Special Event:
FOR WOMEN SEEKING DIRECTION IN THEIR LIVES: WOMEN AT A CROSSROADS June 29 - July 25, 2010

This four-week program, held each summer, is for women who are intentionally committed to seeking God's guidance in living out their baptismal call — in business or professional careers, in homemaking or lay careers in the church, in ordained ministry or life in a religious community, or in the many other ways in which we may serve God. You may be called to share in this program if you are interested in:

• sharing in Christian community
• learning how to live a balanced life of prayer, service, study, rest and recreation
  
• engaging in classes and discussions about Christian life and vocation
  
• receiving personal guidance in deepening their prayer life

There is no fee for room and board, but participants contribute to the life of the community by sharing in the Sisters' work. A monetary contribution (tax deductible) may be made to the Sisterhood. See registration here » Visit the Crossroads webpage here »

Individually Directed Retreat:
SUMMER DIRECTED RETREAT June 13-18, 2010

This is a 5-day individually directed retreat, open to all who would like to enjoy the peaceful spaciousness of the summer gardens and beautiful restfulness of the indoor spaces at St. John’s Convent. You will have an opportunity to be accompanied individually in your prayer as you respond to the Spirit of God within you. The retreat may be lengthened or shortened depending on availability of space and directors. Led by experienced spiritual directors.

Quiet Saturdays:
GOD’S STORY AND OUR STORY June 5, 2010

Bishop Douglas Blackwell is known for his gift of story-telling and his passion for the Biblical story. In this Quiet Saturday, he will explore ways in which our personal stories intersect with God’s story and what that means for our lives.

View/download the poster for this retreat here » [295k pdf]

Guided Retreat:
EXODUS JOURNEY: A HOLY WEEK RETREAT March 31 - April 4, 2010

Beginning with a Christian adaptation of the Seder meal on Wednesday evening, and ending with the great festival of the Resurrection, share the fellowship, silence, and liturgies of Holy Week with the Sisters, and reflect on the way the mysteries of Jesus’ death and resurrection lead us on our own Exodus journey. Led by Srs. Elizabeth Ann and Constance Joanna. Both sisters have a special love ofr the liturgies of Holy Week and the Jewish origins of our celebrations

Begins at 4 pm Wednesday, ends 1:30 pm Sunday. Special Holy Week fee of $300, with a $50 deposit. See registration here »

Individually Directed Retreat:
WEEKEND INDIVIDUALLY DIRECTED RETREAT March 19-21, 2010

This is an opportunity to be accompanied individually as a way to deepen your prayer life, to explore particular issues or needs in your relationship with God, and to grow in sensitivity to the movements of the Spirit of God within you. Led by experienced spiritual directors.

Begins at 4 pm Friday, ends 1:30 pm Sunday. Standard weekend fee. See registration here »

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Quiet Saturdays:
A MOSAIC OF COLOURS This event was cancelled.

Discover your creativity and enjoy the challenge, fun and fellowship of making your own colour-dyed silk scarves with Sr. Jessica, SSJD. This workshop is designed for beginners as well as for those with previous experience. Sr. Jessica has been in the Sisterhood for over 25 years and loves to pray and play with colour. To view/download the poster for this event, click here » [387k pdf]

Guided Retreat:
SIMPLICITY & JOY February 26-28, 2010

Instead of focusing on traditional Lenten disciplines of penitence and “giving up,” Sr. Anitra, SSJD believes we need to pay attention to the message Jesus tried so hard to give to the people to whom he preached and cared for – one which emphasizes the total giving of ourselves in Simplicity and Joy to our troubled world. View/download the poster for this retreat here » [188k pdf]

Individually Directed Retreat: Deepen Your Prayer Life
READING WEEK RETREAT February 14-19, 2010

This is a 5-day individually directed retreat, open to everyone but timed especially for Toronto School of Theology students. Enjoy a time of silence, rest in God, and an opportunity to be accompanied individually in your prayer as you respond to the Spirit of God within you. Those who cannot come for the whole week may arrange for a shorter retreat, depending on available space. Led by experienced spiritual directors.

• View/download the poster for this retreat here » [394k pdf]
• See dates for other individually directed retreats here »

Quiet Saturdays:
SPIRITUAL FRIENDSHIP: LENT QUIET DAY FOR ASSOCIATES AND FRIENDS February 20, 2010

Growing in love for the Lord is quickened when we have friendships to learn from. As well as consulting our own experience, we will dip into William Paul Young's The Shack and the great Celtic saint, Aelred's writings on Spiritual Friendship. Led by Sr. Beryl, SSJD, who has been one of the Sisterhood Associate directors for ma

]'«ny years, and currently serves as a Spiritual Care visitor at St. John’s Rehab Hospital.

