Mary & Joseph Retreat Center to offer several day retreats this fall

This fall the Mary and Joseph Retreat Center in Rancho Palos Verdes will present a variety of day retreats, including the chance to learn about St. Francis of Assisi via theater performance and a Spanish-language meditation workshop.

In “St. Francis of Assisi: Face to Face” (Oct. 5, 3-5 p.m. participants will learn about the life and spirituality of St. Francis Assisi through the use of “reader’s theater,” a simplified form of theater in which the script is used as needed to help bring the story to life. The performance will be led by David Hoover. The registration cost is $25.

“Meditando en el Momento Presente para Encontrar la Paz” (“Meditating in the Present Moment to Find Peace,” Oct. 18, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.) will offer a tranquil Spanish-language retreat about learning how to focus in the present moment as a meditation method. Participants will experience guided meditation, time for personal reflection, Mass in the chapel and more. Lunch is included. The price is $45 (or $40 by Oct. 10).

“Centering Prayer: An Introduction and an Experience” (Nov. 1, 1-5 p.m., led by Herb Kaighan) will explore how centering prayer combines the practices of prayer, meditation and contemplation to help improve relationships with God and support our overall spiritual lives. The cost is $25 ($20 by Oct. 24).

Mary & Joseph Retreat Center is located at 5300 Crest Rd., Rancho Palos Verdes. Information: (310) 377-4867, ext. 234, or www.maryjoseph.org.