Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Ave Maria Singles Blog
Ave Maria Singles... this post is all yours! Go ahead... add your comments about upcoming and past retreats. Use it as a point of communication with other members of your retreat group. Share your experiences. And be enriched by others...
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22 comments:
This is a retreat unlike anything I have ever experienced. I didn't know what to expect on my first retreat here. Let me tell you that I met the most wonderful, caring people you can imagine. They also had a fun social and we were all dressed up to dance. I'm coming to the retreat in June because they have line dancing instructors and special speakers to help me be a better man. I'm tired of the bar scene. Thank you Ave Maria Singles for being different. Now I have something to look forward to instead of the bars.
Malvern is truly a Holy place! I was on the retreat last May and it was the most enjoyable Ave Maria event that I have experienced. Hope many more are able to share in the beauty of the grounds, the camaraderie of new friendships being formed and the opportunity to give God a chance to move in your life in new ways. Needless to say, I'm coming back this year again in June!
Interesting to know.
Too expensive. When factoring in the cost of travel to get there and then the actual cost of the retreat itself, in this economy....Well what more can be said? Much of the chatter at Catholic Match is that Ave Maria Singles is out of touch with what people are dealing with financially. They should consider that it's difficult enough for families with 2 incomes to make ends meet, let alone us singles who are trying to survive on one income. The registration fee of almost $ 400.00 is out of reach for ordinary people. Are you trying to keep the retreat open to only the elect? I'm sorry I even spent the money to join AVS in the first place.
Just came home from the AMS retreat in Malvern and just have to say how grace filled it was. Yes the price is a bit steep but what a wonderful experience it was. Thank you AMS team and Anthony for your vision and leadership. Also a special thank you to the retreatants who helped me get through some rollercoaster emotions throughout the weekend. Once I got over the whole "singles" label to the retreat I opened my heart and saw God working through each and every person. I am also very grateful to all the men who attended and in a special way those brave enough to ask me to dance. Those moments were so sweet and I will say extra prayers for each one of you. May God bless all of you on your journeys. Peace and love, Juliet #30018
To the person who commented about the cost of the Ave Maria Singles retreat cost - where could you go for a Thursday through Sunday retreat with 9 delicious meals, four nights lodging, professional instructors in dancing, live band for a social plus all of the professional talks and inspiring speakers for such a low price - Answer: No place! It's a deal for all the people who keep coming back year after year from around the world. We save our $$$ every year to now make this part of our vacation. We're coming back next year for this first-class retreat event. Last year three couples met and became engaged because of this retreat. Can't wait to hear what happened at this one.
I'm laughing at the posts. Sounds like the chatter at Catholic Match is jealous of the success of Ave Maria Singles. Take a look at the number of men and women coming to this and say no more. We all had a ball and learned so much. This is my 3rd retreat and I plan on coming back next year. Tell your chatter about how wonderful it is! Chatter, chatter, chatter. We rejoiced, rejoiced, rejoiced and met wonderful people from all over the world.
The breezes and grace were flowing through the Hills-of-St.Joseph at Malvern. It sounds as if most of us absorbed all of its beauty. I will always pray that I am able to be part of this grace-filled experience with the wonderful men and women God brings together for Ave maria's Retreats. It was a piece of heaven on earth. Praise God and much thanks to Anthony and staff. Vacationing at an expensive resort is for the rich, AMS Retreats are for everyone!!!
As my first retreat I couldn't of asked for anything better. God blessed it and I never have been around a group of beautiful Catholics who I could see Jesus in their hearts. Anthony, I know I can't thank you enough. I wish I could go next year so bad but that weekend is already full of family stuff. Anyhow, thank you all who made this experience for me so worth it. Also a special thanks to Ann and Father for your talks.
Dang! I missed it! Sounds like it was even better than last year...
I agree with Juliet...I too had some roller-coaster emotions on this latest AMS retreat. However, besides prayer and talking with Father Connolly, what really helped me were the other wonderful retreatants who listened to me and helped me. Special thanks to Ann McGlone and Jim Fitzsimmons for their vision in bringing AMS to Malvern; thanks to the head of the Dining Room (forget his name) who personally attended to several folks who had special dietary needs, to the lady in the Gift Shop - I think her name was Dee - most helpful, to Anthony and his fine team (Fr. Ed, Ann, Abbie, Mark, Damien) and to the entire family of Malvern staff and volunteers. I'll be back. God bless you all.
wow...great to hear all this. i attended the retreat the weekend before the AMS retreat (run by the Institute of Marital Healing's co-founder) about healing from divorce because I realized that I really need to make sure I heal properly and don't unknowingly (or knowingly) carry any of my "wounds" into a future relationship. I thank Anthony and the Institute for Marital Healing for all their work in helping divorced , catholic singles to grow in grace and maybe even grow old as a married couple.
That was fun!