Guided Retreat: STORIES OF CONVERSION AND TRANSFORMATION IN CONTEMPORARY FILMS January 29-31, 2010

Films offer a unique opportunity to explore Biblical themes as reflected in contemporary culture, and give us insight into our own spiritual journeys. Join the Rev. Gary van der Meer in this fascinating exploration of conversion and transformation, featuring the film Chocolat as well as scenes from other films. Gary is Incumbent of St. John, West Toronto [website »] and an avid fam of film as a cultural expression of the universal search for God. - View/download the poster for this retreat here »

Quiet Saturdays:
GOD DELIGHTS IN YOU January 16, 2010

There comes a time when all of us need to examine our images of God, acquired over the years from parents, teachers, priests, friends, our own reading and experiences. Whether positive or negative, conscious or unconscious, these images have a strong impact on our lives. Come, listen and reflect with Sister Anitra, SSJD, the Sisterhood’s Archivist and a spiritual director. Sr. Anitra recently celebrated her 25th anniversary of Life Profession in the Sisterhood.

Guided Retreat:
IN THE FULLNESS OF TIME: CELEBRATING THE PAST, VISIONING THE NEW December 31, 2009 - January 1, 2010

Tired of New Year’s Eve parties? Consider spending 28 hours (or more if you wish) at the Convent, celebrating the New Year in liturgy, enjoyment of festive food, and fellowship. Sisters of SSJD will guide participants in reflecting on the blessings and challenges of the year past, and envisioning God’s invitation to each in the new year.

Guided Retreat:
JOURNEY TO BETHLEHEM December 23-26, 2009

Celebrate Christmas with the Sisters, enjoying the pre-Christmas and Christmas liturgies, with time for both quiet reflection and festive celebration. Sisters of SSJD will lead participants in a period of daily reflection, with opportunity to express their creativity in decorating the Guest House as well as joining in the singing and celebrations of Christmas.

Quiet Saturdays:
THE BLAZING LIGHT OF ADVENT: QUIET DAY FOR ASSOCIATES AND FRIENDS December 5, 2009

Plan to join Eileen Beatty in a journey towards the mystery of Advent. This is an invitation to expand our horizons with grace and courage as we encounter the shadows of the cave within, discovering anew the glory of the blazing light of Advent. Eileen is an SSJD Associate and a popular spiritual director.

View/ download the Advent's Blazing Light poster (248k pdf) here »

Guided Retreat:
THE BLAZING LIGHT OF ADVENT: RE-IMAGINING ADVENT THROUGH THE EYES OF RENAISSANCE MASTERS November 27-29, 2009

How do we understand the traditional Advent themes of the “Last Things”: Death, Judgement, Heaven and Hell? How are the Last Things an appropriate way of preparing for the “First Things” at Bethlehem?

This retreat with the Rev. Bill Whitla puts them in a wider context, through the Bible and Renaissance masters like Fra Angelico, Botticelli. Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, and others. We look at how the great Advent themes of hope and preparation are portrayed and changed—much for the better—in the paintings and sculpture of the late Middle Ages and the Renaissance, to see how people of clear insight and pictorial imagination portray things never seen by humans. We see how they reformulate the traditional themes in their paintings to represent the mystery of Advent in new ways that are challenging and moving, giving us space to grow and respond afresh to the opening of the church year.

Bill Whitla is an SSJD Associate, teaches literature and humanities at York University and assists at Holy Trinity, Eaton Centre. View/ download the Advent's Blazing Light poster (248k pdf) here »

Individually Directed Retreat:
WEEKEND RETREAT November 20-22, 2009

This is an opportunity to be accompanied individually as a way to deepen your prayer life, to explore particular issues or needs in your relationship with God, and to grow in sensitivity to the movements of the Spirit of God within you.

An experienced spiritual director will accompany you individually in your prayer as you respond to the Spirit of God within you.

Quiet Saturdays:
FRESH EYES AND HEARTS, SEARCHING FOR GOD'S LOVE - November 14, 2009

"Jesus lived with the awareness that God is doing something right here, right now, and anybody can be a part of it. He encouraged his listeners to search, to question, to wrestle with the implications of what he was saying and doing. He inspired, challenged, provoked, comforted, and invited people to be open to God's work in this world. Wherever he went, whatever he did, Jesus started discussions about what matters most, because for Jesus, God is always inviting us to open our eyes and join in" (Rob Bell).

