New Year's Eve Retreat 2024

Sister Michelle is originally from Chicago. Prior to becoming the Director of St. Raphaela Center, she has primarily served as a Math teacher at various schools, including the Cristo Rey High Schools in Baltimore and Philadelphia, Ancillae-Assumpta Academy, and a secondary school in Equatorial Guinea.  Her ministry experiences in different countries have instilled in her a love for diversity and for learning about different cultures and languages, including Spanish. She holds an M.S. of Education from St. Joseph’s University and a Master of Theological Studies from Villanova. She is currently in formation as a Spiritual Director at the Murphy Center for Ignatian Spirituality at Fairfield University. Sister Michelle also enjoys playing guitar, running, and biking. At St. Raphaela Center, she loves the welcoming, inclusive environment, meeting the wonderful people that come to spend time there, and the quiet peace of Eucharistic Adoration in the Center’s Chapel.

Sue Buck is the Leader of the ACI Associates for the US Province of the Handmaids of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and a volunteer at St. Raphaela Center.  She felt called to become an Associate because she wanted to go deeper into her own spirituality, to be part of a community that practiced Ignatian Spirituality, and to learn more about adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, an important form of prayer for her.  She is particularly attracted to uniting the whole world through Eucharistic Reparation--being Eucharist to everyone she meets.  Sue and three other women, under the guidance of Sr. Sagrario Núñez, aci, began a new group of Associates at St. Raphaela Center, which has more than doubled in size.  Part of her apostolate as an Associate is to teach English over Zoom to some of the Handmaids in formation in Vietnam, in which she feels mutuality and joy for the hour each week that they share life and learning.  Sue also works part-time as a physical therapist and lives with her husband Ed, and they are both extremely proud of their daughter, Maggie.