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Healing Presence Programs & Services

2016-2017

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Our Mission

Chiara Center is a faith community dedicated to the discovery and healing

presence of God within one’s self, everyday life, relationships, and all of creation.

All programs, services, and hospitality are grounded in the spirit and heritage of

St. Francis of Assisi and St. Clare of Assisi.

Our Logo Our logo is set in a circular motif representing wholeness.

Light and dark reflect the rhythms of life opening one to God’s compassion, healing, and peace.

The Tau Cross, an ancient Biblical symbol embraced by St. Francis, invites one to gaze, consider, contemplate,

and enter the Mystery.

Our Staff Our staff is ready to serve you and hospitality is our hallmark.

We are committed to the Hospital Sisters of St. Francis and our Core Values of respect, care, competence, and joy.

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Healing Presence

God’s love and healing were poured out on those whom Jesus touched and God’s generous love is shown through miracles of healing—the blind, the lame, and the leper. Francis and Clare of Assisi imitated the life of Jesus, embracing holy poverty and devoting themselves selflessly to a ministry of healing the poor and sick of Assisi and inspiring those who followed their way. The Hospital Sisters of St. Francis’ charism of healing and compassionate presence finds its origin in Gospel values, the lives of St. Francis and St. Clare of Assisi, and in their founding Sisters. The Sisters have been a healing presence for more than 140 years in the United States. The Hospital Sisters have responded generously, continuously adapting to the changing circumstances of time and place on the holy ground that is their Franciscan Life Center. Chiara Center follows in the tradition of previous institutions on the grounds (Franciscan Apostolic Center, The Crippled Children’s Hospital and School, and St. John’s Tuberculosis Sanitarium) bringing healing and wholeness, renewing body, mind, and spirit.

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Canticle Prayer Room Chiara Center

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2016 2017

July 11 January 16

October 3 March 20

July 17

Once each season, we reserve a day for you to come to Chiara Center and reflect on God’s goodness in your life. Arrive at 9 a.m. and leave by 3 p.m. refreshed and filled with peace. The day includes a delicious lunch. Massages are also available and are requested at the time of registration.

If you are unable to attend on these dates, you may arrange your own day of quiet. Please contact us.

Bring your friends...Enjoy a wonderful meal…

Spend time with our featured presenters.

Thursday, September 22, 2016—6:00 p.m. Healing as An Oasis of Mercy

Reverend Richard Chiola

Thursday, November 17, 2016—6:00 p.m. Healing Our Home: Living in Right Relationship

Sister Sharon Zayac, OP

Thursday, January 26, 2017—6:00 p.m. Healing at the Margins

Chantell Mills

Thursday, March 16, 2017—6:00 p.m. Healing Our Inner Self

Sonya Jones

Reservation required Visit our website for details

Ah Days of Quiet

Food & Faith Dinner Series

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A retreat is God’s invitation to step out of the hectic pace and enter the haven of your deeper spirit. It is a time for deliberate attention to your spiritual journey and to be with God who loves you and calls you. There are several retreat options at Chiara Center including:

Directed Retreat

The Directed Retreat includes solitude, prayer, and a one-on-one daily session with a Spiritual Director. You will be wrapped in the quiet, healing, and harmony of God’s presence at Chiara Center. You may choose to make it a three, four, or five day retreat. Pre-registration is required. October 16-21, 2016 June 25-30, 2017 October 22-27, 2017

Private Personal Retreats

Individuals, couples, and small groups are welcome to schedule retreat time at Chiara Center. We provide the atmosphere, sacred spaces, quiet, meals, and overnight guest rooms. Simply contact us and we will assist you in planning your retreat experience. Spiritual Directors are available.

