Retreats with Religious Congregations
Franciscan Come and See Afternoons
Do you think God is calling you to live the Gospel in a Franciscan Lifestyle? If you would like to discern your Call, come along to a Come and See event on the first Saturday of every month from 2 – 4pm. Open to both male and female discerners.
Location: San Damiano Convent, 1 Hall Street, Alfreton, Derbyshire DE55 7BT
Contact: Sr. Dorothy Paul at 1clarefrancesco2017@gmail.com or on 01773 833168
Amata Dei Retreat
A retreat for young women aged 18-35 who are discerning what God is calling them to do with their life.
Friday 22nd – Sunday 24th November 2019
Location: St Dominic’s Priory, Shirley Holms Road, Lymington Hampshire SO41 8NH (Nearest station: Brockenhurst)
Contact: dominican.sisters@talk21.com or 01590 681874
Monastic Experience Weekend
A weekend retreat for Catholic men considering a vocation to the priesthood and/or religious life. The weekend will offer a few talks, opportunities to participate in the Divine Office, Mass and for personal prayer and to talk with members of the Benedictine community at Downside Abbey. The weekend starts at 6pm on the Friday, finishing at 2pm on Sunday.
Friday 22nd – Sunday 24th November 2019
Location: Downside Abbey, Stratton on the Fosse, Bath, Somerset BA3 4RH
Contact: downsidevocation@downside.co.uk
FCJ Vocations Weekend
A weekend for young women (20s and 30s) reflecting on the vocation to religious life. Meet other young women discerning their vocation whilst experiencing community life with the Faithful Companions of Jesus sisters.
Friday 29th November – Sunday 1st December 2019
Location: FCJ Community, Liverpool
Contact: Sr Lynne at lynnefcj@hotmail.com
To download the poster please click here.
Residential Opportunities
Vocations Discernment Community (Hammersmith, London)
This one-year of personal and spiritual development and of discerning one’s own calling begins at the end of September each year (September – July). It is for men who will be working or studying in London but who would also like to look at the possibility of priesthood or religious life. The community is sponsored and run by the Augustinians but it is not geared to moving the members in any particular direction. It gives a flavour of the different options within the Church, with a variety of experiences and inputs.
It is quite a challenging year as the members continue their work or studies during the day, whilst in the evenings and weekends take part in the community activities. The aim is that by the end of the year the members will have a clearer idea of what their specific calling is (either priesthood, religious, lay consecrated or married life) and what it entails, and be enabled to make a more formal start in the direction they feel God is calling them.
Contact: Bro. Gladson Francesco Dabre OSA on 07865 664333 or at vocations@theaugustinians.org
Internships at Quarr Abbey (Isle of Wight)
Quarr Abbey is inviting applications from men between the age of 18 and 25 for a limited number of monastic internships. These will offer the successful candidates the possibility of living in the monastery for two months, following a way of life similar to that of the monks. During this time they will learn about the Benedictine tradition and have the opportunity to deepen their prayer and reflection on the Bible.
They will be expected to contribute by their work to the welfare of the monastery and in return will receive board, lodging, teaching and guidance. The hope is that, with God’s help, they will establish a lasting spiritual foundation for their lives.
Those interested in applying are asked to write to Fr Luke Bell at interns@quarr.org.
Website: www.quarrabbey.org