You are invited to search, question and join the discussion, as we explore our world through Jesus's eyes and heart, using short videos and theological reflection. Sr. Amy leads this quiet Saturday. She recently made her life vows in the Sisterhood; she oversees the Convent kitchen, coordinates our web site, and assists in the Guest House.

Begins 9:30 am with gathering for coffee; ends at 3:30 pm

View/ download the Fresh Eyes and Hearts poster (295k pdf) here »

Guided Retreat:
SACRED ART FOR ALL SAINTS October 30 - November 1, 2009

Sacred art is a prayer of awareness in which the visual image communicates more deeply than words. In this retreat over the Halloween / All Saints weekend, we will explore our “inner saints” and our “inner monsters (shadows)” through forms of art from the mundane (painting T-shirts) to the transcendent (drawing mandalas and mandorlas).

As we “play” with art, we “pray” our longing for God and move more deeply into experiencing God’s longing for us. You do not need to be "artistic" to pray with art; you only need to be willing to experiment and have fun. Led by Sisters of SSJD.

READING WEEK Individually Directed Retreat - October 25 to 30, 2009 (TST Reading Week) – 4 p.m. Sunday to 1:30 p.m. Friday

This is a 5-day individually directed retreat, open to everyone but timed especially for Toronto School of Theology students. Enjoy a time of silence, rest in God, and an opportunity to be accompanied individually in your prayer as you respond to the Spirit of God within you. Those who cannot come for the whole week may arrange for a shorter retreat, depending on available space. Led by experienced spiritual directors. Begins 4 pm Sunday; ends 1:30 pm Friday. Standard fee for Directed Retreats; special student rate applies. See registration here »

Guided Retreat:
NEW ENCOUNTERS WITH JESUS: Toward a Larger Christ - September 21-23, 2009

For our relationship with God to be dynamic rather than static, we always have to ask “what more of our Maker have we yet to encounter?”

In this retreat, John Bell of the Iona Community will reflect on aspects of the ministry of Jesus which are biblically verifiable, but often eclipsed in the conversation of the Church. Scriptural reflections and songs gathered from the world church as well as the Iona Community will enable our time together to be helpful and holistic. Morning and Evening prayer will also follow the Iona worship tradition. John is an inspiring speaker and the composer of well-known and loved contemporary Christian music used in the Iona Community and around the world.

• Download the poster for this event for print (1.35 MB pdf) here »; for web /email (300k pdf) here »
• Visit the Iona Community online here »

Individually Directed Retreat:
READING WEEK RETREAT October 25-30, 2009

This is a 5-day individually directed retreat. Enjoy a time of silence, rest in God, and an opportunity to be accompanied individually in your prayer as you respond to the Spirit of God within you... See IDR details here »

SACRED LAUGHTER: A (SOMEWHAT) QUIET SATURDAY September 26, 2009 There is a Japanese proverb which states, "To laugh is to converse with the gods." Sacred text tells us that, "a merry heart works like good medicine." All too often we are consumed with the seriousness of life and need to be reminded of the joy we are to God and the joy God is for us. Laughter and play can provide us with psychological and physiological benefits that decrease stress and aid the immune system. In this quiet day Rev. Don Shields invited us to embrace joy and laughter as healing virtues for life. Don serves as assistant curate at Grace Church Markham and as Chaplain at Markham Stouffville Hospital.

QUIET GARDEN DAYS Inspired by the Quiet Garden Trust in England, this is a day to relax, renew, and rest in the beauty of God’s outdoors, as well as to enjoy the Sisters’ chapel and library. Quiet Garden Days were held June 27,2009, August 1, 2009, and September 19, 2009. See the 2010 Quiet Garden Day schedule here »

SUMMER Individually Directed Retreat August 9 to 14, 2009 – 4 p.m. Sunday to 1:30 p.m. Friday This was a 5-day individually directed retreat, open to all who would like to enjoy the peaceful spaciousness of the summer gardens and beautiful restfulness of the indoor spaces at St. John’s Convent. Participants had opportunity to be accompanied individually in prayer as they responded to the Spirit of God within. The retreat could be lengthened or shortened depending on availability of space and directors. Led by experienced spiritual directors.

