SPONSORS
Retreat for Artists & Lovers of Beauty
Prayer and the Artist: Learning to Pray and Discern with
St. Teresa of Ávila and Flannery O’Connor
June 5 - 7, 2026
A three-day spiritual retreat exploring prayer, discernment, and the creative vocation through the wisdom of St. Teresa of Ávila and the witness of Flannery O’Connor.
Come spend three days with Christ and fellow artists in prayer, reflection, and community at the beautiful St. Mary’s Seminary in Roland Park, Baltimore. This historic seminary will provide our accommodations, prayer spaces, and conference facilities, offering a peaceful setting ideal for spiritual renewal and creative reflection. Guest rooms are newly renovated with queen beds and en suite bathrooms (see information below for more details and photos).
This year’s retreat will explore the profound spiritual wisdom of St. Teresa of Ávila, whose vivid metaphors of the interior life offer powerful guidance for artists seeking to deepen their prayer and discern their vocation. We will also reflect on the spiritual journey of Flannery O’Connor, one of the great Catholic writers of the modern era, drawing insights from her Prayer Journal and including a screening of the film Wildcat.
Throughout the weekend there will be generous time for prayer, reflection, spiritual direction, Eucharistic adoration, and conversation with fellow artists, all ordered toward helping participants grow in their relationship with God and discern how their creative gifts may be offered in His service.
Participants are invited to bring a sample of their work to share with fellow artists or display during the retreat. Together we will reflect on the role of beauty, imagination, and creative work within the life of faith.
The retreat will feature thoughtful presentations by fellow artists, with a special focus on methods of prayer particularly suited to the creative vocation, inspired by the teachings of St. Teresa of Ávila and the spiritual insights found in Flannery O’Connor’s writings.
The weekend will include Holy Mass celebrated with beautiful polyphonic choral music, opportunities for confession, Eucharistic adoration, and spiritual direction, and time for quiet contemplation within the peaceful surroundings of the seminary.
This retreat is open to creators of all disciplines—including fine artists, designers, photographers, architects, writers, musicians, singers, but professional or amateur, and those studying or working in creative fields. It is also open to members of the faithful who love beauty and wish to spend time immersed in prayer, reflection, and the fellowship of artists.
Whether you are seeking deeper prayer, spiritual discernment, or simply time to step away from the demands of creative work, this retreat offers a rare opportunity to renew your vocation to holiness through the gift of creativity.
What You’ll Experience
• Guided reflections on prayer and the creative vocation through the spiritual wisdom of St. Teresa of Ávila and the witness of Flannery O’Connor
• Holy Mass celebrated with beautiful polyphonic sacred music, fostering contemplation through the Church’s artistic tradition
• Eucharistic Adoration, Confession, and opportunities for spiritual direction, offering time to deepen your relationship with Christ
• Thoughtful presentations and discussions with fellow artists, exploring how prayer informs and sustains creative work
• Quiet time for personal prayer, reflection, and discernment within the peaceful setting of St. Mary’s Seminary
• An opportunity to share a sample of your work and reflect together on the role of beauty in the life of faith
• A community of artists and lovers of beauty seeking to renew their vocation through prayer, creativity, and fellowship
SPONSOR THE RETREAT
SPONSORSHIPS START AT JUST $295
Retreat Presenters
Dr. Barbara Nicolosi
Award Winning Screenwriter, Author & Professor
Fr. Andrew Barth IVE
Priest and Artist, 2024 Sacred Art Prize Third Prize Winner
Kathleen Carr
Catholic Art Institute, President & Founder, Designer & Classically Trained Painter
Barbara Nicolosi is award-winning writer, speaker, professor and producer, Dr. Barbara Nicolosi has spoken at hundreds of conferences, universities, and churches. She is the featured host on the Mystagogy podcast. She has also given retreats for parish ministers. With 23 years of experience working in Hollywood as a writer and producer, Dr. Nicolosi speaks about the intersection of faith and culture, the role of art and beauty in the Church and world, and how to engage the secular mainstream with Gospel themes. She is a Great Books professor and former member of a religious community, speaking regularly on the topics of literature and philosophy the importance of friendship, various aspects of prayer and spirituality, the history and social importance of story and art, and how the Church can more effectively find a voice in the marketplace of ideas.
Dr. Nicolosi is founder of the Write Spirit creative writing program of the Catholic Art Institute. A member of the Writers Guild of America-West she has written screenplays for several Hollywood production companies including Fatima (2020), directed by Marco Pontecorvo and starring Harvey Keitel and Sonia Braga. Barbara has a doctorate in Creative Writing from Bath Spa University in the UK, a Masters in Film & Television from Northwestern University, and a B.A. from the Great Books program at Magdalen College. She has taught at the university level for twenty years. She has been a script analyst, production company executive, and consultant on scores of entertainment projects including the features The Passion of the Christ and TV shows Joan of Arcadia (CBS) and Saving Grace (TNT). Barbara has delivered hundreds of addresses all over the world including at the Vatican and for the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Barbara has been a grants panelist for the National Endowment for the Arts, and a reader for the Humanitas Prize which has been called the Pulitzer of screenwriting. For more, visit https://mystagogy.net/
Fr. Andrew Barth IVE is a Catholic priest of the Institute of the Incarnate Word (IVE), a missionary religious institute dedicated to evangelization through preaching, pastoral ministry, and cultural engagement. He earned a Bachelor’s degree in Communications Media from John Paul the Great Catholic University in 2015, where he developed an interest in visual culture and sacred art.
