July 22-24, 2026

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Registration is open in the NRVC Online Store

Workshop description

Discerners come to us from vastly diverse family backgrounds and experiences that may impact vocation discernment. This workshop addresses family-of-origin issues to assist those who accompany and assess people discerning a call to religious life. Our presenters will facilitate participants in topics such as examining their biological family of origin and/or their family of adoption, and in learning how their family functions in relation to relationship/bonding, adaptability/structure, conflict, and response to change. The impact of the family of origin on prayer, community life, and spirituality will be explored. Participants will also discuss these learnings as they accompany discerners from diverse cultural backgrounds.

Arrival and departure days/times

Please note this two-and-a-half-day workshop begins on July 22, 2026, at 9:30 a.m. and ends on July 24, 2026, at 12:00 p.m. CST. Overnight accommodations are included, with arrivals after 3:00 pm on July 21, 2026, and departures before 9:00 am on July 25, 2026.

Venue

This workshop will be 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 8:45 a.m. in the Chapel. All participants are invited to be Liturgical leaders for Mass.

Presenters

Sister Bea Eichten, OSF, is a member of the Franciscan Sisters of Little Falls, MN, and currently serves as their Community Minister/President. Her ministries have included education, health care administration, pastoral psychotherapy, community leadership, strategic planning, consultation with religious congregations, leadership development, and facilitation of congregational meetings. Sister Bea has a B.A. in Foods and Nutrition/B.A. in Home Economics Education from the College of St. Teresa, Winona, MN. She has a Master's of Pastoral Studies/Counseling from Loyola University, Chicago, and clinical training at Parkside Pastoral Counseling Center, Park Ridge, IL. Sr. Bea is a certified Fellow (retired) of the American Association of Pastoral Counselors.

Sister Maria Nguyen, OSB, is a Benedictine Sister at Mount Saint Scholastica Monastery, Atchison, Kansas. She holds a master’s degree in social work from St. Louis University and currently works at Keeler Women’s Center as a spiritual director and case manager. Sister Maria is a consultant for many religious communities and serves as a member of the Board of Trustees of Divine Work College. She is the assistant Chaplain of the Vietnamese Eucharistic Youth Movement for the John Paul II Midwest region. For her own community, she has served as President of their Senate. She completed the Souljourner’s Program at Sophia Center in Atchison and has been certified as a spiritual director.

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 21, 2026 (the afternoon before the workshop begins) and checking out by 9:00 a.m. on July 25, 2026 (the morning after the workshop ends).

NRVC member: $945 Non-member: $1,175

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.