I am eager to share my unique perspective with people seeking to connect Scripture, spirituality, and everyday life. See what people are saying about me by visiting my Testimonials page!
UPCOMING EVENTS
POSSIBLE TOPICS / EVENT HISTORY
INTERVIEWS
SPEAKER REQUEST
UPCOMING EVENTS
Women’s Retreat (private), Saturday, February 25
First Presbyterian Church, Pitman NJ at Pendle Hill Retreat Center
Take Nothing for the Journey? Packing for the Unknown
Monday, February 27, 6:00 dinner, 7:00 – 8:30 program
San Alfonso Retreat Center, Long Branch NJ
Part of the Lenten Soup for the Soul Series.
Cost: $25. Click the link above for more into and registration form.
Live the Lent You Get (Evening of Reflection for Women)
Wednesday, March 1, 6:30 refreshments, 7:00 – 8:30 program
St. Thomas the Apostle Church, (St. Philip’s Hall) Brigantine NJ
All are welcome; no need to register. Admission is free!
Brother and Sister and Mother to Me: God’s Holy Family is Wider Than We Know
Weekend Retreat, March 10-12
Loyola Jesuit Center, Morristown NJ
This new retreat is offered for anyone who feels left out when the Church starts talking about “family.” What would it mean to embrace a radical, wider vision of family—with faith, not blood nor history, as our DNA?
Click the link above to register.
Suggested free will offering: $350 (includes 2 nights and 6 meals).
Finding God in the Desert (private), Tuesday, March 14
Faculty/Staff Retreat, University of Dayton
Keeping Company with Jesus (Women’s Spirituality Retreat)
Saturday, March 18, 9:30 – 3:00
St. Mary’s Church of Kutztown at the McGlinn Conference & Spirituality Center, Reading PA
Here at the midpoint of Lent, we will spend time with Jesus during two key times in His life. In the morning, we will follow Jesus into the desert, exploring the temptations and blessings of those forty days. In the afternoon, we will watch with Mary and Martha as they suffer the death of their brother Lazarus and then witness Jesus’ most dramatic miracle—the one that paves the way for His arrest. Together, we will explore what it means to be faithful companions to Jesus through the joyful, sorrowful, and bewildering events of our own lives.
All are welcome. Cost: $30, includes continental breakfast and lunch.
Contact Roberta Porambo at 610-944-6439 or vballmom739@yahoo.com by March 12 to register
What Are You Thirsty For?
Wednesday, March 29, 7-9 p.m.
Rock Hill Oratory, Rock Hill, South Carolina
A woman with a complicated history came to a well in the heat of the day. There she encountered One who recognized her deeper thirst and sent her home transformed. We often hear this story from John’s Gospel on the Third Sunday of Lent. Tonight, through the art of dramatic interpretation, we will hear it with fresh ears, as the Samaritan Woman retells the story in her own words. By pondering our various “thirsts,”we will draw closer to the living water that Jesus offers us all.
Click the link above to register. Suggested donation: $25
Walking with the Risen Jesus (Day of Prayer)
Wednesday, April 12, 9:00 – 3:00
Loyola Jesuit Center, Morristown NJ
After the austerity of the Lenten season and the intensity of the Holy Triduum, the Easter season calls us to rejoice with the risen Jesus. During this Day of Prayer, we will savor stories of Jesus’ post-resurrection appearances as well as inspiration from the Ignatian Camino, listening for the Lord’s unique invitation to each of us to walk with Him in freedom and fullness of life.
Click the link above to register. Suggested free will offering: $40
Finding God Abiding (private), April 15
Associates in Mercy Annual Meeting, Merion PA
Finding God in Ordinary Time (Guided Retreat)
St. Joseph Villa, Hampton Bays NY
Sunday, June 25 (3:00 p.m.) through Saturday, July 1 (11:30 a.m.)
Cost: $560, with discount for vowed religious. Click the link above to register.
Possible Topics
I would be delighted to offer a retreat / talk / day of prayer / evening of reflection for your parish or group, whether in person or via Zoom. Check out the topics below, or sample my list of previous engagements.
- Take Nothing for the Journey? Packing for the Unknown
- Does Everything Happen for a Reason?
- Finding God in Ordinary (and Not-So-Ordinary) Time
- Empty My Hands: An Advent Retreat
- Live the Lent You Get
- Joseph: Carpenter, Dreamer, Foster Father, Saint
- Living and Loving as Servants of God (S. Thea Bowman FSPA & Fr. Bill Atkinson OSA)
- God’s Invitation to Rest (based on Sacred Rest by Saundra Dalton-Smith, MD)
Dramatic Interpretations of Women in Scripture
Scripture gives us the bare bones of stories, but through Ignatian prayer we can encounter God more deeply by immersing ourselves imaginatively in the text. I have written four monologues–the fruit of such prayer–from the perspective of various Gospel women whose lives were changed by an encounter with Jesus. Drawing on my theater background (God wastes nothing!) I have performed these monologues in retreat houses, church halls, living rooms and classrooms. In the process, participants gain insight into the working of God in their own lives.
The Women:
- Martha (Luke 10:38-42)
How does our desire to do things “well” keep us from seeing what God is really asking of us? (Available via Zoom as well as live!) - The Samaritan Woman at the Well (John 4:4-42)
What would it be like to see our complicated lives through the compassionate eyes of Jesus? - The Woman with a Hemorrhage (Mark 5:25-34)
When life has cast us down, how do we find the courage to reach out for healing–again? - The Woman Caught in Adultery (John 8:1-11)
When we find ourselves far from our best selves, how does God invite us back?
A sample gathering might include:
- Unpacking the Scripture together
- Dramatic monologue
- Quiet time for personal reflection
- Sharing of participants’ insights
The time frame is adaptable–anywhere from a 50-minute class to a 90-minute mini-retreat or a morning/afternoon/evening segment of a full retreat.
Advent and Lent
I offer seasonal days of recollection in a format that suits your group: full day; half day (morning or afternoon), or evening.
Other Passions
Navigating the waters of grief, making sense of tragedy, practicing gratitude, gardening our way to spiritual growth, and–of course–Finding God in Ordinary Time . . . these are just some of the passions I’m delighted to share in talks that are engaging, insightful, and even a touch humorous. Anything that appeals to you from my blog is fair game!
INTERVIEWS
In the summer of 2020 I had the great pleasure of being interviewed by Mary Fran Bontempo and Kristin Smedley, founders of Brilliantly Resilient, about my leap of faith into becoming a “freelance me.” They had me back again in 2022 as Finding God Abiding was coming out. Enjoy!
And in the spring of 2019 I had the good fortune of being a guest on two different shows on RVN TV. Each interview is just under half an hour. Enjoy!
- Maggie Riggins, In God We Trust
- Anne DeSantis, The Positive Side
Use the contact form below if you’d like more information or to arrange a talk or retreat at a mutually convenient time.
Christine Marie Eberle 
As the Spiritual Development Associate for the Baltimore-based Ignatian Volunteer Corps, it can sometimes be a challenge to find unique, fresh ways in which to inspire our volunteers, many of whom have been with IVC for years. What a blessing we all experienced last Thursday when Christine led our mid-year day of reflection! It was just the right blending of presentation, reflection questions and thoughts, personal prayer time, and group interaction. Her portrayal of Martha from Luke’s Gospel was captivating. In the tradition of Hebrew Midrash, Christine brought Martha to life for us, enabling us to relate to this Biblical figure in a very real way. I highly recommend Christine and her gifts to you!
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