After entering formation with the Institute of the Incarnate Word, he professed religious vows in 2017 and continued his philosophical and theological studies in preparation for the priesthood. He was ordained a deacon in 2024 at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C., and ordained to the priesthood in 2026 by Bishop Chad Zielinski at the Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle in Washington, D.C.
In addition to his priestly ministry, Fr. Barth is also a painter working in the tradition of Catholic sacred art. His painting St. Ignatius of Loyola (oil on panel) received Third Prize in the 2024 Sacred Art Prize Competition and Exhibition.
Kathleen Carr is the President and Founder of the Catholic Art Institute. She a classically trained painter, multimedia designer and graduate of the Maryland Institute College of Art. In academia, Ms. Carr served as Deputy Chair and Professor of Design and Illustration at the Corcoran College of Art & Design in Washington DC.
Her paintings have been recognized by the National Portrait Gallery UK, The National Portrait Society, and The Art Renewal Center, The Salmagundi Club, RGD, Gallery, Fine Art Connoisseur Magazine, and the Butler Museum of American Art, among others.
Ms. Carr has designed for the National Geographic Society, the Washington Post, HZDG Design Group serving a variety of clients including: American Express (Red), AT&T, Beefeater Gin, BP, Chase Sapphire, Chrysler, Exxon, Fetner Real Estate, Ford, General Mills, Glaxo Smith Kline, Honda, IBM, Kelloggs, KIA, The Marriott Corporation, Mastercard, McDonalds, Mercedes Benz, Merck, Microsoft, Mini Cooper, Porsche, Rolex, Siemens, Toyota, The Washington Capitals, VRBO and many more.
Her design work has been featured in Communication Arts, Apple.com, Quicktime & Dynamic Graphics.
Portfolio: CarrFineArt.com
Retreat Schedule
FRIDAY 6/5
12:00-12:45 Check-in Artists set up their work.
1:00-1:10 - Kathleen Carr, Welcome Remarks
1:10- 1:45 Introductions (introductions & sharing work)
1:45 – 1:50 Prayer Fr. Andrew Barth
1:50 – 2:15 Dr. Barbara Nicolosi - Introduction to Retreat
2:15 – 2:45 Chapel Visit to Pray in Preparation for the Retreat
2:45 – 3:00 Break
3:00 -4:00 Presentation on Flannery O’Conner’s Prayer Journal
4:00 - 5:00 Break/ Prayer time/Spiritual Direction
5:00 - 6:00 Dinner
6:00-7:00 Dr. Barbara Nicolosi - St. Teresa of Avila Part I - Metaphors of Prayer
7:00-7:15 Night Prayer
7:15-8:30 Optional Small Group Discussion & Sharing Time
8:30 – Grand Silence until Breakfast
SATURDAY 6/6
8:00 – 8:30 Morning Prayer
8:30 – 9:00 Breakfast
9:10 – 9:45 Forth Presentation - Prayer & Creativity - Dr. Andrew Barth
9:45 – 10:45 Break & Spiritual Direction with Fr. Barth, Dr. Nicolosi, Kathleen Carr
11:00 – 12:15 Mass with Polyphonic Choral Music
12:15- 1:15 Lunch
1:20 – 2:00 Dr. Nicolosi - St. Teresa of Avila - Part II The Interior Castle
2:00 – 3:15 Creative time / Prayer Time / Project Time / Spiritual Direction/ Confessions
3:15 – 4:30 Group Discussion
4:30 – 5:30 Hour of Adoration
5:30 - 6:30 Dinner
7:00-9:00 Screening of Wild Cat Film
9:00– 9:30 - Optional Discussion of Wild Cat & Flannery O’Connor’s Prayer Journal
9:30 – Grand Silence until breakfast
SUNDAY 6/7
8:00- 9:00 Breakfast
9:00-10:00 Artist’s offering & Closing remarks
10:00 - 10:30 Room Checkout & Departure
11:00- 12:15 Optional Mass at Mt. Calvary Church Anglican Ordinariate (Approx. 12 mins drive south to downtown Baltimore. Met Calvary has ample parking)
2:00 - 3:30 Docent Lead Tour of the Walters Art Gallery - Tickets Available soon!
Enrollment Details & Costs
Enrollment options include staying in the newly renovated St. Mary's Seminary Retreat Center. All enrollment rates include the full retreat, including dinner on Friday, breakfast and lunch on Saturday, plus drinks available the entire time. The Dining Hall at University of St. Mary of the Lake is full service offering hot and cold meals, a full salad bar plus dairy and gluten free meal options.
