Jan. 7-10, 2021
Epiphany: A New Year’s Retreat
“After all these years I have begun to wonder if the secret of living well is not in having all the answers but in pursuing unanswerable questions in good company.”
—Rachel Naomi Remen, My Grandfather's Blessings: Stories of Strength, Refuge, and Belonging
As you look ahead to the New Year, what questions are calling to you? Where do you wonder about God at work in your life? Where are you feeling led—or where are you feeling lost? What next steps are you searching to discern?
Epiphany is a retreat designed to help you enter into the new year in deeper prayer.
Together we’ll explore the beginning of the Gospel of Matthew: surprising dreams, unexpected visitors, turbulent times, and life-changing callings. These familiar Scripture stories will come alive in new ways as we bring them to prayer, reflecting on our own lives, questions, and challenges.
The retreat is virtual, coming to you in the comfort of your own home, to fit into your own schedule.
Together let’s embrace the New Year as a chance to enter into discernment about what God is asking of each of us in this time.
Join me from Jan. 7-10, 2021, to pursue good questions in good company.
Epiphany: A New Year’s Retreat is perfect for you if:
- You’re wondering where to find God in our world and in your life
- You want to deepen your prayer life in 2021
- You’re wrestling with questions about your callings
- You’re facing big transitions in work or relationships
- Your circumstances make it challenging to join a traditional in-person retreat
- You’re looking to pray in new ways from the comfort of your home
We’ll kick off with an optional social gathering on January 6th to celebrate Epiphany together—on Zoom!
The 4 online retreat sessions will run daily from January 7-10, 2021:
- Thurs., Jan. 7: 7:30 pm CST
- Fri., Jan. 8: 7:30 pm CST
- Sat., Jan. 9: 3:00 pm CST
- Sun. Jan. 10: 3:00 pm CST
Each day of the retreat, we’ll gather on Zoom for 1 hour. All links will be sent to participants via email, and sessions will be recorded if you’re unable to join live (or simply want to listen again).
Together we’ll explore one story from Scripture each day, reflect on what it means for our own callings, and go forth with questions to ponder in prayer.
The Epiphany e-book will guide you through each day of the retreat, including:
- daily Scripture readings (from Matthew 1-2)
- reflection questions for prayer
- a guide for making an at-home retreat
- a discernment worksheet to sort through your questions
Plan to spend 30 minutes a day in reflection and prayer outside the Zoom session.
This retreat is designed to fit your life. Sessions will take place in the evening but you can watch them later according to your schedule. Together we’ll create time and space set apart to encounter God, even within the pull of work, home, family, and community.
Epiphany will restore and rejuvenate you, right where you are.
The retreat costs $100, which covers:
- all 4 retreat sessions held on Zoom from Jan. 7-10, 2021
- the 40-page companion Epiphany e-book with complete retreat materials
- all preparation and follow-up materials sent via email
- access to recorded Zoom sessions for 30 days following the close of the retreat
- plus an optional social gathering on Zoom on Jan. 6, 2021—to celebrate Epiphany together!
Laura Kelly Fanucci is a writer and speaker who spent over a decade working on theology of vocation at the Collegeville Institute at Saint John’s University where she earned her Master of Divinity degree. Laura is an award-winning columnist for Catholic News Service and the author of books including Everyday Sacrament: The Messy Grace of Parenting and Living Your Discipleship: 7 Ways to Express Your Deepest Calling. Laura has spoken nationally at retreats and conferences on topics ranging from vocation and calling to parenting and grief. She and her husband live with their five sons in Minnesota.
What do I need to make a virtual retreat?
All you need to join the retreat is a Zoom account. Once you register for the retreat, you’ll receive instructions for joining retreat sessions via Zoom.
The Epiphany companion e-book will be sent to you as a digital download the week before the retreat, to help you prepare and plan.
To enter into the retreat experience, it would be helpful to have:
- a Bible
- a sacred image to keep before your eyes (e.g., an icon, cross or crucifix, or artwork)
- a journal
- a candle
- a quiet space in your home (even a chair) free from distraction
The Epiphany e-book is full of ideas for making a virtual retreat possible in your daily life: ways to plan ahead, suggestions for setting aside the space you need, and practical tips for at-home retreat time.
Can I give the retreat as a gift?
Absolutely! Simply enter the recipient’s email address when you register, and they’ll be added to the retreat list. What a great gift, to offer someone you love the chance to spend time in prayer and reflection at the beginning of a new year.
Can I make the retreat with others?
Yes: if each person registers separately. The beauty of a virtual retreat is that you can gather with friends across the country(or around the world to pray and reflect together.
Imagine ways you might make the retreat together—with friends, family members, or a small group:
- set up your own short Zoom call after the daily session to talk further about your reflections
- text each other after you’ve read the day’s Scripture, for support and encouragement
- call or FaceTime the weekend before and the weekend after the retreat, to prepare and plan next steps to continue praying together
You could also make the retreat together with your spouse, partner, or housemate.
Please note: Participants within the same household may join under one registration, but retreat sessions/links may not be shared with anyone else during or after the retreat.
What if I have a conflict during the retreat sessions?
Life, work, and family needs may overlap with the retreat—this is natural for an at-home retreat. Don’t stress if you miss a session or two during the week. We’ll record each daily Zoom session so you can watch it later at your own convenience. You can stretch the retreat over several weeks if it’s easier for your schedule. Retreat sessions will remain available online for 30 days following the close of the retreat.
Is financial assistance available?
Our goal is to keep this opportunity affordable and available to all. If registration fees pose a barrier to your participation, please inquire about a sliding scale or scholarship funds.
If you are interested in donating toward scholarship funds, please email retreat@laurakellyfanucci.com. Thank you for your generosity and support.
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