June 9-11, 2006
Married Couples Retreat
A Time for Us
Director: Rev. James Datillo, S.J.
So
many couples are not able to spend as much time together as they would
like. For some, sharing dinner together and with their family is
not a daily happening. This retreat is designed for you to spend
time alone (Leave your family at home!) and the Lord. We invite
you to experience this inspiring and informative weekend and enjoy the
beauty of the gardens, the chapel and each other.
Fr. James
Datillo, S.J. joined the Jesuits on July 30, 1965 and was ordained a
priest on December 14, 1974. He has served his community as
pastor at the University of San Francisco, CA, Dean of Loyola College
in Baltimore, MD and Superior of the Provincial Residence. Fr.
Jim is a national retreat master, spiritual director, and is currently
doing retreat work and parish ministry. He is presently stationed
at Wheeling Jesuit University in Wheeling, WV. Fr. Jim is a very
engaging individual and comes with wonderful insights into married life.
Offering - $250.00 couple
June 16-18, 2006
Weekend Retreat
St. Therese Speaks Out for Love and Non-Violence:
Therese as a “Word of God” for Contemporary People
Director: Brother Joseph Schmidt F.S.C.
Brother
Joe sees and loves Therese as a woman who proclaims that a gentle, yet
down to earth love is at the heart of the Gospel. Recognizing
that Jesus lives a love that excludes violence, Therese harbors hope in
place of adversarial feelings, hurt or violence to others. Brother Joe
will emphasize where non-violence begins -- not in the political arena
as many think. Non-violence begins in our hearts and in our
feelings. Therese never let violence take hold of her heart. As a
Doctor of the Church since 1997, this simple woman has quietly begun a
shift in the nineteenth century image of holiness. She moves one from
an often self-centered striving for “perfection” to a Gospel-centered
compassion for those with whom we deal every day. You won’t want to
miss this retreat.
Brother
Joseph Schmidt, F.S.C. taught school with the Christian Brothers in the
first years of South Catholic High School (now Seton-LaSalle) in
Pittsburgh. Brother Joe’s background has focused on youth,
spiritual direction and retreat work. . Since 1991, he has
been a much sought-after spiritual director in the desert of New
Mexico. Brother Joe’s good sense of humor is a constant companion
to his retreat presentations. He has authored and published
several articles about Therese’s spirituality and two books, Praying
Our Experiences and Praying with St. Therese. A third book, All
Is Grace: A Reflection on the Life and Spirituality of Therese of
Lisieux, will be published in 2006.
June 23-25, 2006
Weekend Retreat
Renewed Each Morning: A Retreat for Caregivers of Children with Special Needs
Director: Rev. Philip Michael Kanfush, O.S.B.
Renewed Each Morning is
a new retreat for the parents, caregivers, teachers, support staff and
all those whose lives have been blessed with the gift of a child having
special needs. Recognizing that those who have been called to
care for a child with exceptionalities re likewise called to walk a
unique patch to holiness, the retreat seeks to affirm God’s
ever-abiding presence in the lives of those who live and work with
special children. Taken from the Book of Lamentations, the title
of this retreat reflects the conviction that the graces necessary to
grow in holiness in the face of the challenges such care giving often
presents are, in fact, renewed each morning.
Fr.
Philip Michael Kanfush is a Benedictine monk of St. Vincent
Archabbey. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Secondary
Education at the University of Pittsburgh and a Bachelor of Arts degree
in Philosophy at St. Vincent College. Fr. Philip completed both
the Master of Arts degree in Sacred Scripture and the Master of
Divinity degree at St. Vincent Seminary. In 1999 he was awarded
the American Bible’s Award for Excellence in the Study of Sacred
Scripture at St. Vincent Seminary. Fr. Philip also holds a Master
of Business Administration degree and a Master of Education degree in
Special Education, both from the University of Pittsburgh. He has
completed a post-graduate certificate in Applied Behavior Analysis at
the Pennsylvania State University. Licensed in the Commonwealth
of Pennsylvania as a Secondary Social Studies teacher, a Special
Education teacher and as a Reading Specialist, Fr. Philip has taught at
the Clelian Heights School for Exceptional Children since 2002.
