Silent Retreat

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I would very much like to find a retreat house where it is possible to participate in a “silent” retreat.

For years I had my annual retreat at a Dominican retreat house near Philadelphia. It was wonderful. During meals there was spiritual readings by the Sisters. But, I moved away and was not able to return for my retreat. The retreat house no longer exists, due to the economy, I suspect.

I still have my annual retreats but people now seem to want to talk, talk, talk, and break up into discussion groups. I don’t want a discussion group while on retreat - I want a “retreat.”

Does anyone know of a retreat house that still makes available a silent retreat - preferably on the East Coast? :gopray:

:amen:
 
Try:

Carmel Retreat in Mahwah, New Jersey
Villa Pauline in Mendham, New Jersey

Both of the above have beautiful grounds and are off the beaten path. I think that Carmel Retreat would be more quiet, as the Villa Pauline is on the same grounds as Mallinckrodt Convent, the Motherhouse of the Sisters of Christian Charity and may be on the active side during the summer.

Have you contacted the Visitation Nuns in Philadelphia? They may allow you to do this.
 
Try this.

Have never been there myself, but have lots of priest friends who go every year,
who love it!!

Hopefully I will be able to do the 30 day retreat sometime next year!
 
Not exactly East Coast, but I personally think you can’t beat Abbey Gethsemani, Trappist, Kentucky. (Thomas Merton’s stomping grounds) www.monks.org
 
Jesuit Retreat House, suburban Atlanta.

ignatiushouse.org/

I walk the grounds and sometimes pray there between customer visits, when time and location allows. It is very nice. Very quiet.

-Tim-
 
Thank you all for responding; I am going to research every suggestion offered so far. I have emailed the Carmelites in New Jersey already to see what they have to offer (I am a lay Carmelite); but several other suggestions also seem to be a fit.👍

Thanks very much.
 
Mount St. Francis Hermitage near Binghamton, NY, is very good. It is, as the name suggests, a hermitage - if you’re looking for a really private atmosphere for a retreat, this is the one. You’re in your own cabin, a very simple affair, with a bed, a desk, a cooking area, but no running water; there is a “retreatants’ cabin” a couple hundred yards away with bathrooms, showers, and water and jugs. You bring your own food, so if you’re not into the whole cafeteria thing (as I am not), then it’s awesome.

The place is run by the Franciscan Friars of the Immaculate, and you are welcome to join in their liturgies. A fair warning: they use both forms of the Mass, so if you’re not a fan of the Extraordinary Form, well… enough said. For example, I was there for about a week and the split ended up being close to 5 Masses in the Extraordinary Form, 3 in the Ordinary Form (and I think it was in Latin)… But even if that’s not your thing, I found that their homilies and reflections were quite good.

The FFI do not consider this a business and therefore do not charge a fee. Plus you’re bringing your own food, so there isn’t a whole lot of expenses on their part. They do welcome donations (reasonable, something like $10-20 per night) - but in accordance with their vow of poverty, any “leftovers” get given away to others in need. All in all, definitely a place worth checking out.

www.mtstfrancis.com
 
Oneofthewomen said:
Try this.

Have never been there myself, but have lots of priest friends who go every year,
who love it!!

Hopefully I will be able to do the 30 day retreat sometime next year!
Click to expand...
I have looked at this website so many times, hoping there would be an opening that I might plan for. It is always full. A 30-day retreat? Surely one would be a better person. I don’t know that I would want to return to the world.
 
Cor_ad_Cor said:
Not exactly East Coast, but I personally think you can’t beat Abbey Gethsemani, Trappist, Kentucky. (Thomas Merton’s stomping grounds) www.monks.org
Click to expand...
Our Deacon and at least one other couple from church have attended multiple retreats. The speak very highly of the staff and the location.
 
PattiDay said:
I have looked at this website so many times, hoping there would be an opening that I might plan for. It is always full.*** A 30-day retreat? ***Surely one would be a better person. I don’t know that I would want to return to the world.
Click to expand...
And a silent 30 days at that!! 😃

If I do end up going next year, my friends have already started to take bets to see just how long I can remain silent!! :D;)
 
mullenpm said:
Thank you all for responding; I am going to research every suggestion offered so far. I have emailed the Carmelites in New Jersey already to see what they have to offer (I am a lay Carmelite); but several other suggestions also seem to be a fit.👍

Thanks very much.
Click to expand...
The week I was in Conyers, a group of lay Carmelites was on retreat.
PattiDay said:
I have looked at this website so many times, hoping there would be an opening that I might plan for. It is always full. A 30-day retreat? Surely one would be a better person. I don’t know that I would want to return to the world.
Click to expand...
I work in the Middle East with 2 months off during the summer. A 30 day retreat would give me a place to stay for part of the time. Actually, I stay with my daughter and her family. Taking some time for myself on retreat is not a bad idea.
I do have a copy of the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius.
 
I attended an excellent weekend silent retreat on the Spiritual Exercises offered by Miles Christi. I only wish it had been longer. I think I would love a 30-day retreat although I imagine coming back home would be really difficult!

This is their schedule:
mileschristi.org/en/activities/
 
DebChris said:
The week I was in Conyers, a group of lay Carmelites was on retreat.

I work in the Middle East with 2 months off during the summer. A 30 day retreat would give me a place to stay for part of the time. Actually, I stay with my daughter and her family. Taking some time for myself on retreat is not a bad idea.
I do have a copy of the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius.
Click to expand...
I am new to Ignatian Spirituality. I have found the Daily Examen to be a wonderful resource to find God in the everyday. Jim Manney produced six of these Daily Examens for Lent and they are still on the www.ignatianspirituality.org website. If you haven’t checked them out already, give a listen. They are so calming and inspirational. Enjoy your hometime and if you do attend a 30-day, please start a thread when you return.
 
Will_S said:
And maybe you can get lucky and pray with some visiting buddhist monks while you’re there.

deacontomstonecipher.blogspot.com/2007/09/monks-find-common-ground-in-prayer.html
Click to expand...
I was there for a vocations retreat and the novice director (Fr. Elias?) mentioned his good friendship with a buddhist monk. I don’t think the Monastery of the Holy Spirit offers silent retreats per se, but there is an amazing sense of peace and quiet there.

timhollingworth.blogspot.com/2010/10/weekend-of-peace.html

If I didn’t have children to raise, I might not have left.

-Tim-
 
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