This yoga class will build flexibility, strength, and balance. Learn stress management techniques to quiet the mind, increase concentration, and build body confidence.
Instructor: Barb Michael is the owner of Optimal Lifestyles, Inc., a health and fitness company specializing in general fitness and yoga.
Non-refundable registration: $25
Total cost (10 sessions) including registration:$100
Single session: $12
Contact: Alice Kehm

►Choosing Compassion: The Paradox of Power
    Six Sessions on a Program by Michael Crosby
Wednesday evenings, 7:00—8:30 p.m.
September 15—October 20, 2010
These sessions, guided by DVD’s created by
Michael Crosby, encourage moving from dominative ways of relating to building trust and collaboration which leads to greater love and compassion in our world. 
Facilitator: Ginger Andrews, RSM is a spiritual director and Adjunct Assistant Professor of Pastoral Theology at Aquinas Institute.
Non-refundable registration: $25
Total cost, including registration: $75
Contact: Alice Kehm
Click here to register online

►Field of Compassion: How the New Cosmology is Transforming Spiritual Life
    A Discussion Series on Judy Canatto’s Book
Wednesday evenings, 6:30—8:00 p.m.
September 22—October 27, 2010
Judy Cannato invites spiritual seekers to embrace the way an understanding of religion/spiritual path is informed and illumined by cutting-edge science. She shows how, at the most fundamental of levels, all life is connected and humankind participates in the unfolding of the universe. The books are available for purchase at the Mercy Center Gift Shop.
Facilitator: Corlita Bonnarens, RSM heads Mercy Center’s Creative Spirituality Program.
Non-refundable registration: $25
Total cost, including registration: $65
Contact: Corlita Bonnarens, RSM
Click here to register online

►Shaping the Sacred with Clay (6 Sessions)
Tuesday afternoons, 1:00—3:00 p.m.
October 5—November 9, 2010
These sessions are for those experienced with clay.  Using the basic hand-building techniques of shaping clay (pinch pot, slab, coil), participants will be guided in a meditative, prayerful process of giving shape to sacred themes drawn from nature, one’s inner landscape, myth, and sacred scripture, especially the Wisdom sources.
Fee includes all materials and firing.
Facilitator: Corlita Bonnarens, RSM heads Mercy Center’s Creative Spirituality Program.
Non-refundable registration: $25
Total cost, including registration: $100
Contact: Corlita Bonnarens, RSM
Click here to register online

►The Prayer of Yoga: Movement into Stillness
October 15—16, 2010
This quiet retreat weekend will consist of yoga instruction and practice as well as the integration of prayer, guided meditation, Scripture, and poetry during times of silent reflection.
No experience required. Bring a mat or large towel. This retreat begins with 5:30 p.m. supper on Friday and closes at 4:00 p.m. on Saturday.
Presenters: Barb Michael is the owner of Optimal Lifestyles, Inc., a health and fitness company specializing in general fitness and yoga.
Ginger Andrews, RSM is a spiritual director and Adjunct Assistant Professor of Pastoral Theology at Aquinas Institute.
Non-refundable registration: $25 due Oct. 1
Total cost, including registration:
      Residents: $110
      Commuters: $70
For an extra night, add: $55
Contact: Alice Kehm
Click here to register online

►The Gift of Years: Growing Old Gracefully—A Discussion of Joan Chittister’s
     Book (5 Sessions)
Thursday mornings, 10:00—11:30 a.m.
October 21—November 18, 2010
Chittister’s book contains a call to cherish the blessing of aging as a natural part of life that is active, productive, and deeply rewarding. This inspirational and illuminating work looks at the many facets of the aging process, from purposes and challenges to struggles and surprises.The book will be available for purchase at Mercy Center prior to the first session.
Facilitator: Rita O’Dea is a member of the Mercy Center Spirituality Team.
Non-refundable registration: $25 due Oct. 1
Total cost, including registration: $65
Contact: Rita O’Dea
Click here to register online

►Seasons of Abundance/Seasons of Loss: A Fall Day of Prayer
Saturday morning, 9:00 a.m.—2:30 p.m.
October 23, 2010
The seasons of life bring us transformation and rebirth. We are taught by our losses to let go and allow the movement of God in our lives to nourish us, bringing us gifts to share.
Presenter: Anne Simms, OP is a spiritual director who has offered retreats and sabbatical programs. As a hospital chaplain, she had extensive experience with the dying and those in the grief process.
Non-refundable registration: $25 due Oct.8
Total cost, including registration: $35
Contact: Mary Kaye Hester
Click here to register online

►Watercolor Painting as Meditation
Saturday, 9:30 a.m.—3:30 p.m.
November 20, 2010
Through a process of centering and guided imagery, one comes into contact with inner “soul images,” and expresses this inner content in free-flowing watercolor images. Participants will be introduced to simple, playful techniques of painting with watercolor. Limited to 15 participants.
Facilitator: Corlita Bonnarens, RSM heads the Creative Spirituality Program at Mercy Center.  
Non-refundable registration: $25
Total cost, including registration: $75
Contact: Corlita Bonnarens, RSM
Click here to register online

