Advent Mandalas
2025-12-04 09:30 - 16:00 (America/Chicago) | Sophia Spirituality Center, 751 S. 8th Street, Atchison, KS, 66002
On-site

Register

This peaceful, hands-on workshop invites you to explore the sacred and contemplative process of growing a mandala—an ancient spiritual practice that reflects the journey inward toward wholeness and divine presence. Through simple, prayerful steps, you will be gently guided to create your own mandala, using the process as a form of meditation and quiet reflection. No drawing skills are required—only a willingness to slow down, be present, and open yourself to the creative Spirit within during the holy season of Advent.

*Includes supplies and the noon meal.

Please register by November 25.

After receiving your registration, you will receive a confirmation email from us which will include your invoice. We never want our retreat costs to be prohibitive to anyone who wants to attend our programs, so we are pleased to offer scholarships. Fill out our simple scholarship request form now!

Read about our cancellation and refund policy.

Sharon Highberger

Sharon Highberger is a spiritual director and retired chaplain in Topeka, Ks. She is commissioned by Contemplative Outreach to teach centering prayer and is an oblate of Mount St. Scholastica in Atchison. In her book, Dancing with Depression, she writes of her spiritual recovery from clinical depression.

The Remarkable Roots of Christmas: Discovering the Women in Jesus’s Family Tree (2-part series)
2025-12-04 13:00 - 14:30 | Sophia Spirituality Center, 751 S. 8th Street, Atchison, KS, 66002
Zoom

Register

Join us as we seek to learn more about the five women mentioned in Matthew’s Gospel as part of Jesus’s genealogy. We will look at the stories of these women to discern why it was important to the Gospel writer to mention them by name. Some questions we will consider include: Who are these women? Who are they in relation to Jesus? How are they significant, not only in their own right, but what is their significance in being included in this Gospel?

This retreat will primarily be lecture-style with time for questions and comments. Plan to have your Bible on-hand when we meet.

Please register by December 1.

After receiving your registration, you will receive a confirmation email from us which will include your invoice. We never want our retreat costs to be prohibitive to anyone who wants to attend our programs, so we are pleased to offer scholarships. Fill out our simple scholarship request form now!

Read about our cancellation and refund policy.

Renee Neff-Clark

Renee Neff-Clark has a degree in Religious Studies and has been a student of the Bible and a leader of Bible Studies throughout her life. The stories of women in Scripture have always held a special place in her heart, as they represent and reflect the lives of all women, both then and now. Although recently moved to Arizona, Renee continues to share her love of scripture and poetry with us.

Coffee and Silence–A Prayerful Day Away
2025-12-12 09:30 - 15:30, 2026-01-13 09:30 - 15:30, 2026-02-18 09:30 - 15:30, 2026-03-12 09:30 - 15:30, 2026-04-01 09:30 - 15:30 | Sophia Spirituality Center, 751 S. 8th Street, Atchison, KS, 66002
On-site

Register

Experience the rejuvenation that a quiet, peaceful day away can bring. Join us for Coffee & Silence—a mini-retreat intended for you to spend time as you wish: in silent prayer, reading, contemplative walks, or restful reflection. Bring your lunch, and enjoy coffee (or tea!) and perhaps a delicious treat as you savor this prayerful escape.

Please register no less than 2 days prior.

After we receive your registration, you can expect to receive a confirmation email from us.

Journeying with the Magi
2026-01-07 10:30 - 11:30 | Sophia Spirituality Center, 751 S. 8th Street, Atchison, KS, 66002
Zoom

Register

This prayerful experience draws inspiration from the Scripture passage of the three magi who followed the star to the Messiah, offering their gifts in reverence. Guided by their story, we will look deeply within ourselves to recognize the gifts we have been given and consider how we are called to share them with others.

The retreat will include scripture, guided meditation, quiet reflection, time for sharing, and a closing prayer.

Please register by January 5.

After receiving your registration, you will receive a confirmation email from us which will be your invoice. We never want our retreat costs to be prohibitive to anyone who wants to attend our programs, so we are pleased to offer scholarships. Fill out our simple scholarship request form now!

*Read about our cancellation and refund policy.

Sr. Linda Zahner

Sr. Linda is a member of Mount St. Scholastica Monastery in Atchison, Kansas. For 32 years, she worked in education as a teacher, administrator, and executive officer for a consolidated Catholic school system. In 1996, she received her certification as a spiritual director and retreat director from the Creighton Spirituality Program. She completed massage therapy training at the Universal College of Healing Arts in Omaha, Nebraska, passing her national boards in 1999. Sr. Linda guides retreats and offers therapeutic massage, promoting a holistic approach to health and well-being of body, mind, and spirit.

