Retreat and conference center in Somerton, Philadelphia

We provide space for groups seeking a venue to host their own retreats and meetings, in addition to offering our own “in-house” programs throughout the year. Our programs can be found here and are open to the public for registration. We also offer private and directed individual retreats, spiritual direction, and spiritual direction formation.

While the Sisters of Mercy is a Catholic organization, you do not need to be Catholic to come Cranaleith. We host guests of all different religions and want our retreat center to be welcoming to all faith backgrounds and traditions.

Unlike resorts, which are designed to help you escape from life, Cranaleith is focused on helping you engage with life on a deeper level. Our space offers an opportunity for individuals to step away from the busyness of the world, find rest, and reconnect with the Divine, nature, and themselves. Retreats come in various forms—whether group or individual, silent, directed or private—catering to your needs and preferences.

Cranaleith is open to the public year-round. However, reservations are required for solitude days, retreats, or programs. Our Gift Shop, located on the second floor of our Education and Conference Building is currently open during programs and by appointment. We ask that you refrain from disturbing the wildlife that calls the property home.

Cranaleith is committed to providing an inclusive and accessible environment for all guests, in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). We welcome individuals with disabilities who are accompanied by service dogs.

A service dog is defined under the ADA as a dog that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for a person with a disability. If it is not immediately obvious that a dog is a service dog, we may ask two questions to determine if the dog is a service animal:

1. Is the dog required because of a disability?

2. What work or task has the dog been trained to perform?

We do not ask for documentation or require special identification for service dogs, as the ADA does not mandate such measures. However, we reserve the right to deny access if the dog poses a direct threat to the health or safety of others, or if the dog is not under control.

Please note that pets and emotional support animals are not considered service animals under the ADA and are not permitted in our facilities.

If you have any questions or need further assistance, please feel free to reach out to our staff.

We host and facilitate meetings and retreats for marginalized populations and the human service agencies that serve them; we offer special Work & Spirit programs for the business community; we feature spiritual and theological retreats and programs for the general public; we manage a garden program that pairs adults with mental health challenges with community volunteers to work our Garden; and we provide “Coming Home, Becoming Whole” retreats for Veterans and their families.

Simply register online or call 215-934-6206.You can also email us at info@cranaleith.org with your name, phone number and email address. Registrations will be confirmed upon receipt of payment. Checks made payable to “Cranaleith Spiritual Center” can be mailed to: Cranaleith, 13475 Proctor Road, Philadelphia, PA 19116.

Cranaleith staff and adjunct facilitators work with businesses and regional nonprofit organizations including: social service agencies, health care providers, churches and faith-based groups, community organizations, institutions of higher educations, arts organizations and environmental groups, among others. Special programs are also designed and offered for client populations recovering from trauma, such as homelessness, poverty, abuse, addiction and mental illness.

Program content varies based on the needs and wishes of the organization, but many groups come for staff or faculty retreats, visioning and planning sessions, skill building workshops, reflection on mission and values, days of spiritual growth, leadership development, celebration of milestones, team building, days of refreshment and renewal, or recovery from burnout or compassion fatigue.

Yes, for the first floor of the Main House and for the entire Education & Conference Center.

The Main House can sleep 10, with an additional three beds on the second floor of the property’s Carriage House.

The main Conference Room can accommodate up to 60 either theater style or at table rounds. The adjacent Board Room can fit up to 20 at either a long table or in other table configurations. The cozy Catherine McAuley Room is furnished with sofas and chairs that can comfortably accommodate 15 or so.

Yes, this can be arranged.

Mass is not offered at Cranaleith but is offered at St. Christopher’s Church located adjacent to our property. Mass times can be found on their website here.

Click here to check out our refund policy.

Cranaleith Spiritual Center will not photograph individuals on a private retreat without their written consent. However, Cranaleith Spiritual Center may photograph or video guests on public retreats/spiritual programs for promotional purposes. Attending a public retreat/spiritual program with Cranaleith constitutes implied consent for the use of visitors’ likenesses in promotional materials.

Personal photographs may not be published, sold, or otherwise distributed for commercial purposes. In order to protect the privacy of our retreatants and maintain an atmosphere of peace, Cranaleith Spiritual Center reserves the right to withhold or withdraw permission to photograph on the Cranaleith campus.

Spiritual Direction is a gift to God’s people in which an experienced and qualified guide listens with us to the movement of God’s Spirit in our hearts. This sacred listening awakens recognition of the ways God speaks to us in the story of our lives and encourages us to experience a closer relationship with God. In the midst of a busy life and the press of many voices, it can be difficult to notice God’s gifts and invitations. Yet, at the deepest level, all of us long for a more conscious awareness of God’s presence and love.

You might seek spiritual direction to:

• identify and trust your own experiences of God
• deepen and expand your prayer
• integrate the joys and sorrows of your life
• discern choices and life-directions
• become more attentive to the mystery of God’s providence
• draw spiritual support for challenges in your life
• share God’s desire to heal and delight you

The privilege and responsibility of a spiritual director is to journey with you as you grow in your relationship with God, with others, and with the world God loves. The journey takes place in the context of confidential, one-on-one sessions with your spiritual director. Call 215-934-6206 for more information or to set an appointment for individual spiritual direction. The stipend for individual direction is on a scale in accord with what you can afford.