Judith's Upcoming Events

 

2026
January 10
Online Retreat
“Writing the Prologue to Your New Year”
Sponsored by the Siena Center, Racine WI
9:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Central Time
Register at https://www.sienaretreatcenter.org/retreats/new-year/
Contact: Vicki Curtiss at vcurtiss@sienaretreatcenter.org or
262-898-2584

 
Jan 18 Free In Person Talk
“Writing the Prologue to Our New Year”
New Covenant Community Church, Bloomington IL
10:30 a.m. Worship Service, All Are Welcome
Centennial Christian Church, 1219 E. Grove St, Bloomington IL
Contact: Chris Kaufman at chrisk46@gmail.com
 
Feb 7 Online Retreat
“Contemplating: Deepening Our Spirituality As We Age”
Sponsored by the Chicago Cenacle
9:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Central Time
 
Feb 14 Free In Person Event
“Take Your Valentine to Italy … Vicariously”
Judith Valente in Conversation with Pantagraph Writer Susan Hazlett on The Italian Soul: How to Savor the Full Joys of Life
Barnes and Noble Bookstore, 1701 Empire Street, Bloomington IL
2 p.m. – 3 p.m. Central Time
Contact: Barnes and Noble, 309-662-1506
 
Feb 25 Free In Person Event
Lenten Series on Prayer: Judith Valente speaking on poetry as prayer
St. Xavier University McDonough Chapel
3700 W. 103rd Street, Chicago IL
7 p.m. – 8 p.m. Central Time
Contact: Dr. Jenny Devivo at devivo@sxu.edu
 
March 7
In Person Retreat
“To Pray and Live in Our Current Times”
Spring Workshop sponsored by Contemplative Outreach of Chicago, The Well and Dominican
University
9:30 a.m. – 3 p.m. Central Time
Dominican University, Oak Park IL
Contact: Al Krema at alkrema@gmail.com or Rachel Hart Winter at
rhartwinter@dominican.edu
 
March 18
In Person Presentation
“La Dolce Vita: What Italy Can Teach Us About Living More Mindfully and Joyfully”
St. Peter’s University, Jersey City, NJ
Time 6 p.m. Eastern Time
Building: TK
Contact: Liliana Huerta at lhuerta@stpeters.edu
 
March 21
In Person Presentation
“La Dolce Vita: What Italy Can Teach Us About Living More Mindfully and Joyfully”
St. Barnabas Church St. Joseph Celebration
10134 S Longwood Dr., Chicago, IL 60643
Following the 4 p.m. Central Time Mass
Contact: Margie Wegrzyn at mwegrzyn@stbarnabasparish.org
 
March 27 -28
In Person Retreat
“Two Themes from Thomas Merton: The Search for Home and Contemplative Prayer”
Sophia Spirituality Center, Mount St. Scholastica Monastery, Atchison KS
Contact: Donna Coleman at sophia@mountosb.org
 
March 29
In Person Poetry Reading from “How to Be a Contemplative: Poems and Brief Reflections by
Judith Valente”
Sunday Salon Chicago at Roscoe Books, 2142 W. Roscoe St, Chicago IL
2 p.m. Central Time
For more information please visit: https://sundaysalon-chicago.com/ or contact Ignatius
Valentine Aloysius at ignatius2u@gmail.com or Roscoe Books at 773-857-2676
 
June 5-6
In Person Retreat for Benedictine Oblates
“Being Benedictine in the 21st Century”
St. Mary Monastery, Rock Island IL
Contact Sister Bobbi Bussan at rbussan@smmsisters.org
 
June 7-13
In Person Retreat for Retired Marianist Priests
“Stirring the Ashes of a Well-Lived Life”
Marianist Center, 22683 Alcalde Rd,Cupertino, CA 95014
 
July 9 – 12
In Person Oblate Institute
Mount St. Scholastica Monastery, Atchison KS
“Yearning for Life: The Timeless Wisdom of the Benedictine Rule for Troubled Times”
Contact: Faye Miller at femiller@mountosb.org
 
August 7 -9
In Person Retreat
“Searching for Home: Thomas Merton and Thomas Berry in Conversation”
Prairiewoods Ecological Spirituality Center, 120 E. Boyson Rd., Hiawatha IA 52233
Contact: Sister Ann Jackson at ajackson@prairiewoods.org or 319.395.6700, ext. 203
 
September
Annual “Benedictine Footprints” Contemplative, Cultural, Culinary Retreat/Pilgrimage to Italy” Dates TBD in January 2026
 
September 26
In Person Retreat
Church of the Ascension, Balally, Dublin, Ireland
“The Timeless Wisdom of the Benedictine Rule”
Time: TBD
Contact: Father Jim Caffrey at jcaffrey73@gmail.com
 
October
Tour of Australia to speak to Benedictine lay associates
Dates: TBD