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Directed Retreats
What is a Directed Retreat?
A
Directed retreat is a time spent in silence with your God. The title can
be misleading because it may give the impression that a retreatant will
be told what to do during the retreat by someone accompanying them. In
fact it is a time when God takes me where I am in my personal relationship
with Him and leads me deeper into intimacy with Him.
A Spiritual Director (sometimes called a Prayer Companion) will support you to be sensitive to what God is doing and encourage you to follow God's promptings.A Directed Retreat is usually eight days.
It is a time of profound silence, interiority and stillness.
"You will show me the path of life,
the fullness of joy in your presence,
at your right hand happiness for ever."
Psalm 16:11
The program usually follows this format: participants meet daily with their spiritual companion; celebration of Eucharist daily; and the opportunity for the individual celebration of Reconciliation with one of the Team.
Your retreat begins with the 6.00pm meal on the evening of the first date, followed by a brief introduction and Eucharist. It usually concludes after 2pm Eucharist on the last date shown.
For Tariff information for directed retreats... (click here)
Guided Retreats
What is a Guided Retreat?
A guided retreat is a silent retreat with a morning presentation to help provide guidance for the retreatant. A time of coming aside to be with God, to listen to what God is saying in the depth of my being. Guided retreats are times ofr prayer and so much of each day is free for the retreatant to use for prayer. Guided retreats are usually 6 days thought his may vary depending on the purpose of the retreat.
Presentations
on retreats follow the advertised themes and cover such topics for example
as; prayer; relationship with God, with self, and with others; spirituality;
Liturgical Seasons of the Year; or the mystics. Themes are provided to
support the retreat not dictate the retreat; retreatants are always encouraged
to follow God's lead.
Guided Retreats begin with the 6.00pm meal on the evening of the first date, followed by a brief introduction and Eucharist. They usually conclude after 2.00pm Eucharist on the last date shown.
The usual daily program follows this format: meditation; morning input session; opportunity for spiritual accompaniment (encouraged); celebration of Eucharist; sacrament of Reconciliation is also available by arrangement with one of the Team.
For Tariff information for guided retreats... (click here)
Prayer Weekends
What is a Prayer Weekend?
Jesus' invites you to come aside and rest with Him for the weekend. To
take quiet time with God in the midst of your busy life. It is a time
of guided prayer, which may be focused on themes like; prayer; relationship
with God, with self, and with others; spirituality; Liturgical Seasons
of the Year; or the mystics. Themes are provided to support the retreat
not dictate the retreat; retreatants are always encouraged to follow God's
lead. .
Guided Retreats begin with the 6.00pm meal on the evening of the Friday, followed by a brief introduction and Eucharist. They usually conclude after 2.00pm Eucharist on the Sunday.
The usual daily program follows this format: meditation; morning input session; opportunity for spiritual accompaniment (encouraged); celebration of Eucharist; sacrament of Reconciliation is also available by arrangement with one of the Team.
For Tariff information for weekends... (click here)
30 Days with a Mystic retreat
In
the 30 days with a Mystic retreat you can choose a mystic
that you find engages you. You enter the text through praying with a lectio
divina way of reading the words on the page, meditating, pondering and
taking the insights deeper into the heart, engaging the heart and resting
in contemplation. As this deepening of wisdom unfolds you engage with
the meaning and relate it to your prayer and personal experience.
During the retreat you meet every day for up to an hour with your spiritual director to share and enter more deeply the experience of prayer.
Examples of texts that would nourish and support the retreat are: Revelations
of Divine Love by Julian of Norwich, The Cloud of Unknowing, the poetry
of John of the Cross, the Letters of Clare of Assisi, The Spiritual Exercises
of Gertrude of Helfta, and the spiritual writings of Teilhard de Chardin.”
For Tariff information ... (click here)
Spiritual exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola
Month-long
(32 days) Retreat of the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola.
Ignatius and his followers knew that anyone seeking God was not meant to wait for visions, but had only to seek God in an intelligent and humble way and then with God's grace could "find God in all things". His method involved Spiritual Exercises of the mind, memory, will and imagination. Analogous to physical exercises to improve the body, these exercises would enable one to find the divine will and to conform one's will to the will of God.
The
Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola begin with
one day of preparation (disposition). The Exercises
are personally directed by your spiritual director over the duration of
the entire 32 days. The Exercises are made in an atmosphere
of complete silence. A day for appropriation concludes
this powerful experience.
St. Mary's Towers is an ideal place for those wishing to make the full Spiritual Exercises. The silence of this sacred space is at the service of a serious commitment to a spirit of prayer. In this context the Retreatant is led to meditate upon God's love for them and their relationship with God.
