Registration and payment are done separately; please be sure to submit both forms!
“With the same faith as Mary, let us become ‘weavers of hope’ in our world, sharing who we are and what we have, so that the presence of Jesus may grow among us.”
Pope Leo XIV, Encyclical Letter Magnifica Humanitas (15 May 2026), para. 245.
Sign-in for the retreat begins at 4 PM Friday.
The retreat will begin on Friday, June 26 @ 6:00 p.m. and conclude after Mass on Sunday, June 28 around 1:30.
See below for information on travel logistics (including UPDATED rideshare information) and the option to stay overnight Sunday to participate in the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage on Monday!
Questions? Please contact Margaret at mdwyerhogan@hcfm.org.
Sign-in will begin at 4 PM Friday and run until 6 PM. Dinner will not be served by the retreat house chef, but we're planning for pizza and salad, so please let us know if you'd like to join us for that.
Catholic Mom Contributors Retreat
WRITE TO INVITE
June 26-28, Holy Cross Retreat Center
North Easton, Massachusetts
“With the same faith as Mary, let us become ‘weavers of hope’ in our world, sharing who we are and what we have, so that the presence of Jesus may grow among us…”
Pope Leo XIV, Encyclical Letter Magnifica Humanitas (15 May 2026), para. 245.
Friday Evening: Welcome & Meet and Greet
4:00 PM - 6:00 PM: Arrival and Registration
Participants check in, receive welcome packets, and settle into their accommodations.
6:00 PM - 7:00 PM: Informal dinner to foster a relaxed atmosphere, allowing participants to get to know each other.
Brief Welcome and Logistics: Allison
Location: Community Room
7:00 – 8:00 p.m. Sacrament of Reconciliation Available
Father Boby John
7:30 PM – 8:30 PM: Opening Session IN CHAPEL
Welcome remarks: Maria Johnson
Introduction to the retreat’s theme and goals.
Brief overview of the weekend schedule.
Introduction of participants and sharing of personal writing goals.
Brief Break
8:30 – 9:00 PM:  Chapel: Rosary (Maria)
Evening prayer (Barb: Liturgy of the Hours)
9:00 PM - 10:00 PM: Social hour for those interested.
Saturday Morning: Writing & Spiritual Connection
7:30 AM - 8:00 AM: Morning Rosary (Margaret will lead)
8:00 AM - 9:00 AM: Breakfast (begins PROMPTLY at 8:00 a.m.)
9:00 AM - 11:45 AM: Sessions 1 and 2: Your Story is the Bridge
Maria Johnson/Allison Gingras
Talk: From Personal Reflection to Connection
Writing Activity: The Art of Engagement – strategies for creating a written piece that connects and engages
Responsibility of Writing as Evangelization and Catechesis: A follow-up to last year’s writing as evangelization, this session provides strategies for evangelizing through sharing.
12:00 – 1:00 Lunch at Retreat Center. Head over to Father Peyton Center 115
1:30—3:15- PM The Father Peyton Center. Museum Tour.
Queen of Peace Chapel/Pray with Venerable Patrick Peyton. Space to write and reflect.
1:30 Gather in Rotunda. Margaret will give an overview of the
international scope of HCFM is evident by the images in the Rotunda, and orient folks on where things are. Group can walk from here out to the Rosary path, grotto.
Saturday Afternoon: Deepening the Connection. Return to Holy Cross Retreat House
3:30 PM - 5:30 PM: Spiritual Reflection & Writing Collaboration
Contributors will join groups that become small writing communities for sharing if they would like.
Through brainstorming and collaboration, contributors will identify themes relevant to CM and HCFM, and develop an action plan for their work at CM.
Participants can write prayers, reflections, or spiritual-themed pieces in this session as time allows.
Maria, Allison, Barb available to meet
Confession Available 3:30 – 5:30 |Father Tom @ Retreat House
5:00 PM – 5:45 PM: Group Sharing & Discussion
Optional sharing of writing produced or action plans/goals during the day.
Group discussion on the experiences and challenges faced.
6:00 PM - 7:15 PM: Dinner @ retreat house with Fr David Marcham,
Vice-Postulator, Venerable Patrick Peyton
7:30 PM - 9:00 PM: Fellowship or Free Writing time
Informal time for socializing or continuing writing.
For those interested, we can walk back over and see the grotto and Rosary path lit up at night.
Designated quiet spaces available for those who wish to write privately.
9:00-10:00 PM Adoration and Evening Prayers
Sunday Morning: Final Session & Mass
7:30 a.m. Rosary (Have a retreatant lead)
8:00 AM - 9:00 AM: Breakfast
9:00 AM - 10:00 AM: HCFM and CM mission of evangelization to families and its digital execution. Policies and best practices for publication will be discussed, and contributors will have an opportunity for questions.
