Retreat Schedule > Writing Retreat: Epiphanies’ of Beauty

Writing Retreat: Epiphanies’ of Beauty

An Ignatian, Semi-Slient Extended Weekend Retreat for Adults

October 1 - 4, 2026

Groups Attending: Individuals

Summary

Saint John Paul II exhorted artists “passionately dedicated to the search for new ‘epiphanies’ of beauty” to offer their creative works “as gifts to the world.” As writers, artists, or thoughtful people who feel called to the crafting of language, how can we best receive God’s world, in all of its grit and glory, and offer it back as gift through our works? Poets, novelists, saints, and other writers have grappled with this question over the years; we will explore some of their reflections, while also taking intentional time for prayer, worship, meditation, and personal writing.

Description

This retreat includes several presentations, daily mass, 9 meals, the opportunity for one-on-one spiritual direction with a trained spiritual director, and many other opportunities to explore our 80 acres and almost 60k square feet of interior space. All activities are optional, but we do ask everyone to respect the quiet of the retreat house for everyone to have the opportunity to read, sleep and reflect in the quiet. We do offer the option for small group discussions with other writers on this retreat. Additionally, retreatants can choose to eat lunch in silence or in a room with others that want to talk about the retreat and their writing.

Bellarmine has two libraries, a resource center, two chapels, and many other common areas. Outdoor spaces include various walking trails, various prayer gardens, a gazebo, stations of the cross, as well as a few patios and outdoor chairs and benches. Each retreatant has their own bedroom.

You can learn more about what to expect by visiting this page.

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 Leader

Carla Galdo

Carla Galdo is a poet, writer, and editor. She has written for a variety of publications including Well-Read Mom, Humanum: Issues in Family, Culture, and Science, Columbia Magazine, and Front Porch Republic. Her poetry has appeared in Dappled Things, Modern Age, Solum Literary Journal, The Windhover, and on Irish Southeast Radio. She is the recipient of the St. Austin Review Prize for Poetry (2024) and she was a finalist in the Catholic Literary Arts Advent Poetry Contest (2023) and the Catholic Literary Arts Sacred Poetry Contest (2024). Carla has been featured as a conference speaker for Well-Read Mom, and as a guest on the podcasts Bright Wings and Catholic Culture. She has taught various classes in literature, theology, and book reviewing, and leads a Catholic Literary Arts poetry workshop class for adult writers. Carla earned an MTS from the John Paul II Institute for Marriage and Family, and an MFA in Poetry from the University of St. Thomas-Houston. She lives with her husband and their six children on a small hobby farm in rural Virginia, and more of her writing can be found at carlagaldo.com, and on Substack at Where Feathers Pierce.