Other Retreats

Alternative Break and Service Camp Alternative Break & Service Camp
June 15-19 2010
Spaulding Farm, Waynesburg, Pa.
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Looking for an alternative to staying home during holiday breaks? The Franciscan sisters offer you the chance to help those in need in the eastern part of the United States who have been affected by loss and hardship. Come together in friendship and community to experience the heart of the Franciscan tradition, which is to seek to be women of vision living in right relationship with God, one another and all creation.

About 2008's retreat: Our seventh annual service camp for high school women was a huge success, and John and Joan Spaulding, once again, permitted 24 women to invade their home in Prosperity, Pa. for a five-day service experience for teenage women. It was our most diversified group since we began offering this summer camp. In addition to 17 high school women from across the United States,we had four college-age women as counselors, one graduate student and several adults on our team this year (2008 group pictured above).

The camp is quite structured to provide the girls with ample opportunity to pray, reflect, serve and have fun with their friends. Each day has a particular Franciscan theme: conversion, prayer, service and humility. We try to integrate the theme throughout the day as we pray morning prayer, the Gospel before supper and faith sharing in the evening. It is amazing how much the girls share; one young woman sent me an e-mail saying,,“I just wanted to send a little thank you for letting me be part of camp again this year. I really had a great time. The service activities I went to this year really helped me grow in my faith and as a person as well. Seeing some of the things I saw this year made me feel so blessed to have such loving family and friends, and it really makes me want to continue to do so much service throughout the year.”

The young women served at the Waynesburg Soup Kitchen in St. Ann’s Parish, the Humane Society, Western Waynesburg Jesus Development, McDaniel’s Personal Care Home, several individual homes and the on farm where we stayed. We stressed the need for each young person to try and visit various places to serve so that each would gain from a variety of experiences.

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Experiencing God in Nature: Hiking Retreat

2010 - TBA
Location: TBA
Download PDF Brochure (2010 coming soon!)

Our hiking/camping retreats are an opportunity for women, singleor married, to experience God, personally and through community in a stress-free environment. Hiking alone provides relaxation, and the outdoors is the perfect setting for quiet reflection and prayer. Shared meals and in-camp conversation lead to Franciscan community building; and, together, we experience the grace of God through nature.