Presented by Br. Mark D’Alessio
Saturday, December 6, 2025 | 9:30 AM – 3:30 PM (ET) | On-line via Zoom
In a season when the world feels heavy and weary, Advent invites us to lift our eyes toward the Light that no darkness can overcome. Join us for an online Advent retreat which will invite you to journey through the gifts of poetry, music, and visual art, listening for how God’s light is rising within us — just as it rose in the hearts of prophets, poets, and seekers before us.
Join Br. Mark for a contemplative day of poetry, music, and reflection as we weave together the truth-telling, faith-keeping poetry of Maya Angelou, Wendell Berry, Mary Oliver, and Denise Levertov with the contemplative and blessing-infused art of Jan Richardson. Through the rhythm of reading, music, reflection, and conversation, we will explore Advent’s great themes — hope rising from despair, peace found in stillness, joy blooming in the ordinary, and light breaking through the darkness.
We will begin with the bold resilience of Angelou’s Still I Rise, letting its refrain guide us toward the Advent promise that the light shines in the darkness. Berry’s The Peace of Wild Things will draw us into quiet rest, even in the midst of uncertainty. The gentle joy of Oliver’s Messenger will remind us to meet the day as a messenger of wonder, and Levertov’s poetry will open us to the deep “yes” of incarnation. Along the way, Richardson’s art will serve as a visual prayer, inviting us to see with the eyes of the heart.
Between these readings, we’ll listen to music that deepens the journey — from a soulful gospel O Come, O Come Emmanuel and the spiritual My Lord, What a Morning, to the contemplative beauty of Silent Night and In the Bleak Midwinter. Small group conversations will give space for personal sharing, and times of silence will allow the words and music to settle within us.
Whether you come carrying joy, weariness, or longing, this retreat offers a space to rest in God’s presence and be renewed by the voices of poets, the beauty of music, and the promise of Advent. Together, we will discover that even in the darkest seasons —we rise.
Online via Zoom
COST | $50 VIA ZOOM
PLEASE NOTE: You are NOT registered for a ZOOM program until you receive a confirmation email. Call 860.567.3163 with questions.
We’re honored to offer scholarship opportunities to programs and retreats, creating opportunities for everyone. Please call (860) 567-3163 to find out more.
The health and safety of our guests and staff are of paramount importance to us. We follow the COVID-19 guidelines provided by the State of Connecticut and the CDC. If Wisdom House is forced to close to comply with the guidelines issued by the State of Connecticut or the CDC, we will return all funds received to date.
The Rt. Rev. Br. Mark D’Alessio is a Franciscan friar in the new religious society of the Companions of Francis and Clare. He’s also a interspiritual Christian bishop and priest, spiritual director, chaplain, retreat leader, author, and past President and Executive Director of the Psychotherapy & Spirituality Institute which draws together the inspiration of the church with the wisdom of psychological care.
As a Franciscan, he’s committed to serving those who are sidelined, most vulnerable and at risk. Last year, the Long Island Coalition for the Homeless awarded him with their “Unsung Hero” Award for his ministry as a crisis counselor and program coordinator at a shelter for men and women who are homeless and as a chaplain at a residential treatment center and school for children with learning and emotional disabilities.
A long-time seeker and practitioner of spiritual wisdom, he’s initiated into multiple spiritual lineages, both East (Buddhist) and West (Christian); does his best to affirm the Christian Wisdom tradition within a wider inter-spiritual framework; and, looks to God’s science and spiritual heroes (such as Thích Nhat Hanh and Francis and Clare of Assisi) as sources of inspiration and hope.
Br. Mark is a graduate of the Guild for Spiritual Guidance, founded by Henri Nouwen and Madeline L’Engle, where he is currently a faculty member and community leader. He's also a faculty member at All Faiths Seminary International for the training of interfaith ministers.