Special Event: WOMEN AT A CROSSROADS - June 30 - July 26, 2009 This four-week program, held each summer, is for women who are intentionally committed to seeking God's guidance in living out their baptismal call. See details here »

Individually Directed Retreat (for clergy only) This is an opportunity to be accompanied individually as a way to deepen your prayer life, to explore particular issues or needs in your relationship with God, and to grow in sensitivity to the movements of the Spirit of God within you. Led by experienced spiritual directors. Held June 16-18, 2009.

Make a Lap Labyrinth … and Let Your Fingers Do the Walking The labyrinth is an ancient form of walking meditation, but we may be unable to walk or have access to a full-sized labyrinth. We will make lightweight plexiglass labyrinths that we can hold on our laps for meditation and prayer at those times when we cannot walk. Additional charge -$10.00 for supplies. Led by Alison Morrow, SSJD Associate. Held June 13, 2009

God in Transition for clergy only How can we find, and help others to find, a Christ-centred approach to dealing with times of immense change and transition, in the world, the church and our personal lives? How can we discern what change is life-giving and to be nourished, and what is destructive and to be resisted? How can we welcome change in a life-giving way and embrace our own responsibility for helping to shape the future? Led by Margaret Silf, well-known author and retreat leader. held May 12-14, 2009

God in Transition all welcome We are living through times of enormous change and transition. Global challenges affect our future as a human family on this planet, and also affect our personal lives and choices. Some changes are like childbirth — painful yet ultimately life-giving. Others are potentially destructive. How can we tell the difference and make our own choices accordingly. How will we respond to our own personal call to help shape humanity according to God’s unfolding Dream? Led by Margaret Silf, well-known author and retreat leader. Held May 15-17, 2009

A Pilgrimage to the Holy Places in Holy Week Join Sr. Constance Joanna, SSJD, and Sr. Egeria (a fourth-century Spanish Nun) as they lead you on a pilgrimage to the Holy Places. We will stop at the Dome of the Rock, the Church of St. Helena, and other places in Jerusalem where the Holy Week liturgies took place in the early church. Egeria will tell us about each of them as we prepare to celebrate those same liturgies here at St. John's Convent. As we share in Jesus' paschal journey, we will receive new understanding of the link between the church in the 4th century and the church in the 21st century. Held April 8-12, 2009

Suffering and Joy Very few of us walk through life without experiencing some form of suffering. For those of us who believe that God loves us, this can be confusing. If God loves us, why do we get sick, lose relationships, face inexplicable obstacles in our work or family lives? Our scriptures do not give us a ready answer as to why, but they do offer us liberating perspectives on responding to suffering. In particular, St. Paul has some remarkable reflections on suffering as believers in Christ. Among his most astonishing ideas is that joy is the companion of suffering. During the days of the retreat we will have opportunity to think deeply about how we may view our sufferings and the sufferings of our world from the perspective of being believers in Christ. Led by the Rev. Dr. Ann Jervis, Professor of New Testament at both Trinity and Wycliffe College. Held March 27-29, 2009

Individually Guided Retreat (for clergy only) This is an opportunity to be accompanied individually as a way to deepen your prayer life, to explore particular issues or needs in your relationship with God, and to grow in sensitivity to the movements of the Spirit of God within you. Led by experienced spiritual directors. Held March 2-5, 2009

Individually Guided Retreat (open to anyone) This is an opportunity to be accompanied individually as a way to deepen your prayer life, to explore particular issues or needs in your relationship with God, and to grow in sensitivity to the movements of the Spirit of God within you. Led by experienced spiritual directors. Held February 20-22, 2009

Sacred Art Retreat (for artistic klutzes and artists alike) In this retreat we will use art as a form of prayer, as a way of getting in touch with the Divine Mystery that is God. Sacred art is a prayer of awareness in which the visual image communicates more deeply than words. You do not need to be “artistic” to pray with art; only willing to experiment and have fun. Led by Sisters of SSJD Held November 21-23, 2008

Individually Guided Retreat (for clergy only) This is an opportunity to be accompanied individually as a way to deepen your prayer life, to explore particular issues or needs in your relationship with God, and to grow in sensitivity to the movements of the Spirit of God within you. Led by experienced spiritual directors. Held November 18-20, 2008

