Peace in Benedictine Spirituality: Peace with God and Peace in Human Relationships

With Fr. Donald Raila O.S.B.

April 18, 2026
The Barn at Winnie Palmer
In his Holy Rule St. Benedict mentions "peace" or its equivalent a number of times, and "Benedictine peace" is sometimes seen as a goal for societies and nations. The monk is to "seek after peace and pursue it" (Prologue), and the common sharing of goods is to be arranged so that "all the members will be at peace" (Chapter 34). This retreat will explore passages of the Holy Rule that call upon the Christian to practice the disciplines that lead to the constant practice of God's presence and an interior peace with God. The retreat will also point out attitudes and…

Art Retreat: Painting in the Spirit

With Br. Mark Floreanini, O.S.B.

May 15 - 17, 2026
Saint Vincent Archabbey
Immerse yourself in a unique painting experience that blends art, spirituality, and reflection. This retreat is an invitation to deepen a connection with God while deepening artistic practice. By maintaining this prayerful mindset as one approaches the canvas, God is invited to inspire the work, enriching the process and the outcome. Commit time to both painting and prayer in the beautiful surroundings of Saint Vincent College. Participants are welcome to capture the many beautiful scenes on site or bring personal photos for inspiration. Please bring all personal materials—whether one prefers watercolor, acrylic, or oil—and be sure to pack several surfaces.

Directed 8 Day Silent Retreat

With Benedictine Monks

May 28 - June 4, 2026
Saint Vincent Archabbey
The 8-day directed silent retreat is an opportunity to go deeper than ever in your relationship with God. The retreat includes daily spiritual direction with a spiritual director who is deeply trained in the monastic tradition of Spiritual Direction. With the assistance of your spiritual director, you are invited to spend hours in personal prayer each day in any of the beautiful chapels, in various scenic and peaceful outdoor locations, or in the solitude of your personal room. Lovingly cared for by the robust tradition of hospitality, well established in the Benedictine tradition, retreatants enjoy meals daily in silence and…

Benedictine Spirituality Retreat: The Deepest Part: Thomas Merton’s Wisdom for Everyday Life

With Dr. Patricia Sharbaugh

June 5 - 7, 2026
Saint Vincent Archabbey
Thomas Merton lived the Rule of Benedict as a Cistercian monk from 1941 until his death in 1968. As a gifted writer, Merton was able to communicate his contemplative experience of God through books, essays, poetry, and journals.  His writing appeals to people seeking a deeper connection with God and a more profound understanding of their inner lives. During this retreat, Merton’s writings about prayer, contemplation, solitude, silence, and our relationship with the world will be explored through the question: What can we learn from Merton’s wisdom about living deep spiritual lives in the everyday world?

“SHALOM” – A Biblical and Existential Challenge.

With Fr. Patrick Cronauer, O.S.B.

June 27, 2026
Fred Rogers Center
The Hebrew word Shalom is profoundly richer than its common translation of "peace." In the Bible, Shalom signifies wholeness, well-being, completeness, and a thriving state of relationship—with God, with others, and with oneself. This retreat will look at the manifold meanings of Shalom in Scripture and explore the existential challenges it poses for us as individuals and as Christians living in this fragmented world. In these times of complexity and unrest, what does it truly mean to pursue and embody God's completeness? Join us as we reflect on how we can strive for Shalom in our daily lives now, while…

Lectio Divina Retreat: “My sheep hear my voice” (John 10:27a): Knowing Jesus’ Voice through Praying with Scripture

With Fr. Nathanael Polinski, O.S.B.

July 17 - 19, 2026
Saint Vincent Archabbey
Respond to Jesus’ invitation to "Come away by yourselves... and rest a while" (Mark 6:31) and deepen your relationship with Him. This retreat offers an opportunity to listen to the Good Shepherd as He speaks through Sacred Scripture. By growing in familiarity with His voice (John 10:27), we learn to recognize Him in the circumstances of our lives, in others, and in the depths of our hearts. The weekend features interactive conferences on selected biblical passages and praying with them.  Together we will strive to listen attentively to the Lord through liturgy, personal prayer, and fellowship, and enable His voice…

Men’s Retreat: Tragedy and Triumph with King David: A Tale of Perseverance.

With Fr. Edward Mazich, O.S.B.

July 24 - 26, 2026
Saint Vincent Archabbey
King David stands as one of the most complex and compelling figures in the Old Testament—a shepherd, a warrior, a king, a poet, and an ancestor of Jesus Himself. David's life was a dramatic saga of highs and lows: from his heroic triumph over Goliath and his great leadership, to moments of profound tragedy and personal failure, including betrayal and adultery. This retreat will explore David's entire journey—his youthful courage, his stunning successes, his devastating sins, and his ultimate, humble recovery through deep repentance. His story is a powerful blueprint for every man, showing us how to battle our own…

Silent Prayer Retreat: Dipping the Toes into the Ocean of Silence

With Fr. Shawn Anderson, O.S.B.

July 31 - August 2, 2026
Saint Vincent Archabbey
“Our hearts are restless until they rest in You,” Saint Augustine famously wrote in his Confessions, diagnosing the primary need of the human heart. Modern life exposes us to a cacophony of noise and distractions that diminish our ability to find rest and peace in God’s presence. When tumultuous upheaval  experienced in our environment infiltrates our interior lives, our hearts become filled with a similar amount of interior chatter.  Through the centuries, Christian spirituality has prescribed the practice of Contemplative prayer as an effective antidote to this ongoing parade of noise.  Through this practice, space is uncovered for the soul…

Finding Peace by Discerning God’s Will

With Fr. Paul O'Connor, S.J.

October 3, 2026
Fred Rogers Center
A profound source of human unrest is the struggle to clearly know God’s Will for our lives. To address this fundamental challenge, this retreat offers profound wisdom from the spiritual tradition of Saint Ignatius of Loyola. Saint Ignatius developed the powerful tool known as the Discernment of Spirits, a set of rules and guidelines developed to help a person recognize and understand the different movements within the soul.  The practice’s ultimate goal is to distinguish the influence of God, The Holy Spirit, from the prompts of the Evil Spirit in order to make decisions that align with God’s will. Join…

Men’s Outdoor Retreat: Beyond These Four Walls-Experiencing God in the Books of Scripture and Nature

With Fr. Shawn Anderson, O.S.B. and Fr. Gilbert Heater, O.S.B

October 16 - 19, 2026
Raccoon Creek State Park
In our modern world, it is all too easy to be distracted and disconnected from the reality of God’s presence in our hearts, in others, and in the world around us. This four-day retreat amid the natural beauty of Raccoon Creek State Park invites you into the incarnational wonder of God’s love and the profoundly human way in which he encounters us in body, mind, and soul. Our fellowship will be centered around outdoor recreation, small group sharing, liturgy, and lectio divina, an ancient practice of reading and reflecting on Scripture. Free from the disturbance of technology and hectic agendas, this time…

Music and Prayer: Sacred Music as a Pathway to Peace

With J. Christopher Pardini, BM, MM, SPC

January 30, 2027
Saint Vincent Basilica
This afternoon retreat will provide a time of contemplation where we will deepen our spiritual connection through the power of sacred music as prayer. Inviting a profound sense of peace, this retreat will center around the transformative role of music in the Catholic liturgical tradition and its ability to open the heart to God’s presence. Participants will hear live performances of two monuments of liturgical organ repertoire: the Mass for the Parishes by François Couperin, and the Clavierübung III (known as the “German Organ Mass”) by Johann Sebastian Bach. We will explore how these composers and others imbue their compositions…

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