Mary Litch
Mary is a former philosophy professor who has planned and executed many out-of-the-classroom learning experiences for her students. She has facilitated a retreat on spiritual practices for Quakers. She is trained in wilderness first aid, and volunteered for several years as a docent leading outdoor travel events with Irvine Ranch Conservancy (in Orange, CA). She has spent the first six years of her retirement traveling on foot and horseback deep in the backcountry in federally-designated wilderness areas.
Events with Mary Litch
Experiencing Creation as CREATIONAugust 9 - 14, 2026
This outdoor-focused retreat aims to give participants the experience of God’s presence in the natural world. The retreat journey starts by introducing Franciscan (Catholic) theology, which emphasizes God’s immanence in the world. From there, we use a variety of indoor and outdoor exercises to build an attitude of gratitude for and mindfulness of the natural world, culminating in an outdoor exercise that leads participants to “step into Creation.” On the final retreat day, we use exercises based on Pope Francis’ encyclical on the environment, Laudato Si, to examine the implications of God’s immanence in Creation on our actions. The retreat…
Zoom gathering: The Wisdom of Wilderness: Experiencing the Healing Power of NatureSeptember 1 - 22, 2026
Zoom book discussion group. Register for the four-part series as a whole. Join us for four consecutive Tuesday evenings, Sept. 1, 8, 15, and 22, from 6-7:30pm Pacific Time for a discussion of Gerald May’s 2007 book The Wisdom of Wilderness: Experiencing the Healing Power of Nature. In this book, May describes his experiences in nature — what he learned about himself as a spiritual being and his relationship with God through solitude in a natural setting. While the zoom book discussion series is a distinct event from the backcountry tent camping retreat (September 25-27), it is hoped that participants…
“Pray + Work” RetreatSeptember 5 - 7, 2026
Join retreat leader Mary Litch for a combination spiritual retreat and work weekend as we put St. Gertrude’s famous raspberry patch “to bed” for the fall. Sessions will alternate between work in the patch, cutting back the raspberry canes, and exercises to help you explore the Mystery of Creation in light of your personal spiritual journey. Indoor exercises include both meditation on brief passages and engaging with the multi-media artwork Passion of the Earth that is installed in the Spirit Center foyer. Outdoor exercises will focus on building gratitude for creation, and experiencing oneself as part of creation. There will…
Backcountry Tent Camping RetreatSeptember 25 - 27, 2026
Location: Fish Creek Group Site in Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forest Gerald May’s book Wisdom of Wilderness is a natural lead-in to a backcountry tent camping retreat. We have reservations at Fish Creek Group Site, a very large, forested area with dozens of sites to set up a tent away from the other participants. Far enough away, anyhow, that it will feel like solo tent camping, not group tent camping. Participants will supply their own tent, camp chair, sleeping bag, and ground pad or air mattress, dishes, silverware, travel mug, and potable water. There will be a potluck supper on Friday,…