A Message from the Executive Director:

When I arrived at Cranaleith, just over two years ago, I was given a small bonsai tree, symbolic of this sanctuary of trees. At the installation ceremony, I was commissioned to make it grow. Little did I know then that the growth that would take place was both at Cranaleith and in myself.

Over the past two years Cranaleith has expanded. This year, we hosted 4,314 people, 1,100 more than the previous year. Veteran’s programs made significant partnerships with veteran resource centers in Philadelphia, widening our circles of connection. The garden program is flourishing and now includes a hoop house, chickens, and bees. New groups are coming to work in the garden, allowing the earth to heal the wounds they carry. Libertae, St. John’s Hospice, CATCH, neighbors and others join us every week. We have hosted an exquisite and successful gala for our 15th anniversary, honoring Fr. Jack Nevins and Marsha Four, both for their work with those on the margins. Most importantly, we honored Sr. Mary Trainer for all her work in making Cranaleith Spiritual Center an amazing ministerial outreach.

If this is not enough, we have new programs emerging, forums on justice issues, a spiritual direction formation program, and a Conversations that Matter series. We began a Business Council to which you are invited to become a member, are soon to launch a President’s Council, and we are working toward having the main house designated as a National Historic Site. We expect this to be a reality by spring. The women who lived and worked on this land left us a legacy that can guide women of our times. Using them as our foundation, we are creating programs, built on their values for women of the future to follow. I am filled with anticipation and enthusiasm for the potential I see in our future. It is an exciting time and each of you has in some way made all this possible. It has been the volunteers who fill so many of our needs, the facilitators who work pro-bono to help provide quality programming, the staff who always make it happen, and most especially those of you who support us with your donations. Our tree is growing, and I and all who come here are blossoming in this work because of the love that is poured out from all of you.

With a heart full of gratitude for each of you,

Veneta Lorraine

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