Chiara Self-Directed Retreats

In the spirit of Chiara Center’s mission of being a place of peace and healing, we have created flexible retreat opportunities which allow each person or group to:

schedule a time according to their own calendar choose a topic according to their own spiritual landscape create a retreat pace according to their own spirit

Chiara Center provides a range of topics and speakers/authors and provides the CD/DVD resources for the retreat. Visit our website to see a PowerPoint presentation of the retreat possibilities and learn how to register for these special retreat opportunities.

Chiara Retreats

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2017 Conference Retreat

The Beautiful Struggle of Daily Life Sister Macrina Wiederkehr, OSB

October 13-15, 2017

Our spiritual life is a treasure needing constant renewal and care. This retreat is an invitation to honor your soul’s need for reflection and replenishing one’s own spirit; learning to pause for the medicine of deep listening. The sacredness of both being and doing will be explored, emphasizing the practice of living mindfully. The Word of God and the word of your daily life will be your guides as you pray with the beautiful struggle of daily life.

Sister Macrina is well known for her creative spiritual writing and retreat ministry and is the author of eight books on prayer and spirituality. Themes for this retreat will be drawn from her latest book, Abide: Keep Vigil with the Word of God. Sister Macrina is a regular contributor to Living Faith and regular columnist for Stepping Stones, the Little Rock Scripture Study newsletter. She is a member of St. Scholastica Monastery in Fort Smith, Arkansas.

Prevent Secondary Stress, Practice Self-Care

April 20, 2017

This annual conference, co-sponsored by Chiara Center and Hospital Sisters Health System (HSHS), addresses where God may be found in health care, how to be faithful in the midst of suffering and tremendous change, and how to find transcendent

meaning in the health care profession. It will help participants identify the causes and symptoms of secondary stress and recognize its dangers. Through sound psychology and spiritual truths, Dr. Robert Wicks and Stephen Dynako will set the stage for personal transformation and explore tools and techniques to promote mindfulness and self-care among health care providers.

Continuing education contact hours are available from several accrediting agencies. Visit our website for details and registration.

Spirituality and Health Care Conference

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Process Addictions: What They Are, How They Impact Recovery, and How to Address Them

February 17-19, 2017

Process addictions are growing at an alarming rate: co-dependent behavior, work, electronic devices, gambling, and pornography. This retreat will identify the most common process addictions and how they impact our lives and recovery while exploring ways to address them so they do not overwhelm. This retreat is for all who are working the twelve step program or consider themselves in recovery.

Hosted by Chiara Center Coordinated by David and Janice Kerwin, Ann Collins, Chuck Kerwin, and Archie Ford.

Spiritual direction is the contemplative practice of helping another person or group to awaken to the mystery called

God in all of life, and to respond to that discovery in a growing relationship of

freedom and commitment. James Keegan, SJ

Chiara Center is a site for spiritual direction, and persons trained in the art of spiritual direction are available to journey with persons on an individual basis. Ordinarily, a person meets with the Spiritual Director at regularly scheduled times at Chiara Center. If you are interested in exploring the possibility of spiritual direction, contact us and one of the Spiritual Directors will be in contact with you.

Recovery Retreat

Spiritual Direction

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Join us for our 10th Annual Franciscan Nativity Festival and experience the deeper meaning of the Incarnation. More than 100 Nativity sets, each with unique history and significance, are displayed. Free and open to the public, the Festival includes a tour of St. Francis of Assisi Church.

Friday, December 2, 2016 2-7 p.m. Saturday, December 3, 2016 noon-4 p.m. Sunday, December 4, 2016 noon-4 p.m.

Franciscan Nativity Festival

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Looking for an inspiring place to have a special gathering, a retreat, a conference,

a seminar, or a workshop?

...Consider Chiara Center

We provide meeting rooms of various sizes, comfortable overnight accommodations, wireless access, AV support, and healthy food options. All this in a peaceful setting with incredible views and walking paths. We are centrally located and easy to find. Our prices are modest. Contact us to discuss your event and learn about our fees. We will provide you with an event Agreement and reserve your dates. Each year, more organizations and groups are discovering that Chiara Center is a gem in the heart of Illinois. You can make this discovery, too.

