WELCOME!
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As "Joyful Bearers of
God's Redeeming Love," we... ...offer service,
hospitality and opportunities for spiritual and educational enrichment for everyone |
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Our Faithful and Faith-filled Volunteers During this "Anniversary Year," we would like to recognize the special, on-going service of our Volunteers! Ever-faithful, totally dedicated, and blessed with enormous generous hearts, we wish to thank them for always being ready to answer the "call" (literally!) to come and help us at the Center. Each month we will highlight two or three volunteers with a little biography and a photo so that our guests will also have the opportunity to get to know them! Please join us in whispering a prayer of great gratitude to God for gifting them to the Center and its ministry! |
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Introducing our remaining volunteers
...Cheryl Latella Born in South Philadelphia and raised in a warm and loving Italian family where we always gathered around the table filled with delicious home cooked meals and homemade baking. Weekends consisted of visiting extended family of aunts, uncles and cousins and we attended mass on Sundays. Five years later, in the early 1970’s, my family moved to Drexel Hill where I attended Saint Andrew’s School for 8 years, followed by 4 years at Archbishop Prendergast High School. From there, I was accepted into Neumann University’s nursing program. This was a profession that I was always interested in growing up. I have always had a passion for caring and helping others; I have been a nurse for 36 years and counting. My parish ministry work has been with Saint Bernadette of Lourdes Parish in Drexel Hill where I brought communion to the home bound and helping out at daily mass. I am also a member of the IHM companions in prayer through Saint Pius X in Broomall since 2013. In 2015 I was invited to the Taize prayer at the IHM conference center and that was when I was really drawn to loving communal prayer with the IHM Sisters. From there, I was asked to volunteer with cleaning, preparing, welcoming guests and serving meals to the groups that were on retreat. Additionally, my recreational interests are reading, listening to spiritual music, bike riding at the shore, going to the gym, and spending lots of time with my two adorable and loving nephews. |
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And...Dee Marroletti
My name is Dee Marroletti and I was born in South Philadelphia and attended St. Rita’s parish school until our family moved to Springfield when I was in third grade. I then attended Holy Cross school and was in the first graduating class at Archbishop Prendergast HS. I then attended West Chester University and earned a BS in secondary English. I have three grown children, two boys and a girl, three grown grandchildren and two little granddaughters (ages 5 and 2!), and five great grandchildren. St. Dorothy’s in Drexel Hill is my home parish now since 1989 and I enjoy being a Lector and Eucharistic Minister there. 2009-2013 I attended Neumann University and earned a BS in pastoral care and counseling, specializing in hospice care and drug addiction. My hospice practice has been put to good use on many occasions with friends and family members while my counseling knowledge has helped me in life situations. 33 years in the Al-Anon Program has also helped me be of service to others, as well as provide an opportunity to sponsor and counsel those who may need it. I have done a lot of retail work which I do enjoy and love being with people – that’s probably why I enjoy helping at the IHM Conference/Retreat Center! |
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...Jean Meehan
My name is Jean Meehan. I grew up in Northeast Philadelphia and attended St William School and Cardinal Dougherty High School. My husband and I are both Villanova University graduates. I now live in St Davids and am a member of St Thomas of Villanova Parish. My husband, Jim, and I have been married 52 years. We are blest with two children and three grandchildren (8, 6 and 5). All three attend Waldron Mercy Academy I taught religious education nearly 20 years at St Katharine’s in Wayne. This is my first year volunteering at the IHM Center. I thoroughly enjoy the work and the people I have met. |
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...Nancy Sprecher
At the end of 2022, I retired from working in the insurance industry after 46 years. I found the prospect of retirement somewhat daunting as I was concerned about what to do with myself. My sister, Mary, is an IHM sister so I tapped on her shoulder to help me find a way to doing some volunteer work and thanks to her and a friend, Sr. Rose Caritas, I found my way to the IHM Conference Center and am so very happy to be a part of your team!!! I am finding my way slowly in retirement; I take some exercise and dance classes at a local community recreation center. I am a "walker" and usually take a 4-mile walk on average of 4-5 days per week. Living in Ardmore adds to the love that I can walk and shop around the town, which has so very much to offer. I am a registered parishioner of St. Denis (However, I attend mass at St Colman's in Ardmore as it is much closer to my home and I very much like it there). I am a widow (my husband passed away in 2001) and we had no children. I love the shore and get down there every chance I get. I am an avid reader and since I no longer have to be on a computer for 10-hour days, I renewed my Ardmore Library Card and am back to reading in my leisure. |
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And...Catherine Whelan
My name is Catherine Whelan and I am a mother of one son, Christopher. My favorite title these days is Grandmom. Chris has 4 children; Maggie is 8, Katie is six, Alex is four, and Jack is 2. I delight in spending as much time as possible with them.
