St. Bart's Pilgrims and Pathfinders Retreat
Friday, May 15, 6 pm - 8 pm • Saturday, May 16, 9 am - 4 pm • Open to All
This May, you're invited to join us for our 4th Annual Pilgrims and Pathfinders Retreat. This retreat offers a chance to enjoy a weekend on campus, connecting with St. Bart’s community and growing together in faith.
This year’s guest facilitator is Sister Monica Clare, Episcopal priest, nun and TikTok sensation through her channel @nunsenseforthepeople. Her memoir, A Change of Habit, was released on April 29, 2025, by Crown and Sugar23 Books at Penguin Random House. You can order the book here. She is the superior at the Community of St. John the Baptist in Mendham, NJ.
The retreat is open to all, and we especially hope that our virtual members, Easter pilgrims, and Pathfinders Class participants will attend. Together, we’ll break bread, gather for discussion panels, and worship. Offerings include:
- A guided tour of the church, which was designated as a National Historic Landmark in 2016.
- Demonstration of the largest pipe organ in New York City
- A festive meet and greet with cheese, wine, and non-alcoholic beverages.
- A tour of Crossroads Community Services.
Questions? Email Curry Brinson at
Registration & Cost
Advance registration is required for the Pilgrims and Pathfinders Retreat. All are welcome to register. The cost $50 for both days, and scholarships are available at registration. The final deadline to register is Wednesday, May 13.
Guest Facilitator
Sister Monica Clare is a nun at the Community of St. John Baptist, an Episcopal religious order based in Mendham, New Jersey. She is the Superior of the convent and will soon be an ordained priest. She is a trained spiritual counselor specializing in religious trauma, mental illness, and addiction.
Her forthcoming memoir, A Change of Habit, will be released on April 29, 2025 by Crown and Sugar23 Books at Penguin Random House. You can pre-order the book here.
Before becoming a nun in 2012, she worked as a photo editor in Los Angeles and was a member of the Groundlings Sunday Company. She started her TikTok account, @nunsenseforthepeople, in June 2021, to make people laugh and to demystify life as an Episcopal nun. To her great surprise, the popularity of her TikTok channel has continued to grow and she now has over 179K followers and 1.7M likes.
FAQs
I'm not available for the entirety of the retreat. Can I still participate?
While we hope you'll join us for the entirety of the retreat, we understand that you may not be available for every event. You're welcome to attend as you are able. If you're only available to attend for one day of the two-day retreat, you can purchase a one-day ticket.
Is lodging provided?
Though St. Bart's will not be providing lodging for this retreat, there are a number of hotels in the area, including: Pod 51 Hotel (230 E 51st Street, New York, NY 10022), The Benjamin Hotel (125 E 50th Street, New York, NY 10022), The Lexington Hotel (511 Lexington Avenue New York, NY 10017), Crowne Plaza Times Square (1605 Broadway, New York, New York 10019), Yotel New York Times Square (570 Tenth Avenue at W 42nd Street New York, NY, 10036), Sheraton Times Square Hotel (811 7th Avenue 53rd Street, New York, NY 10019), and the West Side YMCA 5 West 63rd Street New York, NY 10023.
Apps including Airbnb and Hopper are also helpful resources for booking a stay in the city.
Is financial assistance available?
If the cost of the retreat ticket is prohibitive for you, please email to request financial assistance. Or simply indicate you would like to take advantage of a scholarship at registration. All are welcome, and we don't want you to miss out on the retreat for financial reasons.
Who is invited to attend?
The short answer is everyone!
The long answer is that we wanted to give virtual worshippers the opportunity to experience St. Bart's in-person and to meet some of the folks they see each week on our livestream and in online classes. Additionally, the retreat provides us with the opportunity to celebrate those who will soon be confirmed, received, or reaffirmed at St. Bart's. (This includes both in-person and virtual participants in our Pathfinders Course.) Finally, we hope that in-person worshippers both new and old will attend and extend a warm welcome to the Pathfinders and Pilgrims. So no matter who you are, feel free to register and invite a friend to do the same! We're looking forward to seeing you.
Is registration required?
Yes, registration is required for this event.