Retreats

Why retreats?

In the old days, it was only clergy, nuns, monks and a few lay people who “went on retreat”, that is a time of solitude and silence with the purpose of deepening one’s relationship with God..

Nowadays, all over the world, this is changing. People from all walks of life are searching for this deepening of their spiritual life. This search is quite often experienced as a restlessness, a deep longing, sometimes even an uncomfortable feeling that come to you as an invitation from God to “go on a retreat”.

So, women and men, old and young, lay or ordained, of all denominations, ages and stages are drawing aside for a few days of relative silence, to make their retreat with God…to be refreshed by the mystery of His healing presence and the overwhelming surprise His unconditional love for ordinary human beings.

Of course, a retreat does not end here. It is not just a time of rest or an escape from the worries of everyday life, although sometimes this is a very important part. Rather, on a retreat one is able to engage more deeply with God, oneself and others, so that renewed by Him, we emerge, able to engage more deeply with the problems and challenges of relationships and society at large!

Questions one should ask

If you have never been on a retreat before and are noticing a sense of interest in them, you might find answering these questions useful:

Would you like to deepen your relationship with God, but feel a little “stuck”?
Do you sometimes find it difficult to pray?
Would you like to know more about different ways of praying?
Do you need help working out how God is calling you?
Do you need to become still long enough to allow God to refresh you with His healing presence and the power of His love?
Do you long for some peace and quiet to think and pray, and then to talk to someone skilled in listening?

If you answer “yes” to any of these questions, God might be inviting you to go on a retreat.

What is on offer?

The Centre for Christian Spirituality offers a variety of retreats – silent, thematic, and individually directed. A short weekend retreat, lasting from Friday late afternoon till Sunday after lunch, is a good place to start.

All the Retreat Centres are well equipped with individual rooms and meals being served three times a day. These are included in the costs.

All the Retreat Centres are also situated in some of the most scenic surroudings in the Cape area and offer you the opportunity of walking and relaxing in nature while on retreat.