August 2021
Directed Retreat
Retreats, especially silent directed retreats, allow us to withdraw from the busyness of life and to reflect on and deepen our relationship with God. Directed retreats offer an experience grounded in solitude, silence, prayer and daily meetings with a spiritual director. Directed silent retreats call for receptivity to the movements of the spirit and are adapted to the needs of each individual. Mercy by the Sea, located on the shores of Long Island Sound with 33 acres of grounds, offers a safe sacred space in which to explore who we are and who God is.
Find out more »November 2021
“Sacred travels in the Land of Loss – refining the Journey of Hope”
Presented to the retired Sisters of Charity of New York, residing in the Convent of St. Vincent, this 24 hour retreat will include three basic themes: Return to Familiar Ground , Shadows that Wait, and Focused on the Light. Participants will be encouraged to enter the Land of Loss with new/renewed information along with their deep well of experience and faith. Each session will include an opportunity to welcome grief as an ally in the Land of Loss. As Fr Richard Rohr describes Lisa Irish's contribution, "The roadmap is wise, but sensitive - grounded in hope -and reminds us to rest in God's healing love."
Find out more »December 2021
Loss and Grief Didactic
The JED Center for Spiritual Care and Education is an ACPE CPE accredited center offering Level I & Level II Clinical Pastoral Education, CPE. The faculty of the programs are ACPE Certified Educators. This one hour session will outline basic concepts around Conscious Grieving as part of a Clinical Pastoral Education unit of study.
Find out more »March 2022
Lenten Group Spiritual Direction – “Embracing Hope in a Time of Brokenness”
Invitation to Mercy Associates… You are invited to listen deeply to the sacred text of your life, to support others and to share a Lenten journey. Within community, we will unfold our spirits and awaken our souls in the flow of God’s love. Words from mystics, everyday saints and poets will guide us - we will listen, reflect and share light with one another. Join the brave space to nurture deep listening while learning the practice of group spiritual direction. Guided by Lisa Irish, you will meet with up to 7 participants for 2 hour sessions that will include a form of silent meditation and shared reflection taught by Rose Mary Dougherty, SSND. As a certified GSD facilitator, Lisa brings experience and a ministry of healing to our sacred Lenten walk. Tuesdays: March 8,15, 22, 29, April 5,12 at 6:30-8:30p
Find out more »Moving from Lament to Hope in a Changing World
"Moving from Lament to Hope in a Changing World" - Part One of a three-part series to explore, grieve and pray with Covid's life-changing impact on our relationships.
Find out more »April 2022
Conscious Grieving – Cultivating Hope in the Land of Loss
“Each time we say yes to our fears and vulnerabilities, we move closer to our hopes and strengths.” — Lisa Irish We are experiencing loss and grief in an entirely new way these days. As our global humanitarian losses mount, our personal losses can become “disenfranchised” in that we do not receive the community recognition and support that we expect and need. At the same time, we can feel overwhelmed by the “collective and anticipatory grief” that we share each day. Conscious Grieving invites us to trust the healing that all types of grief offer, even in these extreme times. Let us come together to explore the transformative nature of grief, honor the sacred strands of connectedness that support our humanity, and trust the One wherein hope lies. This onsite program will include presentation, prayer, small and large group conversation, quiet and ritual – all valuable resources for healing. Those from all faith traditions with all kinds of losses are welcome, including those wounded from COVID-19. We will share a contemplative space where each person’s experience of loss is honored and each person’s heart is acknowledged as precious. Together, we will find nourishment and strength in compassion and discover the connective…
Find out more »Loss and Grief Didactic
The JED Center for Spiritual Care and Education is an ACPE CPE accredited center offering Level I & Level II Clinical Pastoral Education, CPE. The faculty of the programs are ACPE Certified Educators. Serving as adjunct faculty, this one hour session will outline basic concepts around Conscious Grieving as part of a Clinical Pastoral Education unit of study.
Find out more »May 2022
Silent Directed Retreat
In our tumultuous world, there seems to be a need to seek a new way of being that affirms life, acknowledges the interconnectedness of all things, and honors the sacred in all creation. To that end, Mercy by the Sea’s programs help participants listen in to and trust the still inner voice that speaks to them beyond ego, consumerism and cultural systems of domination. This deep listening allows their deepest longings, creative imagination and fledgling efforts in service of a greater good to incubate, grow, emerge, nurture and pollinate the world. Silent directed retreats allow us to withdraw from the busyness of life and to reflect on and deepen our relationship with God. They offer an experience grounded in solitude, silence, and prayer, and include daily meetings with a spiritual director.
Find out more »October 2022
Zoom program: Group Spiritual Direction – Claiming the Light Within – SOLD OUT
Come share the sacred space of Group Spiritual Direction to support your exploration of the Light that resides within each of us. Allow our circle of trust through a monthly Zoom session to encounter the Divine within one another, yourself, and in our brave and complex world. GSD, introduced by Rose Mary Dougherty, SSND, provides a gentle container for silence and reflection, inviting participants to “be with God on behalf of one another.” Together, we will claim and savor the Light of love that leads us forward. Sessions will be 6-8p ET on the following Tuesdays: 10/11/22, 11/8/22, 12/13/22, 1/10/23, 2/14/23, 3/14/23 REGISTER HERE
Find out more »November 2022
Healing Loss Through Conscious Grieving and Writing
How do we heal from loss? We grieve. Our bodies, minds and hearts are created to process loss of all kinds through a sacred journey of grieving. A significant resource on that journey is writing….putting pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard) opens our heart in new ways and supports our desire to heal. This overnight retreat will offer a safe space for reflection, writing, sharing and stillness. As you give voice to your loss and allow time for your grief, you take brave steps toward hope and healing. REGISTER HERE
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