Retreat to a Franciscan Monastery

Fr. David Gaa

I try to feature retreats that are reasonable in price and a bit unusual, off the tourist path, so to speak. Here is one that fits this description, at Old Mission San Luis Rey de Francia in California. People have been retreating to monasteries and hermitages since they were formed in the Middle Ages. This is actually an old idea brought to modern-day standards. Here is part of the description from the website: http://www.sanluisrey.org/Retreats.

The Franciscan Retreat Center at Old Mission San Luis Rey offers a place for solitude, healing, and revitalization with a wide variety of spiritual and educational programs. Create your private day away (Quiet Days), join us for a half day or evening session (Twilight Retreats) or treat yourself, or a loved one, to a complete weekend of spirituality and sacred space. The Friars and staff are here to assist you on your spiritual journey.
The facilities are available to religious and educational groups, non-profit organizations, civic organizations, companies and corporations. We do, however, reserve the right to refuse the use of our facilities to anyone whose philosophies diametrically oppose our mission and purpose.
To read the original click here.

The Mission offers silent retreats and short retreats with guidance by the monks if requested. They are also set up for large groups up to several hundred people with affordable lodging and a camp ground for tents.
If you are the type of person who likes scheduled retreats, some of the workshops for the near future include: Couples Retreat (2/8-2/10), Twilight Retreat with Fr. David Gaa (2/15), Quiet Monday (2/25), Spring into Serenity Retreat for Women in Al-Anon (3/15-3/17), Family Vacation Retreat (7/8-7/12) and Senior Vacation Retreat (8/5-8/9).
Sound interesting? Contact them easily by phone or online. And let me know how it was!