July 18-20, 2026

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Spirituality and Vocation Ministry workshop

Registration is open in the NRVC Online Store

Workshop description

This workshop will examine the theology of discernment and its significance in accompaniment. Participants will explore evolving images of God and ways to recognize, respect, and engage with various images by honoring and beholding the Holy Mystery within us, discerners, and the world. This includes looking at the whole person – body, mind, spirit – and attention to healthy boundaries in spiritual accompaniment. It also includes best practices for discerning the emerging integration of a candidate’s personal spirituality within religious life and a congregation’s charism. We will also look at strategies for honoring and incorporating diverse cultural and religious traditions into communal spiritual life. Sessions balance theological input with reflective and creative practices, small-group conversation, and engagement with art, culture, and practical applications.

Arrival and departure days/times

Please note this three-day workshop begins on July 18, 2026, at 9:00 a.m. and ends on July 20, 2026, at 4:00 p.m. CST. Overnight accommodations are included, with arrivals after 3:00 p.m. on July 17, 2026, and departures before 9:00 a.m. on July 21, 2026. If you are registered for the Impact of Families in Vocation Discernment workshop, you do not have to check out; your room and meals are provided between workshops.

Venue

This workshop will be the first workshop available at our annual Summer Institute at the Marillac Center, in Leavenworth, KS. It is the home of the Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth. The nearest airport is Kansas City (MCI), and ground transportation is available through Lyft, Uber, and Super Shuttle. The airport is 16 miles from the retreat center.

Liturgy

Eucharistic Liturgy for workshop participants will be offered each day at 8:00 a.m. in the Chapel, which includes Sunday Mass. All participants are invited to be Liturgical leaders for Mass.

Presenter

Sister Julie Vieira, IHM, is a writer, presenter, and thinker in spirituality, with particular attentiveness to living the darkness and light — the poetry and rough prose — of everyday life. She is a professed member of the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary (IHM) of Monroe, Michigan. Her writings appear on Global Sisters Report and on her blog at julievieira.org. She also works as a retreat director and as a consultant in the unfolding of religious life and mission. She holds a Master of Arts in Theology from St. Michael’s College at the University of Toronto.

Workshop fees

Workshop fees include materials, speaker stipends, facility fees, all meals, and breaks. The workshop fee also includes overnight accommodations for 4 nights, arriving after 3:00 p.m. on July 17, 2026 (the afternoon before the workshop begins) and checking out by 9:00 a.m. on July 21, 2026 (the morning after the workshop ends). If you are registered for the Impact of Families in Vocation Discernment workshop, you do not have to check out; your room and meals are provided between workshops.

NRVC member: $1,050 Non-member: $1,335

Become an NRVC member here to save on workshop fees.

Registration is open in the NRVC Online Store.

Late fees

All workshop registrations received after June 30 incur a $100 late fee.

Cancellations

Cancellations for workshops must be received in writing to dinasp@nrvc.net before June 30 to receive a full refund minus a $100 processing fee. After June 30, all fees are non-refundable.

Financial assistance available

The Misericordia Scholarship Fund is available to assist NRVC members with their professional development. Scholarship funds can be applied to NRVC workshops; however, they do not cover the cost of transportation, accommodations, meals, or personal expenses. If you need financial assistance to attend an NRVC workshop, please apply here.

Workshop terms and conditions

Please read our NRVC terms and conditions for all events and programs.

Workshops are designed from the NRVC curriculum for those who wish to deepen their understanding of the complex theological, spiritual, psycho-sexual, ethical, and diversity issues often present in contemporary vocation ministry. NRVC recommends that vocation ministers participate in ongoing educational opportunities to attend to their own vocation, faith formation, and to further develop their professional competencies.

Questions about Summer Institute workshops?

Please contact Sr. Dina Bato, S.P. , at dinasp@nrvc.net.