Retreat with the Women Doctors of the Church (4-week series)
2026-01-08 12:30 - 14:00 | Sophia Spirituality Center, 751 S. 8th Street, Atchison, KS, 66002
Zoom

Register

Among the 38 saints who have received special recognition for the significance of their teaching, there are four famous women: Hildegard of Bingen, Catherine of Siena, Teresa of Avila and Therese of Liseaux. Retreatants will be able to reflect on the unique life and message of each of these major figures in the Church.

Please register by January 6th.

After receiving your registration, you will receive a confirmation email from us which will be your invoice. We never want our retreat costs to be prohibitive to anyone who wants to attend our programs, so we are pleased to offer scholarships. Fill out our simple scholarship request form now!

Sr. Judith Sutera

Sr. Judith Sutera, OSB, MA, a member of Mount St. Scholastica Monastery, has master’s degrees in counseling and monastic spirituality. She serves as an oblate director for Mount St. Scholastica and as a writer, speaker, and retreat director. She edits Magistra, a journal of the history of women’s spirituality, and is the author of Wisdom from Saint Benedict (Lent and Advent volumes), The Vinedresser’s Notebook, and Benedict’s Rule: An Inclusive Translation and Daily Commentary.

The Book of Hours
2026-01-09 19:00 - 2026-01-11 10:00 | Sophia Spirituality Center, 751 S. 8th Street, Atchison, KS, 66002
On-site

Register

“In knowing what now means, we are experiencing something that transcends time: eternity.” —David Steindl-Rast

Often we spend our days hurried, mindlessly getting through what needs to be done and ending our day exhausted. With the popularity and plethora of books and classes and systems of “time management,” it is clear we hunger for a better relationship with time. The Benedictine tradition offers a different way. The liturgical hours of the day are a framework that help us access a time we rarely find: now. Learning to become present, we meet the eternal now moment, where we encounter ourselves and the divine. This retreat will be an experiential walk through the hours of the day; an exploration in music, prayer, and art of each hour’s gift to us; and an invitation to the present moment. We will make a book to contain our reflections, our own “Book of Hours,” to take home as a reminder and tangible way to tune into our days with praise and gratitude.

*Includes all supplies, a private room, and meals. We will begin with a social on Friday from 6:00-7:00 p.m. All guests are welcome to stay for Sunday Eucharist, followed by lunch, before leaving.

Please register by January 2.

After we receive your registration, you can expect to receive a confirmation email from us which will include your invoice. We never want our retreat costs to be prohibitive to anyone who wants to attend our programs, so we are pleased to offer scholarships. Fill out our simple scholarship request form now!

Renee Bhatia

Renee Bhatia, is a spiritual director and expressive arts facilitator with an interest in spirituality and creative expression. Her work explores contemplative spaces and practices that support healing, growth, and transformation. She is also involved in the formation of spiritual directors and expressive arts facilitators through teaching, supervision, and mentoring. Renee believes creativity is an inherent part of being human and we make the world a better place when we allow it to flourish in everyone.www.temenosarts.com

Sr. Susan Barber

Sister Susan serves as liturgist for the Mount St. Scholastica community, providing music on organ and piano for prayer and Mass.

In her leisure, she enjoys playing the piano, making music with others, walking outdoors, reading, and spending time with family and friends.

Week of Prayer for Christian Unity
2026-01-18 00:00 - 2026-01-25 23:59 | Kansas
You are invited to join us in a week of prayer, right from your own home, for the cause of Christian Unity among the various denominations in our own hometowns.

The theme for The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity in the year 2026 is a verse taken from St. Paul’s Letter to the Ephesians 4:4 “There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope of your calling.”

Connect to Your Prayer Resource Page

Precious Blood Renewal Center, in Liberty, Missouri, is a ministry of the United States Province of the Missionaries of the Precious Blood, a Catholic religious order.

The Marillac Center, the retreat and spirituality center of the Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth, in Leavenworth, Kansas.

The Sophia Center is a ministry of the Benedictine Sisters of Mount St. Scholastica in Atchison, Kansas.

Sole to Soul: A Personal Retreat Day
2026-01-22 09:30 - 15:30 | Sophia Spirituality Center, 751 S. 8th Street, Atchison, KS, 66002
On-site

Register for Waitlist

Registration is full, but we encourage you to register for the waitlist, as cancellations do sometimes occur.

Take a day to refresh and restore your soul, mind, and body. Sr. Linda Zahner will lead a guided meditation drawing upon the wisdom of St. Hildegard of Bingen to start the day, and then you can choose from one of three options— reflexology, contemplative healing touch, or spiritual direction—to add to your time. You will also have ample opportunity to visit the chapel, walk the grounds, or relax at Sophia Center—whatever nourishes your health and well-being.