I'm the youngest of seven children and grew up in the Overbrook section of West Philadelphia. I attended St Callistus Grade School and West Catholic High School. I earned a bachelor's degree from St Joseph's University and then entered the “working world.”
I am now retired from Independence Blue Cross where I worked for almost 25 years in the department that handled the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP).
I began as a new volunteer at the Conference Center last year and worked mainly in the kitchen. My friend, Ellen Wallace, invited me to join the group. It has been a wonderful experience.
Upcoming Events Our Latest Brochure and all the Programs offered may be found at this link: Program Brochure
(Our '23-'24 Fall/Winter Brochure will be available in mid-August) Registration is required for any program. Please call 610-581-0120 or email ihmconferencecenter@gmail.com to give your name and the program you wish to attend. ******** ******** ******** ******** Our new Zoom and YouTube Library, found under the Home Menu, contains links to all of the Zoom and YouTube videos that were completed during the months we were closed for the pandemic. You can view these at any time by clicking the links for each video or Zoom session. You may also quickly reach that page by using the link above or in the box at the bottom of this page! If you are not receiving our monthly newsletter and would like to, please send a note to S. Marie asking to be put on that mailing list (ihmconferencecenter@gmail.com) or see the text box below to do this yourself! Thank you! ******** ******** ******** ******** To see our latest e-newsletter, please click here: https://mailchi.mp/dd70a50e4edc/how-wonderful-a-gift-we-have-in-the-sacred-heart-of-jesus mailchi.mp/e214a6292954/the-message-must-be-shared Or to read previous e-newsletters: https://mailchi.mp/f2e4641919b7/what-message-reaches-beyond-the-mess mailchi.mp/229c8a3d0a05/do-you-forward-our-emails If you would like to subscribe...or "re-subscribe"... to our monthly e-newsletters, please click the link under our previous e-newsletters (do-you-forward-our-emails) and you will be able to subscribe very easily! Hello, Everyone!
We have created a new page for our website: Zoom and YouTube Library - that may be found under HOME on the menu above. On this page we have "re-located" all of the Zoom Sessions and YouTube Videos that we completed during the time of the pandemic. Happily, we will continue to add to these "tools" as we progress through the upcoming year and as we reopen the Center for our guests. We hope that you continue to find them helpful on your spiritual journey! For Links to past videos and Zoom sessions, please click here to view these on our new page: Zoom and YouTube Videos! |
Join Us for a Virtual Tour!Have you seen the Wootton Mansion lately? We would love to have you visit, virtually, by viewing below... Please know that we have a Handicapped Person Entrance available for all participants of our Programs! If you wish to use this, kindly call Sr. Marie at 610-581-0120 to make arrangements before you arrive. DID YOU KNOW...? We are now on Facebook...and have added additional Photo Gallery Pages! Read below for more details! The IHM Conference Center is now on Facebook! If you use Facebook, please look us up...at IHM Conference/Retreat Center in Bryn Mawr, PA...and like us, but also SHARE us; you'll help spread our ministry when you share our posts with your Facebook friends! You'll find information about up-coming events, photos of recent groups that have been at the Center for one of our programs or their own day of reflection. There are so many wonderful things happening here! We are seeking to expand our present groups so that others can take advantage of the beauty of our Center and enjoy the opportunities it affords...not only for spiritual renewal, but also as a place to gather for business meetings "away from the workplace!" Thank you! Know that we always look forward to seeing our friends and appreciate your confidence and participation in our events! Photo Gallery: Click Photo Gallery 2019 - 2020 to see the added page under About Our Programs with slide shows of those groups that have visited our Center in the past! Click here to see the Photo Gallery for 2021-2022! As you know, our last photos were taken at our last, wonderful event, our Irish Tea, on March 12, 2020, the day before everything was "shut down." We were happy to begin anew in 2021! Click here to see the Photo Gallery for 2022-2023! Come back often to see the added groups that enjoyed a day or event here at our Center! Please be sure to see our Note of Gratitude for your many kindnesses to us! It may be found at the bottom of the Letter from the Director page! (Click the link!) |