The retreat commences with the evening meal at 6pm, and ends after the appropriation time.
Applications
close one month before starting date (May 30)
Application Form 
For Tariff information ... (click here)
Life's Healing Journey retreat
As a Month-long Sabbatical Retreat
A month of renewal and healing for your life's
journey, opening and building a deeper intimacy with your God.
A Sabbatical Program of Renewal
1. 8 Day Guided Retreat
- this retreat draws on particular themes opening the retreatant
to the action of grace over the coming weeks.
2.
Life's Healing Journey -
drawing on the spirituality of the Heart of Jesus. Any hurtful
life experience, or loss, is within the scope of this retreat.
3. Contemplative Directed Retreat
- deepening my covenant relationship with God.
As a sabbatical the format of the first two stages is; daily input
session; group prayer; daily meeting with Prayer Companion; daily Celebration
of Eucharist; Celebration of Reconciliation; Celebration of Anointing
(Healing Retreat).
The format for the third stage is; daily meeting with Prayer Companion;
and Celebration of Sacraments.
Accompanied by the Retreat Team
Applications
close one month before starting date
Application Form
For Tariff information ... (click here)
.....................................................
Life's healing journey 8 Day Retreat
Open the doors of hurt and let the goodness of God's light shed new warmth upon your pain.
The
Healing Heart
Life's Healing Journey is a silent retreat, which draws on the Spirituality of the Heart of Jesus. Any hurtful life experience, loss, or painful memory can be healed and transformed through the grace and power of God. There is no hurtful or limiting experience of ours which Jesus has not shared.
The Life's Healing Journey Retreat is a blend of: daily input session; daily meeting with Prayer Companion; daily Celebration of Eucharist; Celebration of Reconciliation; Celebration of Anointing.
The Life's Healing Journey retreat begins with the 6.00pm
meal on the evening of the first date, followed by a brief introduction
and Eucharist. It usually concludes after 2.00pm Eucharist on the last
date shown.
Accompanied and Presented by the Retreat Team.
Application Form
For Tariff information ... (click here)
Day only bookings
Only got one day ?
Wanting a day of quiet rest and prayer?
We
all need space and quiet in our lives, but often we can't afford a whole
week, because of commitments. Give yourself the time now, before things
get more serious - God will help bring rest to your heart.
Meals are available for day bookings, just have a chat with our administrator. Arrangements can also be made for you to speak with one of our Spiritual Directors if you need.
Give your soul the space it needs to heal you from within.
For Tariff information for one day... (click here)
Spiritual Direction
Need Regular Spiritual Accompaniment?
Spiritual
Direction (Prayer Companion) is the art of supporting people
in their growing awareness of the presence and action of God in their
lives.
It is not counselling for fixing personal problems or supervision of ministry, but focussed on a person's prayer - the relationship between them and their God.
Our task is to work with passion and patience to shape , to hold, and to be the particular space in which God does in people's hearts that which God needs and desires to do.
The Retreat Team and visiting directors are available for spiritual direction by arrangement. Contact the Retreat House Director to discuss options for spiritual direction that meets your needs - (02) 4630 0230
The recommended stipend for Spiritual direction is $50 per hour (1 July 2010 – 30 June 2011, Council of Catholic Religious Australia)
Therapy - massage & reflexology
Introducing Therapist: Ms Rosaria Sun Ok Reid
Rosaria
is a qualified reflexology and massage therapist who conducts her own
business (Divine Healing and Beauty at Strathfield, NSW) and
who has carried out volunteer work involving reflexology at the Wesley
Garden Nursing Home at Brookvale.
Rosaria has attended Retreats at St Mary’s Towers since 2008 for her own
spiritual nourishment and is now offering her therapist skills in reflexology
and massage to assist retreatants during their retreats at St Mary’s Towers.
To assist with the organising of a schedule for therapy sessions we ask
that Retreatants notify the Retreat House Administrator if they wish to
book a session (or sessions) at least a week prior to their retreat.
The cost is $30.00 per half hour session and $50.00 for an hour, which is to be paid either by cash or cheque, directly to Rosaria at the time of the appointment. Private Health Fund rebates are available
external Bookings
Want to book the Retreat Centre for your group
?
We welcome requests for booking by external groups. However, commitments to our own annual program always take precedence. Enquiries can be made with the Retreat Centre Administrator as to spaces in the annual programme when the Centre is available.
Please note there are no special tariff deductions for group bookings.
Or want someone to give Retreats at your place
?
We welcome requests for members of our Retreat Team to give retreats in places other than St. Mary's Towers Retreat Centre. They may even be able to recommend other retreat givers who can assist you.
Commitments to our own annual program always take precedence. Please ensure all arrangements with Team members are cleared with the Retreat House Director.
