Retreats
What to expect?
We retreat from the world so as to advance in the spiritual life by deepening our knowledge and love of God. Our lives in this day and age are busy and fast-paced with plenty of stress and distraction. Going on retreat is a way to distance ourselves from these things for a couple days and dial back the noise of the world that constantly demands our attention. Principle #5 of Christian Permaculture Regeneration (CPR) describes doing things in a “small and slow” way. Retreats are a perfect application of this principle. We slow down to let God in, we make room in our heads, hearts and calendars for the Holy Spirit to work and regenerate us.
In addition to prayer and quiet, retreats with the St. Spyridon Center are a time of learning. We discuss CPR and how to live it out in our own lives, getting hands-on practice and demonstrations of it. Retreats also help bring us into community with other like-minded individuals where we can have lively and fruitful discussions. A single weekend may not seem like much time to do all this, but like the boy with the loaves and the fishes1, if we give God what little we have, He can multiply it and do miracles.
A few things to note:
- While the St. Spyridon Center is primarily Byzantine Catholic, we do incorporate elements of Roman Catholic prayer as well. This helps us to “breathe with both lungs of the Church” as St. John Paul II said.
- In keeping with the theme of retreating from the world, we ask that you turn off your cell phone for the duration of the retreat. This is a big step toward maintaining our presence with God and each other on the retreat.
- Retreat pricing, location and accommodations are still being finalized for 2026 but will most likely be taking place in Northwestern PA. Stay tuned!
Workshops
What to expect?
Workshops offer a chance for people to learn practical skills according to permaculture (CPR) principles. Practice gives shape to our theoretical knowledge. All of our workshops maintain a family-friendly and faith-based environment and is a place where all are welcome, regardless of belief as long as you keep an open mindset. If you have never experienced authentic Catholic thought, prayer and discussion surrounding permaculture, a workshop with the St. Spyridon Center is an open and inviting place to “come and see”2 how Christians understand God, faith and stewardship. Come and roll up your sleeves, prepare to sweat, get your hands dirty, and have fun learning and contributing to something amazing.
In addition to hands-on work there will be time for teaching and discussion as well opportunities to experience various aspects of permaculture – foraging, cooking (with wood and solar for example), cleaning (greywater processing), composting, etc.
Workshops will typically happen on a weekend or over the course of a week depending on the season (i.e. Spring or Summer). Workshops will take place either on the grounds of the St. Spyridon Center (more on this soon) or at nearby farms/homesteads and may incorporate the teachings of experts in their fields depending on the type of workshop, availability, and cost. The good news about CPR is that God designed everyone to be able to do it (each in his or her own measure and capacity) and so, generally speaking, specialists are usually not required to learn a topic or skill.
A few things to note:
- Kids ages 12 and up are welcome as long as at least one parent attends the workshop. Parents are responsible for their children the entire time and children are asked to behave like the young adults they are.
- Drugs (alcohol, tobacco products, marijuana, etc.) are not permitted at workshops.
- Pets are not permitted at workshops at this time. Certified service dogs are welcome – please mention this to us when registering.
- Accommodations and meals will be provided as applicable. Stay tuned for further details (locations, pricing, etc.) as we pilot this experience! Workshops are currently expected to happen primarily in Northwestern PA.
The heavens are telling the glory of God; and the firmament proclaims his handiwork. Day to day pours forth speech, and night to night declares knowledge. There is no speech, nor are there words; their voice is not heard; yet their voice goes out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world.
Psalm 18/19:1-4
St. Spyridon Center 