“Be in silence. Silence is necessary in life. Without silence, it is impossible for us to understand God’s design for our existence and to carry it out.”
— Father Rafael García Herreros
Discernment Retreats
Some questions are too important to answer in a hurry. When work, relationships, family expectations, and the constant noise of daily life fill every quiet space, it can be difficult to recognize the gentle movement of the Holy Spirit.
This retreat is an invitation to step away from the noise and come close to Jesus. At Saint Joseph Convent, you will share in our rhythm of prayer, Eucharistic adoration, the Liturgy of the Hours, community life, and quiet reflection. You do not need to arrive with everything figured out. Bring your questions, your hopes, and even your hesitations.
This retreat gives you space to listen, to pray, and to begin discerning your response with greater freedom and peace.
What you will experience
- Eucharistic prayer
Extended time with Jesus in Adoration and prayer before the mystery of the Cross. - The prayer of the Church
The Liturgy of the Hours, Rosary, and Holy Mass woven into the retreat. - Conferences for discernment
Practical reflection on God’s will, the evangelical counsels, and the spiritual life. - Personal accompaniment
A private conversation with a sister about your questions, hopes, and hesitations. - Fraternal life
Simple meals, recreation, and conversation with our sisters and other women who are discerning. - A missionary horizon
Consider how your life can become a gift for the Church and the spread of the Gospel.
Could God be calling you?
“Trust God that you are exactly where you are meant to be… It is love alone that gives worth to all things.” — Saint Teresa of Avila
Three retreats. One invitation: listen for the Lord.
“To have courage for whatever comes in life—everything lies in that.”
— Saint Teresa of Avila
Each retreat has its own spiritual emphasis, but all three are rooted in the same desire: to help you encounter Christ, grow in interior freedom, and discern your vocation with prayer and accompaniment.
NOV
14
Fall Retreat
Be Still and Listen: Christ, The Cross, and The Call
A retreat centered on silence, Eucharistic prayer, and the self-giving love of Christ on the Cross. We will reflect on the first stirrings of a vocation and the courage needed to move from wondering to genuinely listening.
$50
Venue
Saint Bartholomew Convent
8734 Whitney Avenue
Elmhurst, NY 11373 United States + Google Map
FEB
13
Winter Retreat
Walk with Christ: Interior Freedom and the Courage to Say Yes
Using the journey to Emmaus as a guide, we will consider how Christ walks with us through ordinary life, work, relationships, and questions about the future. The focus is interior freedom: learning to recognize the Lord’s invitations and respond without fear.
$50
Venue
Saint Bartholomew Convent
8734 Whitney Avenue
Elmhurst, NY 11373 United States + Google Map
APR
10
Winter Retreat
Arise and Go: Paschal Joy, Mission, and a Generous Yes
In the light of the Resurrection, we will explore apostolic mission, the joyful boldness of the evangelical counsels, and the possibility that God may be calling some women to help lay the foundational stones of a new religious institute for the Church.
$50
Venue
Saint Bartholomew Convent
8734 Whitney Avenue
Elmhurst, NY 11373 United States + Google Map
Aug
14
Summer Retreat
Mary, Teach Me to Say Yes: Surrender, Consecration, and Mission
Through Eucharistic prayer, Marian reflection, silence, conferences, personal accompaniment, and life with the Sisters, we will ask what it means to receive God’s invitation with trust, to surrender what holds us back, and to become available for the mission He entrusts to us.
Venue & Time: To Be Determined …
What to know before you come
We are a small community in vibrant Queens, where something new is taking shape in the Diocese of Brooklyn and Queens. We welcome women who are ready to pray, listen, and consider whether God may be inviting them into what He is doing.
The invitation is specifically for Catholic women ages 20-35 who are seriously open to discerning consecrated life.
Come with an open heart
- Bring: A Rosary and anything you normally use for personal prayer.
- Modest, comfortable clothing suitable for chapel prayer and relaxed community recreation.
- Toiletries and personal essentials (bedding and towels are provided).
- Most important: An open heart ready to let Jesus and Mary speak in the silence.
- Arrival: Please arrive by 2:00 PM on Saturday.
- Departure: Please plan to leave after lunch on Sunday, around 3:00 PM.
- Cost: Nonrefundable $50 registration fee, including private accommodations, all meals, and retreat materials.
Traveling to the retreat
If you are flying, please plan to arrive on Friday and depart on Sunday through LaGuardia Airport (NYC). We provide airport transportation for flights arriving Friday between 10:00 AM and 7:30 PM, and for Sunday departures after 4:30 PM.
- Friday pick-up: Transportation is not available for flights arriving after 7:30 PM. If you arrive later, or choose to arrive on Saturday, you are responsible for your own transportation to the convent.
- Arrival at the convent: Please do not arrive later than 10:00 PM.
- Sunday drop-off: If you need to leave before the retreat ends or outside the scheduled airport transportation window, you are responsible for your own transportation to the airport.
Please provide flight information at least one week before the retreat. For questions regarding flights, contact vocationsretreats@sisterspcm.org.
For payment by check or cash, please contact vocations@sisterspcm.org.
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Help Us Bring Christ to the Heart of the City and Beyond
A religious community is built one vocation, one prayer, one act of generosity, and one encounter at a time. Your generosity helps the Preachers of Christ and Mary grow in prayer, formation, community life, and mission—bringing the joy of the Gospel to the heart of the city and beyond.
When you give, you become part of the mission.