Lessons from The Vicar of Dibley The popular British TV comedy, The Vicar of Dibley, provides a window into the joys and challenges of living the Christian life. Vicar Geraldine is earthy, funny, full of wisdom and insight, sometimes rude, and always compassionate. With her eccentric and loveable parishioners, Geraldine faces issues that challenge every community of Christians—how to love and care for people who are very different from us, how to discern God’s call to us, how to live a faithful Christian life in a post-Christian culture, how to find loving human intimacy as well as intimacy with God. Come and share your own insights as we watch some of the most memorable episodes of this heart-warming comedy series. Led by Sr. Constance Joanna, SSJD. Held October 17-19, 2008

Individually Guided Retreat (open to anyone) This is an opportunity to be accompanied individually as a way to deepen your prayer life, to explore particular issues or needs in your relationship with God, and to grow in sensitivity to the movements of the Spirit of God within you. Led by experienced spiritual directors. Held September 19-21, 2008

Let’s Take a Walk—The Journey of a Lifetime Walkathons are in. Even those of us who are not enthusiastic walkers are inundated with requests to sponsor another in support of a cause—to wipe out cancer, to house the homeless, to ease the anguish of those suffering from AIDS. These are worthy walks, but they are quick and easy. Christians are called to another walk, the journey of a lifetime. Scripture is filled with comings and goings, arrivals and departures. As Jesus walked with his friends, his followers today walk with him still. This retreat offers an opportunity to reflect on our life as travelers in his company. Led by the Rev. Dr. Margaret Guenther, well-known author and retreat leader. Held September 12-14, 2008

Tend My Sheep: Deepening the Spiritual Life of the Parish—and Ourselves (for clergy only) To Peter’s repeated protestations of love, Jesus commanded: “Feed my lambs. Tend my sheep. Feed my sheep.” This would be simpler if we were entrusted with the care of actual four-legged, woolly, not very intelligent creatures. It might be hard work, but there would be little room for subtlety and we would know when we had done the job satisfactorily. Much more difficult is the translation of this divine imperative into our ministry with and among our sisters and brothers, complex creatures made in the image of God. Led by the Rev. Dr. Margaret Guenther, well known author and retreat leader. Held September 9-11, 2008

RECENT QUIET SATURDAYS

Why Go into the Desert? “Therefore, I will now allure her, and bring her into the wilderness, and speak tenderly to her.” Why does God call or lure us into the wilderness? What will we find there? What do we need for the journey? What will happen to us if we answer God’s call to spend time in the desert? Led by Sr. Elizabeth, SSJD. Held March 21, 2009

Circle of Quiet—Praying the Rosary Learn to pray with the Anglican Rosary, and to make your own. Bring your own crochet hooks (size 7 to 4); we will provide cord for knotted rosaries, plastic and wooden beads, crosses, and instructions. Led by Sr. Sarah Jean, SSJD. Held February 21, 2009

Discerning Your Journey A new year energizes our intention to live a God-centred life. Mind mapping, frequently used for study, organizing and creating, can also offer insights for discernment as your life unfolds. This quiet day offers an opportunity to learn and use this simple but effective tool and make it part of your regular practice. Led by Norah Bolton, SSJD Associate. Held January 24, 2009

The Gospel Songs of Advent Bishop Colin Johnson offers a day of reflection on the themes of the coming of our Lord based on the canticles of Mary and Zechariah, found in Luke's Gospel. We know them as the Magnificat and Benedictus. These two canticles have been an (almost) unchanging part of the daily evening and morning prayer of the church for millennia. They have been spoken by rote by a solitary worshiper, chanted by the most tuneless congregations, and set to some of the world's most sublime music. How has such repetition influenced, both at a conscious and sub-conscious level, the way we think and pray about our expectations of Jesus' first (and second) coming to his world? Hear again the deep longing and the profound promises of justice and mercy that are at the heart of Advent. Held December 6, 2008

Luke's Jersusalem Tales Luke’s Gospel includes many parables that are in none of the other Gospels; most of these (eight in total) are in that part of Luke’s narrative that recalls Jesus’ travel towards Jerusalem. The Gospel of Luke is kind of like Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales in this way. On this Quiet Day, we will contemplate several of Luke's "Jerusalem Tales" parables that both teach and delight. Led by the Rev. Dr. Pauline Head, SSJD Associate. Held November 8, 2008

Dreams: Wisdom from the Unconscious Robert Johnson says that dreams express the unconscious. They are dynamic mosaics, composed of symbols that express the movements, conflicts, interactions, and developments of the great energy systems within the unconscious. How can we begin to discover the meaning of our dreams without extensive training? Led by Sr. Elizabeth, SSJD. Held October 4, 2008