*Cost also includes lunch. Registration is limited to 3.

Please register by January 15.

After receiving your registration, you will receive a confirmation email from us which will include your invoice. We never want our retreat costs to be prohibitive to anyone who wants to attend our programs, so we are pleased to offer scholarships. Fill out our simple scholarship request form now!

Read about our cancellation and refund policy.

Sr. Linda Zahner

Sr. Linda is a member of Mount St. Scholastica Monastery in Atchison, Kansas. For 32 years, she worked in education as a teacher, administrator, and executive officer for a consolidated Catholic school system. In 1996, she received her certification as a spiritual director and retreat director from the Creighton Spirituality Program. She completed massage therapy training at the Universal College of Healing Arts in Omaha, Nebraska, passing her national boards in 1999. Sr. Linda guides retreats and offers therapeutic massage, promoting a holistic approach to health and well-being of body, mind, and spirit.

Souljourners Inquiry Session
2026-01-22 11:00 - 12:00, 2026-02-13 15:00 - 16:00 | Sophia Spirituality Center, 751 S. 8th Street, Atchison, KS, 66002
Zoom

Register

These sessions are designed for those who are interested in becoming a spiritual director, or learning the skills of spiritual direction, through Souljourners, our 3-year on-site formation program. Join us as we provide an in-depth view of Souljourners to help you determine if it is a path you feel called to pursue. Have your program questions answered. For those coming for an on-site day, you will also have the opportunity to tour the campus and Sophia Center as well.

*Following our on-site inquiry sessions, we invite you to join us in the monastery dining room for lunch with the sisters.

Please register no later than 3 days prior to Zoom inquiries, and no later than 1 week prior to in-person inquiries.

Divine Harmonies—Exploring Spiritual Themes in Broadway Musicals
2026-01-30 18:30 - 2026-01-31 16:30 | Sophia Spirituality Center, 751 S. 8th Street, Atchison, KS, 66002
On-site

Register

Every year, thousands of people flock to theaters to immerse themselves in the beauty and grandeur of musicals. These stories, set to music, draw us into the lives of their characters in a unique and powerful way—through song and dance that often lingers in our hearts long after the curtain falls.

Join us in exploring the timeless appeal of musical theatre and reflecting on what these stories can teach us about faith, morals, and our connection to God. Whether you’re attending for the first time or returning for another encore, you’ll enjoy a new lineup of musicals—each offering fresh insights and inspiration for the spiritual journey.

*Cost includes a private room and meals. Our time together will begin with a social on Friday at 5:30.

Please register by January 23.

After receiving your registration, you will receive a confirmation email from us which will include your invoice. We never want our retreat costs to be prohibitive to anyone who wants to attend our programs, so we are pleased to offer scholarships. Fill out our simple scholarship request form now!

*Read about our cancellation and refund policy.

Sr. Suzanne Fitzmaurice

Sister Suzanne has served as campus minister at Notre Dame de Sion High School, then taught at Cristo Rey High School, Kansas City, before joining Keeler Women’s Center as associate director. In addition, she has ministered as the IT and hospitality coordinator at Sophia Spirituality Center, computer IT support specialist at the monastery and as the Monastic Congregation of St. Scholastica webmaster. After studying for a year in County Cork, Ireland, she graduated from the University College of Cork in March 2024 with a master’s degree in Beginnings of Irish Christianity. She currently is the director of monastic temporalities.

Potter: Shaped and Reshaped
2026-02-04 10:30 - 11:30 | Sophia Spirituality Center, 751 S. 8th Street, Atchison, KS, 66002
Zoom

Register

This affirming prayer experience, Shaped and Reshaped, is inspired by Jeremiah’s image of God as the Potter. Like Jeremiah, we are invited to surrender and become supple clay in God’s hands, open to being molded into something new, beautiful, and of service — the very purpose God intended from the beginning of time.

The retreat will include scripture, guided meditation, quiet reflection, time for sharing, and a closing prayer.

Please register by February 2.

After receiving your registration, you will receive a confirmation email from us which will be your invoice. We never want our retreat costs to be prohibitive to anyone who wants to attend our programs, so we are pleased to offer scholarships. Fill out our simple scholarship request form now!

*Read about our cancellation and refund policy.