Panel: Allison, Barb and Maria. Moderator Margaret
10:00 AM – 10:30 AM: Father Fred Jenga, C.S.C. Offers Remarks
10:30 AM – 11:30 AM: Mass celebrated by Father Fred Jenga, C.S.C.
Mass and Commissioning at Retreat Chapel
A celebratory Mass to close the retreat, offering prayers of gratitude and blessings for future writing endeavors.
Commissioning as Digital Missionaries with Father Peyton blessed Rosaries.
12:00 PM – 1:00 Lunch
1:00 PM – 1:30 Departure for those returning home on Sunday. Participants depart, taking with them the experiences and inspiration gained from the retreat.
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The Staff of the Holy Cross Retreat House has graciously made available accommodations on Sunday night for the procession on Monday. The CM team will host a dinner Sunday evening at 5:30 for these overnight guests.
On Monday morning, rooms will need to be vacated by 9:00 a.m. for cleaning. We will head over to the Father Peyton Center/HCFM at 9:00 a.m. for a light breakfast. Luggage may remain at the retreat house.
Registration and payment are done separately; please be sure to submit both forms!
The good news is that Easton is not that far from Boston’s Logan International airport!
We'll cover the cost of your rideshare to and from the airport; please save your receipts and submit to Margaret. Consider coordinating your rideshare with other attendees to extend the weekend's fun!
RETREAT HOUSE LOCATION
Retreat House Address is 490 Washington Street, North Easton, MA 02356. It is the building at the back (read these directions).
It is BEHIND the series of white buildings you will see at this address – at the very back.
Upon arrival at Logan Airport, simply follow the signs to “Ride App Pickup”. It is a walk from the terminal. Here is a map of Boston Logan airport so you can see in advance of your arrival where it is located. In Terminal B, you will need to go up the escalator to get to the uber pick up area in the garage. It is clearly marked as “RIDE APP PICK UP”. The other terminals, please scroll to “Ride APP Pick Up” in the map above.
If you want to skip the Uber at Logan airport, there is LOGAN EXPRESS BUS SERVICE. A bus leaves from the front of each terminal every 30 minutes (and you can track it on an app) to FIVE DIFFERENT LOCATIONS. You want the bus to BRAINTREE. That gets you 15 minutes from us. What is nice about this option is if you arrive during a heavy traffic time (4:30 – 6:30 p.m.) the bus can access the HOV lane. It will get you out of the city quickly. Once you get to Braintree, you can hop an uber to Easton. At Braintree, there is a warm and clean place to wait inside with bathrooms, etc., for the uber or your ride. Honestly, depending on when you arrive, this can be the least stressful way to get to us. I always take the Logan Express as they can always get you in and out of the city the quickest with HOV lanes.
Dress comfortably for summer weather. Bring a sweater, because we'll spend some time in the Peyton Center, which will be chilly with the air conditioning. There is air conditioning in the main conference room and dining room of the retreat house as of right now.
Rooms will be assigned as registrations come in.
There are, however, only a few rooms with private bathrooms – most do have a sink.
You will likely need to shower and use the facilities in a shared bathroom that are built with appropriate privacy, but just a heads up to plan accordingly! This retreat house is taken care of and cleaned with great pride.
There will not be a meal served at the retreat house on Friday evening; we are planning for pizza and salad at the retreat house. Please complete our Meal Plans survey so we can get a head count for the pizza order.
There are two restaurants within walking distance of the retreat house, and meal delivery services (Door Dash, etc.) are always an option.
Our offices at HCFM are a short walk from the Retreat House (I will send a map next week). We have daily Rosary at 11:30 and Mass at 12:00 noon. If you plan to join us for those, let Margaret know, please!
Upon arrival, you'll register and choose a room: first come, first served.
Use this address for the office:
518 Washington Street
North Easton, MA 02356
The office closes at 5 PM and the Catholic Mom team will be at the retreat house by 4:30.
We will reimburse the cost of your rideshare to and from the airport. Try to coordinate with other attendees if you can, and save your receipts! After the retreat, send those to Margaret.
If you would like to delay your return trip to participate in the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage, on Monday, June 29th, our offices in Easton will kick off the Diocese of Fall River’s participation in the Pilgrimage with Mass at noon presided over by our Bishop Edgar da Cunha, followed by a Eucharistic Procession in Easton, Massachusetts.
If you are interested in participating in this and delaying your return trip to Monday evening, please contact Margaret. The retreat house will allow folks to stay Sunday night if they are participating in the Eucharistic Pilgrimage. Plan your flights for after 6:00 p.m. on Monday if you plan to stay for this event.
Staying an extra night in the retreat house to attend Monday's Eucharistic Pilgrimage? Please indicate this on your attendee survey:
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