WELCOME...

Have you ever just wanted to “get away from it all”? ...Put the world behind you and just commune with God. If so, the Monastery of the Holy Spirit is the perfect haven where you can rest, study the word of God, pray, put your thoughts in a journal, and learn about the monastic life. Here you may Retreat, Rest, Reflect, and Renew

An invitation to retreat.
We offer a Sacred Space for persons seeking to encounter God in solitude, in stillness, in the beauty of nature, in the healing rhythm of the contemplative lifestyle in the presence of a praying Community.
Retreat
Jesus frequently communed with the Father by going off to a lonely place, by rising early in the morning and by spending entire nights in prayer. Jesus withdrew to a quiet place to nourish his spirit. We believe that Our Lord invites us to come aside awhile—to rest, commune with the Word; listen to some words of encouragement, to pray, and to consider the mysteries of God. In Him we find not only the one true God who is Love, but our true selves as well. A spiritual retreat is a withdrawal from ordinary activities for a period of time to commune with God in prayer and reflection.

Rest
“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28

We come to God, and to this safe place, seeking rest and peace. The same Spirit who has called the monks of this community to a life of prayerful solitude also invites a constant flow retreatants to come aside and rest a while. This gives us the opportunity to share the fruits of our contemplative life and to practice hospitality that is central to our Cistercian monastic tradition.
Come and experience the leisure to slow down, relax, and dwell with God in love. Embrace the space to get to know yourself and God in deeper ways that empowers you to put aside for a time your everyday demands to rest with God. Here, you may find peace in the beauty and contemplative silence that surrounds us.

Reflect and pray…
Jesus gives us many examples of prayer to show us that prayer is a vital force needed in our lives. He beckons us to pray, to seek, and to find Him. We invite retreatants to participate fully in the monastic schedule of the Divine Office: praying the psalms. In the silence and solitude of a monastic retreat, one can rediscover Lectio Divina: Praying the word of God, Centering prayer: Resting with God, and Eucharist: feeding on God. Our Preached Retreat program provides a rich variety of spiritual presentations designed around themes of Scripture, contemplative prayer, or some spiritual writing that seems suited to the needs of the individuals involved who come to God, in search of understanding, hope, and clear purpose. This gift is offered to all seeking to develop a deeper spiritual life.

Renew
The loving One asks us to come aside and rest a while
As contemplative monks confronting our own human frailty daily in prayer, we continually experience the healing hand of the Lord in our lives. We offer that healing light to others through our special scheduled retreats. The Monastery of the Holy Spirit invites you to come and experience a retreat for a day or a few days of restful recollection and spiritual renewal in a prayerful and peaceful environment. Your time spent in retreat will renew and refresh you. You will be re-energized, able to bring new perspective and fresh vitality to your daily living, to your relationships, your work, and your ministry.

There are three general formats for retreats: preached, directed, and private. A Preached Retreat is a “scheduled retreat” where there is a leader or presenters who offer conferences each day, leads prayer and is available for private counseling. In Directed Retreats each person meets with a spiritual director who may suggest scripture passages for prayer and reflection. Private Retreats are made without a leader or director where the individual combines personal quiet time and spiritual inspiration and is free to follow their own schedule.

In all retreats, some degree of silence is maintained and there is an emphasis on the practice of a healthful lifestyle in regard to food, relaxation, and exercise. Many enter a retreat in order to make a serious decision or commitment, or to take the opportunity to examine the quality of their spiritual lives. Spiritual direction can arranged with advance notice.

What may you expect from a retreat at the Monastery?
The experience will vary with each individual:

These and other experiences can be yours according to God’s gift of grace. Above all, your time of retreat is to help you experience the Boundless Love of God for YOU.

The benefits of a retreat may be summed up in the word: PEACE — God's Peace which surpasses all understanding. Peace that empowers you to bear God’s truth into the world, and so to BE real love for all.

During your stay:

 

Retreats are normally scheduled for:

In light of frequent late cancellations and no-shows, retreat reservations require a non-refundable $30.00 deposit at booking. Cancellation with at least 30 days notice allows the deposit to be credited toward another available date within the following six months. The balance of your lodging and meals is due upon arrival. . . You may make your retreat donation at the end of your stay, when returning your evaluation form.

We suggest $60 to $100 per night for your time with us. An even more generous gift helps us welcome retreatants with limited resources. If this is beyond your means, come anyway and give as much as you are able. We are now able to take credit cards for your payments. We accept American Express, Discover, Master Card & Visa, and will gladly accept personal checks or cash.

After you have confirmed your reservation, if you want to give your deposit by credit card on a secure page, click here.

Reservations should be arranged well in advance:

By phone:
(770) 760-0959
Monday-Saturday, 8 AM – 4 PM
If no one answers, please leave a message.
24 hour FAX: (770) 760-0959

By mail:
Fr. James Behrens
Monastery of the Holy Spirit
2625 Highway 212 S.W.
Conyers, Georgia 30094-4044

By e-mail:
retreat@trappist.net

Guest rooms will be available for check-in at 1 PM. Check-out for all guest rooms and the conference rooms is noon. Special scheduling can be arranged.

The Monastery of the Holy Spirit’s Guest House is a strictly smoke-free environment (guest rooms, conference center, porches and all grounds). No pets are allowed.

Retreatants’ Schedule
Retreatants’ Daily Schedule for meals and times of prayer to which you are invited:

4:00 am	Vigils
7:00 am	Mass with Lauds
8:00-8:45 am	Breakfast (served immediately after Mass)
12:00 Noon	Sext (midday prayer followed by Lunch
5:20 pm	Vespers (Evening Prayer)
	Supper following Vespers
7:30	Compline (Night Prayers)
Sunday & Solemnities same as above except:
12:00 Noon	Sext ( Midday Prayer in the Abbey)
	Lunch following Sext
4:30 PM	Exposition with Benediction at close of Vespers

ORIENTATION / RETREAT TALKS
There is an orientation talk Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday when there are no special retreats; otherwise for preached retreats there is usually a talk at 6:30 PM Monday and Friday to open the retreat and give orientation.

Phone: 770-483-8705. Address: 2625 Hwy 212 SW, Conyers, GA 30094-4044.