Sr. Linda Zahner

Sr. Linda is a member of Mount St. Scholastica Monastery in Atchison, Kansas. For 32 years, she worked in education as a teacher, administrator, and executive officer for a consolidated Catholic school system. In 1996, she received her certification as a spiritual director and retreat director from the Creighton Spirituality Program. She completed massage therapy training at the Universal College of Healing Arts in Omaha, Nebraska, passing her national boards in 1999. Sr. Linda guides retreats and offers therapeutic massage, promoting a holistic approach to health and well-being of body, mind, and spirit.

The Ignatian Way for Everyone (5-week book discussion group)
2026-02-04 13:00 - 14:30 | Sophia Spirituality Center, 751 S. 8th Street, Atchison, KS, 66002
Zoom

Register

Ignatian Spirituality is both practical and contemplative and an ongoing inspiration and guide for spiritual seekers today. We will be using the book The Spirituality of Transformation, Joy and Justice: The Ignatian Way for Everyone by Patrick Saint-Jean, SJ, as our introduction to Ignatian Spirituality. The Spiritual Exercises, developed by St. Ignatius of Loyola, are the foundation of this book, which will guide us on a transformative spiritual journey both within and without.

There will be weekly readings that will guide our time together. Each week will be spent primarily in discussion and sharing, along with guided prayer exercises. Everyone is welcome, no matter one’s knowledge of, or experience with, Ignatian Spirituality.

*If you would like us to order and send the book to you, please let us know when you register, and we will add an additional $25 to your invoice.

Please register by February 2.

After receiving your registration, you will receive a confirmation email from us which will be your invoice. We never want our retreat costs to be prohibitive to anyone who wants to attend our programs, so we are pleased to offer scholarships. Fill out our simple scholarship request form now!

*Read about our cancellation and refund policy.

Renee Neff-Clark

Renee Neff-Clark has a degree in Religious Studies and has been a student of the Bible and a leader of Bible Studies throughout her life. The stories of women in Scripture have always held a special place in her heart, as they represent and reflect the lives of all women, both then and now. Although recently moved to Arizona, Renee continues to share her love of scripture and poetry with us.

Exploring Image and Word: An Art/Journaling Prayer Practice (4-week series)
2026-02-05 19:00 - 20:30 | Sophia Spirituality Center, 751 S. 8th Street, Atchison, KS, 66002
Zoom

Register

Nurturing our ability to pay attention to our lives and find the sacred in the ordinary deepens our relationship with God and is the essence of prayer. An art journal can be a wonderful place to be with and “tell about” what matters most to us. In this retreat, we will explore a practice of paying attention, playing with words and images, and transforming them into expressive art journal pages, each unique to the hand that makes them. No prior experience with art or writing is required, only an open heart and some simple supplies.

Instructions for living a life:Pay attention.Be astonished.Tell about it. – Mary Oliver

Please register by February 3.

After receiving your registration, you will receive a confirmation email from us which will be your invoice. We never want our retreat costs to be prohibitive to anyone who wants to attend our programs, so we are pleased to offer scholarships. Fill out our simple scholarship request form now!

*Read about our cancellation and refund policy.

Renee Bhatia

Renee Bhatia, is a spiritual director and expressive arts facilitator with an interest in spirituality and creative expression. Her work explores contemplative spaces and practices that support healing, growth, and transformation. She is also involved in the formation of spiritual directors and expressive arts facilitators through teaching, supervision, and mentoring. Renee believes creativity is an inherent part of being human and we make the world a better place when we allow it to flourish in everyone.www.temenosarts.com

Donna Kehoe

Donna Kehoe graduated from Souljourners in 2018 and served as an intern in the program until joining the staff. She earned a master’s degree in English Literature and worked for more than thirty years as an adjunct faculty member, writer, and editor. Donna has been active in local church ministry for many years, leading small groups, mentoring youth, and offering spiritual direction. She is passionate about the ways the Spirit is present and active in all of life.

CANCELLED: Create a Sacred Collage Journal: Who You Say I Am
2026-02-13 19:00 - 2026-02-14 15:00 | Sophia Spirituality Center, 751 S. 8th Street, Atchison, KS, 66002
On-site

Register

Who are we? We often see what we dislike in ourselves, but God declared of all creation, “It is good!” In this workshop, we claim our identity as people or individuals who are created, loved and redeemed by God. Friday, we will each create a journal. Saturday, we’ll create collage pages around the theme of our identity. The materials for collage include mixed media: images, words, decorative paper, stamped prints and embellishments. Art can be a form of prayer, a process to center ourselves and open ourselves to experience God. Our focus is the process and not the product, so one need not be an accomplished artist but simply be willing to play and engage the materials. Join us for this creative and identity-affirming workshop.

*Cost includes all supplies, a private room and meals. Our time together will begin with a social on Friday at 6:00.

Please register by February 6.