Hosting Your Event

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Labyrinth

Walking a labyrinth is a

spiritual practice embraced by

those seeking to deepen their

faith in the Divine. The

labyrinth, which symbolizes a

path to God and is one of the

oldest known contemplative spiritual practices, is a feature at

Chiara Center.

Massage Through massage therapy, healing hands relax, restore, and renew the body, mind, and spirit. Massage therapy improves circulation and flexibility, relieves stress, and often reduces pain. It frees the spirit to experience the goodness of God. Visit our website to be introduced to our massage therapists and to learn more about the benefits of therapeutic massage.

Consider incorporating chair massages into your next meeting at Chiara Center. Scheduled at 15 minute intervals, a chair massage is a convenient way to energize an ordinary meeting. Free your body, mind, and spirit to be attentive to the deeper meaning. Contact Chiara Center for details.

Way of the Cross

The Way of the Cross is an ancient form of Christian devotion and there are two places to walk in Jesus’ footsteps while at Chiara Center: in St. Francis of Assisi Church and on the walking trails. A booklet of prayer is available to guide guests through this journey of the heart.

Healing Features at Chiara Center

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Gift Display

\Chiara Center has a display of distinctive Franciscan items for guests to purchase as a means of continuing the healing experience found here. Healing stones, sacred oils, pottery, tea lights, and bowls, along with Franciscan reflection booklets and crosses, are among the unique Chiara Center items.

Walking Paths

Chiara Center provides a wonderful Guide to Outdoor Sacred Places as a way to enjoy walking the many paths on these holy, historical grounds where creation speaks so clearly of healing and God’s bountiful goodness. Franciscans believe that creation was the first book which God wrote.

Tours

Chiara Center welcomes tours of small groups, organizations, and institutions. Tours include a history of the Hospital Sisters of St. Francis and their property, St. Francis of Assisi Church, and the Heritage Museum. A meal and overnight stays are also an option. Bus tours are welcome.

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Chiara Newsletter You can experience a touch of Chiara Center when you sign up to receive our e-newsletter, Chiara Light. On the 11th day of each month, Chiara Light will be emailed to you filled with inspirational thoughts and happenings. You will be part of the Chiara Center faith community who have experienced Franciscan peace and prayer on these sacred grounds.

Facebook Facebook is way to nourish and to be nourished if we choose wisely. Be friends with us on Facebook and you will see our postings of photos, inspirational thoughts, and also be informed about some of the guests who have blessed Chiara Center with their presence.

Website Our website reflects the sacred spirit of Chiara Center. It provides further information about our history, the Hospital Sisters of St. Francis, our sponsored events, registration forms, and our distinguishing spiritual amenities. It also provides a photo tour through St. Francis of Assisi Church and our scenic grounds.

Prayer Requests Let us know of prayer requests so that the faith community of Chiara Center and the Hospital Sisters of St. Francis can hold your intentions in their prayers. Quarterly, we have a special prayer service for all the requests.

Healing Social Media

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Cover:

Upper left: The Good Samaritan by Dinah Roe Kendall Upper right: Story in Stained Glass at St. Francis Convent Bottom left: St. Francis of Assisi and the leper Bottom right: Icon depicting Clare of Assisi

“When he disembarked and saw the vast crowd, his heart was moved with

compassion for them, and he cured their sick.”

-Matthew 14:14

“We have been called to heal wounds, to unite what has fallen

apart, and to bring home those who have lost their way.”

-St. Francis of Assisi “Recognizing that we are God’s instruments, we strive to bring forth God’s healing – physical, emotional, or spiritual—and have faith in the assurance that God’s will be done.”

-Heritage Museum in Poverello Hall

“Chiara Center is a faith community dedicated to the discovery and healing presence of God within one’s self, everyday life, relationships, and all of creation.”

-Chiara Center Mission Statement

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