►The Word Became Flesh And Dwells Among Us:  A Quiet Advent Retreat Guided by
     Joan Delaplane, OP
December 3—4, 2010
This retreat will explore the ramifications of Meister Eckhart's question: "What good is it that Mary gave birth to Jesus centuries ago if you do not give birth to Him in this time and culture?"
This retreat begins with 5:30 p.m. supper on Friday and closes at 5:00 p.m. on Saturday.
Presenter: Joan Delaplane, OP is a retreat director and spiritual director.
Non-refundable registration: $25 Due Nov 19
Total cost, including registration:
      Residents: $110
      Commuters: $70
For an extra night, add: $55
Contact: Rita O’Dea
Click here to register online

►Mountain Climbing with Jesus: A Quiet Lenten Retreat
     Guided by Carol Mucha, RSM
March 18—19, 2011
This Lenten retreat will explore the ways of learning from Jesus, leaning on Jesus, and living the ways of Lent the whole of one’s life. It will use imagery of the mountain from the Gospel stories to see both the joys and sorrows of life and how to negotiate the mountains we come upon in living as disciples.
This retreat begins with 5:30 p.m. supper on Friday and closes at 5:00 p.m. on Saturday.
Presenter: Carol Mucha, RSM is a spiritual director and a minister to young adults. She has served in vocation ministry and as an instructor in the diaconate program of the Archdiocese of Chicago.
Non-refundable registration: $25 due Mar 7.
Total cost, including registration:
      Residents: $110
      Commuters: $70
For an extra night, add: $55
Contact: Agnes Brueggen, RSM
Click here to register online

►Recovery Focusing: 7 Sessions
Saturday mornings, 9:30—11:30 a.m.
April 2—May 21, 2011 (omit 4/23)
This series is for persons recovering from any kind of addiction in a 12 Step Recovery Group.   The purpose is to deepen the experience of living the Steps through Focusing, a process first described by Eugene Gendlin in 1978. It is based on the book Loving At the Edge: Recovery Emerging by Suzanne L. Noel, CFP.
Facilitator: Ann Marie Wyrsch MS, a retired Mental Health Clinical Nurse Specialist, has been an active participant in The Institute for BioSpiritual Research since 1982 and a member of a 12 step group for over 25 years.
Non-refundable registration:$25 due March 18.
Total cost, including registration: $65
Contact: Alice Kehm
Click here to register online

►Celebrating Our Wisdom Years: Living in the Present Moment
     A Guided Retreat by Carol Marozzi, SSJ
May 22—28, 2011
This quiet retreat will focus on living in the present moment, finding that God is present in the here and now. It will help to identify the obstacles that hinder the discovery of the richness of God's presence in our present time. We will also celebrate our experience of the wisdom years, the faithfulness of God in our lives to the present moment... and give thanks.  
This retreat begins with a 4:00 p.m. conference on Sunday and closes with lunch on Saturday.
Presenter: Carol Marozzi, SSJ engages in retreat work and spiritual direction and previously served as the Director of Bon Secours Spiritual Center in Marriottsville, MD.
Non-refundable registration: $25 due May 6.
Total cost, including registration:
      Residents: $375
      Commuters: $260
Contact: Agnes Brueggen, RSM
Click here to register online

►Daily Discipleship: Living the Beatitudes
    A Guided Retreat by David Smith, SJ
July 22—29, 2011
This quiet retreat will explore the Beatitudes as a way of living Christian discipleship. Insights will be drawn from the parables of Jesus, the letters of St. Paul, and the Spiritual Exercises of Ignatius of Loyola. Ample time will be provided for prayer, rest, and quiet reflection.
The retreat begins with 5:30 p.m. supper on Friday, July 22 and closes with Eucharistic Liturgy on Friday morning, July 29.
Presenter: David Smith, SJ is director of Creighton University Retreat Center in Griswold, Iowa and is a spiritual director who provides both directed and preached retreats.
He is also a graphic artist, working in bronze, wood, stone, and clay.  
Non-refundable registration: $25 due July 5.
Total cost, including registration:
      Residents: $420
      Commuters: $ 280
Contact: Rita O’Dea
Click here to register online

ALSO AT MERCY CENTER

►To Love and be Loved: Exploring Life’s Greatest Gift—Five Sessions
Thursday evenings, 7:00—9:30 p.m. September 30—October 28, 2010
This program will help us discover how all our relational problems arise out of a universal core wounding around love that affects not only our personal relationships, but the quality of life in our world as a whole.
Facilitators: Maury and Genny Boehmer are members of New Awakenings Community.
Cost: $65.00
For information or registration, contact: Maury or Genny Boehmer at (636) 256-9067 or MAGB324@aol.com
Registration recommended by September 20.