After receiving your registration, you will receive a confirmation email from us which will be your invoice. We never want our retreat costs to be prohibitive to anyone who wants to attend our programs, so we are pleased to offer scholarships. Fill out our simple scholarship request form now!

*Read about our cancellation and refund policy.

Wendy Deering-Poynter

Wendy is an ordained minister serving as a church worship director. She is a spiritual companion, yoga instructor and florist. She lives in a farmhouse with her husband and two children, where she likes to dance in the kitchen and eat chocolate.

Lisa Martin

Lisa is a spiritual companion, quilter, sewer, and crafter. She works in public health and lives in a 100-year-old airplane bungalow with her cat, Paisley.

Looking Forward to Easter With Joy: Benedict’s Pathway Through Lent
2026-02-19 11:00 - 12:30 | Sophia Spirituality Center, 751 S. 8th Street, Atchison, KS, 66002
Zoom

Register

This is Sophia’s gift to you to help you get off to a good start on your Easter journey. Join Sr. Anne Elizabeth as she delves into the Rule of Benedict to see what Benedict has to say about celebrating Lent. Surprisingly, the two occurrences of the word “joy” in Benedict’s rule both occur in the chapter on Lent. Surprising because, for many of us, joy is not our first response to the season! In this session, we will explore the Lenten practices Benedict sets forth and their relevance to our own Lenten journey to Easter with joy and deeper awareness of our life in Christ.

Please register by February 17.

After receiving your registration, you will receive a confirmation email from us which will be your invoice. We never want our retreat costs to be prohibitive to anyone who wants to attend our programs, so we are pleased to offer scholarships. Fill out our simple scholarship request form now!

Read about our cancellation and refund policy.

Sr. Anne Elizabeth Sweet

Anne Elizabeth Sweet, OCSO, a Cistercian of Tautra Mariakloster in Norway, has a PhD in Scripture and has authored three books on the Psalms (in Norwegian). She is a regular contributor to Give Us This Day and is one of the authors of Northern Light in the Monastic Wisdom series published by Liturgical Press.

Praying the Lenten Scriptures (6-week series)
2026-02-19 19:00 - 20:00 | Sophia Spirituality Center, 751 S. 8th Street, Atchison, KS, 66002
Zoom

Register for the Series

This Lenten series offers a sacred pause each week to enter more deeply into the Sunday readings of the season. Together, we will create a prayerful space to listen for God’s voice speaking to us through the Scriptures, preparing our hearts to fully celebrate the Paschal mystery at Easter.Through practices such as centering prayer, lectio divina, and guided meditation, we will engage the Word of God not only with our minds but also with “the ear of our hearts.” Each gathering will provide time for quiet reflection as well as for sharing insights and encouragement with one another. Come ready to be nourished by God’s Word and supported by the presence of a praying community.

Please register by February 17.

After we receive your registration, you can expect to receive a confirmation email from us which will include your invoice. We never want our retreat costs to be prohibitive to anyone who wants to attend our programs and so we offer scholarships. Fill out our simple scholarship request form now!

Read about our cancellation and refund policy.

Mary Kay Whitacre

Mary Kay has worked in pastoral ministry in the Catholic Church for more than 45 years. She received a Master’s degree in Religious Education in 1982 and her Doctor of Ministry in 2017 from Seattle University. After she graduated from the Souljourners Spiritual Direction Formation Program in 2005, she joined the Souljourners staff. Currently, Mary Kay is a part of the Souljourners leadership team. She provides spiritual direction and supervision, and leads a variety of retreats for Sophia Center.

Lenten Lectio with Sunday Scriptures (6-week series)
2026-02-20 11:00 - 12:00 | Sophia Spirituality Center, 751 S. 8th Street, Atchison, KS, 66002
Zoom

Register

“Listen carefully, my child, to the instructions of your master, and incline the ear of your heart.” The Rule of St. Benedict, Prologue

The liturgical season of Lent gives us the opportunity to listen more closely and more deeply with the ear of our hearts. Please join us for this opportunity for a slow, contemplative praying of the Scriptures. We will meet weekly and spend time listening, reflecting and responding to the Sunday gospels of Lent.

Please register for the series by March 7.

After we receive your registration, you can expect a confirmation email from us which will include your invoice. We never want our retreat costs to be prohibitive to anyone who wants to attend our programs, so we offer scholarships. Fill out our simple scholarship request form now!

Read about our cancellation and refund policy.

Sr. Micaela Randolph

Sister Micaela has served in a variety of ministries over the years, teaching in elementary schools, and working in the Kansas City Archdiocesan Office in religious education. Other ministries she has been involved in include RCIA and pastoral assistantance in several parishes, director of initial formation for the Mount St. Scholastica community, director of the Sophia Spirituality Center, and Souljourners staff.

