Enniscorthy Sisters of Saint John of God have reopened the newly refurbished 33-bed Ballyvaloo Retreat and Conference Centre at Blackwater in County Wexford this week. Speaking at the opening ceremony, Sr Eileen Egan who will help run the centre said, “We offer a space for people who seek time to think and reflect. Above all, the centre is an oasis of peace from today’s all too busy world.”
Sr Eileen added, “We’d like to see a wide range of people benefit from the peace and reflective atmosphere of Ballyvaloo. For many organisations, bringing their team or their group to a serene and restful place can be very invigorating and productive in terms of team dynamics and decision making.”
The sisters have been in the diocese of Ferns for almost 140 years. According to Sister Eileen, “The Sisters of Saint John of God began in Ferns in 1871, to tend to the spiritual and physical needs of the people in the diocese of Ferns. Addressing poverty has always been an important part of the work of the Sisters. In today’s world, as well as physical deprivation, there can be a poverty of meaning – we do not take the time to reflect on our actions, our place in our families and communities and our relationship with God. We hope that the atmosphere and support we provide at Ballyvaloo will help people to find their own path to spiritual richness.”
The centre was officially blessed by Bishop Denis Brennan of Ferns Diocese and Sister Brid Ryan, Congregational Leader of the Sisters of Saint John of God was also in attendance.
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