By Elena Perri • Posted August 19, 2025

For the past 10 years, women served by Catholic Charities of Philadelphia’s  (CCoP) Housing and Homeless Services Division have experienced hope and spiritual healing during  Dorothy Day Women’s overnight retreat at Malvern Retreat House.

The annual Dorothy Day Women’s Retreat is named after the American journalist and Catholic social activist who was known for her strong defense of the most vulnerable, including those experiencing homelessness.

“We bus all of them out to Malvern for the overnight retreat,” said Cindy Volkert, quality assurance administrator for  the Community-Based and Housing and Homeless Services Division of Catholic Charities. “It’s a period of respite for them just to get away from the city and enjoy the beauty of the retreat house.”

Volkert coordinates the logistics of the retreat, including the theme, speakers, social activities, and music.

“It’s become a personal thing that I really enjoy being a part of,” she said.

The retreat includes presentations, opportunities for praising God through musical performances, a movie night, and an ice cream sundae party.

“We try to give them a good time and expose them to the love of God and just love them up,” Volkert added.

Father Christopher Walsh, pastor of St. Cecilia Parish in Northeast Philadelphia, has served as spiritual leader of these retreats for about five years.

“He just supports us in every way,” Volkert said. “He shows up whenever we ask him.”

Bill Monaghan, a Philadelphia-based music minister, composer and performer, led the praise sessions at the retreat.

Father Walsh shared reflections while the women walked the outdoor Stations of the Cross.

“I love the opportunity to be involved in retreat work, and it’s another way I’m able to plug in and see the work of God as I walk the Way of the Cross with these folks,” Father Walsh said. “They share their experiences, and I’m able to share some of mine.”

Robyn, one of the approximately 60 women who attended the overnight retreat, enjoyed walking the Stations of the Cross.

“That was beautiful, and Father Walsh was great the way he told stories,” she said.

One of the spiritual elements the women appreciated was discovering the miniature figurines of Jesus that staff members had hidden around the campus.

“We hid nearly 200 miniature figurines of Jesus throughout the grounds and held a scavenger hunt,” said Amy Stoner, director of CCoP’s Community-Based and Housing and Homeless Services Division. “I told the ladies that my prayer for them was that they would ‘find Jesus’ while on retreat, and they did.”

Approximately 15 staff members attended the Dorothy Day retreat along with the women, Volkert explained.

“We blur the line between our residents, our clients, and our staff,” she said. “We just come together as women ages 18 to 80, all faiths, all ages, all different places. It’s one of our favorite events.”

Robyn, a first-time retreatant, said the time away gave her the opportunity to leave her problems behind and enjoy the beautiful environment at the retreat house.

“Getting out of the city, I was able to enjoy just being in the moment and appreciating life,” she said. “It was a restart, like a new beginning.”

Robyn also experienced a sense of hopefulness during the retreat.

“To be surrounded by women who want better, it’s a beautiful thing,” she said. “It gives you hope.”

The retreat has a profound impact on many of the participants.

“There’s a lot of tears and women just expressing how appreciative they are and where they saw God during the retreat,” Volkert said.

One powerful activity was when the women were invited to write down their prayer intentions and attach them to a five-foot cross.

“It’s very spiritual and moving for a lot of the ladies,” she said.

For Father Walsh, the retreat gives him the chance to see the work of Catholic Charities of Philadelphia in action.

“It’s always beautiful to see (CCoP) at its best in caring for these people,” he said. “It’s a beautiful gift to give these women the opportunity to go to a beautiful place like Malvern and encounter God and have time to think about their spiritual life.”