For fun, she enjoys playing the piano, tap dancing (on rare occasions) and embroidery.

Two-Day Silent Retreat with Spiritual Direction
2026-02-24 09:30 - 2026-02-25 16:00 | Sophia Spirituality Center, 751 S. 8th Street, Atchison, KS, 66002
On-site

Register

Step away from the busyness of daily life and enter into a sacred space of rest, reflection, and renewal. This two-day silent retreat offers an opportunity to reconnect with God through silence, prayer, and one-on-one spiritual direction. With nothing scheduled for these days except rest, private prayer, prayer with the monastic community if you wish, and the opportunity to meet with a spiritual director, this retreat is ideal for those seeking time and space to think, deeper communion with God, or simply quiet time to listen more intentionally to the movements of the Spirit. Whether you are praying over a decision, navigating a season of change, or longing for deeper communion with God, this retreat invites you to pause, breathe, and be renewed.

*Cost includes a private room, meals, and one appointment with a spiritual director.

Please register by February 18.

After receiving your registration, you will receive a confirmation email from us which will include your invoice. We never want our retreat costs to be prohibitive to anyone who wants to attend our programs, so we are pleased to offer scholarships. Fill out our simple scholarship request form now!

Read about our cancellation and refund policy.

Desert Surrender
2026-03-04 10:30 - 11:30 | Sophia Spirituality Center, 751 S. 8th Street, Atchison, KS, 66002
Zoom

Register

This prayer experience is rooted in the forty days and nights Jesus spent in the desert, fasting, praying, and surrendering to the will of the Most High God. Though tempted, he resisted every enticement, remaining faithful to his mission and grounded in trust.

This time of prayer invites us to see Jesus as our model: one who examined his life with honesty, made deliberate choices, and valued his personal ministry of building the Kingdom. Together, we will reflect on how we are called to participate in that ministry today.

The retreat will include scripture, guided meditation, quiet reflection, time for sharing, and a closing prayer.

Please register by March 2.

After receiving your registration, you will receive a confirmation email from us which will be your invoice. We never want our retreat costs to be prohibitive to anyone who wants to attend our programs, so we are pleased to offer scholarships. Fill out our simple scholarship request form now!

*Read about our cancellation and refund policy.

Sr. Linda Zahner

Sr. Linda is a member of Mount St. Scholastica Monastery in Atchison, Kansas. For 32 years, she worked in education as a teacher, administrator, and executive officer for a consolidated Catholic school system. In 1996, she received her certification as a spiritual director and retreat director from the Creighton Spirituality Program. She completed massage therapy training at the Universal College of Healing Arts in Omaha, Nebraska, passing her national boards in 1999. Sr. Linda guides retreats and offers therapeutic massage, promoting a holistic approach to health and well-being of body, mind, and spirit.

Souljourners Inquiry Session
2026-03-05 10:00 - 12:00 | Sophia Spirituality Center, 751 S. 8th Street, Atchison, KS, 66002
On-site

Register

These sessions are designed for those who are interested in becoming a spiritual director, or learning the skills of spiritual direction, through Souljourners, our 3-year on-site formation program. Join us as we provide an in-depth view of Souljourners to help you determine if it is a path you feel called to pursue. Have your program questions answered. For those coming for an on-site day, you will also have the opportunity to tour the campus and Sophia Center as well.

*Following our on-site inquiry sessions, we invite you to join us in the monastery dining room for lunch with the sisters.

Please register no later than 3 days prior to Zoom inquiries, and no later than 1 week prior to in-person inquiries.

CANCELLED: Sowing Seeds of Compassion: A Boundless Compassion Weekend Retreat
2026-03-13 19:00 - 2026-03-15 14:00 | Sophia Spirituality Center, 751 S. 8th Street, Atchison, KS, 66002
On-site

This weekend retreat invites us to create a community rooted in compassion — toward ourselves, one another, and the world. With compassion at the center of our lived experience, we learn to approach others with respect, grow in our ability to lessen suffering, and encourage each other to live compassionately.

Together we will reflect on the call to be a compassionate presence, to adopt compassion as a way of life, and to practice self-compassion. Through prayer, reflection, and conversation, participants will be supported in deepening their understanding and practice of compassion in daily life.

Interested participants will also be invited to continue the journey through three follow-up Zoom gatherings: Compassion and the Suffering, Compassion and the Marginalized, and Compassion for Creation. The weekend retreat and follow-up sessions are prerequisites for those who wish to become a Boundless Compassion Facilitator. More information about facilitator training will be available during the retreat.

