Save the Dates
- "Celtic Spirituality: An Overview" on Wednesday, March 20, 2019 (10:00 AM to 3:00 PM, to include lunch & coffee breaks). Extend your St. Patrick's Day celebration in March to gain an overview of Celtic spirituality from varied perspectives by our three presenters: Sr. Colleen Shanahan, OSF, Stella Niagara, NY; Rev. Dr. Rex T. Stewart, Pastor, First Presbyterian Church of Youngstown, NY; and Mr. Peter Green, Worship & Liturgical Musician. Learn about several key aspects of Celtic spirituality via words, art, and music at this enjoyable retreat day. Only $20 for workshop, lunch, and coffee breaks. Call 716-754-7376, Ext. 2 to pre-register in advance to ensure adequate seating and materials.
- 45th Anniversary Celebratory Event & Sacred Songfest Seasonal Series II on Sunday, May 5, 2019 (2:00-4:30 PM). Come celebrate Center of Renewal's 45th Anniversary coupled with our 2nd-in-a-series enjoyable compilation of choral and instrumental music from churches throughout Western New York. Musical presentations are planned for 2:00-3:30 PM in Stella Niagara's Sisters' Chapel, interspersed with historical reflections commemorating 45 meaningful years of retreat center ministry. Afterwards, join us in the COR Dining Room for anniversary celebratory awards, mementos, and special refreshments. Please confirm attendance by calling 716-754-7376, Ext. 2 by May 1st.
- “The Mystical Perspective of Earth & Cosmic Consciousness” Retreat Week by Denise Turcotte, CSC; Norman Comtois, OMI; Dorothy Landry, CAGS. June 19-25, 2019 (Wednesday dinner through Tuesday lunch). This retreat stresses the interrelatedness of the spiritual journey and the evolutionary story. It will explore the foundational topics of ecology, mysticism, and cosmology through the following: (1) Group meditations and Four Directions body prayer; (2) Daily teachings on a particular theme, including Sacredness of Creation, Paradigm Shift, Awakening Consciousness, Centration, Cataclysm and Radiance; (3) Reflective exercises to personalize and integrate daily themes; (4) Rituals, sharing, ample time for reflection. Co-presenters Denise, Dorothy, and Norman bring their respective expertise in ecology, cosmology, and mysticism in the coverging wisdom and understanding of the unitive nature of all that is. Call for detailed flier (716-754-7376, Ext. 2); pre-registration due by 6/6/19..
- 2019 Directed Retreat Week. August 11-17, 2019 (Sunday dinner through Saturday lunch). Confirmed spiritual directors include Fr. Tom Hartle, OFM; Sr. Jean Thompson, OSF; Sr. Donna Lord, GNSH; Sr. Nancy Fortkort, OSF. Three- or five-day directed retreats also available; call us for details. additional directors as needed based on number of retreatants. Call for flier. Pre-register by 7/28/19.
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"Spirituality of Aging" Weekend Retreat by Fr. John Rose of Syracuse, New York. Sept. 13-15, 2019 (Fri. dinner through Sun. lunch). Call for flier and more details. Pre-register by 8/30/2019.
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Men's Retreat Weekend by Fr. John Graden, OSFS of Embraced by God. Oct. 11-13, 2019 (Fri. dinner through Sun. lunch). Call for flier and more details. Pre-register by 9/27/19.
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Pysanky Egg Decorating Weekend Retreats by Sr. Gert Lacki, OSF of Stella Niagara, NY. Same workshop-retreat offered multiple weekends in 2019: May 3-5, July 26-28, Aug. 23-25, Sept. 20-22, Oct. 11-13, Nov. 1-3, and Dec. 6-8. Call for flier and additional details. Pre-register at least two weeks prior to each weekend.
- More retreats are regularly being scheduled. Watch for details.
Ongoing Program Schedule
In addition to providing hospitality to both groups and individuals seeking quality meeting and overnight accommodation facilities in an environment of peace and tranquility, Stella Niagara's Center of Renewal designs and offers its own sponsored retreats and programs with featured retreat presenters for spiritual growth and lifelong learning.
Examples of the ongoing schedule of sponsored retreats and programs include partial or full single retreat days on a special topics. Retreats in recent years have been scheduled to commemorate special church days such as Ash Wednesday and the feast day of St. Francis of Assisi, Papal Encyclical topics and themes, wellness and spirituality, peace and justice, and Biblical topics.
Weekly or monthly retreat programs have included a women’s spiritual reading group, a six-week study group on “Laudato Si: On Care of Our Common Home” Encyclical by Pope Francis, and the Guided & Meditation Prayer Group currently meeting on the first Tuesday evening of each month. Overnight retreats have typically been scheduled from one to six nights in length, affording the retreatants to focus more intently on a specific themes during the entire retreat. Retreat presenters are garnered from among visiting scholars, theologians, priests, sisters, and brothers, all knowledgeable specialists in their respective fields and ministries. Current retreat themes have included embracing change, benefits of the 12-step program for everyone, thoughts and behaviors, fruits of the Spirit and Pauline mysticism, and understanding self and others through Biblical comparisons. Annual Directed Retreat weeks are also scheduled each August, along with individualized Directed Retreats on request throughout the year.
One key example of specialized group programs throughout the year which consider Center of Renewal their “retreat center of choice” include the Women’s Respite Program under the direction of its founder Sr. Diane Gianadda, OSF. For many years, this meaningful program has benefitted single moms and grandmothers of low income, mothers of autistic children, and women with cancer, with each event serving 20 to 30 women. Center of Renewal is proud to serve as the retreat ministry location for these meaningful outreach programs.
