Advent Directed Retreat Weekend 2026
With Sister Mary Ellen Higgins, IHM, Buff Barnes, Sister Pat Mensing, SSJ, Tricia Gardner and Michelle Gomez
December 4 - 6, 2026
A directed retreat at St. Raphaela Center is a time of quiet in order to enhance attentiveness to God’s voice within you and in your life. A reverent silence is maintained throughout the Retreat Center at all times including during meals. Each retreatant meets with his/her director twice for approximately 45 minutes. Each director possesses the necessary skills to guide their directees compassionately and peacefully, allowing them to listen to God’s voice and to journey closely with their loving God, both within the retreat setting and going forth into their daily lives. The number, nature and length of periods of formal prayer each day will depend upon the ability and needs of the individual and will be determined in conversation with the director. Retreatants are provided suggested scripture passages tailored to their own prayer. Ideally retreatants will have some experience in meditative prayer, the desire to enter into prolonged silence, and sufficient self-awareness to recognize their own inward movements. All retreatants have the opportunity for daily liturgy and reconciliation.
Date: December 4 – 6, 2026
Time: Starting at 4:00pm; Ending December 6 after lunch
About the Spiritual Directors
Sister Mary Ellen Higgins, IHM
Mary Ellen Higgins, IHM, is a Sister, Servant of the Immaculate Heart of Mary from Scranton, PA. She was trained in the practice of spiritual direction at Fordham University and has companioned others in spiritual direction for over twenty five years. Mary Ellen served in Latin America for seventeen years and so also speaks Spanish. She […]
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Buff Barnes
Buff has been offering spiritual direction to individuals and groups since 2004. She completed a certificate training at Oasis Ministries in Camp Hill, PA, and subsequently completed a Master's degree in Holistic Spirituality and Spiritual Direction at Chestnut Hill College. Buff is part of the spiritual direction ministry at Wayne Presbyterian Church and St. David's […]
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Sister Pat Mensing, SSJ
Sister Pat is a Sister of St. Joseph of Philadelphia who has served in education and parish ministries. She earned Master’s Degrees in English at Villanova University and Theology at St. Michael’s College in Colchester, VT, as well as her certificate in Spiritual Direction and Ignatian Retreats from Creighton University. She has directed weekend and […]
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Tricia Gardner
Tricia Gardner received her Bachelor's in Theology from Boston College and her Master's in Counseling Psychology from the Adler Institute in Chicago. Presently, she is working towards her certification in Spiritual Direction at Fairfield University. She has written two books. Traveling with Mary is her first book on prayer, And Her Name Is Lucia, is […]
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Michelle Gomez
Michelle Gomez received her certification in spiritual direction through the Murphy Center for Ignatian Spirituality at Fairfield University. She also works as a contracted Program Associate for the Ignatian Spiritual Direction Initiative at the Office of Ignatian Spirituality (OIS). She entered the path to spiritual direction and Ignatian Spirituality through work in parent ministry, where […]
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