Retreats Archives

Exodus 90’s regimen of prayer, asceticism, fraternity gets men’s attention

Mar 7, 2021

Three months of cold showers and no alcohol, soda, dessert or televised sports: It sounds less like Lent and more like a military boot camp. Who would volunteer for such an experiment in austerity? Tens of thousands of men, it turns out.

By Jodi Marlin

Virtual retreats offer boost for spiritual health in pandemic

Jan 10, 2021

The coronavirus pandemic has created the conditions for a spiritual crisis, but a traditional retreat at a house run by women religious isn’t necessarily COVID-19 friendly.

By Cathy Doud

Listen to God in order to follow him, Jesuit tells curia officials

Mar 6, 2020

The purpose of the Lenten journey is to spiritually retrace the journey of Exodus — from the desert to the mountain of God, a Jesuit theologian told top Vatican officials.

By Carol Glatz

Miami man met his future kidney donor at Catholic retreat

Jan 12, 2020

“If you ever need a kidney, let me know man, I got you,” John Fernandez told his friend he had met at a Catholic retreat.

By Priscilla Greear

Young Africans widen understanding of faith with help of Taize brothers

Dec 25, 2017

The Taize Brothers Community in Kenya have organized a five day retreat for young people from all over the continent to help them better understand and deepen their faith.

By Francis Njuguna

God’s voice is heard through humility, Franciscan tells pope, Curia

Mar 7, 2017

“Do we have the humility to listen to one another, paying attention to prejudices that we certainly have, but attentive to receive that which God wants to say despite — perhaps — my closures? Do I listen to the voice of others, perhaps weak, or do I only listen to my voice?” a Franciscan friar told Pope Francis and members of the Roman Curia during their Lenten retreat.

By Junno Arocho Esteves

In silence, magic can happen

Nov 11, 2015

SNOWMASS, Colo. — If you’re looking for God but can’t find Him here, you might as well give up. “Here” is a magical place, an otherworldly, holy place. Big sky. Big mountains. Big questions. “Here” is St. Benedict’s Monastery and its Retreat House, 8,000 feet up in an as-far-as-you-can-see valley

By margeryeagan

Shedding the hectic in us

Aug 6, 2015

“Writing is a form of contemplation.” — Thomas Merton, monk and spiritual writer “Writing is a form of praying.” — John Keats, poet “I’m not sure I could contemplate at all if it wasn’t for the fact that I have spent most of my life surrendering to the experience of

By margeryeagan