Cranaleith Spiritual Center, sponsored by the Sisters of Mercy, has been recognized as a Zone of Peace by the Religious Leaders Council of Greater Philadelphia. It not only offers a broad spectrum of programs designed to deepen the spirituality of participants, but it also actively seeks to be a peacemaker by creating opportunities for people from all walks of life to “reflect on what matters in life, experience renewal of spirit for life and work, and be restored from life’s traumas.” Cranaleith’s  goal is for fifty percent of participants in their programs to be people who have been marginalized within our society.

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Cranaleith is a place where traumatized veterans find healing from their “soul wounds,” where caregivers are relieved from stress, where people who are homeless or live in supervised facilities may rest from the struggle to survive and explore their deeper selves, and where people cross the divides of race and economics to grow in their understanding of one another. Peace is what Cranaleith offers, and in a myriad of ways, it facilitates addressing the root causes of violence – both within individuals and, by addressing larger systemic issues. Since 1998, Cranaleith counts 51,000 people served. The Annual Report for 2016-2017 documents 226 one-on-one spiritual direction sessions, 89 group-hosted meetings and retreats, 334 volunteers giving 5,855 hours of their time, and 67 programs and retreats sponsored by Cranaleith. Cranaleith (a Gaelic word meaning “sanctuary of trees”) is located on ten acres of wooded land in Northeast Philadelphia and offers wonderful facilities for groups, large and small.