13475 Proctor Road, Philadelphia, PA, USA
Up to 15 in group
September 24, 2025
About this Retreat
Maria DiBello, RSM is a member of the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas. Her experience includes adult faith formation, pastoral ministry, spiritual direction, and retreat ministry. She also has experience in elementary and secondary education. For many years, Maria provided pastoral leadership in a rural Southern community that was socioeconomically and culturally diverse. At Cranaleith, she offers spiritual accompaniment and serves on the staff of the Spiritual Direction Formation program. She facilitates individual and group retreats and days of staff renewal for nonprofits with a particular focus on Cranaleith’s mission to welcome those on the margins of society and those who serve them.
Maria holds a masters degree in religious studies from Villanova University, as well as certificates in spiritual direction from the Vincentian Center for Church and Society (VCCS) at St. John’s University and in pastoral Spanish from the MAAC. She serves on the Faith and Spiritual Affairs Committee of the City of Philadelphia’s Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual disAbility Services (DBHIDS).
Sister Mary Trainer, RSM, is the founding director of Cranaleith Spiritual Center. She earned a Ph.D. in social psychology from Boston University and a certificate in spiritual guidance from Shalem Institute. Mary is also the founder of Mercy International Center in Dublin, Ireland, where the charism of mercy continues to renew the vision and life of mercy in the world. She also brings her background in organizational development and spirituality into her ministry of Leadership Development with the staff of groups serving the poor, as well as into her work with leaders in business and the professions through the Center’s Work & Spirit programs. Mary offers Spiritual Direction at Cranaleith and serves on the Board of Directors.
Margie Winters loves to accompany others on their spiritual journeys, finding joy in helping others see God’s presence and Mercy in their lives. She brings with her experience in pastoral ministry, faith formation of adults and children, campus ministry, music ministry and spiritual direction. For many years, Margie taught in Mercy elementary and secondary education, inviting students and teachers to experience God in themselves and one another and with those on the margins. Her own journey was touched deeply by her time as a lay missionary serving the community of San Antonio de Padua in the Dominican Republic and by her work at Project HOME where the stories of those experiencing homelessness deepened her compassion and taught her the power of creating communal spaces of mercy and love. At Cranaleith, Margie will serve as Director of Programs, facilitating retreats, working with community partners and offering spiritual accompaniment. She is overjoyed to return home to Mercy!
Margie holds a Masters in Divinity from Weston Jesuit School of Theology, a certificate in spiritual direction from Cranaleith Spiritual Center, and degrees in nursing and English.
Details of this retreat
Join us as we gather at Cranaleith to celebrate Mercy Day, honoring the legacy of Catherine McAuley and the Sisters of Mercy. The charism of Mercy grounds our Cranaleith mission and community and impels us to tend to the needs of our time.
During our celebration we will pray together and share stories of Mercy’s rich history in Ireland, the United States, right here at Cranaleith and in our lives. You’ll be invited to share your story of Mercy with those at your table. So, in preparation for the day, reflect on your Mercy story, journal it, get in touch with its life with you, illuminate and amplify it.
During our gathering, we will enjoy lunch and tea in the spirit of Catherine, who believed that hospitality and warmth could be sacred acts of love.
Come as you are—whether you are a longtime friend of Cranaleith, and/or Mercy or new to our community—and be renewed in the embrace of mercy that knows no boundaries.
For Mercy Associates, we encourage arranging a carpool with your prayer group.
This event is cosponsored by the Merion Area Mercy Associates.
Last Chance
A/C in Rooms
Free Wifi
Spa
Sauna
Pool
Towels
Free Parking
Kitchen
Tour Assistance
Hot Tub
Coffee/Tea
Cafe
Restaurant
Fitness Center
Yoga Studio
Housekeeping
Bicycles For Rent
Vegan
Vegetarian
Pescetarian
Ayurvedic
Includes Meat
Organic
Gluten Free
Dairy Free
Nut Free
Verified
Spirituality
1 Space Remaining