Reflective Spaces: Practicing Spiritual Mindfulness during Mental Health Awareness Month

“If the world takes something from us on the one hand, God will give us something on the other.”

St. Louise de Marillac

By Sebastian Isaacs, Communications intern

As Mental Health Awareness Month comes to a close, it is important to remember that caring for our mental and spiritual wellbeing is something to practice year-round. Promoting mental wellness, reducing stigma, and encouraging healthy coping strategies are essential parts of building compassionate communities and maintaining balance in daily life.

Mindfulness and reflection can take many forms, from prayer and journaling to walking in nature or simply pausing to breathe deeply during a busy day. Across the Sisters of Charity campus, there are several peaceful outdoor spaces and quiet areas where Sisters, employees, and residents may find opportunities for reflection and renewal.

1. Immaculate Conception Chapel

The Immaculate Conception Chapel in the Motherhouse serves as a sacred place for prayer, worship, and quiet reflection for the Sisters of Charity Community and those who live and work on campus. Sunlight filtering through the stained-glass windows creates a peaceful atmosphere for contemplation and prayer.

S. Marie Irene Schneider, who helps care for the chapel alongside S. Mary Dolores and other volunteers, shared that she values the chapel because “it’s always there” as a place of peace and prayer. She added, “I like that we have a place that is holy to be quiet when things get busy on campus with activities and visitors.”

Sister and her volunteers intentionally create a welcoming prayer environment through thoughtful lighting, decorations, and care of the sacred space.

Dedicated in 1901 and renovated in 2000, the Immaculate Conception Chapel is one of the most recognizable sacred spaces on the Sisters of Charity campus, offering a peaceful atmosphere for prayer and reflection.

2. Seton Garden

Located behind Marian Hall and overlooking the cemetery, the Seton Garden is a peaceful area filled with native plants, flowers, and gravel paths. During the warmer months, the garden attracts butterflies, bees, and birds, offering a calming connection to nature.

This space is ideal for mindful breathing or a quiet pause during the day. One simple mindfulness technique is “box breathing”: inhale for four counts, hold for four counts, exhale for four counts, and pause again for four counts before repeating. Focusing on the breath can help reduce stress and restore calm.

The Seton Garden features native plants and flowers that provide a quiet place for reflection along its winding gravel paths.

3. Labyrinth

Near the cemetery is a walking labyrinth dedicated in 2002 after S. Donna Steffen introduced the idea following visits to labyrinths at churches in France and California.

Unlike a maze, a labyrinth has one continuous path that encourages slow, intentional walking and reflection. Many people use labyrinths as a meditative practice, focusing on a prayer, question, or intention while walking.

S. Donna describes the experience as a way of remaining present and open to God’s movement in one’s life. “That is what it is for me,” she said, “a way of opening my inner self to listening to God.”

S. Donna Steffen introduced the idea of a labyrinth in the late 1990s. Today, the Motherhouse labyrinth serves as a peaceful space for walking meditation and reflection for Sisters, employees, and visitors to campus.

4. Cemetery

The Motherhouse cemetery grounds provide another peaceful outdoor setting for reflection. Shaded benches, walking paths, mature trees, and native plants create a quiet environment for prayerful walks and moments of stillness.

One grounding exercise often used in nature is the “5-4-3-2-1” technique: identify five things you can see, four things you can feel, three things you can hear, two things you can smell, and one thing you can taste. This practice can help bring awareness to the present moment and ease feelings of stress or anxiety.

Located behind the Motherhouse, the Sisters of Charity cemetery is the final resting place of more than 1,700 Sisters and is surrounded by mature trees and abundant natural beauty.

5. Campus Statues and Artwork

Throughout campus, statues and sacred artwork offer reminders of faith, history, and the enduring mission of the Sisters of Charity. Among them are statues of Saints Joseph, Elizabeth Ann Seton, Louise de Marillac, Vincent de Paul, and Francis of Assisi.

These spaces can inspire moments of prayer and quiet reflection. Short “anchor prayers,” repeated slowly with intentional breathing, can help center the mind and spirit. Simple phrases such as “God’s grace” or “Trust God” may offer comfort and focus during difficult moments.

The statue of St. Joseph with the Christ Child is one of several sacred statues located throughout campus that inspires prayer and reflection.

6. The Mother Margaret Hall ‘Zen’ Space

In Mother Margaret Hall, Director of Spiritual Life Services Debbie Knight recently created a quiet reflection area near the administrative offices for employees and residents seeking a peaceful place to pause during the day.

The space includes comfortable seating and a journal where visitors may anonymously write thoughts, prayers, or reflections. Debbie shared that journaling can be a meaningful spiritual and emotional practice, helping individuals process feelings and express themselves in a healthy, tangible way.

Director of Spiritual Life Services Debbie Knight created a meditation and reflection space in the second-floor administrative wing of Mother Margaret Hall where employees and residents can pause, reflect, and recharge during the day.

7. The Holy Spirit Chapel

The Holy Spirit Chapel in Mother Margaret Hall offers another quiet setting for prayer and reflection for residents, Sisters, and employees within the building. The smaller chapel provides an intimate atmosphere for moments of stillness and spiritual grounding.

One mindfulness technique that can be practiced in quiet spaces like the chapel is “body scanning,” which involves intentionally relaxing different parts of the body while noticing where tension is being held. This practice can help reduce stress and restore focus.

Taking time to care for mental, emotional, and spiritual wellbeing is an important part of caring for others. Whether through prayer, walking, journaling, breathing exercises, or quiet reflection in nature, mindfulness practices can help create moments of peace and renewal during challenging times.

As Mental Health Awareness Month concludes, may we continue seeking meaningful ways to support one another and nurture our own wellbeing throughout the year.

The Holy Spirit Chapel in Mother Margaret Hall provides a quiet setting for prayer, mindfulness, and reflection for Sisters, residents, and employees.

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