What is a Retreat?
A retreat offers a time and a place to get away from the noise of our daily lives and busy world to find God who offers us inner peace and renewed commitment. It is a welcome stop on our faith journey where we can find refreshment for body‚ soul, and spirit. It is an opportunity to refocus ourselves within God’s loving embrace‚ either alone or with others.
During a retreat, you may wish to meet with a spiritual director or have time and space to be on your own. Arrangements can be made ahead of your stay to match an appropriate guide for your personal needs. Spiritual directors are accustomed to answering questions and meeting first-time retreatants and can suggest the right fit and best retreat for you. St. Raphaela Center is a Catholic retreat house with a spiritual tradition rooted in Ignatian Spirituality. We welcome people of all religious persuasions in a spirit of ecumenism and interreligious dialogue.
To request more information about any of our retreats, please contact us by:
- Phone: 610-642-5715
- Email: info@straphaelacenter.org
One-Day Retreats
For those of you whose schedule or responsibility will only permit you a few hours free, we have a variety of opportunities for you to be spiritually nourished and strengthened by God. We offer the following Day Programs:
Individual Retreats
Come for a day of spiritual renewal, and discover some peace and quiet in this whirlwind of a life that we all live. Are you looking to get off the treadmill that you have been on, if only for a few hours? Then St. Raphaela Center has an answer for you! We set aside one Day of Prayer each month for individuals that would like to spend the day in private prayer or quiet reflection at the Center, as well as hosting personal overnight retreats. There is also the possibility of having a session with one of our Spiritual Directors on staff. Read more…
Multi-day Retreats
Overnight Retreats are opportunities for individuals to step out of their regular routine and into a space where they are free from the noise and distractions of everyday life to quiet themselves in order to reflect on their faith journey and hear God’s voice in the depth of their hearts.
An individual can request to make a silent private retreat or a directed private retreat at any time throughout the year. The retreatant can choose the dates and the duration that best fit their need. The retreatants are free to spend their time in personal prayer or quiet reflection or follow the guided materials offered by their spiritual directors.
Ignatian Retreats
St. Raphaela Center offers a various forms of the Spiritual Exercises in order to meet the needs and situations of a wide range of people. Such an encounter with God in the reality of one’s interior life leads to the transformation of the individual, their relationships, and their particular way of responding through their concrete decisions and paths in life. Read more…
Silent Directed Retreats
Several times throughout the year, St. Raphaela Center offers several weekend and weeklong Ignatian retreats directed by the Center staff and visiting directors. This is a wonderful opportunity to take some time just for you and God in an atmosphere of peace, serenity, and beauty. Come away to connect with the Creator and renew your spirit. Read more…
Vocation Discernment Retreats
Discerning your vocation is not only possible, but an experience of great grace. Maybe you need some time to:
- Meet other women who experience the same nudges of the heart.
- Ask questions about religious life.
- Learn how to discern God’s will for you.
- Pray about your future.
- See what convent life is really like.
- Get to know a group of women who are in love with the Eucharistic Christ.
Women’s Weekends
Take a weekend away to nurture your relationship with God. Enjoy this privileged time and space along with other women seeking to grow in their spiritual journey. Our experienced facilitators will provide you with food for your prayer, guiding you as you retreat with our God of abundant love. Come experience what so many women return for year after year! Read more…
Seasonal Retreats
St. Raphaela Center offers diverse opportunities for personal and spiritual growth. Offerings include days of prayer centered on the liturgical season to day or evening programs focused on a specific topic of human and spiritual development. These offerings flow from St. Raphaela’s desires to nurture the ability to discern God’s presence in one’s life. According to the spirituality of the Handmaids of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, the Center provides experiences where our relationships with God, others, and ourselves may be healed and celebrated. All are welcome. Read more…