Art & Prayer: A Retreat for Artists & Art Lovers

In his Letter to Artists, Pope St. John Paul II wrote about the specific demands that the search for “new epiphanies of beauty” puts on the artistic soul. Come spent time with Jesus and fellow artists for two days of prayer, reflection, and community, at the beautiful University of St. Mary of the Lake Conference Center who will provide our accommodation, prayer spaces and conference meeting center. We will also have access to the National Shrine of St. Maximilian Kolbe at Marytown for 24 hour Eucharistic Adoration.

This year we will have thoughtful fellow artists as presenters and the focus will be on art, prayer and the artist's vocation. There will holy mass, confessions, adoration and spiritual direction to help you renew your vocation to holiness through creativity.

This retreat is open to creators of all disciplines including fine artists, designers, photographers, architects, writers, musicians, and anyone studying or working in a creative field who is seeking spiritual direction, time in prayer and reflection, as well as a time to retreat from the demands of an artistic vocation.

Canning Liturgical Arts

Conrad Schmitt Studios

McCrery Architects

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Retreat Presenters

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Fr. Anthony Brankin

Artist & Priest of the Archdiocese of Chicago (retired).

Very Rev. Fr. Joshua Caswell SJC

Superior General of the Canons Regular of St. John Cantius, Chicago

Dr. Barbara Nicolosi

Awarding Winning Screenwriter, Author & Professor

Reverend Anthony J. Brankin was ordained to the priesthood on May 14, 1975 for theArchdiocese of Chicago. He received his S.T.L. (License in Sacred Theology) magna cum laude from the University of St. Mary of the Lake. In May of 1981 he was sent tostudy art at the Bel’ Arte Academy in Rome, Italy. He also completed further studies at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Illinois. Father Brankin has produced major sculptures, works in bronze, religious altar pieces, drawings, icons and prints for organizations in the US and Italy.

Very Reverend Fr. Joshua Caswell, SJC Superior General of the Canons Regular of St. John Cantius, Chicago. Born and raised in Saskatchewan, Canada, Fr. Joshua Caswell felt a call to the priesthood early in his life and moved to Chicago in 2004 to begin the process of discernment with the Canons Regular of St. John Cantius. Fr. Caswell received his priestly formation and a Masters of Divinity from Holy Apostles College and Seminary. He has served St. John Cantius as Associate Pastor starting in 2014 and as Pastor from 2020-2024. He now serves the Canons Regular of St. John Cantius as Superior General. St. John Cantius Parish is renown for their excellence in liturgy, music and art.

Barbara Nicolosi is an 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/