Local Groups & Gatherings

Nuns & Nones began in 2016 with local groups and gatherings between sisters and seekers. Convened in a spirit of curiosity and grounded in a desire for conversation, these gatherings were–and continue to be–a source of relationship-building across spiritual traditions and generations, sparking insight and imagination for our communities. 

To learn more about the original local groups and gatherings, read our organizer toolkit (published Fall 2019) for stories, models, and ideas. Since these gatherings began in 2016, they have evolved as the ways we connect shift season to season; many groups have ebbed and flowed in and out of hosting gatherings, while ways to build relationships as sisters and seekers always finds new and renewed forms. 

At this point, we no longer programmatically instigate or facilitate local groups and gatherings, but encourage individuals to continue to organize or start their own groups as interested. We hope the model of our dialogues can inform and inspire many convenings of “surprising soulmates” into the future!

For up-to-date information on local groups and gatherings, see below.

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If you want to convene your own conversation or group, be sure to read the local organizer toolkit and let us know what you are trying at hello@nunsandnones.org. 

Mutuality, above all else, is the core value of a Nuns & Nones gathering. These conversations are not meant to serve one group’s goal or another, but rather in coming together, discover a new possibility together. If this interests you, explore the Nuns & Nones guiding principles for dialogue and then put them into practice in your own conversations or convenings: 

  • Places for relationship, dialogue, spiritual practice, and social action. If you're looking for a one-off experience, this probably isn't the best fit for you. 

  • Aim to bring forth a more just and loving world, no longer dependent on systems of extraction and oppression. 

  • Not places for recruitment or conversion. Are rooted in mutual learning - not the persuasion of belief. We are not here to recruit or convert, we are here to be mutually transformed. 

  • Are pluralistic and welcoming of all identities. We are LGBTQ affirming. 

  • Are joyful, spirit-led, and different every time.

New York City, NY
Weekly virtual gatherings via zoom open to all interested people (no matter location), and in-person retreats offered in the NYC-area 2-3 times a year
Contact: Gina Ciliberto, ginaciliberto@gmail.com and Ellie Hutchison, elliehutch@gmail.com 

Grand Rapids, MI
Monthly in-person meetings
Contact: Sr Barbara Hansen, BHansen@grdominicans.org or Molly Patterson, pattemol@aquinas.edu 

Chicago, IL
Monthly virtual with occasional in-person gatherings
Contact: Kascha Sanor, ksanor@csjoseph.org 

Springfield, IL
Monthly virtual and occasional in-person gatherings
Contact: Sister Beth Murphy, OP  sbmurphy@spdom.org 

Twin Cities, MN
Meets 3 - 4 times a year
Contact: Sarah Shapiro, shapiro.sarah14@gmail.com