Or in a longer form: Last weekend's retreat was a joy-filled experience. In other words, my brothers and sisters in Christ reflected the love of Christ. There can be no joy without God's love, and it seemed that everyone there at the retreat brought Christ with him or her. In that atomosphere of love and trust, I was able to lower the defenses I normally present to the secular world. It seemed that everyone else did so too. I was able to be authentically me, and meet other authentic people, and that in itself was part of the fun and the joy. It seemed to me to be a small foretaste of the possible joy in Heaven. It was an experience I will not likely forget, and it confirmed for me the Truth which the Catholic Church teaches.
Thank you, Anthony Buono for bringing all of us together, and thank you Malvern for providing a beautiful and peaceful location.
I invited several people to my Friday night bible study (and of course, the invite is not exclusive to those I personally invited; all are welcome). If you look at my profile, you'll find the Our Lady of Grace blog which has directions to the meeting place. If you're ever in the area, please stop by and say hello.
This retreat is a must for all Ave Maria Singles. You have to get out there and interact with others to see the Lord do His work. This provides Catholic singles with an opportunity to meet other people with the same Catholic values. The talks were absolutely wonderful and on target. Everyone I had the pleasure to meet was kind and considerate. The dance was tremendous fun for everyone. Anthony Buono did a fabulous job on this retreat...and such a talent. He and his band provided live music. How great! You don't want to miss this next year!
The retreat this past weekend was amazing ... I am still amazed at how kind and considerate every single person was at Malvern. The dance lessons were really lots of fun since we had to rotate partners every few minutes. The speakers' comments were inspiring. Everyone, and I mean EVERYONE had a blast at Saturday's dance.
Hello!
Not sure what blog I just got posted on, so here it goes again! This is Jackie from Nevada. I am SO grateful for having had the retreat opportunity in so many ways and miss you all. I especially miss Carla from OH, Lucy from CT, Patty, Kathleen, and Ann from NY, and Celeste from NJ. Please email me at jackie.petrosky@yahoo.com I know we suffer as sisters in Christ and it can be very difficult, so I hope we can support each other! Come to Reno and you have a place to stay and gamble!
Thank you again,
Jackie
Wow! What a weekend...the talks and social activities . So very well balanced! I agree with Bill's comments. Thanks Jackie for your invite and great conversations , as for alll who I conversed with...learn so much in a safe, fun, environment.
Thank-you Ave Maria, Father, Anthony, Ann, and the Malvern Retreat House!
God Bless!
Deborah (debegan5@yahoo.com)
I was interested in attending but my schedule didn't allow for it. Glad to read all the positive comments. True, it was a bit costly for some but it was relatively inexpensive compared to other travel options. And it offered so much more than a simple weekend away. Not a lot of opportunity to connect with Ave Maria Single members in the South Central part of PA. Hopefully, next year will find me at the Malvern gathering.
Lillian Teresa
Lilli1053@aol.com
When I decided to go on the AMS retreat in Malvern, I was looking forward to it and expected it to be good based on the comments of prior-year retreat attendees on the website, but I also was concerned about the type of people I would meet. I can honestly say that the retreat experience exceeded my expectations on all counts. The atmosphere was welcoming, supportive and non-judgmental. The talks were helpful, encouraging and inspiring. The people I met and spoke with were beautiful, interesting and faith-filled Catholics. I enjoyed walking and talking with some very interesting and dear people. The dance instruction was fun and a great ice breaker. Anthony and his band are talented entertainers and definitely encouraged fun and fellowship. Personally, I wish to thank Anthony, Ann and Fr. Connelly for sharing their gifts for the good of all who attended. I knew the minute the retreat ended that I would plan to attend the next Malvern retreat in June 2010. I pray that the Holy Spirit will inspire other Ave Maria singles to attend and that they will approach the event with an openness to God's will for them in their lives. Anthony, thank you doesn't seem to say it well enough. Just know that the sacrifices made by you, your wife and family for our benefit is greatly appreciated. May you and your family be abundantly blessed for your generosity.
Lisa #30556
Dear Lisa,
What a beautiful expression of what I think many of us felt! God bless and keep you! I too think Malvern is a very special place, one to return to, hopefully. My spiritual director, a Franciscan friar here in Reno, helped me discern that I really benefited from the community at the retreat: the worship, the meals, prayers, mass, the socializing, etc., something we all have to often do without in our individual single lives.
Sincerely,
Jackie
jackie.petrosky@yahoo.com
I can't say personally whether this year's retreat was a good one or not, but I can say that last year's retreat was wonderful. My wife and I are one of the three couples Anthony mentioned who showed up at the end of the weekend to say 'hello' and 'thank you'. We met at last year's retreat, and we got back from our honeymoon just in time to stop by Malvern for the tail-end of this year's retreat.
Hope you singles consider attending the December '09 Retreat at Malvern. This Christmas Holiday Retreat is a wonderfully spiritual and yet social weekend that promises to be a great start to the Christmas season.
Plan on attending....you won't be sorry.
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