Fr. Philip is currently a doctoral Student in Special Education at West Virginia University.
July 7-9, 2006
Weekend Retreat
“The Biblical Measure of Human Success”
Director: Rev. Mark Gruber, O.S.B.
God makes various promises for human
happiness in the Scriptures. Sometimes the Bible seems to assure
prosperity, health or prestige to the faithful. A closer reading of the
inspired Word reveals a far deeper kind of success of life assured to
us who follow Christ. On this retreat we will examine God’s Word as it
guides us to a depth of life whose ultimate meaning and purposes exceed
all other measures of human achievement.
Rev. Mark Gruber, O.S.B. is a
Benedictine monk of St. Vincent Archabbey in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, and
an Associate Professor in the Department of Sociology/Anthropology at
St. Vincent College where he teaches classes in anthropology. He
received a B.A. in Philosophy and an M.Div. from Saint Vincent College
and Seminary; as well as an M.A. and a Ph.D. in Anthropological
Sciences from the University of New York at Stony Brook.
Fr. Mark gives retreats and provides
spiritual direction to both Religious and the laity. He has
published a trilogy of books on liturgical spirituality. Journey
Back to Eden is a personal reflection of his sojourn among the desert
monks of Egypt in1986-87. This journal was published in August
2002 and has received a number of positive reviews. Fr. Mark’s
most recent book, Sacrifice in the Desert: A Study of an Egyptian
Minority Through the Prism of Coptic Monasticism was published in
2003. This scholarly work, which presents the results of his
year-long research among the Coptic monks in the Sahara Desert, is a
“companion volumne” to Journey Back to Eden, and is the study from
which his journal emerged.He is also well known for his presentations
on the Catholic intuition of gender as viewed from the standpoint of an
anthropologist. His articles on religious themes have appeared in
a number of Catholic publications.
July 16 – 21, 2006
Retreat for Vowed Religious at St. Paul’s
Two-Tracks in 2006
The annual Summer Retreat for Religious at St. Paul’s will expand
this year to two distinct retreats addressing pertinent topics and
running on simultaneous tracks.
In light of the forty years that have passed since Vatican II and the publication of Perfectae Caritatis, Father Timothy Fitzgerald C.P. will direct a retreat about a vital issue in contemporary religious life, “Living the Vows in the Twenty-first Century.”
Mindful of the many Mother Houses of religious women in our tri-state area, we’ve have asked Sister Susan Kucz S.N.D.
to design and direct a retreat for sisters who are currently
celebrating a jubilee year – or are within a year or two of this
celebration. The retreat is described below.
- Father Timothy will preside at Holy Hour and Eucharist for all retreatants each day.
- All retreatants will share mealtimes.
- Both will be silent retreats.
- Both retreats open with 6:00 dinner Sunday evening, July 16 and with lunch at noon on Friday, July 21.
- The offering for each retreat is $235.
Pre-Register by July 5, 2006 by calling the Retreat Center Office at
412.381.7676. A $25 non-refundable registration fee is requested.
TRACK I
Living the Vows in the Twenty first Century
Director: Father Timothy Fitzgerald CP
Religious
life has undergone dramatic changes in the latter years of the 20th
century. As we enter the 21st century, the true sense of vowed
life does not change the meaning of discipleship: the cost
remains the same – following the counsels of Jesus. The vows in
their biblical and ecclesial reality still call the religious to a
total surrender to God, through Christ and in the Spirit. This
retreat will be reflective of how the idealism of first vows convert
gradually into the idealism of vowed living at every stage of life.
Father Timothy Fitzgerald, C.P.
Father Tim is a native of
Philadelphia. He entered the Passionist community in 1948 and was
ordained in 1956. After pursuing further studies in Rome, where
he obtained a doctorate in theology, he remained there for several
years working in the general headquarters of the Passionist
Congregation. In 1965, he returned to the states where he was
made Master of Novices at St. Paul’s in Pittsburgh. Subsequently,
he taught theology at Duquesne University from 1971-1979.