Member Commuter Rate (includes meals) - $250
Non-Member Commuter Rate (includes meals) - $275
Deadline for Enrolling for Commuter Options is June 1, 2026
Single Room w/ Queen Bed & Private Bath - Member Rate (includes meals) - $425
Single Room w/ Queen Bed & Private Bath - Non Member Rate (includes meals) - $450
Deadline for Enrolling for Overnight Options is May 29, 2026
We are limited to 20 guest room and we are likely to sell out, so if you'd like to stay at St. Mary's Seminary for the weekend, register as soon as possible.
Retreat Sponsorships
If you're interested in placing an affordable ad in the retreat program which includes online promotion in our newsletter, website and social media accounts reaching 40K subscribers, visit this page for details: https://www.tickettailor.com/events/catholicartinstitute/2141142
About St. Mary's Seminary & Retreat Center
Set on a serene, tree-lined campus in Baltimore’s historic Roland Park neighborhood, St. Mary’s Seminary & University offers a rare atmosphere of beauty, quiet, and spiritual depth. Founded in 1791, it is the oldest Catholic seminary in the United States, established by the Sulpician Fathers at the request of Bishop John Carroll to form priests for the young American Church.
The present campus, built in 1929, sits on 40 acres of landscaped grounds, with stately architecture, broad lawns, and winding drives that create a peaceful, park-like setting ideal for prayer and reflection.
At the heart of the seminary stands its beautiful chapel, richly appointed with marble, carved oak, stained glass from Paris, and a Casavant pipe organ, forming a quiet and dignified place for Mass, prayer, and contemplation.
Comfortable Retreat Accommodations
Guests stay in the seminary’s newly renovated private rooms, designed to provide both comfort and simplicity.
Each room includes:
• Queen bed
• Private ensuite bathroom
• Quiet, monastic atmosphere ideal for rest
• Simple, elegant furnishings
• Views of the landscaped campus
The seminary also provides excellent meals prepared on site, allowing guests to relax fully and focus on prayer, study, and conversation.
A Place Designed for Prayer and Rest
Unlike a hotel, a seminary is intentionally built as a place of silence and reflection.
Here guests can enjoy:
• A beautiful chapel for Mass and prayer
• Peaceful walking paths and lawns
• Historic architecture and sacred spaces
• Ample free parking directly on campus
• Quiet surroundings in the charming Roland Park district
The campus was designed to be removed from the noise of the city while still easily accessible, making it ideal for a retreat experience.
Historic Setting
For over two centuries, St. Mary’s Seminary has played a central role in the life of the Catholic Church in America. Among those connected to the seminary are:
• Blessed Michael J. McGivney, founder of the Knights of Columbus
• Early missionary priests of the American frontier
• Generations of priests serving dioceses across the United States and beyond.
This long tradition gives the campus a sense of continuity, prayer, and sacred purpose that is immediately felt by visitors.
Why This Venue Is Special for Artists
For artists and lovers of beauty, St. Mary’s offers something rare:
• noble architecture
• sacred art and chapel space
• silence for prayer and reflection
• historic Catholic atmosphere
• a retreat setting built for contemplation
It is a place where beauty, faith, and quiet converge.
Travel Information
St. Mary’s Seminary & University
5400 Roland Ave, Baltimore, MD 21210
St. Mary’s Seminary is located in the Roland Park neighborhood of Baltimore, about 15 miles north of the main airport and easily accessible by train, light rail, taxi, or rideshare.
The closest Airport is Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI)
Distance: ~16 miles / about 25–30 minutes by car. BWI is the most convenient airport for reaching St. Mary’s Seminary and has extensive domestic and international flights.
From BWI to the Seminary
Taxi / Uber / Lyft
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Approx. 25–30 minutes
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Estimated cost: $35–$55
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Light Rail + Taxi
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Take the Light RailLink from BWI Airport toward Hunt Valley.
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Exit at Cold Spring Lane or Mt. Washington.
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Take a short taxi/Uber ride (about 5–10 minutes) to the seminary.
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The light rail station is located just outside the airport terminal and connects the airport to downtown Baltimore and northern neighborhoods.
Train Service (Recommended for Northeast Corridor travelers)
Baltimore Penn Station
Distance to seminary: ~4 miles / about 10–15 minutes by car.
Penn Station is served by:
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Amtrak (Northeast Corridor / Acela)
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MARC commuter trains (from Washington D.C.)
From Penn Station to the seminary:
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Taxi / Uber (10–15 minutes)
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Light RailLink toward Hunt Valley and exit at Mt. Washington, then short rideshare
BWI Airport also has an Amtrak and MARC rail station connected to the airport by free shuttle, allowing easy connections to trains arriving from Washington, New York, Philadelphia, and other cities.
Light Rail / Local Transit
Baltimore’s Light RailLink runs from BWI Airport through downtown Baltimore to Hunt Valley.
Nearest light rail stop to the seminary:
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Mt. Washington Station (about 15–20 minute walk or short taxi ride)
Local bus routes also run along Roland Avenue near the seminary.
Driving
For those arriving by car, St. Mary’s Seminary is located in the Roland Park neighborhood of Baltimore and is easily accessible from:
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I-83 (Jones Falls Expressway)
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Northern Parkway
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Roland Avenue