The Boundless Compassion program was created by Joyce Rupp, a well-known author, spiritual midwife, and retreat leader. Joyce is a member of the Servants of Mary community and author of Boundless Compassion: Creating a Way of Life.

*Cost includes a private room and meals. Our time together will begin with a social on Friday at 6:00 p.m.

Please register by March 6.

After receiving your registration, you will receive a confirmation email from us which will be your invoice. We never want our retreat costs to be prohibitive to anyone who wants to attend our programs, so we are pleased to offer scholarships. Fill out our simple scholarship request form now!

Read about our cancellation and refund policy.

Laura Baum-Parr

Laura Baum-Parr is a Boundless Compassion Facilitator who has a passion for uncovering the deeper meaning in everyday life. She is the former Coordinator of Marriage and Family Ministries for the Omaha Archdiocese. Laura was responsible for the development of marriage preparation, marriage enrichment, and family spirituality programs, as well as facilitating a program entitled Leadership in Family Ministry, which trained volunteers to assess the needs in their parishes and bring about programs to meet those needs.

Laura is the author of the book, When Grace Happens: Prayers and Reflections Revealing the Sacred in the Ordinary. Laura has also worked for many years as a school psychologist in the public schools, which has greatly benefited her work in ministry. She currently lives in northern Minnesota; at this time in her life, she states that it is the birch and pine trees outside her window that are her greatest teachers about our God of compassion, beauty, and delight!

Tammy Devine

Deacon Tammy Devine is passionate about walking with God’s people. Devine collaborates with thought leaders to facilitate personal and communal growth toward living and leading well through coaching and retreat leadership. Devine is credentialed as a PCC Coach, Certified as an End of Life Coach, Positive Intelligence and Boundless Compassion Facilitator. Principal for Devine Coaching.

Tammy is a strategic and systemic whole-person promoter of well-being, through coaching, education and inspiration. She works with individuals, small groups, and organizations who are seeking to be good stewards of the gifts God has given. Walking together, Devine invites listening — to oneself, one another and God with the purpose of greater health, healing andbeloved community.

Devine is a registered nurse, (BA, Augustana University, Sioux Falls), has a Master’s in Leadership from Luther Seminary. Is an ELCA Deacon, a parish nurse/coordinator, a laughter yoga leader, has completed the Grace Institute for Spiritual Formation, Coach training through Auburn Theological Seminary.

Re-Creating a Life
2026-03-19 09:30 - 15:30 | Sophia Spirituality Center, 751 S. 8th Street, Atchison, KS, 66002
Learning How to Tell Our Most Life-Giving Story

On-site

Registration is closed for this event.

Can changing your story change your life? Many people are seeking to make sense of the space between what they imagined their lives would be and what they actually are.

This retreat is designed for anyone who desires time to listen deeply to the stories they are telling about their lives. Dr. Diane Millis will introduce a variety of approaches for mining meaning in our personal stories and exploring God’s presence within them.

Through prayer, reflection, writing, and conversation, Diane will guide participants in discovering more life-giving stories. As she writes in her book, Re-Creating a Life, “It’s not what we’ve experienced that defines us, but the stories we tell about our experiences.”

Join us to develop your capacity to author a story that reflects who you are now and who you are being called to become.

*Includes noon meal.

Please register by March 12.

After receiving your registration, you will receive a confirmation email from us which will be your invoice. We never want our retreat costs to be prohibitive to anyone who wants to attend our programs, so we are pleased to offer scholarships. Fill out our simple scholarship request form now!

Read about our cancellation and refund policy.

Diane Millis

Diane holds a B.A. and M.A. in Communication Studies and a Ph.D. in Family Studies from the College of Education and Human Development at the University of Minnesota. Since completing her doctorate, she has studied theology and trained in spiritual direction, retreat direction, and the practice of interfaith dialogue. She has served on faculty of various colleges, universities, and theological schools throughout the United States. She was a guest presenter for our Souljourners Residency in 2025 and will continue to assist with Souljourners programming.

She is the author of three books, Re-Creating a Life (SDI Press, 2019), Deepening Engagement (SkyLight Paths, 2015), and Conversation–The Sacred Art (SkyLight Paths, 2013).

Thomas Merton: Contemplative Prayer and the Search for Home
2026-03-27 19:00 - 2026-03-28 11:30 | Sophia Spirituality Center, 751 S. 8th Street, Atchison, KS, 66002
Zoom

Register

We will explore two of Thomas Merton’s major concerns — the search for one’s true home and the kind of prayer life that can bring us closer to what he called “the secret face of God.” On these topics, Merton’s writings and his personal struggles continue to provide important guidance for us today.

