Malvern Changing the World

July 1, 2024

Countless men and women have retreated from the noise to hear God’s voice in the rolling hills of Malvern Retreat House. We welcome people to come as they are, encounter God and deepen their relationship with Christ. It is difficult to understand the importance of Malvern for each retreatant’s journey to salvation.

This reality is made abundantly clear through the Peter Murin and Dorothy Day Retreats. These overnight programs are for men and women transitioning out of homelessness; many of whom have experienced abuse, addiction, and other hardships throughout their lives. Malvern Retreat House partners with Catholic Social Services and Bethesda Project for these initiatives. Men come from St. John’s Hospice, a program run by Catholic Social Services, and Bethesda Project. Women from Mercy Hospice, Women of Hope and other programs run by Catholic Social Services attend the Dorothy Day retreat.

These retreats, hosted in June, come as Malvern Retreat House is launching our Annual Appeal. Generous benefactors and donors help Malvern underwrite the costs of these retreat programs. Jim Catrambone, Director of Development at Malvern Retreat House, explained that “three individual donors” specifically support these retreats. Moreover, he notes that the Malvern Cares program and a portion of the Annual Golf Classic help Malvern cover the costs of these retreats. Malvern Cares was specifically set up so donors can choose to support initiatives like the Peter Maurin and Dorothy Day Retreats.

Amy Stoner, Director, Community Based/Housing and Homeless Division of Catholic Social Services welcomed over 65 women to the retreat. Her prayer was that “each one of you find Jesus at Malvern.” Fr. Chris Walsh served as the Rector. He led the women on The Way of the Cross for Recovery and prayer services. Retreat organizers set up a scavenger hunt with 200 mini-Jesus figures. The women were encouraged to “find Jesus” throughout the grounds of Malvern! Women shared that, “they found Jesus everywhere!”

The Peter Maurin Retreat is for men experiencing homeless or housing insecurity, addictions, and Other related issues. Peter Maurin co-founded the Catholic Worker Movement with Dorothy Day. Maurin realized that poverty was a blessing from God. He embraced being poor. The Peter Maurin Retreat at Malvern Retreat House offers men from St. John’s Hospice and Bethesda Project a chance to retreat from the noise in their lives so they can hear God’s voice.

The men were challenged to “walk together as brothers, supporting each other” as they transition from homelessness, recover from addiction, and get back into life. An extension of Malvern’s mission is to inspire men and women to make real the Kingdom of God by walking through life as a Christian. Christ calls us to love the enemy and he reminds us that when we “do to the least of my brothers, you do to me.” Malvern Retreat House is transforming lives, and these include men and women who visit St. Jospeh in the Hills through programs like Peter Maurin and Dorothy Day Retreats. We are grateful for the generous donors who help make this program a reality. And we invite you to learn more about how you can support these retreats and others like it.

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