Holy is Her Name
A Day of Reflection for Women
Friday, May 12, 2023
9:00 am to 3:00 pm
Program Cost: $65.00 (includes Lunch)
This program begins on Friday, but there is still space available. To register, call the office at 847-381-1261.
Summary
Spend a day led by Rachel Forton in the presence of other women getting in touch with the feminine qualities of God as we explore what it means to say "holy is Her name." As women, we do ourselves a disservice if we only ever relate to a male image of God. We know that God is without gender and encompasses all the masculine and feminine qualities of humanity. Imagining a feminine God helps us view our own femininity as sacred and precious. We will draw from Scripture (where God is referred to as a mother hen, midwife, laboring woman, and more), the words of holy women such as Julian of Norwich and Hildegard of Bingen, and the work of numerous women theologians and spiritual writers. Join us as we share prayer experiences designed to open our hearts to new ways of seeing God within and around us.
Retreat Experience Gallery
Bellarmine Main Entrance
Sacred Heart Chapel
Mary McKeon Library
St. Joseph Gazebo
Mother Teresa Garden
Eastern Africa Collection
Fireplace Lounge
Dining Room
Winter on the Grounds
Resource Center
Sacred Heart Statue at Sunset
Susie's Memorial Garden
Madonna Library
Lower Level Lounge
Retreat Leaders
Rachel Forton
Rachel Forton holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Public Relations and Religious Studies from Loras College (Dubuque, Iowa). She served as the Retreat and Communications Coordinator for Bellarmine Jesuit Retreat House for six years and completed Ignatian Spiritual Direction Training there before stepping into the role of Women's Ministry Coordinator. She has a passion for helping others find God in all things through spiritual direction and retreat ministry, writing, and editing. Rachel serves on the "Prayer and Care" team of her MOPS Chapter (Mothers of Preschoolers) and finds it a great privilege to minister to women of all ages. Her most recent writings may be found at the Cora Evans website, promoting the cause for canonization of the mid-century mystic, wife, and mother (www.coraevans.com/blog/author
Fr. J. Michael Sparough, SJ
Fr. J. Michael Sparough, SJ is a retreat leader, poet, story teller and spiritual director at the Bellarmine Jesuit Retreat House in Barrington, IL. He holds an MFA from the Yale School of Drama and a Doctor of Ministry from St Mary of the Lake in Mundelein, IL. He is the founder of Charis, a national Jesuit retreat ministry for young adults in their 20s and 30s. For 10 years he trained spiritual directors at Loyola University-Chicago.
A prolific writer and speaker, Fr. Michael has published books, poems, CDs, and DVDs on prayer, discernment, and the sacraments with America Media, Franciscan Media, Paulist Press, Liturgical Training Publications and Audible. His latest co-authored book, published by Loyola Press, is What’s Your Decision? An Ignatian Approach to Decision Making.
Fr Michael is also the President of Heart to Heart Catholic Media Ministry. His weekly video homilies can be seen online at www.HtoH.US. He has just completed writing and directing a 12-part video series entitled: Discern & Decide: Navigating Life’s Choice, An Ignatian Video Guide.