We will reflect on what constitutes home: where we have found it in the past and where we experience our “true home” today. Is it a place we know or a place we hope for? Is it rooted in the past; and if so, how can we return to it or recreate it wherever we are? How did Merton come to realize his own “true home”?

In the second half, we will examine Merton’s understanding of contemplative prayer, cultivated over a quarter century of monastic life, as well as the advice he offered to those seeking a contemplative life outside the monastery. We will explore how to integrate contemplative prayer into daily living so fully that, as Merton wrote in his famous essay Day of a Stranger, “What I wear is pants. What I do is live. How I pray is breathe.”

Time will be provided for private reflection, group discussion, and creative writing.

Please register by March 25.

After receiving your registration, you will receive a confirmation email from us which will be your invoice. We never want our retreat costs to be prohibitive to anyone who wants to attend our programs, so we are pleased to offer scholarships. Fill out our simple scholarship request form now!

Read about our cancellation and refund policy.

Judith Valente

Judith Valente is a journalist, poet and the author of six spirituality titles and three poetry collections. She is an oblate of Mount St. Scholastica Monastery in Atchison, KS, which is the subject of her award-winning memoir, Atchison Blue: A Search for Silence, A Spiritual Home and a Living Faith. She is also the author of How To Live: What The Rule of St. Benedict Teaches Us About Happiness, Meaning and Community; as well as co-author ofThe Art of Pausing; and How To Be, the latter two books written with Brother Paul Quenon, a monk of the Abbey of Gethsemani in Kentucky. Judith guides frequent retreats on how to live a more contemplative life in the secular world and leads the annual “Benedictine Footprints” retreat/pilgrimage to lesser-known parts of Italy. Her newest book is The Italian Soul: How to Savor the Full Joys of Life, about what we can learn from the Italian lifestyle about living more mindfully and joyfully.

Salvation: Come Down from the Tree
2026-04-01 10:30 - 11:30 | Sophia Spirituality Center, 751 S. 8th Street, Atchison, KS, 66002
Zoom

Register

This retreat invites us to reflect on the story of Zacchaeus, who was called by Jesus to come down from the sycamore tree and receive the gift of salvation. His story reminds us that Jesus offers this same gift to each of us, despite our unworthiness or lack of faithfulness.

Through scripture, guided meditation, quiet reflection, and sharing, we will be invited to let go of what holds us back, to risk “climbing down from our perch,” and to accept the salvation Christ freely offers as we gather at his table.

The retreat will include scripture, guided meditation, quiet reflection, time for sharing, and a closing prayer.

Please register by March 30.

After receiving your registration, you will receive a confirmation email from us which will be your invoice. We never want our retreat costs to be prohibitive to anyone who wants to attend our programs, so we are pleased to offer scholarships. Fill out our simple scholarship request form now!

*Read about our cancellation and refund policy.

Sr. Linda Zahner

Sr. Linda is a member of Mount St. Scholastica Monastery in Atchison, Kansas. For 32 years, she worked in education as a teacher, administrator, and executive officer for a consolidated Catholic school system. In 1996, she received her certification as a spiritual director and retreat director from the Creighton Spirituality Program. She completed massage therapy training at the Universal College of Healing Arts in Omaha, Nebraska, passing her national boards in 1999. Sr. Linda guides retreats and offers therapeutic massage, promoting a holistic approach to health and well-being of body, mind, and spirit.

Celebrate the Easter Triduum at the Mount
2026-04-02 16:00 - 2026-04-05 13:00 | Sophia Spirituality Center, 751 S. 8th Street, Atchison, KS, 66002
On-site

Register for waitlist

This retreat is full, but we encourage you to register for the waitlist, in case of cancellations.

Join the monastic community and enter fully into days of deep silence and rich eucharistic celebration of the Last Supper, remembrance of the Lord’s passion on Good Friday, and Mass of the Resurrection of the Lord on Holy Saturday. Begin and end your Paschal journey with festive meals among the Benedictine sisters in the monastery dining room.

The summit of the Liturgical Year is the Easter Triduum — from the evening of Holy Thursday to the evening of Easter Sunday. Though chronologically three days, they are liturgically one day unfolding for us the unity of Christ’s Paschal Mystery of dying and rising. The single celebration of the Triduum marks the end of the Lenten season and leads to the Mass of the Resurrection of the Lord at the Easter Vigil.

*Includes a private room and meals.

Please register by March 26.

After we receive your registration, you can expect to receive a confirmation email from us which will include your invoice. We never want our retreat costs to be prohibitive to anyone who wants to attend our programs and so we offer scholarships. Fill out our simple scholarship request form now!

Read about our cancellation and refund policy.