Presently, Fr. Tim is engaged full-time in the preaching ministry
conducting retreats for clergy, religious and laity, along with parish
renewals and adult education workshops. He resides at St. Paul’s
Monastery in Pittsburgh.
TRACK II
A Retreat for Jubilarians or those near a Jubilee Celebration
Director: Sister Susan Kusz, S.N.D.
Sister
Susan has designed this Guided Retreat for a maximum of 15-18 religious
women, who are celebrating a jubilee of 25, 50, 60, or 65 years in
religious life. This retreat is set up to coincide with the
celebration of a jubilee, that one-of-a-kind opportunity for a woman
religious to be filled with gratitude and a sense of wonder at God’s
action in her life. There will be one group meeting daily, a time
of prayer and reflection on themes such as:
- God’s loving desire for us
- God’s faithful love
- Our longing for God
- God’s call and our response
- The call to witness to the fullness of life described in John’s Gospel.
Optional spiritual direction will be offered throughout the day.
Sister Susan Kusz, S.N.D.
Sr. Susan studied Ignatian
Spirituality at Manresa in Detroit, MI, and has been engaged in
ministries of teaching, administration, the design of religion
technology for the Toledo Diocese, and extensive spiritual direction
and retreat direction. Sr. Susan has experience directing
thirty-day retreats as well as directing retreats in Papua New Guinea.
Currently she is in her fourth year as Associate Director at Sangre de
Cristo Center in Santa Fe, NM, an international sabbatical center for
men and women religious and diocesan priests.
July 28-30, 2006
Weekend Retreat
Lord, That I Might See
Directors: Rev. Michael Salvagna, C.P. and Dr. Salvatore J. Mascari
One of the most spectacular miracles that Jesus performed was when he
bestowed sight to the man born blind. Yet this same man was given an
even greater gift; spiritual vision. His encounter with Jesus opened
his eyes to see Jesus as the true light of the world. On this retreat
we will ask God to heal our spiritual blindness so that we may look at
all reality through the eyes of faith.
Rev. Michael Salvagna, C.P. was born and raised in New York City and
joined the Passionist Community in 1962. After his ordination in 1969
Fr. Michael began his ministry of preaching parish renewals and
retreats which also being available for spiritual direction and prayer
for inner healing. From 1991 – 2002 he served as Director of St. Paul
of the Cross Retreat Center in Pittsburgh, PA.
Communicating the Gospel through radio and television is another aspect
of Fr. Michael’s ministry. His daily radio program, “Listen to His
Love,” airs on WEDO, McKeesport, PA at 9:15 AM. Presently Fr. Michael
is the Director of Passionist Communications that produces THE SUNDAY
MASS for television from Pelham, NY, and Director of St. Ann’s Media
that produces the daily Mass from St. Ann’s Basilica in Scranton, PA.
Dr. Salvatore J. Mascari was born and raised n the North Side of
Pittsburgh. His adult life has been spend in church ministry. Dr.
Mascari holds a Masters Degree in Theology from the Pittsburgh
Theological Seminary, a Masters Degree in Spirituality from the
Institute of Formative Spirituality at Duquesne University and Doctor
of Ministry Degree from the Pittsburgh Theological Seminary. He has
served the Catholic Diocese working with the CCD program for
thirty-seven years, a member of the Speaker’s Bureau and is a Master
Catechist. Dr. Mascari has been on the preaching staff at St. Paul of
the Cross Retreat Center since 1989 and is active in many of the
programs during the week.
August 25-27, 2006
Weekend Retreat and Healing Service
The Father’s Eternal Love
Presenter: Eileen George
Eileen George returns
to St. Paul of the Cross Center for her annual retreat and healing
service. She is the founder of Meet the Father Ministry, author
of 4 books, preacher and healer. Her pamphlets and hundreds of tapes,
centered around God the Father’s love and personal teachings, have
touched the lives of people around the world. Eileen’s retreat
brings the message to all people that God is their real Father, loving
and caring. In His eternal love, we experience more abundant life
and are able to share this more effectively with others. During
this retreat, Eileen will share her conversations with God and tell
many stories of her experiences with people, her family and her own
personal experiences. A healing service will be held on
Saturday evening for those attending the weekend retreat.