Monastic Life Retreat
"Silence will illuminate you in God"
Isaac of Nineveh
In order to share our monastic spirituality more fully with anyone who feels drawn to deepen his contemplative Life in Christ, we offer our thirty-day Monastic Life Retreat. The content and atmosphere of this retreat are focused on immersing the retreatant into the living tradition of Western Monasticism in order to deepen and expand his own spiritual journey.
The Monastic Life Retreat is open to those men interested in a closer look at monastic life for purposes of further vocational discernment; and to those who have already discovered their path in life but feel the need for a quiet time of reflection and more contemplative prayer.
The silent environment, well-stocked monastic library and wooded hillside beckoning for quiet reflective hikes all contribute to make an extended stay at the Abbey a special grace-filled experience.
Each monastic Life retreatant participates in the liturgy, daily work, and communal life of the monastery while living within the monastic enclosure. Our community supports its members by binding books, offering mail-order food products, and taking care of the forest land adjacent to the monastery.
A conference on monastic spirituality and prayer is given each weekday afternoon by one of the monks. A monk is assigned to each retreatant to accompany him during his stay with us. Meditation periods and Scripture reflection also are part of the daily schedule.
The thirty-day Monastic Life Retreat will be offered several times a year according to the number of applicants accepted. The number of retreatants at any one time is limited to three. There is no charge for the retreat, as each participant will be earning his room and board through his daily work with the monks.
How to Apply:
Vocational Interest:
If you are interested in the Monastic life Retreat program because you feel like God is calling you to pursue a monastic vocation, please email our Br Chris: chris@trappistabbey.org
For more information, see vocations: Our Procedure
Non-vocational Interest:
If you do not feel called to become a monk and want to participate in the monastic life retreat program, please call:
Br Mark Filut, Wednesday or Friday 6-7 PM, Pacific Time.
Br Mark is in charge of our program.